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Nous'klaer Audio proudly presents Lenxi and her debut album: 'Did you get the dream I sent you?' A personal 10-track long player balancing IDM, indie pop and techno, which was written in and about a period of life where heartbreak and threats reinforced each other, creating an inescapable loop of isolation. Attempting to regain confidence and hope, a process of dreaming up a fictive emotional escape emerged. Paintings, sketches, voice notes, and a first few synth-lines took shape--laying the groundwork for this very album. In the tail of the storm, the London-born, Amsterdam-based producer and DJ refined her ideas further in places that carried hopeful memories. Places that felt familiar. Revisiting studios in beloved locations from the past --in London and Paris-- and seeking for the new --in studios and the Westcoast waters of L.A.-- all helped to shape those purest ideas into full songs forming a story that demanded closure. Lenxi's debut album is a stunning sequence of dreams hinting at hope combined with nostalgia--built on a strong force battling the vulnerability of being alone--and ultimately finding a way out and onto the dance-floor. The album is pressed on 180g vinyl and comes with a download-card.

»White Noise« is a cooperation project between raster-media and the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics. Artistic sound projects generated in the context of the scientific research institute will appear at irregular intervals. The themes and questions of empirical aesthetics research are taken up, questioned or challenged in very different ways. »White Noise« is conceived as an audio archive of the MPIEA artists in residence which records the artistic works on vinyl and documents the respective concepts and working methods in text form.

Victioria Keddie’s »Pshal P’shaw« (white noise #002) is a multimedia exploration delving into phonetic expression’s auditory and rhythmic nuances of phonetic expressions through an amalgamation of text, sound, video, data, and customized learning software. Drawing inspiration from the painter and architectural theorist Hermann Finsterlin who made speculative architectural renderings, the project originated during a residency at the Max Planck Institute of Empirical Aesthetics in Frankfurt in 2023.

The project’s engagement with the sonic landscape of the eight diphthongs in US English, documented through recorded sessions at EEG labs with participants of diverse international backgrounds, is not just a technical analyses. The applied script for the recording session, infused with a contemporary Western US dialect, ventures beyond, exploring the primal essence of phonetic expression and its impact on the oral landscape of mouth, throat, and tongue.

This work focuses on the spoken aspect of language: the art of oration, conversation, and mimicry. It reflects the beauty of our perpetual change, speaking directly to our humanity and the raw, tender moments of existence. It embraces the awkward, beautiful and vulnerable essence of our shared human experience.

Victoria Keddie is a multidisciplinary artist delving into sound, video, installation, and performance. Her work uncovers hidden narratives within ordinary artifacts and spaces, emphasizing their role in shaping our collective story. The examination of acoustic phenomena and language is a recurring theme in her artistic work. Keddie’s current projects navigate the acoustic complexity of language and dialects.

For over a decade, Keddie was co-director of E.S.P. TV, exploring the televisual medium for performance and sound. Keddie has performed and exhibited internationally. Recent fellowships include the NYSCA/NYFA for Music/Sound (2022), the Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics (2023), and the Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, Sound Art and Experimental Music Fellowship (2024).

»White Noise«, 40 p. magazine English/German, vinyl LP, cardboard box

The album "THE ENTITY" is an esoteric-horror concept composed of 12 tracks (plus one bonus track) dedicated to The
Entity, the central figure of the DEATH SS project. Its literary inspirations range from Aleister Crowley—who sought to
free mankind by awakening its artistic genius—to characters by Hogg and Stevenson, who delve into the dark side of
human nature. It features figures such as Jack the Ripper, Walter Sickert, Cimiteria, and others, all deeply connected to
the band’s mythology. Produced by Tom Dalgety, renowned for his work with Ghost, The Cult, Rammstein, and more.

When SW. AKA, Stefan Wust, first established SUED in 2011, their compelling, cosmic and anonymous material struck a rare chord, emanating far beyond the freeform Berlin underground in which it was written. Unknowingly, Los Angelean Oliver Bristow had
established a parallel musical universe, founding the hyper-specific label Acid Test, inviting pioneering artists such as Donato Dozzy, Tin Man and Pepe Bradock to indulge in glorious interpretations of 303 control. Without compromise, these were records that quietly
reinvigorated electronic music.
Some years later, a new label, SWOB, unites Wust and Bristow in a very different landscape. And while it would be easy to transform the purity and integrity of this special alchemy into something like nostalgia, yearning for an alternative culture before
influencers and against algorithms, SWOB endeavours to find inspiration in arguably tougher truths.
“By the mid-90s, the techno scene had already reached a breaking point”, recalls Wust.
“Today, the scene is so highly professionalized that it barely resembles what was once called the "underground. But "underground" was never more than the simple reality that music circulated on cassettes among friends or that dubplates were played at illegal
parties... The consequence of today’s professionalization is the death of the original movement.”
Still, no one can kill an idea. Here, inspired by the “Outside Tekno” or “Outkast Techno” that emerged to subvert even back in the day, SWOB are proud to introduce the tekkNOthing trilogy, a new project from SW. beginning on cassette and culminating later
on vinyl. Some years in development, tekkNOthing first began to take shape during the 2020 global pandemic, when ‘the underground’ quickly began to mean something radically different once again.
“I noticed how everything was accelerating while simultaneously spinning in circles – existing in a kind of creative limbo on a global scale”, recalls Wust. “And that’s where true freedom lies: for artists – in any sense – to consciously engage with this necessity. In
other words, irrationality or nonsense can eventually generate meaning.” While hardly capitulating to the contemporary hammering of techno’s most recent developments, tekkNOthing’s first chapter quickly establishes a frenetic pace; tracks like ‘nuclearFALLoutX’ and ‘paslolESmess’ interlock and unfold at a tempo removed from that typically associated with SW. while ‘euroBSS’ and ‘viscousHEAT’ successfully experiment with a more guttural palette, veering far into a rejuvenating and previously uncharted leftfield.
A resolutely human endeavour, the music of SW. is nonetheless written and recorded in the looming shadow of AI, whose free-form adoption of pop culture, hip-hop and techno reminds Wust of “when photography emerged in the 19th century... painting was no
longer bound to naturalism. Similarly, music today is no longer bound to fixed standards – through AI, it can become truly free.”
If not in competition, than taking inspiration from this landscape of new opportunity, tekkNOthing diversifies further with eight unpredictable tracks across part II, taking in stuttering machine-funk on ‘crAMPDUNK’, a freeform organ jam via ‘sonicENdo’ and the
inexplicable piston-percussive, post-punk exotica heard on ‘poorTENOOR#a#01’ DJs with dual cassette decks skills might even find function in the more overtly floor-focused ‘DU ¨NEhowSE#1takeÄ’ or ‘lookLOOK’.
The times may have changed, but the promise remains simple; more music, more freedom.

Two IDM icons, Roel Funcken and exm come together on Science Cult for an LP that is nothing short of alchemy. Flyphel feels like a living, breathing entity — an intricate fusion of sound that shifts between the mechanical and the organic. Each track unfolds like a story told in textures and tones, with Funcken’s razor-sharp precision meeting exm’s ethereal abstractions. You're not just invite you to listen, you're pulled into its world, where every detail reveals something new on repeat visits. This stunning release arrives as a 2x12" LP encased in a beautifully printed outer jacket with matching inner sleeves featuring paintings by Roel Funcken, making this as much a visual statement as an auditory one. With their combined expertise in sound design and their shared commitment to pushing boundaries, Roel Funcken and exm have created something that feels both timeless and ahead of its time.

Totoyov is back with a new identity and is pleased to present its fourth vinyl release, featuring four tracks by the talented Brazilian artist, and one of our label heads, Dru.

Giuliano Lomonte and the rising Romanian star Constratti complete the record with their powerful and refined touches on A2 and B2. A perfect combination of meticulously crafted drums, instruments, and groove that will keep you engaged.

“Unlikely Possibilities EP” is a manifestation of powerful moments in life that happen for a reason, when you least expect them.

The record’s artwork is created by the talented Juliette Siraj, a French artist with synesthesia—a rare condition that allows her to see colors and shapes while listening to music. Each of her paintings is a visual translation of the sounds she perceives. For this release, Juliette painted while immersing herself in the EP’s tracks, transforming the sonic experience into a unique and sensory artwork.

200 copies. No repress!

2025 Repress

Jim Coles once again turns the tide towards a new horizon and travels further into the echo chamber. Leading on from the much-lauded ‘Secret Location’ mini-album with Seekersinternational, one-offs such as ‘Open Palms dub’ (Dub Stuy) and other teasings, ‘Acid Dub Studies’ is the fully-fledged result of the merging of the calligraphic expression of the 303 Acid bassline with the stern sway of Dub Reggae and the hazier edges of Dub Techno and Ambient music.

For those who have been paying close attention, this project will come as a welcome return to the vulnerability and playfulness of early Om Unit records such as his sub-radar single from 2010 ‘Lightgrids/Lavender’ (All City Records) or the unearthed chugging ambience of ‘Friend of Day’ (Idle Hands) and indeed in some sense draws from similar wellsprings as moments on 2013’s Bass classic ‘Threads’.

Whilst being perhaps an ‘interim project’ this is still a vital and important expression of exploration and playfulness. A study in the true sense and borne out of a subtle but pervasive frustration with the rigidity found in musical words he has up to now been cohabiting, Acid Dub Studies comes from the pressing need to break with perceived expectation and to explore an honest and natural space away from the genre labels and tags that had been often lazily applied to his sizeable catalogue of music.

With no desire to reinvent the wheel, rather to paint pictures in an honest framework, the LP was crafted using a medley of classic analogue mixing techniques inspired as much by the adventurous dubbing of Adrian Sherwood as by the inward-delving haze of Scott Monteith’s Deadbeat project. Created during a period of lonely introspective walks through his home town of Bristol, the cover art is a photograph of some of the iron kerbstones that are found almost exclusively in the characterful and hardy city which were installed in the late 1800’s to protect pavements from cart wheels. Something about the permanence of those iron slabs and cobblestones inspired a sense of comfort and determination.

Acid Dub Studies is due for release as yet another self-released label-free project leading on from recent EP titles ‘Violet’ and ‘Submerged’ both of which hinted at some of the shapes found in this full length album.

Once again Jim has shown a rare convincing adaptability that few electronic artists can embody. Another step on the journey of personal and creative curiosity that fans are sure to appreciate.

Comes in a sleeve screenprinted by the artist. Mastered by Yves De Mey.

Antwerp-based freaks City Suckers compose rythms on various hardware and vintage drumcomputers, with the use of fx-send, samples and sequencers. Progressing loop-based compositions, layering patterns into a painting of rhythms, bass and keys.

Respected Swedish drummer and composer Dennis Egberth introduces new sextet in his first album with 577 Records.


"If you love the era in which electronic elements began to enter contemporary jazz, you’ll love what Sweden’s Dennis Egberth has been creating. The esteemed drummer/composer introduces us to his hand-chosen ensemble, The Dennis Egberth Dynasty, in the artist’s first album with 577 Records. The self-titled release highlights his creativity, painting a hypnotic soundscape that soothes the soul.

Experimental wizard Dennis Egberth is known for his distinguished approach to experimental music, free improv, and alternative pop, as well as his fascinating skills in blending cosmic composition and chilled ambient and electronic sounds. He presents floating melodies of irresistible bass lines and long, modal buildups that come alive with exploding lyricism. His new record highlights his compositional roots and was inspired by the evolution of electronics in this genre during the late ‘60s and ‘70s.

Egberth fused his talents with those of Fredrik Ljungkvist on tenor sax and clarinet, Niklas Barnö on trumpet, Alexander Zethson on Wurlitzer, Linus Hillborg on electronics, and double bassist Joe Williamson, forming an unforgettable sextet. Together, they’re more like a thriving ecosystem than anything else. Each member brings critical elements from their dynamic roles in the Swedish and European creative music scene and contributes them to the manifestation of a higher wave of sound unlike any other."

Tenor saxaphone and clarinet by Fredrik Ljungkvist.
Trumpet by Niklas Barnö.
Wurlitzer by Alex Zethson.
Electronics by Linus Hillborg.
Double bass by Joe Williamson.
Drums by Dennis Egberth.

Recorded by Niclas Lindström on December 14, 2023 at Atlantis Studio, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mixed by Anders af Klintberg.
Mastering by Kristofer Göransson.
Cover painting by MiHee Kim Magee.
Graphic design by Mark Smith.
All music by Dennis Egberth.

This record was made with support from the Swedish Arts Council.

Foxtail Records delivers its first vinyl release with a true soundtrack for the skies of heaven.
Celestial Dance EP by Tommy Vicari JNR and Loopdeville. A 4-track journey through celestial soundscapes, this release is a cure for the heart, pulling you into a dreamlike, cosmic realm.
Join us on this journey.
The stunning artwork comes from legendary Japanese painter Suyama Masaru, capturing the essence of freedom and escape-how our souls truly feel.

The album from an association of Ukrainian artists called Noneside brought musicians and painters together under the famous words of the writer Taras Shevchenko and his poem "Make love, o dark-browed ones..". The painting by contemporary figurative artist Iryna Maksymova frames the trance and tech house music of such performers as Shjva (Warning, Terra Magica, Viscera), Lostlojic (Secret Feta, Infinite Pleasure, Deeptrax), Saturated Color (Neptune Discs, Nerang), Peshka (Visionquest, Re.Face, Banoffee Pies) and Yevhenii Loi. Mastered by Taras Bril, also typefaces of Ivan Tsanko-Khlibovych used in design. First of all, this is the music of love and unity, wherever you are - at home in the kitchen or on the big festival dance floor - common feelings will unite you and spin you in a crazy rhythm, and will make you understand that we are not strangers. Together we dance for a better future!

Nadia Struiwigh returns to Blueprint for her second EP "The X1 Shift EP is more than a collection of tracks; it's a story, a refl ection of the shifts I've embraced, and the identity I'm uncovering at my core. I've always felt that music is storytelling, not boxes to be labelled. Whether through ambient textures, techno grooves, or experimental soundscapes, each genre represents a chapter in a bigger story.


The magic lies in weaving them together into something timeless and deeply resonant-much like the origins of electronic music. For me, the essence of being an artist is freedom-creating without limits and exploring the beauty of the unexpected.

This EP represents thatfreedom: the love of pushing boundaries, the courage to evolve, and the joy of stepping into the unknown. Every sound on X1 Shift is intentional, every transition meaningful, yet there's also room for spontaneity.
Technically, the EP features the tools and hardware that inspire me: the Korg Electribe (my heart), Yamaha DX200, NI Maschine+, Arturia Minifreak, and plugins from NI and Plugin Alliance.
These tools became the palette for painting this journey.

Thank you, James, for supporting this music and giving it a second round. Your belief in this, especially something a little out of the box, means the world to me!!
Here's to breaking free, telling stories, and creating from the heart.

Black Music has always been the main source of inspiration for contemporary music and for the IRMA records label, which turns 37
this year, it is a fundamental part of its musical vision.
In the 80s with the birth of the term Acid Jazz this international scene began to emerge that fished out the Soul Jazz Funk sounds of the
70s and which to this day is a scene alive and well that continuously generates new artists. IRMA records is recognized as one of the
labels that has published several of these artists since the 90s starting with Jestofunk, Bossa Nostra, Gazzara, Man Sueto and many
others.
With this compilation entitled ‘Mondo Groove’ it wanted to highlight the very varied Italian scene today that inevitably undergoes the influences of Dancefloor but also those of Afrobeat, Fusion and World Music.
On the cover one of the artists included in the selection: Alixia Mistral.

Glasgow’s Cloth announce their return with new music by way of a four-track EP and their first release for their new label Rock Action Records. ‘Lucid’ is resplendent yet brooding, offering airy dream-like, haunting vocals over dark guitar riffs and resonating percussion - a perfect moment of minimal alternative rock.

Guitarist Paul Swinton says, “It was the first song we wrote for the EP and it felt like it set a tone for where we should go with the other songs - somewhere darker and bigger. The song is about being wrapped up in a situation you feel you have no control over then realising you do have the ability and agency to change things for the better.” Ice blue coloured 12” vinyl with digital download code. For fans of The xx, Cocteau Twins, Beach House and War Paint.

- Channel Tres releases his debut album Head Rush via RCA Records.

The album, which features the previously-released singles "Berghain" featuring Barney Bones and "Cactus Water" is the culmination of Channel's steady ascent since he first broke through to public consciousness with his cult-classic debut single "Controller." Head Rush features all of the sounds that have come to be hallmarks of Channel Tres songs, but finds him incorporating musical influences not heard in his prior catalog, as evidenced by "Berghain" and other songs from the album including the Ty Dolla $ign-featuring “Holy Moly,” a visualizer for which is out now. The album arrives on the heels of two recent head-turning Channel Tres collaborations as well -- his contribution to KAYTRANADA's "Drip Sweat" and Jay Worthy, DāM FunK & ATrak's "105 West" alongside fellow LA legends Ty Dolla $ignand DJ Quik exemplify his versatility. Head Rush is a richly layered record, but one that feels totally intuitive, without a trace of doubt or self-consciousness.

The way “I’m Him” shimmers is balanced by the Estelle-featuring “We Hungry,” which nearly growls; the spare, percussion-forward Ravyn Lenaeduet “Need U 2 Know” (the stylization of its title a nod to Prince, one of Tres’s major influences) at delightful odds with the easy ride of “Gold Daytonas.” Head Rush shows the staggering array of styles Channel Tres can evoke. But that versatility is not the point in and of itself—the point is that all these component parts can be reassembled into something that feels uniquely personal, and honest. Through his career, Tres has blended recognizable genres, textures, and points of view into a truly singular form all his own. Longtime listeners will recognize in Head Rush the hallmarks of a Channel Tres record: a mastery of rhythm, the rare ability to make songs sinister and fluorescent at once.

But this LP also opens a new sonic world, one rife with unexpected terrain and hairpin turns—see the way “Type” takes what sounds at first to be a simple romantic boundary and stretches it out into an alien landscape. Or take “Berghain,” a song that nods to the kinetic live shows that became must-see events—a crescendo of interest that included his momentous Coachella 2022 performance and culminated, at least symbolically, with his early 2023 set at Berghain, the legendary Berlin club that has long been a musical hub of the Western world. “Berghain” is delirious but thumps almost impossibly hard, in line with the album as a whole—always molting, always ready to turn from the claustrophobic to the communal, as the pivot on “Joyful Noise” accomplishes so seamlessly. Head Rush also features some of Tres’s most deeply felt vocals to date, like the veritable bloodletting on “Two Ways.” And so the record, which also features Ty Dolla $ign, Thundercat, Teezo Touchdown, Watr, Barney Bones and Toro y Moi, marks a new era for Channel Tres, personally as well as artistically. “I’m older now, and the things that I’ve accomplished tell me I’m ready to do this,” he says. “You’ve worked your whole life for this, you’ve been able to do these shows and walk into these rooms and make these songs. There’s no reason you have to live by the same insecurity that you had to use in years past.” Shedding that baggage accomplished exactly what it was meant to—lightening the load so we’re free to get heavier than ever

The time has arrived for the release of the long awaited EP by LEBA, with the prolific title - Into The Lights.

Carefully and thoughtfully crafted over two years, the legendary record producer of High Power Music, General Lee, teamed up with the magnificent Legends Sly and Robbie, to produce the daughter of legendary Jamaican Icon Toots Hibbert: LEBA.

This LP features 7 songs including a feature from Jamaican Portland deejay Blackout JA, on track "No one loves you like me", which was released in 2021. These songs carry you on a musical journey of time and space, on a dub and reggae background, which soothes the ears of its listeners, and gets them grooving to the bassline of the late Robbie Shakespeare OD and Sly Dunbar OD and Taxi Gang.

The songs paint a picture through conscious words and messages, heavy and spacey instrumentation, recorded & mixed at One Pop Recording Studio Kingston Jamaica by Rorey Baker. An atmosphere that will surely transport its listeners into the calm and relaxing space of reggae and dub music.

An appetite for the unknown" - Daniel Lanois

No collaboration is unlikely when the end goals are the same. A meeting of two artists who illustrate different corners of the musical landscape, come together to create a new statement that takes their collective strengths to higher elevations and encompasses new terrains.

So it is on the first collaborative journey of Canadian musicians Venetian Snares and Daniel Lanois. What started as mutual respect for one another's work, led to several years of a creative germination resulting in an eight-track full-length exploration released May 4th on Timesig/Planet Mu.

The path began in 2014, after Lanois reached out to Venetian Snares (Aaron Funk) as a fan of his work. The project started to take root in Summer of 2016, after Funk hung around Toronto between shows. Taking his gear to Lanois' studio, the two began to play for the first time together in what would prove to be a formative moment in their creative journey together.

I love making music with Dan, he has a real understanding of how to create a world and build what may exist within that world. Bassdrums are trombones and they are a colossal whale which floats on clouds of leaves speaking to the blast furnace feeding the mammoth. A small painting of forest horses hangs in the cranium of the sea horse.' - Aaron Funk

Recorded live in a former Buddhist temple-turned-studio in Toronto,
'Venetian Snares x Daniel Lanois' travels to new zones in what Lanois describes as a body of work driven by exploration'. Like all the best collaborations, it's brought something new out of both musicians. Equipped with their production acuity, they let their natural workflow guide them through uncharted waters. Funk laid the groundwork with drums while Lanois rode the pedal steel, weaving their sounds together in a new sonic tapestry. The two ultimately landed at their destination, their work ready to be shared with those willing to explore.

In Daniel Lanois 'own words:
"To come upon a new form reassures the head that frontier lives on The unlikely pairing of Venetian Snares and Daniel Lanois may very well have provided us with a nice new pair of shoes to walk to new sonic frontier A melange of gospel and electronics As madness of the world trips over its heels these Canadian sonic innovators prepare for travel A body of work driven by exploration, brings to us in our modern times what we remember and admire from the Jazz explorations of the 50s A splintering An appetite for the unknown"

Take cover! It's impossible to get rid of the now legendary Stupeflip Crou (="crew"). Like a two-taste chewing-gum that's been stuck under your trainers since 1994, King Ju is back in force with Sons2ouf!!, an album meticulously selected from hundreds of unreleased tracks and alternative versions accumulated over the years. Always on the fringes of a bloated Game, Ju takes us on a tour of his strange cabinet of curiosities. Far from being a simple collection of sounds, the album is a real creation in its own right in the Stup discography. 'Mock-ups are often better than the final sound, like a sketch that's always more alive than a finished painting,' he explains. Here we find that first draft, bits of stuff not yet digested by the industry. Some of the nuggets are antediluvian, but they sound extremely lively, as if they had been written the day before. In Stupeflip's parallel world, time doesn't exist. We find the themes dear to Crou: childhood, rage, non- violence, the passage of time, a passion for music and nostalgia. As usual, the beat is cut with a meticulous flow, there's no time to take a breath, the Stup just does what it wants, churning out one bullet after another in a fusion of genres and styles that's as distinctive as ever. Specially dedicated to aficionados, the album celebrates 30 years of Le Crou! The Holy Grail for every Stup fan!

2024 Repress!

“You Are Safe” – a title illustrating the safe haven, Keinemusik has built itself over the last years. This self determined action space of the DJ/producers Rampa, &ME and Adam Port; Reznik who’s favouring the DJ booth to the studio and painter/visual artist Monja Gentschow. At the same time it makes an offer to every listener: put your headphones on, boogie around your living room, let go, forget everything around you. When this is on – you are safe.

Kolkata-based musician Nilotpal Das aka Bios Contrast's new album 'Red River', arrives as a narrative sequel to his 'Dragon Rising' LP on Hong Kong DIY label Mouhoi. The concept behind the record is a speculative historical drama and myth taking place during the deadly Kalinga War in the Mauryan Empire of India.

Following his intensive 24-hour harmonium drone compositions, Das's 'Red River' uses recordings of Bell 407, a civil utility helicopter as the main body of the record together with a 47-year-old harmonium, field recordings at Chandraketugarh, custom built woodwind prototype instruments together with guitar, violin & vocal improvisations.

Music From Memory is thrilled to introduce Dead Sound, the collaborative project of Marco Sterk (aka Young Marco) and Berlin-based pop-auteur John Moods. Both artists are no strangers to the label; Sterk forms one third of the trio Gaussian Curve, while Moods released the 2022 album ‘Hidden Gem’ with The Zenmenn.

Their collaboration was both planned and spontaneous; Sterk initially reached out in 2022 expressing his desire to work with Moods. The pair finally got together in 2024 to produce ‘Into The Void’, an album that burst into life over the course of a few creatively charged days in each other’s company.

Moods’ dream-like, emotionally charged music wears its heart on its sleeve; its very human vulnerability makes it a perfect match for Sterk’s strong sense of melody and textural sonic visions.

‘Into The Void’ carries these psychedelic traits in its DNA, but they exist layered deep amongst the shadows. Painting on a wide canvas that effortlessly skips between genres, the pair weave anything that inspires them into a truly unique tapestry; a bold attempt to touch at the beyond.

Exploring the space between perception (level of the mind) and the nature of the universe (actual level of reality) seems traditionally like an impossible task. But there’s gotta be a time and a space for the profound and this album invites the listener to go deep, letting go of concepts such as love and opening oneself up to one’s own authentic journey. This transformative force of healing is a central theme of ‘Into The Void’, a path that is lined with light and darkness in equal measure. But, as Moods says, “do not skip the darkness, let that door open and swallow you. And maybe you’ll find, it's not as dark as you perceived at first."

Sleeve art by Michael Willis.

This album is a real journey in which the listener must let himself be transported. Composed of 8 tracks (32 minutes) where modern minimalism, the voice used as an atmospheric instrument and mental melodies mix perfectly to create a soundtrack painted by sounds.
Already played by: Lino Capra Vaccina, Kuniyuki Takahashi, Donato Dozzy.

A sense of destiny hangs over Sentir Que No Sabes, Mabe Fratti’s fourth solo-credited album released in a five year span. Her work has always possessed a finely tuned sense of drama capable of expressing a range of emotional states, and across this new album, she conveys the struggle to process various relationships or situations–and the actions that come next. Sentir Que No Sabes is urgent and clear, poppy, generous and approachable, while showcasing a considerable emotional hinterland. It is also, as Fratti is quick to mention, “groovy.”

Written and recorded with her partner, multi-instrumentalist, and co-composer Héctor Tosta (I.La Católica, Titanic), Sentir Que No Sabes is the result of an intense, detail-oriented process. Fueled by a new confidence gained in their collaborative project, Titanic, and its critically acclaimed 2023 LP, Vidrio, the two hunkered down in the familiarity of their studio (aka Tinho Studios) to bash out the initial sonic coordinates of her new record. “We talked and talked, and discussed ways of playing and recording, until things became inevitable,” Fratti explains. “We recorded a bunch of demos at our home studio and that meant we had a lot of time to re-edit and experiment. We really dug in. We were super focused on detail.” Tosta also took up the controls as producer and arranger-in-chief for all additional instruments. The album was later completed at Willem Twee Studios in Den Bosch in the Netherlands, and Pedro y el Lobo Studios and Soy Sauce Studios, in Mexico City.

For the final studio recordings, the pair were joined by drummer Gibran Andrade and trumpetist Jacob Wick to fill out and expand on Tosta’s percussion and brass arrangements. This small group of friends were able to work quickly and openly, and without fear: a testament to the exhaustive groundwork put in at Tinho Studios. This can be heard in three short, intermediary tracks that also manage to be the most aggressive on the record: “Kitana” (a scratch-laden instrumental that acts as a strange prelude for the last track, “Angel nuevo”) and a pair of two-minute instrumental interludes, “Elastica” I and II. None are throwaway mood pieces; rather they act as emotional cue cards, and hint at the way Fratti and Tosta created the overall atmosphere of Sentir Que No Sabes.

A strong sense of rhythm irrigates the sound from the jump, as heard on the glorious opening track, “Kravitz.” Here, the brilliant plucked cello line acts as a bassline and props up the steady thump of the kick drum. The cello’s growl serves as a conduit for a set of slightly paranoid lyrics that tell us “Quizás haya oídos en el techo” (“maybe there are ears in the ceiling”), while the song also introduces another staple of the record: the clever brass stabs, whistles, parps, and other interjections that paint a canvas of traffic in a city. It’s a postmodern, widescreen sound that for some might recall The Blue Nile’s Hats.

Sentir Que No Sabes is a record full to the brim with a modern pop sensibility, invoked by the sort of magpie spirit that ensnares anything it can find, repositioning sounds for the here and now. The keys and melody on the melancholy “Pantalla azul” (“Blue screen error”) transport us back to the glossy mid-1980s. “Oídos” (“Ears”) is a beautiful slice of contemporary, hybrid pop, in which Fratti’s vocal lines delicately spin themselves around the lean structures erected by the brass and drums, and the descending “plink” of a set of piano chords. Then we have a gloriously strong ending with the swell of “Angel nuevo” (“New angel”), another cinematic track full of gentle, instrument-rich swells and eddies that manages to be almost endless in its range–and yet intensely personal, as Fratti’s voice is close, almost whispering in your ear. A much needed lullaby for our fractious times.

The lyrics, for their part, have a stop-start quality to them, and hint at the small, incremental emotional taxes we pay through just living our lives. They circle around the music like birds waiting to swoop. There is something of the spiritual in all of Fratti’s work that expresses itself in a form of yearning: she looks to new horizons while personal dramas find themselves internalized, contextualized, and then dealt with through metaphor. Here, she was keen to mention Tosta’s constant encouragement in her finding a path to best sing or phrase her words to impart their maximum effect. “Hector was super inquisitive about my lyrics and asked me questions about what I meant, which sometimes is something you don't wonder so much about in isolation,” Fratti explains. “Besides, he is a great poet, and you can see that in what he did on the Titanic record. This made me go deeper into my lyric writing and definitely transformed it into something that I feel super happy about now.”

Take “Enfrente” (“In Front”), a track that initially comes across as a languid, glossy number, with plucked cello strings standing in for a bass line and brittle synth parts. Soon we catch on to a brilliant minor chord switch, which mirrors the fear and doubt expressed in the lyrics as someone “trembles up to the podium” in a “search for meaning.” There’s also the startling introduction of a vocoder in “Quieras o no” (“Whether you want it or not”); it comes precisely at the point Fratti sings “Quieras o no es un desastre” (“Whether you want it or not, it's a disaster”). Moments like these leave room for interpretation and, over time, create a strong bond between the listener and the record.

In fact, across Sentir Que No Sabes, each phrase–whether instrumental or vocal–becomes at some level emblematic of acts and moods that impart deep emotional significance. We see this best on “Intento fallido” (“Failed attempt”), which could be the score to feeling trapped in self-doubt, only to suddenly be sprung free by the song’s gloriously upbeat ending. On “Márgen del índice” (“Index margin”), the quicksilver switch between initial disharmony and a beautiful melody is breathtaking, all augmented by evocative arrangements, textured production, and the slightly playful, gnomic lyrics. The track’s emotional ecosystem allows another brilliant ending, which uses the simple repeated phrase, “Cómo lo va a ver?” (“How are you going to see it?”).

So what to make of Sentir Que No Sabes? High gloss Pastoralism? The sound of a city-bound, post-post modern soulscape? No matter the emotions evoked, it's the work of an artist coming into their own, and creating a benchmark record.

First Word Records is proud to bring you 'The Making of Silk', the brand new album from Allysha Joy.

Allysha Joy is a deeply-expressive singer, songwriter, producer & keys player hailing from Naarm (Melbourne), known for both her solo work and as front woman for 30/70. A uniquely-talented artist, her husky soulful voice, formidable Fender Rhodes prowess and raw poeticism has garnered legions of attentive fans the world over.

As an integral performer in the modern day jazz-soul scene, previous support has included selectors Gilles Peterson & Jamz Supernova (BBC 6 Music), Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), China Moses (Jazz FM) & Laurent Garnier (PBB France), along with stations such as NTS, Lot Radio, KEXP & KCRW, and publications including OkayPlayer, Dazed and The Vinyl Factory.

Along with a recent foray into the USA market with a string of successful shows, Allysha Joy has performed alongside acts such as Snarky Puppy, PJ Morton, The Teskey Brothers, Kokoroko and Children of Zeus, to name a few.

Joy has previously released two full-length solo albums 'Acadie : Raw' in 2018, 'Torn : Tonic' in 2022 and an EP, 'Light It Again' in 2020, along with countless collaborations and features over the past few years.

Entirely self-produced and affectionately poured over, 'The Making of Silk' is about a new understanding of the meaning of love.

Joy says, "it's the kind of love that bell hooks writes about, that lives in the poetry of Mary Oliver, Hafiz and the passionate dreaming of a Koryusai painting. It's about a love that is compassionate, that lives in open conversation, deep listening, the front lines of social movement and would never seek to stifle the light in you. It's about accepting our aloneness, the impermanence of all things and still forever wanting to prove it wrong, to say that I understand that all things change, all things end, hurt exists, but I will love regardless."

Riding on the waves of rich string arrangements, layers of vocal harmony and the raw poeticism she is known for, Allysha Joy's next album is embodying love.

'The Making of Silk' is due to be released on vinyl & digital worldwide, September 13th 2024.

Please note all labels are hand painted and will differ slightly from one another.

Temporize focuses on putting out diverse and leftfield electronic music with no real boundaries. The label is based in Palermo, Italy and is run by Scottish native Maiú DJ. Mastering: Martin Maischein Artwork painting: Janne Räisänen Photography: Jussi Jääskeläinen Design: Juha Puuperä Gruth: Black arts, misanthropy & abhorrence KuJo: Original violin, cello and kantele recordings Igor Souza: Throat singing on track 6

"I am in shock of what you are saying and don’t you go anywhere else and spread such false information”

Inspired by the underground night life in Iran, where Salar Ansari’s journey as a selector started in the mid-2000s, each cut on 'Chi Gofti? Nagi Jayi!" touches on a specific mood & scenario.
"Dorehami Melo دورهمی ملو", referring to a mellow get together after the last rave being raided;

"Tu Jaddeh Savaarkaar تو جاده (سوارکار)" is the rush of driving through the mountains listening to driving beats, heading to a party on the outskirts of Tehran through mountains

"Raghs e Ghalamou رقص قلمو" touches on the artist's commitment to painting sonically to unify with his people through creativity and resonance

"Long before discovering house music as a teenager I was bred as a dancer, a slave to the rhythm, in my parents vibrant house parties of dancing the night away till you drop. This is my culture, to surrender, to give in, to react to the rhythm, every corner of it. PGS is family to me and I am so happy to have this music that is very dear to me, come out through this imprint. PGS is about community, Hamtramck is about community, Detroit is about community, Iran is about community, this music is about community." - Salar

Written, produced, recorded by Salar Ansari
Design by Salar Ansari & Ben Saginaw
Thanks for: Ahang Ahmadi, Sina Matinsefat

"Tu Jaddeh Savaarkaar تو جاده (سوارکار)" music video by Vinnie Massimino, shot by friends in Iran

[a] A1. Dorehami Melo [دورهمی ملو]
[b] B1. Tu Jaddeh (Savaarkaar) [تو جاده (سوارکار)]
[رقص قلمو]

Fuelled by the Berlin-based duo's love of club music in all its forms ''FJAAK THE SYSTEM'' is FJAAK's most definitive album to date, a winding sonic odyssey that surveys the rave landscape, dipping between frantic euphoria and deep contemplation. Featuring sizzling collaborations with Modeselektor, Skee Mask, Red Eye and J.Manuel, the album draws a bold line under FJAAK's 15 years of mischief and mayhem, pulling together 23 tracks (culled from over 300, no less) that truly reflect the duo's boundless enthusiasm for the dancefloor. Grazing UK breakbeat, techno, 2-step, d'n'b, jungle, trip-hop and ambient, these elasticated, hybrid bangers paint a vivid picture of FJAAK's utopian club ideal, a place where genre boundaries evaporate and only the groove remains. Since graduating in audio engineering in the early 2010s, FJAAK have been challenging the logic of a maddeningly conservative club scene with their hardware only live shows, DJ sets a myriad of record releases. In 2019 they launched the label and platform Spandau20 with a steady flow of records and a mixtape series featuring new talent and established artists. With their rebellious attitude and notoriously energetic live sets, the duo have brought back a crucial lost ingredient to the rave: playfulness. And if their well-loved albums 'FJAAK', released on Modeselektor's Monkeytown imprint, and 'Havel' set the scene, 'FJAAK THE SYSTEM' rises above and beyond expectations, creating a new benchmark. It's not just blood, sweat and tears either, FJAAK's advanced technical knowhow and love of synthesizers and drum machines helps them formulate a sound that's conscious of dance music history, but focused on a brighter, more equitable future. Their second single 'And You Feel' is an emotional rollercoaster combining UK breakbeat with a dubstep-influenced bassline wobler and alluring vocals, emulating the moment the mind becomes a tranquil void through the crescendo of adrenaline like a strain of physical exertion. This is reflected on their new music video which shows an unexpected ''rage room'' scene.

Hammershøi is a French Synth duo born out of confinement and human-machine communication. Their musical style is based on music from the 80’s (Minimal Synth, EBM, French Wave, Synth Wave) and some artistic influences such as german expressionism, word art, and painting.

"The warmth of fire and the whisper of water, the magic of wind and the trembling of the earth, the melody of peace and silence to revive soul and body" – said the Queen and closed the portal behind the travellers.

On the summit of the Astral Cliff there was the long-forgotten DP-6 shuttlecraft of the Kwansi pirates. Corrosion on the hull plating had almost completely taken over the paint, which only occasionally peeked through between dense clusters of fluorescent bryophytes. The vines and wires dangling from the stern provided a perfect living dome for the lively Sivinerian millipedes goofing around on the runes engraved on the ship. The sweet scent of exotic flora created an ethereal glow. A giant stingray floated gracefully across the celestial kaleidoscope. Each flap of its shining wings gave the impression of time slowing down. One could be absorbed by this grace and lightness for hours, immersing oneself in the world of aesthetics and harmony that ufolded before the observers’ eyes while they were enveloped in the calming embrace of the gravitational massage chairs.

– Sea Devil – what an appropriate name for such a majestic creature.
– That's right, Cat... A true manifestation of multielements in all their splendour!

Official reissue! :)

Trowback to 1991 with a mega timeless wax via Orange Wedge. Diamond Dimension E.P. is the perfect fusion of House, Techno and Trance rhythms.

On 24th May, 2024, the exact day of its Golden Jubilee, Diamond Dogs will be issued as a limited edition 50th anniversary half-speed mastered LP. The first single from the album, ‘Rebel Rebel’, reached number 5 in the UK and the album would also reach similar heights on both sides of the Atlantic reaching number 1 in the UK and number 5 in the USA.



This new pressing of Diamond Dogs was cut on a customised late Neumann VMS80 lathe with fully recapped electronics from 192kHz restored masters of the original master tapes, with no additional processing on transfer. The half-speed was cut by John Webber at AIR Studios



The writing of the album was influenced by Bowie not being able to secure the rights for a theatrical production of George Orwell’s 1984 and the work of William S. Burroughs, whom Bowie had interviewed for Rolling Stone in November 1973. The songs on the album created an urban apocalyptic scenario with Bowie appearing on the cover as a controversial half-man, half-dog hybrid painted by the Belgian artist Guy Peellaert from photos by the world-renowned photographer Terry O’Neill. Since its release, tracks from Diamond Dogs have been covered by artists such as Beck, Tina Turner, Duran Duran, Def Leppard, Joan As Police Woman, Dead Or Alive and The Struts.

That true beauty lies in the essentiality and meticulous combination of a few elements is sometimes not just a cliché. The delicate blend of Roland CR-78, acoustic guitar and dissonant organs that intertwine in Open Windows is a vivid demonstration of this. It is these few elements, now distant and hinted at and now close and deafening, that paint the backdrop of melancholic nostalgia where laconic whispers move the listener within the paintings that bear the sonic signature of Human Figures. To Daniel Lewis’ new project, which has seen its springboard through releases on the label of his friends at Frigio Records, perhaps the adjective “new” is already quite tight. He has built a very recognizable sonic tibre, an influence of producers and listeners at different latitudes of the post-punk and wave scene.

In the 8 canvases of Open Windows the folk tradition is repainted in a more contemporary guise: the sweet and sad litanies are alternated with fast and frenetic stornelli in which the combination of tradition and experimentation constitutes the stylistic signature. The open window through which the listener has the opportunity to look out in this album does not, however, give onto a natural external panorama. It projects into an inner world where introspection and silence are the only chance to grasp its sublime beauty.

DJ Elephant Power (Nicolas Baudoux) based in Brussels, Les Octaves de la Musique awarded musician, is returning with his new EP ‘Blowing From Above’ on May 2024 with limited edition vinyls. The abundantly creative producer never tires of exploring the possibility of new sounds and rhythms. This time he delves deep into numerous genres from breakbeat to bass and he added more colours on each track which composed, performed and produced by himself. Mastering was done by Beau of Ten Eight Seven Mastering in UK. This new EP will be the first page of the upcoming album in June 2024.

‘Blowing From Above’ feat Eunsol

Now you entered the city where you can feel the atmosphere of heat with full of energy. Under the welcome sign of breakbeat and bass, you breathe the dopamine of electronic dance deeply. Alongside baseline skyscrapers covering the sound of this city, mysterious Korean words lead you to hyper pop buildings. Across the traffic lights with barking dog and staccato synth arpeggio on the road, you reach the futuristic bridge between jungle and grime.

‘I Got You’

Under the repeated street lights of ‘I Got You’ scratch samples, you are in the car passing through continuous cowbel 808 sounds on the techno road. In front of the funk graffiti wall, a powerful metal guitar sprays the paint with no compromise. Buildings of synth grab you to follow the new banging club anthem.

‘Shades’

Curly hair architect, who is well known for perfectionism of repeated linear, built a new Mantronix satellite laboratory. This is located on the mountain of Detroit and built on the solid ground of analogue synth signals. Filtered synth and bassline are the main columns of the building. In the main lab, the next satellite has been developing on woah woah sound mattress. Visitors can experience zero gravity in the room in the middle of kick and snare which provides perfect unbalance.

‘Infinity’

A colourful new dish is ready for you. You will feel beautifully balanced and harmonious tastes of progressive techno, trap and bass. This astonished dish was sourced the very best of heavy bass and synth melody for well balanced scent with thoughtful contacts. Geomungo, a traditional Korean string instrument, enhances and amplifies stunning ingredients and it makes a highlight with amazing pairings.

Malted Milk's 1975 album tackles subjects that concern the band's singer in particular, but also paints a picture of a society with which many people identify. Difficult present times, a broken family and dependent children. The character oscillates between moments of great lucidity and optimism, and moments of anger. Feelings that are reflected in a general vision of the world we live in today, devastated by the abuses of the powerful ones and rendered insensitive to the "false" freedoms they offer us. Could it be that the personal condition of the album's character is also the result of a twisted society?

Malted Milk takes a stylistic journey from strong soul and funk roots to resolutely more modern musical influences, all seasoned with sweet hooks ranging from disco to folk-world. Malted Milk is newly committed to speaking openly about uncomfortable subjects and honestly reflecting its passion for American and pop music. The result is an authentic album, in which the singer becomes kind of a spokesman for the band and the listener.

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

Matthew Halsall announces a limited-edition Vinyl only pressing of Bright Sparkling Light, a luminous three track EP featuring some of his most gorgeous compositions. Originally conceived as a tour only exclusive, Bright Sparkling Light was recorded alongside, last year’s expansive beguiling long-player An Ever Changing View and draws on the same trademark blend of jazz, electronica, global and spiritual jazz influences. The original pressing sold-out on Matthew’s EU and UK tour last October and November and so many people got in touch with us here at Gondwana asking how they could get a copy that we decided to make a further 2000 copies available for retail and online sales. The title track is a hypnotic meditation built on one of the lushest loops Halsall has ever created and featuring stellar work from Halsall and flautist Matt Cliffe. Newborough Forest is a brisk, uplifting composition celebrating one of Halsall’s favourite landscapes and the wonderous Tide and the Moon paints a sonic picture of late-night waters and deep mindfulness and features some of Matt Cliffe’s most beautiful tenor playing. Like An Ever Changing View, Bright Sparkling Light comes in a package as striking as the music, with handmade fonts designed by Ian Anderson and a beautifully realised embossed artwork that offers a perfect compliment to the LP. Strictly limited and featuring a download code, Bright Sparkling Light will not be re-pressed.