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In the smoggy orange light of a new millennium, the young Deb Demure would take the bus, once a week, from his home in crumbling Hollywood to his grandmother's apartment, nestled in the pastel pristineness of Beverly Hills. During these visits, Deb couldn't help but notice the disconnect between the glow of his grandmother's temple, and the downtrodden, alienated figures that populated the seats of the mass transit that took him there. Week after week, he would observe these characters: fading B-movie starlets, leisure-suited alcoholics and forgotten civil servants. But one fateful commute home, as the twilight waned to the purple Los Angeles night, he realized these figures were not as lost as they appeared - there was a nobility in their failure, reflective of the dignity of the city's vanishing golden era. They were survivors, in need of a voice: a spokesperson for every color of hope and hopelessness, transcendent of gender and time; Drab Majesty became Deb's musical podium for this undertaking. Raised in a music-centric household, Deb would find the time to teach himself to play his father's right-handed guitar upside down and left-handed; an unorthodox fashion from where his earliest understanding of chords and harmony were conceived. Exploring the bins of discarded vinyl in his neighborhood thrift stores, his toolkit expanded with the subterranean sonic gems of the recent past. Influences range from the virtuosic arpeggiated guitar work of Felt's Maurice Deebank and the grittier pop progressions of Red Lorry Yellow Lorry's Chris Reed as well as Steve Severin from Siouxsie and The Banshees. He also studied the harmonic oscillations and utilization of the occult power of vibratory frequency present in New Age sounds of Greek artist, IASOS. In terms of orchestration, he consciously culls from the seaside maximalism of Martin Dupont and mechanized grooves of early Depeche Mode. Like a dualistic pendulum, his vocals swing from a preistly baritone to a choir boy's falsetto reflecting the sepulchral ambiance of church visits with his grandmother. Currently the drummer for Los Angeles lo-fi rock ensemble Marriages and having honed an unorthodox home recording style, Deb sources his sounds from a repository of "mid-fi" synthesizers and other lesser-quality instruments. Following the release of his debut cassette EP, "Unarian Dances", he also shared a split 12" with synth pop forefathers, Eleven Pond. During the Spring of 2015, Drab Majesty signed with Dais Records and released his first single, Unknown to the I, as a introduction for his first initial foray into the album format, romantically titled Careless. Written over the course of 2 years, "Careless" is a compendium of songs that have outlasted a malicious burglary of his studio, his struggles with substance addiction, and most recently, the death of his beloved grandmother.

Wishbone Ash reigned supreme through the 1970s — centered on inspired musicianship, joyful spirit and inventive songs. Their concerts were uplifting and their recorded work sublime. Argus remains a stunning high point in the band's startling repertoire. Argus was a 1972 tour de force, a hard-rocking masterpiece that has gone on to have a huge impact on rock bands moving forward. If you've never heard Argus, you've surely heard music that it inspired.

The British quartet's trademark harmony guitars became a touchstone for many: Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, Opeth, and Lynyrd Skynyrd have all acknowledged an Ash influence, and tracks such as Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town," Maiden's "The Trooper," and even Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years" all have twin-guitar moments that hark back to Argus. But Wishbone Ash were different from the start. They were never strictly a hard rock band; their soaring vocal harmonies and musical grandeur placed them close to progressive rock.

But they weren't strictly prog either: They had no keyboards, no real classical influence and weren't into side-long suites. Their roots were in the blues, and their calling card was twin lead guitars in harmony (played in the original lineup by Ted Turner and Andy Powell). Even the hardest Ash rockers — like "Blowin' Free," the most famous track from Argus — had an ethereal touch. They could rock the big stages, but they did it with subtlety and grace. This is reflected perfectly in the classic album sleeve by prog-associated designers Hipgnosis: The front cover shows a Greek sentry — the "argus" of the title — staring off into the distance. It's a mythic, old-world kind of image until you look closely at the back cover, and see that he's heralding the arrival (or perhaps watching the departure) of a spaceship.

Two worlds colliding. Exactly what the band and album were all about. By the time of Argus, Wishbone Ash were stars in England and cult heroes among Anglophiles in the US. What made Argus a step forward was its flow of moods. The songs don't run together, but there's an emotional connecting thread from the album's somber beginning to its heroic end. The band insisted at the time that lyrics were something of an afterthought: Shortly after its release, main lyricist Martin Turner told NME that he wrote them mainly to fit the mood of the music: "The music that was coming out was very English, very medieval, and the lyrics had to reflect that." Added Powell at the time, "The expression comes out in the guitars. We wouldn't play it if it didn't express something." Now, Analogue Productions has applied all of its vaunted craft and technical expertise to make this epic album shine! Two 45 RPM LPs pressed on virtually silent 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings make the remastered audio sparkle. Quieter lyrical sentiments and softer musical passages are rendered precisely, while majestic riffs and fist-waving anthems fully reveal the energy of the music! Argus isn't just another rock record — it's a journey through a sonic landscape rich with depth, emotion and technical prowess. It's the album that solidified Wishbone Ash as masters of twin guitar harmony. Discerning audiophiles will find Argus an essential addition to their record collection. It's a masterclass in sound engineering that fully captures the intricate interplay of dual guitars with pristine clarity and a warmth that only analog recordings can provide.

Minimal progressive kind of pumpin tribe in the pure austrian tradition.

DJ tool !

Das von den Multiinstrumentalisten Nicolò und Federico Vese gegründete italienische Progressive-Metal-Duo Asymmetric Uni-verse hat sich mit seinem Sound, der die aggressive Intensität des Metal mit der Harmoniefülle und dem Improvisationsgeist des Jazz-Fusion verbindet, einen festen Platz in der modernen Instrumentalszene erspielt. Entstanden aus der gemeinsamen Lei-denschaft für Komposition und Klangforschung während ihrer intensiven Studienzeit vor fast 10 Jahren, veröffentlicht die Band nun ihr Debütalbum "A Memory And What Came After" bei InsideOutMusic. Das kommende Album, an dem die Band seit Ende 2023 arbeitet, spiegelt eine verfeinerte Vision und tiefere Reife sowie einen kohärenteren und ausdrucksstärkeren Sound wider. Das Album wird auch durch Gastauftritte bereichert, darunter Soli von Richard Henshall (Haken) und Jared Yee (Sungazer). "Dass Richard Henshall bereit war, ein Solo für uns zu spielen, war eine große Ehre! Wir sind seit ihrem ersten Album Fans von Haken. Die Art und Weise, wie er sein Gastsolo komponiert hat, war un-glaublich", sagt Nicolò. "Jared hat uns mit einem melodischen Saxophon-Solo überrascht, das perfekt in das Stück passte und den Räumen Bedeutung verlieh".Mit einem ambitionierten neuen Album, wachsender internationaler Präsenz und einer kompromisslosen kreativen Vision ver-schieben Asymmetric Universe weiterhin die Grenzen dessen, was instrumentale progressive Musik sein kann - technisch an-spruchsvoll, emotional mitreißend und völlig eigenständig. "A Memory And What Came After" erscheint als Limited Edition CD Digipak, als Limited Edition blau-schwarz marmorierte LP sowie als Digital Album.

With two critically acclaimed compilations already under his belt, DJ / collector miche returns to Mr Bongo with the third instalment of his With Love series. Testament to his ever-expanding taste, Volume 3 isn’t just a subs bench call-up from the past compilations, it’s an evolution and progression casting the net deeper and wider than before.

Keeping true to the series, but with some fresh surprises along the way, this carefully curated compilation is a celebration of soulful, independently released music from across the globe, and the amazing (often unsung) musicians and vocalists that made these sublime records.

Across the third volume, miche explores a jazzier side of his tastes. “The deeper I went, the more I found myself gravitating towards jazzier music - not leaving soul behind, but following that same feeling into new territory”, he explains. Tracks like the gliding jazz funk found on Late Nite Music Band’s ‘Sundance’, or the glorious jazz-soul number ‘In Flight’ by Spectrym are shining examples of this.

That defining soulful thread of previous volumes is still in full effect throughout this latest edition. “There’s a healthy dose of impossible-to-find soul gems that have that unmistakable, heartwarming feel. Tracks like John Simmons' 'Ain't Nothing Like The Love', which I've adored ever since Zaf Love Vinyl played it, sit perfectly alongside records like Le Cop and New Way”, states miche.

The addition of some top-tier Turkish music showcases another side to his ever-broadening taste. Nükhet Ruacan's 'Gölge' is something unique, a floaty Brazilian-inspired gem recorded in Turkey and not what you’d typically expect from Turkish records of this era. 

It also wouldn’t feel right to leave out a stop in Brazil, with miche looking to the work of Carlos Bivar whose track 'Amargo Amar' carries that undeniable groove of samba-funk from Rio.

Spreading the With Love message far and wide the series has led to miche DJing across the globe, “from batucada sessions in Timisoara, to all-night sets in a club in Beijing, and even an eight-hour Root Down With Love stage takeover at We Out Here festival, joined by Danilo Plessow, Jeremy Underground, and of course, my mentor and buddy Rainer Trüby.”

Volume 3 then, carries that message even further. It’s an eclectic but intentional collection, built for the music lover who wants to discover something new. Working just as well as a soundtrack to cook dinner to, as it does keeping a packed dancefloor moving into the small hours.

'it’s his loosest, dreamiest dispatch yet, an enveloping and atmospheric collection that constantly comes together and breaks apart.'

Maxo releases his new album Mars Is Electric. Earlier this week, Maxo released a third haunting video, directed by Vincent Haycock, from the visual world of ‘Mars’ for the title track. Maxo previewed the album with the release of singles “Human?” and “Donahoo’s Chicken” this spring, which arrived with equally raw, inventive, and unnerving music videos.

Mars Is Electric is Maxo’s first official release since he dropped two critically acclaimed albums in 2023 with Even God Has A Sense of Humor and Debbie’s Son. His fifth full-length album finds the Southern Californian artist self-aware and mature. Having lived the last decade of his musical life intentionally creating specific bodies of work rooted in imagery, observation, and capturing moments, Maxo spent this previous year freely creating without a specific plan, relieved from all obligations and restrictions.

“This is the first time that I really didn’t care, I didn’t approach things so seriously,” the artist shrugs off, meaning that without expectations or specific goals, his creativity flourished. This opening finds the artist having conversations he’s been avoiding, having lived silently in the pain of those topics for the past few years. Exploring uncomfortable themes about personal life, relationships, and family fractures, life before and after the loss of innocence, and an abundance of existential spirals.

The exploration was not only thematic but also musical in nature. During the creation process, Maxo was immersed in a wide array of music from past to present - France Joli, $amaad, Steve Spacek, Cherelle, DJ Quik, Lisha G - influences that seeped their way into these songs. The album opens in a loose, dreamlike state—experimental and searching, mirroring the emotional fog of someone looking for something real to hold onto. But as it progresses, so does Maxo’s energy as he fiercely rides and weaves on songs with a contagious confidence, producing some of his most kinetic and lyrically impressive music to date.

As the work and vision coalesced into a body of work, Maxo found that he was unlocking a creative language with his collaborators that felt wholly new - a new understanding of why and how he was making art for this world. What emerged from this year-long process was a new musical journey and a future where Maxo refuses to be another bad example of what could be, refusing to mind the blueprint set down. Maxo is the sole voice on the album featuring production by lastnamedavid, Quelle Chris, Baird, Groove, and more.

Listen to Mars Is Electric above, see full album details below, and stay tuned for more from Maxo very soon.

Indonesian duo Kuntari make music that's so distinctive, they had to devise their own genre: primal-core. On Mutu Beton, multiinstrumentalist Tesla Manaf and percussionist Rio Abror dialog with both history and their tropical surroundings in Bandung, West Java's mountainous capital. Using the cornet and hulusi, a free reed instrument made from a bottle gourd and bamboo pipes, Manaf echoes the bellows of local elephants, orangutans and rhinos, grazing Abror's ancestral Indonesian rhythms with potent overdriven riffs and evocative microtonal chimes.

It's music that's profoundly atmospheric and simultaneously raw, recorded live to fully encapsulate the dynamic and deeply human interaction between the two seasoned players. There are elements of sludge metal, noise and post-hardcore, references to traditional folk music and jazz, and gestures towards sound art, 20th century minimalism and dark ambient, but what Kuntari do is completely idiosyncratic -- it's hardly surprising it needed a similarly unique categorization.

Manaf started Kuntari as a solo project, debuting in 2020 with Black Shirt Attracts More Feather and animating his nimble instrumental improvisations with bold electronic processes and booming synthetic drums. And by the time he recorded 2022's acclaimed Last Boy Picked, his approach had evolved significantly; prioritizing organic sounds, he played prepared cornet and piano, bringing in additional percussionists to help devise a ritualistic rhythm section. Abror was one of those performers, and ended up sticking around, playing on 2023's furious LARYNX/STRIDULA, the stylistic precursor for Mutu Beton. At this stage, the duo have racked up a litany of accolades and collaborated with a spectrum of like-minded artists, from noise deity Keiji Haino to fellow Indonesian free-thinker Rully Shabara, who's best known for his work with Senyawa and avant-garde supergroup Osmium. Mutu Beton plays like a lap of honor, showcasing their most kinetic and most feral recordings to date. Kuntari surpass their own high standards, folding history and geography in on itself and suggesting a trailblazing Indonesian cultural movement that's not restricted by highbrow Western conventions. It's not just automation and technology that drives progression, it's interaction and observation. And there's nothing more primal, or revolutionary, than that.

Torn traverses the charnel realms of the grey area on his debut EP for DNO, ‘Taiga’. Steely beats and stony bass coalesce into chimeric rhythms across four enthralling constructions; techno and drum & bass seeping into each other like liquids in a solution, changing the very nature of both.

Opening with a solemn march shrouded in swathes of noise and jitter that blur the soundscape like the death throes of some unlucky video game character, ‘Wreak Havoc’ is an incessant builder. When it finally lets loose the chaos promised by its title, reinforced breakbeats rain down like great factory apparatus hammering out metal plates.

‘Whalebone’ is of a similarly industrial bent. Like a head full of rotor blades, it ripples with densely packed polyrhythms that rattle and whirr, new layers emerging from the churn to grab the consciousness before sinking back into the melee.

‘Taiga’, meanwhile, channelling the cold, ancient immensity of its boreal forest namesake, progresses at a plant-like pace — unhurried and purposeful. It's droning low-end seems to mask secrets, while a canopy of tangled percussion cuts angular shapes through the shadowy undergrowth.

And on ‘Stay’, the complex drumwork vibrates so rapidly around the track’s irradiated pads as to almost merge with them completely, rhythm and ambience becoming a singular hypnotic form.

A natural fit for DNO, Torn’s mystic machine music opens new pathways for the label’s darkling voyage through sound.

Rhythms of postmodern realism at the very bottom of the DNO.

* 140gm vinyl in charcoal black reverse-board disco bag, with red/ hot pink/ blue/ off-white patterned wraparound sticker, and embossed play:musik icon on front sleeve.

* Kuttin Edge arrives on p:m with (115), a musically adventurous set that draws from a range of influences - West African funk, UK and US electronics, Autonomic moods, minimal techno, and Brutalism; while a focus on analogue feel, overdubbing, and textural detail processes tie it together. An interesting, experimental, yet firmly dancefloor friendly EP.

* Tracklist:
A1. Onyeabor: a unique track full of vintage-sound synths, bright melodic lines, Moog-style arpeggios, and rhythms built on a CR78, layered with live drums, tambourines, and bass guitar. Disco funk samples and fx add texture, alongside heavy overdubbing. Inspired by early William Onyeabor aesthetics.

A2. Dark Horse: Dark Horse: an atmospheric arrangement of phase-y pads reminiscent of the peak Autonomic era, filtered through the abstract lens of artists like Actress or King Britt. The pacing and negative space give the tune a weighty but airy feel, punctuated by heavy toms and documentary-style foley. Soulfully cosmic.

B1. Loop Me: polyrhythmic arpeggios, swirling delays, unstable harmonic structure, and chromatic movement form a tense, shifting progression. Built around a single bell sample, the track is reshaped through layering, modulation, subtle changes in texture, and filtered transitions. A techno stepper.

B2. Geiger Scale: experiments with playful but controlled randomness, minimal structure and off-grid sequencing. The idea centres on a toy synth with loose notes and laidback groove formed of irregular, rhythmic patterns. Geiger Scale perfects restraint as the arrangement bubbles along with sparse melodies. Smokey and potent.

A“This album is about what it means to be human, and its creation is my offering. I attempt to tell a tale of the human experience in the reflection of my own.”

‘In the Andean mythology, condors are believed to be immortal. It is said that once they feel old, without energy, and useless, they climb to the highest peak and let themselves fall to death.’

The Allegorist is a visionary, enigmatic, transmedia, and boundary-pushing artist known for crafting deep, immersive dark sonic tales. Embracing a wide array of influences, weaving together the mysteries, art and spirituality, the art project defies categorisation, resonating with those who seek the unconventional.

From Birth Until Death is an introspective and immersive concept album that reflects on the essence of the human experience. Crafted over six years by The Allegorist (aka Anna Jordan), the album traces the arc of life—from its fragile beginnings to its inevitable end—using sound art to explore existential and philosophical terrain. Inspired by the Andean mythology of the condor – a symbol of immortality – the album blends electronic soundscapes with raw field recordings, evoking a deep sense of connection between the natural world and human existence.

The album’s progression mirrors the stages of life, starting with the birth of new beginnings and culminating in death, with each track offering a unique reflection on the moments in between. From the dynamic energy of Momentum, to the ethereal, illusionary world of Fata Morgana, the tracks guide the listener through emotions, perceptions, and experiences that shape the human condition.

A distinctive feature of From Birth Until Death is its intricate production. The album incorporates field recordings from Grunewald Forest, a distant roar of a jet, barking dogs, blending the sounds of nature – footsteps in the snow, birdsong, ocean waves – with layered synthesisers and electronic beats. The bass and ambient textures are crafted using an array of analog hardware, while all vocals, both lead and backing, are performed and recorded by Jordan. Some of the vocal takes were intentionally left raw, capturing the spontaneous energy of early recordings, while others were re-recorded to balance the album’s organic yet polished feel. Each element is meticulously crafted, revealing its deeper meaning as the album unfolds like a multidimensional, living sculpture.

At its core, From Birth Until Death is a meditation on the full spectrum of life. The album’s title track, From Birth Until Death, encapsulates this journey, reflecting on the passage of time and the unique experience of being human. The final track, Death, offers a melancholic yet beautiful exploration of endings, not as finalities, but as moments in the grand cycle of life. With its combination of evocative sound design and deeply personal themes, From Birth Until Death invites listeners to contemplate their own lives, offering a moving experience of reflection, growth, and transformation.

About From Birth Until Death
Words By Robin Rimbaud (Scanner)

From Birth Until Death is a deeply personal and reflective album and beautifully crafted. A detailed listen reveals that Jordan was in search of a profoundly human and authentic expression. In an era when so much around us seems defined by speed, Anna Jordan, aka The Allegorist, stands apart – aware that skimming the surface of life is neither sufficient nor rewarding. She reminds us of the value of deep, authentic listening.

The track Andean Condor seductively draws us into a smoky, blurred rhythmic soundscape, capturing the essence of the darkest Berlin nightclub, while Birth pulses with an almost shamanic transformation of sound, moving from the organic to the musical. It features a recording of Jordan’s footsteps in the snow in Grunewald Forest, Germany.

At times, the music feels almost sculptural in shape and tone – lifting, pushing, lilting, opening, and closing – where each piece is given room to fully develop. Many of the works blend synthetic sound with the natural, incorporating the human voice alongside environmental recordings: the wild waves of the ocean, a jet flying overhead, and barking dogs.

With From Birth Until Death, Jordan, like an alchemical architect revealing in the process of getting lost and relinquishing control, leaves us with a taut, immersive soundtrack in which to lose ourselves.

About the album ‘From Birth Until Death’
words by The Allegorist

“The album From Birth Until Death did not come easily to me. I started working on it in 2019, and it underwent many alterations over the years. I produced multiple versions of the tracks each year, but the album name, the track titles, and the album cover art stayed the same for 6 years. Not everything I did fit into the album’s final form, but I hope the heavy selection just made it better. I played this piece live in my techno live set between 2019 and 2020, and in the years after, I performed different art, ambient, and vocal versions of it, most notably the one at the church St. Marienkirche in Berlin in 2022. It just wanted to live and didn’t want to be finished. As I aged, this album aged with me. And now I’m ready to let it go.”

Moss green vinyl. After two pandemically conditioned 'reaction' albums - Yay! (2023) and Neigh!! (2024) - a few non-album singles and a compilation album, a downsized and sleek Motorpsycho is back where we all know and love them, with an epic, sprawling double album, filled to the brim with inventive, organic and ecstatic rock-based music. Rejoyce Psychonaut! This eponymously titled, 11 song work, has exactly as much variety & diversity, accord and discord, as one expects from a band that has released a few albums before, and that these days must be regarded as an institution in European rock. From concise 3min-something pop-rockers, to 20mins-plus progressive epics, via acoustic intimacies and psychedelic wig-outs, this is concentrated Motorpsychosis: commenced Rebis, countdown initiated. Ever closer. Ever sharper_

Legendary 2 Flying Stones Picture Disc
2 Flying Stones are back with yet an amazing record in a series of hit-12”es.

Coastal County II marks the fifth release from Oslo-based Lomas Productions, the long-running collaboration between musicians and producers Lars Mellgren and Thomas Hauge. Following the underground success of their 2019 Coastal County, the duo returns with a new installment that expands their instrumental universe. Coastal County II continues the sonic explorations of its predecessor, expanding the palette with a rich blend of cinematic moods and classic soundtrack grooves. Across eight tracks, the album moves from noir-infused symphonics and beat-driven progressions to Anatolian-inspired rock, jazz-tinged vignettes, and mountainous melodies. While steeped in the traditions of composers like David Axelrod and Alessandro Alessandroni, Coastal County II adds a Nordic sensibility – rich in details with shadows around the edges. This is not just a follow-up. It's a continuation.

CATCHY, MESMERIZINGLY BEAUTIFUL, DREAMY CHAMBER POP WITH A FOLKY TWIST

Music can have a multitude of emotional impacts and can create inner worlds out of voices, sounds, and moods.
If you open heart and ear to the mesmerizing, hauntingly beautiful soundscapes of AURI, you might find a beacon of light inside a sonic realm untouched by today’s often scary, grim realities; a dreamscape that can be profoundly uplifting.
On their third studio album, III - Candles & Beginnings’ the stars have aligned yet again. Propelled by the unique and celestial voice of Johanna Kurkela, the magical textures of Nightwish mastermind Tuomas Holopainen and the almost unlimited musical palette of Nigtwish multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley, Auri have presented a world to be unlocked with the senses, blending folk, progressive and symphonic elements, world music, pop and avantgarde.
Right after completing Nightwish’s 2024 monument Yesterwynde, the songwriting for the third chapter in Auri’s musical adventures started in 2023, with Troy writing in Yorkshire and Tuomas and Johanna working their creative magic in Kitee, Finland. By Autumn 2024, a 10-song demo was complete, setting the stage for what would become another breathtaking Auri journey. The band and their trusted engineer Tero “Teecee” Kinnunen took the mixing process to sunny Spain, letting the Andalucian vibes infuse the music whereas in March 2025 mastering was wrapped up by Tim Oliver at the legendary Real World Studios - a ground-breaking recording complex started by Peter Gabriel in 1989.
The album is a tapestry of emotions - each song a world of its own, touching on childhood memories, vivid life experiences, and even a nod to one of the group’s most beloved places on Earth - The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge, a historic spot nestled in the North York Moors and one of the most remote pubs you will ever find.
Visually, the cover artwork by Pete Voutilainen, layout and watercolors by Mikko Pankasalo plus calligraphy by Johanna Kurkela provide wonderful illustrations perfectly capturing Auri’s unique musical visions.
With guest musicians like Frank Van Essen (strings), Jonas Pap (cello), Juho Kanervo (basses), and the incredible drumming and percussion courtesy of Nightwish’s Kai Hahto, Auri III - Candles & Beginnings is as lush as it is atmospheric and provides astonishing dynamics.
Having been a studio endeavor in the past, Auri is finally going on tour with their first-ever live European trek kicking off in August 2025, followed by summer festivals in 2026, allowing you to hear, see and feel songs from their previous two albums, as well as brand new pieces from III - Candles & Beginnings.

One of the absolute classics from the Swedish prog-rock scene, for the first time ever on vinyl! The Hemulic Voluntary Band (2007) is the fourth studio album by Swedish progressive rock band Ritual. Its title references a fictional brass band from Tove Jansson's Moomin universe, but the music leans more toward folk, symphonic rock, and '70s-style prog, resulting in a richly imaginative sound. Although not a concept album, it's thematically tied by literary influences and a sense of childlike wonder. Drawing on Jansson's work, the lyrics explore imagination, nature, and the fantastical. Ritual's songwriting focuses on storytelling and emotional depth, creating an immersive experience. Critics praised the album's inventive arrangements and emotional range. It's mix of complexity and accessibility appeals to both prog fans and casual listeners, with a strong balance of technique and feeling. In short, The Hemulic Voluntary Band showcases Ritual's skill at crafting intricate yet heartfelt music. Its fusion of folk, rock, and prog, paired with thoughtful lyrics, makes it a standout in the genre.

Parisian native NairLess steps up for our fourth vinyl release and first of 2025.

NairLess has become synonymous for his signature energetic sound in recent years. “Ethereal EP” a transcendent three track journey continues this tradition, moving us with wave after wave of emotive euphoria.

Frankfurt’s first lady of progressive Maruwa undertakes remix duties with potent and powerful effect.

As the E&X story continues into its third year with a fresh new look for 2025 we are set for another sure fire winner from the talented Frenchman’s ever growing discography, making this EP an essential addition to every record bag.

Slikback releases "Attrition" – a densely detailed, cinematic exploration of sound packed with intricate rhythms and gleaming textures.

Slikback’s "Attrition" marks his first full-length album for Planet Mu, delivering an immersive melding of cinema and game sound design with tough dance music. It's like a sci-fi film for the ears, exploring a chain of events with dark atmospheres and dramatic pacing; trapdoors and jump scares for your ears. These contrasts and the dense painterly colour of his sounds give it a beastly beauty.

The album came to life during a period of transition, while waiting for a visa after recently moving to Poland from Kenya, where he grew up. With this unexpected pause in travel, Slikback found himself working at a slower, more deliberate pace. Writing for a label instead of self-releasing also introduced new dynamics, like feedback and structured release schedules. Rather than feeling restricted, he saw this process as a blessing. In a happy and reflective headspace—newly married and welcoming a newborn child—he was able to fully develop his compositions. “I was finally able to explore ideas to a point where I didn’t feel the need to change anything,” he shares. "Attrition" is the result of that creative freedom. While "Attrition" nods to familiar genres, drawing on elements of Gqom, Dubstep, Tech-Step, and Hardcore Techno, it pushes them into new territory, shaping high-tech, intricate compositions. “I worked on the tracks back and forth, drastically transforming some from their original sketches,” Slikback explains. “I wanted to create a journey within each track, like something alien emerging from emptiness—beauty from chaos.” The album opens gently before diving into fast-paced 140bpm sounds, reminiscent of earlier Planet Mu releases. Midway through, "Taped" shifts the energy with a shimmering, 160bpm rolling bassline. As the album progresses, its intensity builds. The music grows darker, faster, and more unpredictable, culminating in a final track that bursts apart in a thrilling, chaotic climax. A standout moment in Slikback’s career, "Attrition" is a masterclass in sound design and vision. Strange yet beautiful, intense yet rewarding—it’s the most strikingly unique album you’ll hear all year.

18 tracks pressed across three vinyls. A limited-run tee. Seven digital relics, unearthed for Bandcamp only.

As always, dance floor-focused with a clear nod to the ’90s — Progressive, deep & dubby, transcending, 303s. Immersive, but never drifting. Direct, but never dry. Forward thinking, expansive.

Direct, 303s, raw — this lane’s locked down by Roza Terenzi, Cybernet, Aju, Kalani, Ash Is and Xupid, each carving out their space with raw, floor-focused energy. On A2, Xupid slips in Raindanc94 — a long-lost gem some might recognise from D.Dan’s 2021 Boiler Room. Unreleased until now, it’s finally getting the drop it deserves.

Transcending? You know it. Trance mind-melters? Always. Plastic GRNchannels that classic 90s Xpander sound, Alfred Czital drops a dance floor annihilator, while Dutch duo Match Box keeps it as bright and club-ready as ever. It’s a full spectrum of sound, each track weaving into the next with peak energy and timeless hooks.

Progression, progression, progression — it’s shaped our sound from the start. Uplifting, expanding, always pushing into the outer zones. DJ Life, Aiden Francis, Jeku, Tifra, Cosmic G and Laars are back on the label and doing the business. Whether it’s a floor-heating bopper by DJ Life or emotive, widescreen territory by Aiden Francis, this release has it all.

And of course, no 6-year celebration of ND would be complete without a deep dive. Dubbed-out rollers and hypnotic house cuts come courtesy of Baumb, Glen S, and Harrison BDP. Fresh off his second EP last month, Baumb returns with those trademark low-end orbs, guiding us through the fog with finesse. Glen S strips it back and locks into a tech-deep groove. BDP lands on F1. Sublime, heads-down deep house with that unmistakable sample finesse — pure signature gear.

A nod to the 9 incredible artists who feature on the release through digital exclusives — Astro alongside Ash Is, Rounds & Plastic GRN, Primitive Needs, Hotpretty, Tourman, Skinner (making his way through the Pyramid Fields portal), and Wigs — whose Trigger Step track has been getting heavy rotation from Spray and Roza Terenzi, to name a few.

GAUPA, deren Name im Deutschen "Luchs" bedeutet, kehren mit abgespeckter Besetzung auf dem neuen Mini-Album "Fyr" zurück, wobei die Schweden damit zugleich auch ihr bislang fettestes und stärkstes Material servieren. Der Titel ist ein vielschichtiges Rätsel und Wortspiel in schwedischer Sprache: "Fyr" kann die Zahl "4" meinen und sich somit auf das Mini-Album als ihre vierte Veröffentlichung beziehen. Andere mögliche Bedeutungen sind "Leuchtturm", "Lichtzeichen" und "Feuer", die ihrerseits ebenfalls zur Musik und zur Lyrik passen würden. Der neue und von GAUPA bewusst dafür ausgewählte Tontechniker Karl Daniel Lidén hat den Tracks auf "Fyr" einen rauen, aggressiven Sound verpasst. Gleichzeitig bleiben auch die Kernelemente des musikalischen Ansatzes der Schweden präsent. Dazu zählen eine fesselnde Komplexität, spacige und trippige Strophen, die auf einem stetigen Strom von Psychedelik reiten, sowie Kaskaden harter Stoner-Riffs. Sängerin Emma Näslund hat sich zur Lyrik von "Fyr" durch Ursula K. Le Guins preisgekrönten Science Fiction Roman "Das Wort für Welt ist Welt" inspirieren lassen. Ihre Texte beschäftigen sich mit dem Konzept der Zeit und der Frage nach der Wirklichkeit, die sich in verschiedenen Variationen in allen Songs des Mini-Albums finden. Seit der Veröffentlichung ihrer selbstbetitelten EP im Jahr 2018 haben GAUPA der Stoner und Psychedelic Rock Szene neue Wege gebahnt und einen einzigartigen Kosmos geschaffen, der durch bezaubernden lyrischen Surrealismus und bewusstseinsverändernde Sounds definiert ist. Mit ihrem Debütalbum "Feberdröm" rückte die Band im Jahr 2020 durch ihre herausragende Mischung aus Progressive, Doom, Stoner Metal und Folk-Elementen, über welcher der mitreißende Gesang von Frontfrau Emma Näslund thront, ins internationale Rampenlicht. Der zweite Langspieler "Myriad" (2022) erreichte mit dem Track 'Exoskeleton' über eine Million Streams auf Spotify (der EP-Song 'Febersvan' steht mittlerweile bei über 4 Millionen). Obwohl GAUPA "Fyr" als "Patchwork" beschreiben, woran jedes Mitglied einen gleichwertigen Anteil hat, wirkt das Mini-Album insgesamt wie aus einem Guss, womit die Schweden die Messlatte für ihre zukünftigen Werke sehr hoch legen. Die physische Version von "Fyr" enthält einen zusätzlichen Bonustrack.

HARMONY020— One year from Ayū’s debut on Harmony—Neon Affair, four artists closely connected to the release were invited to remix their favorite track from the record. The result is a new remix EP featuring a dancefloor-driven A-side, crafted for peak-time energy, and a B-side dedicated to closing sets and trippy storytelling.

Side A opens with Maara’s remix of “Space to Come”- a progressive, sexy spacey journey with muttered vocals and a blissed-out groove, blended with her iconic sound. Keeping up with the dance-floor energy, Spray delivers a dreamy yet bubbly take on “Point Nemo.” Spray’s take showcases his distinctive musical patterns and fuzzy textures.

The B-side remix by Harmony’s Alfred Czital and Jeku sends the record to the late hours of the party. Jeku’s version of “Neon Affair” brings driving drumlines and euphoric prog beats, layered with hypnotic, trippy touches – sweet, yet dirty. Alfred Czital closes the record with his Dream Mix of “Space to Come,” an exciting and misty journey through sound – playful, metaphysical, and the perfect closing track for extended parties.

Die Metal-Supergroup Sinsaenum kehrt mit voller Wucht zurück und präsentiert ihr lang erwartetes drittes Album "In Devastation" – eine Hommage an Frédéric Leclercqs Vater und die erste Veröffentlichung seit dem tragischen Tod des legendären Drummers Joey Jordison (Slipknot, Murderdolls) im Jahr 2021. "In Devastation" ist ein zehn Tracks starkes Death Metal Album, durchzogen von der melodischen Härte und dem experimentellen Sound, für den Sinsaenum bekannt sind.

Produziert und gemischt vom renommierten deutschen Tontechniker Lasse Lammert, beschreitet die Band dabei klanglich neues Terrain: Progressive Elemente, klare Gesangspassagen und sogar Cello-Einsätze bereichern das Album, ohne dabei jemals den kompromisslosen Kern der Band zu verwässern.

Visionary producer and one half of pioneering electronic duo The Chemical Brothers, Tom Rowlands returns to Phantasy with ‘We Are Nothing / All Night’, the first solo dancefloor material since his last appearance on Erol Alkan’s storied London label in 2013 with ‘Through Me / Nothing But Pleasure’.

Once again, Rowlands delivers a double A-side single in order to commit two progressive new productions to wax. Heavily road-tested across the world in Chemical Brothers DJ sets, the sprawling arrangement of ‘We Are Nothing’ trips through a decades-long obsession and subversion of house music and psychedelia alike. Imaginatively sampling Canadian outsider artist Bill Bissett, Rowlands uses the poet’s existential phrasing as the foundation for a rising slalom of acid catharsis, peppered with snatches of soul, analogue freakouts, and all-encompassing groove.

‘All Night’, meanwhile, finds a different, perhaps unexpected rhythm. Here, Rowlands’ unmatched studio instincts deviate in a different direction entirely, employing a searing tempo to embrace the analogue experimentation at the heart of his work, as well as an appreciation for electronic music’s willingness to barrel ever-forward; the result is a worthy head spinner from both label and artist alike.

Tom Rowlands will play a rare solo DJ set at Glastonbury's Stonebridge Bar on Friday 27th June, as part of Bugged Out's 30th Anniversary celebrations.

Formed in Portland, OR in 1980, Poison Idea debut record features 13 songs in 13 minutes. Poison Idea were one of the first hardcore bands to inspire artists across multiple genre lines. Poison Idea’s 1983 Debut Release!!! Iconic Original Artwork! New Liner Notes by Jerry A. Features Sticker, Lyric Sheet, Credit Sheet, and Liner Notes.

Whispers of Granite is the exciting new collaboration between Norwegian vocalist and vocal composer Trude Eidtang and German keyboardist and composer Andreas Hack. Their debut album, Liquid Stone, offers a unique fusion of melancholic folk, indie and progressive rock, enriched by Trude's expressive vocals and Andreas' atmospheric instrumentation. Trude Eidtang is renowned for her evocative, haunting voice and deep emotional resonance within the progressive rock genre. She first gained recognition as the lead vocalist of White Willow, later founding her own project When Mary, where she crafts vocal-driven organic-electronic music that blends art-pop, indie, and conceptual storytelling. Andreas Hack is a celebrated German composer and keyboardist known for his innovative work in progressive rock. As a founding member of Frequency Drift, Andreas helped shape the band's distinctive, atmospheric sound. He has also expanded his creative range through projects like Feeling of Presence, which delves into ambient and post rock, and most recently, Haven of Echoes, known for its progressive and evocative sound. The collaboration between Trude and Andreas in Whispers of Granite brings together their individual strengths to create a compelling and immersive musical experience, drawing influences from folk, indie, and cinematic music, combining melancholic progressive rock with lush, atmospheric textures. Trude's vocals are at the heart of the music, intertwining seamlessly with Andreas' atmospheric keyboard work and intricate guitar arrangements. Together, they craft a sound that balances melancholy and hope, fragility and strength. The album's title, Liquid Stone, reflects the thematic duality that runs throughout the project. It symbolizes the tension between fluidity and permanence, capturing the transformational shifts Trude explores in her lyrics. The fusion of organic and industrial elements in the music mirrors the interplay between raw human emotion and the rigid structures of the world. Liquid Stone marks a bold step into new musical terrain.

- 180 GRAM AUDIOPHILE VINYL
- PVC PROTECTIVE SLEEVE
- MIKE OLDFIELD'S TUBULAR BELLS IS INSPIRED
BY THIS ALBUM
- FEATURED IN GRAND THEFT AUTO IV ON THE
RADIO STATION 'THE JOURNEY.'
- 50TH ANNIVERSARY LIMITED EDITION OF 500 INDIVIDUALLY NUMBERED COPIES ON TRANSPARENT VINYL

Keyboard virtuoso Terry Riley started experimenting with different instruments in the '50s. One of his electronic music landmarks is his third album A Rainbow in Curved Air. Through the use of overdubbing, he recorded all the instruments to feature on the title track. The composition consists of three movements, each representing another part of his musical influences. As the song progresses, its structure goes through frequent changes. It's an colorful, psychedelic, atmospheric and revolutionary song. The second track consists of a loop of saxophones and is the dreamy and calm opposite of the title track. Fans of electronic music, such as Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze, would love this record. Taking inspiration from Hindustani classical music and jazz techniques, Riley's masterpiece influenced many musicians, from the likes of Brian Eno to Emeralds.

A Rainbow in Curved Air 50th anniversary limited edition is available as 500 individually numbered copies on transparent vinyl.

When unknown virtuoso guitarist Tosin Abasi released his debut solo album under the moniker ANIMALS AS LEADERS in 2009, few would have predicted the band's meteoric rise over the next two years. Although Abasi earned acclaim as the lead guitarist in the Washington, D.C.-based metalcore act Reflux, it was still a long-shot that an instrumental album of progressive metal with jazz, electronic and ambient flourishes would develop anything more than a cult following. With "Weightless," the group's sophomore effort, ANIMALS AS LEADERS is revered worldwide as a trailblazing pioneer of modern heavy music. The group's genre-defying compositions have earned extensive praise; Steve Vai called the band "the future of creative, heavy virtuoso guitar playing," and MetalSucks recently ranked Abasi #2 on their list of modern metal's top guitarists. Whereas the group's self-titled debut was a collaboration between Abasi and Periphery's Misha Mansoor, "Weightless" features the recording debut of ANIMALS AS LEADERS, the true band; Abasi (guitars), Javier Reyes (guitars) and Navene Koperweis (drums). After nearly two years of touring together, the trio wrote and recorded "Weightless" together in mid-2011, with Koperweis producing and Reyes mixing. The group debuted a new track, "Isolated Incidents," during their inaugural headlining tour that summer, which included sellout shows from coast-to-coast.

Known for his ability to create captivating, emotionally charged techno, Jonathan Kaspar eventually returns to Cocoon Recordings with his third contribution Twofold Split. One, yet simultaneously two releases that once again showcase his extraordinary talent through condensed techno with a pinch of trance, weaving together driving rhythms and atmospheric textures in a way that feels innovatively progressive.

Drifting hypnotically, this might be the most fitting way to describe what Jonathan Kaspar unfolds before us here. The rolling percussion grooves seamlessly intertwine with the siren's spectral tone, gradually blending into the alchemy of ‘Yah’ as it erupts into the mix. By the time the peak arrives, there’s a raw intensity in the air - the track seems to bend and stretch then drills and twists until it cracks, but never loses its sense of purpose and remainsanchored in its deep, pulsating groove. On the flip side, ‘Silver Lines’ stands as a counterpart, offering a contrast in both sound and atmosphere. With its minimalist arrangement, the track first nestles in gently, lulling the listener into its world—only to tighten its grip as a synth sequence gradually opens its cut-off filter, slicing through the calm, drilling into the mind, and shifting the mood from tranquil to tense.

Known for his ability to create captivating, emotionally charged techno, Jonathan Kaspar eventually returns to Cocoon Recordings with his third contribution Twofold Split. One, yet simultaneously two releases that once again showcase his extraordinary talent through condensed techno with a pinch of trance, weaving together driving rhythms and atmospheric textures in a way that feels innovatively progressive.

Rooted in a minimalist rhythmic structure, ‘Power’ takes us in a new direction, steadily building momentum as its energy billows upwards, with the intensity never wavering throughout. A large, dented, tinny tuba sounds imposingly as Jonathan blows louder and louder into the old thing, its raw, metallic tone instantly commanding attention. What an explosion in the break, leading us into a wild, almost chaotic energy, before Kaspar’s meticulous attention to detail ensures that the shimmering synths feel perfectly placed, guiding us to the absolute freak-out moment. After all the insanity, Jonathan Kaspar takes us by the hand and leads us into a melodic, trancy after-hours mood with “1993,” bringing a sense of release after the wild ride of the previous tracks. What a successful closing track to this outstanding release. With its melodic trance influences, it offers a soothing, almost nostalgic atmosphere, bringing a sense of calm and closure, a perfect moment of introspection and euphoria as
the EP winds down

When unknown virtuoso guitarist Tosin Abasi released his debut solo album under the moniker ANIMALS AS LEADERS in 2009, few would have predicted the band's meteoric rise over the next two years. Although Abasi earned acclaim as the lead guitarist in the Washington, D.C.-based metalcore act Reflux, it was still a long-shot that an instrumental album of progressive metal with jazz, electronic and ambient flourishes would develop anything more than a cult following. With "Weightless," the group's sophomore effort, ANIMALS AS LEADERS is revered worldwide as a trailblazing pioneer of modern heavy music. The group's genre-defying compositions have earned extensive praise; Steve Vai called the band "the future of creative, heavy virtuoso guitar playing," and MetalSucks recently ranked Abasi #2 on their list of modern metal's top guitarists. Whereas the group's self-titled debut was a collaboration between Abasi and Periphery's Misha Mansoor, "Weightless" features the recording debut of ANIMALS AS LEADERS, the true band; Abasi (guitars), Javier Reyes (guitars) and Navene Koperweis (drums). After nearly two years of touring together, the trio wrote and recorded "Weightless" together in mid-2011, with Koperweis producing and Reyes mixing. The group debuted a new track, "Isolated Incidents," during their inaugural headlining tour that summer, which included sellout shows from coast-to-coast.

Friends since the age of six, most of the album was written and recorded by the pair when they were nineteen. The songs possess all the singular magic of a duo writing and playing together while sounding like a full, sonically charged band. Their debut E.P. track 'Two Monkeys', included here, has a level of shoegazey dirt that will leave many distortion freaks reeling. `Every Word Said' is prog-pop perfection. The title track is as moody as anything by Flying Saucer Attack. 'Another One Making Clouds' evolves over 35 minutes and doesn't stop elevating and surprising. A founding notion of our label was to release recordings made as the musicians' first intended. No `notes' and no re-recording with a `proper' producer in a `real' studio. A noble preference we saw labels like Rough Trade pursuing with The Strokes, The Smiths, The Fall et al.This album is a proud example. And captures something you can't fake. A young band finding an epic, emotional, cinematic sound in their bedroom. Using it in that peculiarly British way to express the wonder, confusion and heartache of being nineteen. Of wanting to be seen and not seen. It's a kind of British `soul' music with ancestors like The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Jesus & Mary Chain and the original shoegaze bands. Progressive guitar music, channeling deep emotion, a desire to hear something that sounds like how you feel inside. The stuff nobody talks about. Everything Else.

Friends since the age of six, most of the album was written and recorded by the pair when they were nineteen. The songs possess all the singular magic of a duo writing and playing together while sounding like a full, sonically charged band. Their debut E.P. track 'Two Monkeys', included here, has a level of shoegazey dirt that will leave many distortion freaks reeling. `Every Word Said' is prog-pop perfection. The title track is as moody as anything by Flying Saucer Attack. 'Another One Making Clouds' evolves over 35 minutes and doesn't stop elevating and surprising. A founding notion of our label was to release recordings made as the musicians' first intended. No `notes' and no re-recording with a `proper' producer in a `real' studio. A noble preference we saw labels like Rough Trade pursuing with The Strokes, The Smiths, The Fall et al.This album is a proud example. And captures something you can't fake. A young band finding an epic, emotional, cinematic sound in their bedroom. Using it in that peculiarly British way to express the wonder, confusion and heartache of being nineteen. Of wanting to be seen and not seen. It's a kind of British `soul' music with ancestors like The Cure, Echo & The Bunnymen, The Jesus & Mary Chain and the original shoegaze bands. Progressive guitar music, channeling deep emotion, a desire to hear something that sounds like how you feel inside. The stuff nobody talks about. Everything Else.

Resolution Alley is the musical vision of Jason Wilson, a musician and composer hailing from Maryland. The music combines 80's pop and rock melodies with progressive rock concepts, creating a unique but strangely nostalgic sound. Jason performs extensively throughout the Baltimore / Washington, DC area. From the smallest clubs to the Kennedy Center, Jason has shared the stage with some of the biggest names of stage, screen and music. Resolution Alley combines the influence of a career in rock and theater into a distinctive creation. Resolution Alley is getting ready to release their brand-new album Pieces of Never which contains the catchy first single "The B-Side" and follow up "You Are". Jason Wilson has crafted a wonderful release with just the right amount of balance between Rock and Prog which is sure to capture the ears of folks who like something familiar yet new. So if you like your music with big hooks and interesting arrangements and instrumentation then Resolution Alley has cooked up just what you ordered with Pieces of Never.

This new "Experimental Chapter" by DJ Narciso comes as no surprise, really. Autonomous in the motorization of his music, pushing for progress within the framework of an undeniable (inescapable?) heritage. Twisting and bending sound every step of the way, Narciso definitely keeps in touch with the dancefloor, offering the always much needed transcendence through distinctive, non-linear melodies and patterns. The artist pursues a direct link with bodies in motion but seldom in the expected, institutionalized way club culture is being largely promoted.

This is challenging dance music, proud statements of difference. Narciso's previous record was named "Diferenciado". Now we get "Dificuldades", a track that simultaneously carries the weight of being somewhat odd and the difficulties of life. Check how the piano is venting, freestyle, communicating a feeling, and then lets itself get stuck in a loop, but that's exactly when the groove really starts flowing. And then another layer. It's like direct speech.

A common assertion of pride is found in the origin of the artists. The ghetto as a place where any transformation projects more power precisely because of... inherent difficulties. As others (including himself) did in more or less obvious ways, Narciso clearly states "I come from the ghetto" ( "Não Sabes" ). Twice the value. At least. Almost every segment of music in this album ends up sounding heavily emotional, reaffirming what may be - perversely - a well-known characteristic of Portuguese music: melancholy.

"Não Quero" begins side B as a march maybe more significant than a thousand words, such is the ominous tone of its texture. Next track is another lunar tarraxo, pulling down the shades. Then, "Dor de Barriga" lets things loose again, steering clearly off road, shouting this way and that until a peaceful resolution comes. In "Livra-me Desta", vocal snippets blend into synth snippets, disembodied voices abandon all traces of humanity and finally mutate into different entities that, towards the end, again sound vaguely human but now we find ourselves doubting. Closer "Bob" is a rather classic percussion track with plenty of echo, reverb and an unconscious nod to dodecaphonic music. Unlikely? No, the structural ADN of this music is made up of elements western and eastern, southern and northern. To say all-over-the-place is usually not flattering but in this case the expression translates as wonder, surprise, The Unexpected, and reveals Narciso perfectly at ease inside the nucleus of creation.

Named after the old district where Jesse lived during one of the most vibrant years of his life, La Pavonia EP captures the warmth, unpredictability, and deep musical curiosity that define him. Drawing from memories of joy, love, and discovery—and echoing the floral name linked to Runas' Spanish roots—the EP unfolds across four distinctive cuts.

“Crystal Swamp” opens the journey with eerie pads, buzzing synths, and a groove shaped by introspective winter days. “Body Blaster” follows with a raw, body-moving rhythm, born from a shift between Electro and Progressive moods and anchored by a punchy TX-81Z bassline. On the flip, “Warp” plays with imperfection and transformation, turning a single synth and stretched percussion sample into something strangely human. The EP closes with a remix of “Warp” by Belgian-Peruvian producer DC Salas who transforms Warp into a slow-burning, groove-heavy trip, layering thick basslines, subtle percussive shifts, and a progressive pulse. It's a hypnotic rework that keeps the original’s raw textures while opening it up for late-night floors and deeper moments.

Pluto, although not necessarily one of those bands who spring immediately to mind as having been a seminal influence on the weaving of rock music’s tapestry, remain an excellent, if little-known and much underrated band.

The band’s only album Pluto (originally released on the Dawn label back in November 1971) has, during the latter half of the ‘90s, become a much sought-after item in the ever-expanding underground/progressive sector of the record collectors’ market. Conceived
initially by guitarist Paul Gardner and taking their name from the Disney cartoon character, they were formed in North London in 1970. The key members were Gardner and Alan Warner, two highly experienced campaigners from widely disparate musical backgrounds.

The album is a nice mix of hard rock, progressive rock and blues rock elements. The song writing is pretty solid and there are no fillers included. This lone Pluto LP is easy to recommend for those who like the early 70’s hard rock bands.

Pluto is available as a limited numbered edition of 750 copies on translucent magenta coloured vinyl

Compiled by Philip King
“And then came the rise of synth pop : blokes with dodgy haircuts hunched over keyboard-operated
machines stuffed with wires and do-it-yourself tone oscillators making sounds like a brood of geese
passing gas in a wind tunnel. Whoopee! This is the way the ‘70s ended : not with a blood-curdling bang
bang but with a cheap, synthesized, emasculating whimper.”
NICK KENT, NME.

All The Young Droids: Junkshop Synth Pop 1978-1985 is a new compilation that charts the
underbelly of the epoch-defining sound of the synthesiser in 80s popular music. Compiled by Philip
King (previously seen compiling All The Young Droogs, Glitterbest and Boobs - The Junkshop
Glam Discotheque), the music here connects the dots between DIY synth enthusiasts grappling with
new, cheap synthesisers at the tail-end of punk and wannabe, jobbing songwriters enthral to the new
music pioneered by Gary Numan, Depeche Mode and Daniel Miller’s Mute Records. Featuring rare
tracks of auto-didactic progressive pop music, proto-techno punk, shoot-for-the-stars-land-in-the-gutter
chart flops and heralded, underground synth classics, School Daze paints a picture of beautiful failure.
Complete with extensive sleeve notes written by King and never before seen imagery, all 24 tracks
were remastered by RPM in-house engineer Simon Murphy, many from vinyl copies due to lost master
tapes. The story told on All The Young Droids is one of the dawning opportunity presented by both the
emergence to the market of cheaper analog synthesisers and the distribution networks plus indie labels
that exploded with the advent of punk music in 1976. While the music that sprouted out all over the
globe in the wake of these factors was decried as fake, plastic, a refutation of punk’s guitar-led
revolution, it’s telling that much of the music on All The Young Droids.. was created in bedrooms,
ramshackle studios and home-made set ups with often borrowed equipment. In the era of record labels
jumping to capitalise on the success of The Sex Pistols, The Clash (both on major labels, of course)
these artists struggled to stand out from a new gold-rush with next to no budget or PR team. With radio
and labels desperate for the new Yazoo, what resulted was a testament to necessity being the mother
of invention.

At the time, the synthesiser was the music of the future, a shiny new machine that could paint like an
orchestra with a single finger and a 4-track. In the hands of Manchester avant-pranksters Gerry & The
Holograms it’s a pulsing, sardonic weapon.. the only instrument on the Messthetics classic lampooning
of New Wave fashion. In Hamburg, a 16 year old Andreas Dorau used it to write and record (with his
female classmates on vocals) a global smash in Fred Vom Jupiter (later licensed to Mute Records).
The hard-to-find English version (Fred From Jupiter, natch) is included here. Many artists with alreadystoried careers caught the bug and recorded synthesiser-fuelled peons to space, computers, the future
and, of course, love-interests. Harry Kakoulli, late of Squeeze, recorded a solo album in 1979 that
included the incredible power-synth-pop smash-that-never-smashed I’m On A Rocket. Similarly, Ian
North of Neo and American Power Pop stalwarts Milk ’n’ Cookies bought a Korg MS20 and used a
tape machine to record We’re Not Lonely, an absolute lost-classic of minimal synth pop. We’re Not
Lonely also features on the Junkshop Synth Pop sampler 7” twinned with John Howard unreleased
track You Will See, released April 12th 2025.

There are plenty of compilation debuts in evidence. Sole Sister were a mysterious trio who were
featured on the Scaling Triangles compilation of female-fronted, queer-adjacent post-punk /
underground music that also featured The Petticoats. Selwin Image were from San Francisco and
featured members of the recently defunct power pop/punk group The Pushups. Their stupidly catchy
The Unknown fizzes with New Wave energy - think XTC to Sparks but remains unreleased until now.
Dream Unit’s A Drop In The Ocean is an early synth wave cut, positively teaming with Joy Division
instrumentation, previously only released on a long-forgotten and super rare, self-released EP.
Incandescent Luminaire’s Famous Names belies an archetypal struggle of a small-town trying to
make it in a cruel industry but is a thrilling New Romantic-Synth Wave cross over with a OMD
gloominess that’s a joy to hear. Feminist Minimal Wave track I Am A Time Bomb by performance artist
Peta Lilly and Michael Chance is a revelation destined for new found cult status. It was released on 7”
and lost until now.

The flipside to the subterranean, never-made-it synth pop mentioned above are the ambitious, even
fruity attempts at success that have a perennial elegance to their confidence. New Jersey-ite Billy
London (real name Ed Barth) tried to cash in on the synth boom with Woman, released by a major
label, a lurching new wave track built on the Louie Louie rhythm and a wonderfully camp Lou Reedstyle sleazy vocal before exploding in the synthesised chorus. The song bombed but with a chorus like
this, you have to wonder why? Ex-Glitter Band member John Springate’s My Life is truly epic, with
doomed chord progressions and massive sounding drums turning into at least 3 different songs in the
course of the track. Before you wonder what’s going on the song resolves with a glorious return to the
main refrain.

The dry-ice-dressed dance floor is well catered for too. Design’s Premonition and Vision’s Lucifer’s
Friend are stone-cold minimal synth bangers, well loved but given a new lease of life here. The
Warlord’s The Ultimate Warlord was released in 1978, a homespun proto Hi NRG banger that was
later re-recorded by The Immortals in Canada who had a club hit with it. One-man- band Disco
Volante’s No Motion was re-issued by Synth wave label Medical in 2012 but makes its first vinyl
compilation appearance here. Close your eyes and you can imagine what Lawrence of Felt would have
sounded like with some cheap Korgs a little earlier in his career. Gibraltar-based trio The Microbes
imagined a computer programming people to dance - how prescient - and ended up with a propulsive,
robo-funk track with splendid rubbery bass playing over a tectonic drum machine. Previously picked up
by Belgian label Stroom TV, Dee Jay Bert & Eagle’s heavily Euro-accented I Am Your Master
demands the listener to “come to paradise!” In a frankly terrifying manner.
All The Young Droids is the first compilation to peel away from the narrative that dour, Minimal Synth
and Cold Wave were the only musical children of the first rush of synth pop. Philip King and School
Daze Records describe a much more complicated world: along with the austere, Brutalist children of
Daniel Miller (who produced Alan Burnham’s Bowie-Low-influenced Science Fiction here) was a
plethora of desperate cash-ins, accidental mainstream hits, ambitious pop dramas and major label
punts that went nowhere. Crucially, the compilation blurs the line between junk and treasure. What if the
two things are interchangeable. What if it’s all science fiction?

The Gold is inspired by the true story and theories of the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery, which saw
the theft of £26 million worth of gold bullion, and the decades-long chain of events that followed. First aired in February 2023, the first series of The Gold garnered 8.7 million viewers for the first episode and was nominated for a BAFTA. Series Two is inspired by theories around what happened to the other half of the gold.

Simon Goff’s work sits at the intersection of contemporary classical, electronic, and cinematic
music. His albums Vale and Spark Like Living Mothers have received critical acclaim for their immersive, textural soundscapes and compositional depth. He has also worked with some of the world’s most acclaimed musicians as a collaborator and sound engineer on Joker and Chernobyl - both of which earned him Grammy Awards.

“In series one of The Gold, the score developed around using the sound pallets of strings and electronics, acting themselves as characters in the narrative. The subject of class permeates the whole story and we used these sound worlds to represent two worlds, divided at first but becoming more and more intertwined as the series progressed. The ways in which the worlds have collided and merged in series two is even more complex. The tension is even higher and the neurosis that torments the characters runs deeper.” Simon Goff

Tuesday The Sky's origins could almost be considered accidental. Guitarist Jim Matheos, famed for his work with progressive metal giants Fates Warning alongside projects such as OSI and his collaboration with John Arch, Arch/Matheos, penned a few songs that did not fit in with any of his established outlets, and intrigued by this, decided to write more and see where this took him. The result was 2017's Drift, a record that drew influence from the likes of Brian Eno, Sigur Ros, Boards Of Canada and Explosions In The Sky, and now he returns with its successor, The Blurred Horizon.

“My hero’s back,” Madeline Kenney sings on the second track of her newest effort, Kiss from the Balcony. In a sense, she means herself; made with friends Ben Sloan and Stephen Patota across just a few in-person studio sessions in Oakland, these tracks represent a culmination of Madeline’s musings on growth and resilience reaching back years, brought to life through this generative and vibrant collaboration. Close listeners can hear the breadth of stylistic elements and themes carried through from various eras of her work, which all come together in a cohesive and timeless record.

In two week-long intensive sessions, the three collaborators grew these nine songs from fragments, sketches, and seeds. With a background in experimental percussion and sound design, Ben Sloan brings an electronic sound to Kenney’s writing; Stephen Patota provides ingenious guitar melodies throughout and grounds the project in acoustic elements. Kiss from the Balcony was originally intended to be an EP, but the sessions brought forth such fruitful ideation and play that the project was expanded to a full length album. It sits in Madeline’s discography as a thematic and musical progression that sees her iterate on ideas about love and explore new sonic motifs through her work with Patota and Sloan.

Much of Kiss from the Balcony is a meditation on modern relationships, a feminist and utterly human contemplation of power and who holds it. “Hereditary backward leaning,” she describes in ‘Slap,’ of the female condition; “But no-one ever likes to see the girls break down / So they keep it to the bathroom floor” she sings in the rapturous opener, ‘Scoop.’ While the songs are shrouded in metaphor, the ubiquity of heartbreak and resilience decode much of the internal conflict Kenney depicts. The album sees her recognize the precarity and peculiarity of life and take it by the horns, realizing she controls her own narrative:


She explores the relationships between joy and suffering, choosing to see them as inseparable, two sides of a single coin. “It’s never over / When will they love me?” Kenney asks on ‘They Go Wide,’ describing her positionality both as a woman in relationship and as an indie artist in the modern music industry.

A playful hopefulness pervades the record, providing a sense of revelation in the journey throughout, Kenney’s radical acceptance of life as it is like a lyrical tongue out at the absurd.

Toomy Disco, hailing from the land of silver—Argentina—delivers a top-tier House EP on our beloved imprint. Blending deep cuts with a touch of disco flair and progressive grooves, this release is tailor-made for summer dancefloors. Featuring two standout remixes by Furz and Takuma Matsumoto, this EP is set to be a true floor-filler for the summer of 2025.