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Fantastic Twins, the ongoing project of Julienne Dessagne, is a sonic exploration of dual characters born from one distinct perspective. A producer, songwriter, and acclaimed live performer, Dessagne has spent the last decade sculpting a unique world.

On an ambitious new album entitled ‘Two Is Not a Number’, Dessagne immerses herself more fully than ever in the concept that inspired her artist name, exploring the entwined lives and fates of her imaginary twins, their schizophrenic dreams, small dramas, and big tragedies - a metaphor for our own psyche, our inner conflicts, and our relationship to others and otherness. These musings on the psychological, emotional, biological, and metaphysical qualities of Twins are expressed with assured clarity, using a palate of icy deep techno, eerie atmospheric soundtracks, tranced-out dark wave, and synth pop-noir. Whether through airborne dancefloor ascension, diamond hard rhythms, electronic thundercracks, or empathy drenched vocals and the palpable sense of unease, this standout album brings Dessagne’s powerful, affecting art into sharp focus.

I Was First takes listeners to the Fantastic Twins’ origin, a vocal transmission from within a sonic womb, as our protagonists prepare to emerge. Sisters at Odds sees our siblings emerge incongruous and freshly awoken to life’s absurdities in slow-motion. Suspensefully, the percussive heartbeat of Land of Pleasure Hi Fi wrings tension from numerology, blossoming into a scorched industrial ballet, a mirage of multiplicity.

Following the gothic connection of Master & Disciple, Silver Moon Dial incants a trance-like state that captures the physical energy of Dessagne’s live show, as Fantastic Twins take advantage of ‘putting the moon on speed dial.’ Euphoria soon splinters into tragedy with Twins Can’t Love, extracting unexpected melody and melancholy in brittle, IDM tinged electronics, beautifully tangled with Dessagne’s longing intonations.

From Above sees Dessagne’s vocals once again shift into a new form for a haunting interpretation of something approaching a ballad, echoing around a chamber from which the Twins have seemingly disappeared. Ultimately All of This is Resolved, both in title and form, within this album’s cathartic yet uneasy conclusion. Dessagne sends the siblings home at last... But what will we find if we follow?

The sophomore album from Australia's biggest hype beast. At the forefront of Australia's Deathcore scene, TO THE GRAVE are an essential prospect for fans of Chelsea Grin, Brand of Sacrifice, Thy Art is Murder and Lorna Shore. Supported with full US and European touring throughout 2023 + 4 music video singles.

The sophomore album from Australia's biggest hype beast. At the forefront of Australia's Deathcore scene, TO THE GRAVE are an essential prospect for fans of Chelsea Grin, Brand of Sacrifice, Thy Art is Murder and Lorna Shore. Supported with full US and European touring throughout 2023 + 4 music video singles.

Sinead was born in Dublin in 1966, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, drummer of U2 proteges In Tua Nua, while singing wedding covers in the city. After cowriting the first In Tua Nua single, she left school to focus on music, studying voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music before relocating to London in 1985.

Released in November 1987, Sinead's striking debut album The Lion and the Cobra was met with critical and commercial success. The album synthesises several of Sinead's influences into a diverse array of sounds and styles, from the hushed, atmospheric 'Troy' and 'Jackie' to the pop-rock hit single 'Mandinka', and the hip-hop inspired 'I Want Your (Hands on Me)'. The album also includes 'Drink Before The War', a song written by Sinead about her experiences at the Catholic reform school she attended, and was recently featured in the HBO series Euphoria.

Sinead was born in Dublin in 1966, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, drummer of U2 proteges In Tua Nua, while singing wedding covers in the city.

After cowriting the first In Tua Nua single, she left school to focus on music, studying voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music before relocating to London in 1985.

Released in September 1994, Universal Mother was described by Sinead as "the first attempt to try to expose what was really underneath a lot of the anger of the other records". The album features sparse, striking but delicate arrangements on intense and honest songs. Standout moments include the singles 'Thank You For Hearing Me' and 'Fire On Babylon', along with contributions from Germaine Greer (opening track 'Germaine'), and Sinead's son Jake Reynolds ('Am I A Human?'), plus a cover of Nirvana's 'All Apologies'.

Sinead was born in Dublin in 1966, and was discovered by Paul Byrne, drummer of U2 proteges In Tua Nua, while singing wedding covers in the city.

After cowriting the first In Tua Nua single, she left school to focus on music, studying voice and piano at the Dublin College of Music before relocating to London in 1985.

The follow-up album to the hugely successful I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got album, Am I Not Your Girl? was released in September 1992 and features Sinead performing a collection of songs that she had grown up listening to and which had inspired her to become a singer. It was during the promotional campaign for the album when Sinead made a controversial appearance on Saturday Night Live.

Am I Not Your Girl? features Sinead's unmistakable voice accompanied by an orchestra, performing big- band arrangements of tracks such as the single 'Success Has Made A Failure Of Our Home' (a Top 20 hit), 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina', and 'Why Don't You Do Right?'.

Am National Album Day (NAD), der nun schon zum sechsten Mal stattfindet, kommt die UK-Musikszene jedes Jahr zusammen, um die Albumkultur zu feiern und zu fördern. Das diesjährige Thema der 90er Jahre soll ein Licht auf ein äußerst reichhaltiges Musikjahrzehnt werfen, das sich zwischen Pop, Trip Hop und Hip Hop bewegte: NAD-Release: Wu-Tang Clan "Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)" - Gold Marbled Vinyl.

Sigrid Horns drittes Album ist ein düster-liebevoller Dialekt-Liederzyklus mit Streichquartett. Die erdrückende geopolitische Situation im Zusammenspiel mit Isolation, Rückzug aufs Private durch die Geburt ihres Kindes sind das Biotop, in dem diese Lieder gewachsen sind. Über allem steht die Hoffnung, das Überkommen, das Überstehen. "Wenn Sigrid Horn Klavier spielt, dann streichelt oder donnert sie, ihre Ukulele wiederum klingt manchmal spindelig, dann wieder frenetisch aber nie niedlich." (Robert Rotifer) Begleitet wird sie erstmals vom unüblich besetzten Streichquartett "das Nest": Stefanie Kropfreiter, Marlene Herbst (Bratschen), Ulla Obereigner (Geige) und Anna Aigner (Cello) bilden das wohlige Nest, in das sich Sigrid Horn zurückziehen kann und sich vulnerabler als je zuvor zeigt. Die Arrangements kommen von Felipe Scolfaro Crema, der an der Bruckner Uni Komposition und Jazz-Klavier studiert hat und sonst als Live-Musiker und Produzent umtriebig ist. Die Gewinnerin des Protestsongcontests präsentierte ihr letztes Album in der Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, das vom Falter unter die wichtigsten 50 Austropop-Alben der letzten 50 Jahre gewählt wurde. Sie war Künstlerin des "New Austrian Sound of Music" Förderprogramms und erhielt den Hubert von Goisern Kulturpreis.

Kasra V is here to engulf the club. Fresh off the success of his recent release on Radiant Records titled "Hyperdelic," Kasra is submerging listeners with a signature sound touching on dance music visions from different epochs but harnessing a unique aural palette. Kasra applies cut up techniques with sampling and utilizing his own voice as a tool throughout the record, topping the club energy with a punk rock sensibility. Equal parts eccentric and equal parts calculated, the tempest of this record is doused in wild elements: anthemic vocal samples with arena shaking capabilities, 80's hedonistic nostalgia, catchy utopian vibrations with a psychedelic cyber flair, flirting with inspiration from groups like Meat Beat Manifesto and YMO. Euphoric and aerated, but with a slicing undertone utilizing his freaky sampling prowess. Shaytoon is proud to present the next chapter of diaspora alchemy for your listening pleasure. Prepare for a flood.

Kraut synth funk explosion from the sci-fi, library & soundtrack specialists.

DIY funksters break into museum, steal modular moog and record proto-electro-punk with dusty live drums, wild percussion and out-of-control analog synth sequencing onto Tascam 8-track tape.

Following their debut 'Space Voyage' for Warner Chappell's music library and the outernational soundtrack LP 'Occhio Occhio', the U.K. based trio return with a darker, heavier edge on their new full-length 'Synchronization'.

The soundtrack to a strange and mysterious dystopian future Immersed in the sounds of arpeggiated vintage synths, full fat drum breaks and fuzz guitars. At times the album is reminiscent of post punk with hints of boom bap hip hop and as the album progresses the listener is transported to the dance floors of Berlin's underground raves. In an age that sees AI increasingly omnipresent, Eleven76 take control of the technology, creating a hybrid, genre spanning, production style that could only come from their hive mind.

The trio surrounded themselves with an enviable array of vintage synths and modern classic studio toys, with Paul Elliott and Anthony Donje at the helm of patching, connecting and bringing these analog beasts to life, while Timmy Rickard continued to lay down the grooves as the heart of the rhythm section. The result is SYNCHRONIZATION, of synth and drums, pictures and sounds, man and machine – and of your heart and brain if you're ready to get synchronized.

• Latin Freestyle was a dizzying, passionate, ultra-modern music. It was the aural equivalent of a can of thirst-quenching Quatro or a Spanish Harlem dance-off, and it became the electronically constructed bridge between disco and house.

• Freestyle grew out of the electro sound of the early 80s, combined clean staccato rhythms with morse code synth hooks, and topped them off with emotive, usually female, frequently Latina vocals. There was plenty more going on besides: proto-house piano lines, Cuban percussion, high emotion and synth hooks to die for.

• Put together and annotated by Bob Stanley (who also compiled the acclaimed “The Daisy Age” and “Fell From The Sun”), “Latin Freestyle” is the first compilation to cover the whole gamut of Freestyle from its early 80s breakthrough to its early 90s revival. So many classics… Lisa Lisa made the UK top ten with the 808 joy of ‘I Wonder If I Take You Home’. Stacey Q’s cosmically great ‘Two Of Hearts’ came out in 1986, while 1987 saw the likes of Company B’s ‘Fascinated’ and Exposé’s ‘Point Of No Return’ become huge UK club hits.

• Today, Freestyle is a scene with a solid collector’s market, and rarities like Janelle’s ‘Don’t Be Shy’ sell for hundreds of dollars. It’s a classic summer soundtrack, finally condensed in one Ace Records compilation – “Latin Freestyle”.

With the album "Souvent Fauché Toujours Marteau", Bérurier Noir completed seven years of permanent agitation. More than a title, it's a demand that puts a masterly end to the epic of the herd of rock. The themes dear to Les Bérus blend together in the ultimate uproar: anti-militarism, resistance to drugs, nostalgia for the squats that nurtured a rebellious youth, revolt in the ghetto suburbs, international solidarity... all underlined by a zest of Bérurière madness. The band also experimented with hip hop sounds and surprising, welcome oriental resonances, echoes of folklore from the world zone. However, this album abandons the satirical aspects with which its predecessors were imbued. The tone is no longer one of facetiousness: our two clowns have written their epitaph, and it is resolutely black.

The iconic voice of Luzmila Carpio rings out from the Andes, spreading messages of indigenous struggle, female empowerment and unceasing love for both the people and planet around us. An undeniable icon of Bolivian Andean culture whose career spans multiple decades, Luzmila has released more than 25 albums (there’s a reason that Rolling Stone described her as”one of the most prolific indigenous singers of South America”), inspiring millions while singing in both her native Aymara-Quechua language and Spanish. Yet Luzmila Carpio isn’t someone who’s content to simply rest on her laurels; she continues to take risks and push her music into vibrant new soundworlds. On new album Inti Watana: El Retorno del Sol (her first LP in a decade), she’s teamed up with Argentinian producer Leonardo Martinelli (a.k.a. Tremor), a ZZK veteran who’s spent the bulk of his career finding the common ground between Latin American folk rhythms and modern electronics. Building off the momentum created by 2015’s Luzmila Carpio Meets ZZK collection in which her music was reworked by not only Tremor, but standout electronic artists like Nicola Cruz, Chancha Vía Circuito and El Búho this new album is meant to stretch across genres, generations and continents, with Luzmila’s sonorous, occasionally birdsong-inspired vocalizations gracefully gliding amongst ambient textures, programmed beats and (of course) a bevy of traditional instrumentation from around the globe. Over the course of the LP, Bolivian charangos and quenas sit comfortably alongside the sounds of harmonium, violin, acoustic and electric guitar, Argentinian bombo leguero and sacha guitar, Armenian duduk and a litany of Asian percussion. Inti Watana: El Retorno del Sol which will be accompanied by a full length documentary might not sound like previous Luzmila Carpio releases, but on a spiritual, political and lyrical level, her core values remain unchanged. A native of Bolivia’s Potosí region, she’s long been a beacon for indigenous communities in not just her home country, but throughout Latin America, her voice inspiring joy and pride amongst ancient peoples whose culture and inherent beauty are often overlooked. Her pursuit of music a field traditionally dominated by men in Andean communities long ago made her a pillar of women’s empowerment, but Carpio has also been a vocal proponent for social change, using her influence to advocate not just for the rights of women, but for the protection and increased visibility of all indigenous people. Yet it’s the planet itself that Carpio is most passionate about, and she’s devoted much of her new album to conversations with Mother Earth and Father Sun

Never Before Reissued On Vinyl! After the smash success of Deee-lite's debut record World Clique, and their now-iconic dance club hit "Groove Is In The Heart", anticipation was high for a follow-up from the New York-based dance music trio of vocalist Miss Lady Kier, and producers DJ Towa Tei and Super DJ Dmitri.

For their sophomore record Infinity Within, Deee-Lite opted to venture in a different direction of sorts. The club-embracing disco-funk sounds and groovy vibes of World Clique were everpresent, but while that record contained themes of global togetherness, Infinity Within took a more socially aware route, with politically charged themes of environmentalism, (To show their bonafidese, Infinity Within was one of the first titles to be issued in an ecologically friendly Eco-pak.) sexual liberation, voting rights, and critique of the juidicial system.

Taking major inspiration from the ancient Chinese divination text I Ching, Miss Lady Kier would later explain that Infinity Within was a natural progression for the group, not a departure. Elaborating in an interview with Reflex Magazine, she remarked: "The reason why we titled this new album Infinity Within to balance out World Clique’s idea of looking outward and thinking about unity is if you look outward, you should look inward to see what you’re doing as an individual.

Because people seem to be so passive I’d like to see people turn their TV sets off and start protesting." Infinity Within was not the overwhelming commercial success that World Clique was, but it's tracks shined on the Billboard Dance Club charts, with it's lead single "Runaway" reaching #1 on the chart, bolstered by a Gus Van Sant-directed music video.

The record also featured a slew of top-tier collaborators, including Parliament veterans Bernie Worrell, Maceo Parker and Bootsy Collins (Returning from their appearances on World Clique) as well as Bootsy's brother Catfish Collins, legendary house DJ Statoshi Tomiie, and rap verses from Michael Franti, Jamal-Ski, and a pre-"Tennessee" Arrested Development.

Even though critical reaction at the time was cooler than their debut, over the years Infinity Within has been considered an underrated
gem of 90's dance, a classic of early club and house music, and a remarkable follow-up for Deee-Lite.

Miss Tiny is a brand-new musical project featuring acclaimed record producer and Speedy Wunderground label founder Dan Carey (Wet Leg, Slowthai, Fontaines D.C.) alongside Ben Romans-Hopcraft of Warmduscher / Insecure Men / Childhood fame.

A spiritually, and methodically united front, Miss Tiny’s universe is a thoroughly explored romance between heritage, rebellion, and years old friendship; a triptych of variables all gravitating towards one signalled output, with no real sense of time, or external pressures. Having spent the best part of a decade orchestrating haphazard jam-sessions, Carey and Romans-Hopcraft would eventually go on to discover a fundamental principle of their own. One which would come to define Miss Tiny, throughout her various forms and guises.

“We called it anti-recording,” continues Carey. “Only doing it for the pleasure of doing it”. When fully committing to this practice, the music meticulously follows two courses; refine, or degrade. Perfect the moment, or let it go; never to be heard, or re-lived ever again for fear that the action of pressing record, would inevitably take ownership of the occasion and lead the experimentation into a downward spiral towards something all-together tangible.

The irony of a seminal producer and critically revered musician banding together out of mutual distaste for recording, is not one that’s gone amiss. In fact, they’ll be the first to proudly call it into question- and yet still, Miss Tiny holds her own despite all peripheral associations, and would eventually go on to be documented. These aren’t ‘sit-down-and-write-a-song’ kinda songs. These spurts of spontaneity which would, in time, ultimately form the duo's debut EP ‘DEN7’, are years’ worth of trial and error. Trial and elation. A process in which strong technique and melodic-manipulation are the sole foundations required to reinvent the meaning of memory; be it guitar and drums, or flesh and blood.

Produced and recorded at Carey’s ‘Speedy Wunderground’ studio in Streatham, ‘DEN7’ is a masterful introduction to a group whose members need none. Through chopping, editing, and re-defining their improvised segments into songs which they could eventually go on to learn, Carey and Romans-Hopcraft by chance, stumbled upon gold-dust. Like Alice and her looking glass, our two protagonists effortlessly pass through all notions of engineered logic in order to see beyond the expected. The bigger picture perhaps. Or the magic in the small things that matter most.

Return of the B-Boy

Listening back to the “I Phantom” album as a whole re-connects me to the fact that “Return of the B-Boy” really was designed to be the crown jewel of the album. I wanted to create a song that was a feat in storytelling and in verbal dexterity. The slower tempo of Part 1 of the song gave me a chance to paint a clear view of the scenario in which the protagonist is brought back to life by music to save culture of a genre. The relentless tempo of Part 2 was one of the largest challenges I had faced as an MC at that point in my career but I did not want to earn style points at the cost of clear storytelling.

I remember that night so clearly; being in El-P‘s basement studio with the album due the next day and “Return of the B-Boy pt 2” being the only part of the album that wasn’t finished. In sports what happened that night would probably be the equivalent of somebody hitting a half court shot at the buzzer to win a championship. We were all there; myself, El-P, DJ Abilities, & Nasa (El-P’s studio engineer). We all knew the song had to be completed before sunrise, we all knew the importance of the song, and we all knew we had to do our best work. This was the scene; El-P searching for the perfect drum break, Nasa mixing everything on the fly as it was recorded, DJ Abilities searching for the perfect cuts to accentuate the song, and me making sure that every single line of my verse was exactly what I wanted it to be.

I’m glad I at least remember these elements of the process clearly because the rest of it really is a blur. I’m just glad that we managed to finish the song on time & get it out into the world. I truly am honored that our efforts back then led to the creation of a piece of music that is still resonating with people today.

The House Of Love – guitarist and vocalist Guy Chadwick, lead guitarist
Terry Bickers, bassist Chris Groothuizen and drummer Pete Evans –
formed in London in 1986 - Chadwick had been around the music
industry for several years, but was energised seeing The Jesus And Mary
Chain, inspiring him to form the band - Signing to Creation, The House Of
Love were greeted enthusiastically by the music press and their single,
Shine On and self-titled debut album became indie disco classics - By
1989, the band were big news and had signed to Fontana, part of the
PolyGram group
The group's debut album for Fontana, also confusingly entitled The House Of
Love, was released in February 1990. Known often as 'The Butterfly Album' after
Trevor Key's distinctive artwork, much was made at the time of its protracted
birth and the weight of expectation, and the fact it was produced by five different
people. Years later, it sounds assured and confident commercial indie, bursting
with invention and melody. The re-recording of their Creation calling card, Shine
On, gave them a UK Top 20 hit and Beatles And The Stones points the way to the
gentler side of Oasis some years later.
This re-issue replicates the original 1990 Fontana UK release with printed inner
sleeve and lyric sheet and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl.

"The Flying Guillotine 2" is the bloody sequel to Serenace's first appearance on Shaw Cuts in 2019, continuing the head-lopping violence with a group of freedom fighters lead by the heroic Ma Teng battling against the evil despot Emperor Yung and his reign of terror.

Teng has developed a protective device, similar to a spiky metal umbrella, that allows him to defend against the deadly flying guillotine attacks of the violent regime. "Current", its bombastic drum patterns, razor-sharp synth waves and vicious vibe strengthens the rebels to resist the brutal assaults.

But the Emperor immediately reacts, creating a double flying guillotine to counter Ma Teng's iron umbrella and the rebel union is left defenseless again. "Aiming From A Distance", a vivid breakbeat cut combining rolling percussion, arpeggiated synth chords and sirens from hell, raises the rebels' hopes to give them another answer.

Secret insurgent Na Lan infiltrates the Emperor's inner circle by gaining his trust with a group of female warriors whom he allows to train with the flying guillotine palace guards. However, Na Lan only wants to steal the plans of the improved weapon and deliver it to the rebel squad, in order to devise another counteracting force. With the crisp bassline and the energy-filled breaks of "Test 21", the rebels can gain an insight into the elaborated guillotine and find a possible way to defeat it.

Farron's profound techno version of "Current" brings in the necessary tension for the final showdown. The improved double flying guillotine VS a new secret defensive system. Will the rebels be able to team up and defeat the tyrant once and for all? No matter what happens, the saga continues.

Erste offizielle Vinyl-Neuauflage.

POP TRASH war das 10. Studioalbum der englischen New-Wave-Band DURAN DURAN. Es wurde ursprünglich am 19. Juni 2000 veröffentlicht und ist seit der Erstveröffentlichung auf CD nicht mehr zu erhalten. POP TRASH war das letzte Album der Band, auf dem das Trio Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes und Warren Cuccurullo. Das Album Artwork, das von Andrew Day entworfen wurde, zeigt einen mit Strasssteinen verziertes Auto, das Liberace gehörte.

Sara Dobbs and Jenny Shore used to work summer stock theater in St. Louis, Missouri. They'd do the hand jive with TV stars past and future; they'd get coldly corrected by the ancient, legendary choreographer Gemze de Lappe. Sara went on to Broadway, including a run as Anybodys in West Side Story. Jenny went on to choreograph in the independent dance scene of early 2000s Chicago. Julie Shore is Jenny's sister. She's always made music_playing Chopin, writing songs, making bands with her friends. She's had the archetypal Millennial journey of entering adulthood in the '08 financial crisis and figuring out what stupid series of jobs you have to take to pay rent while keeping an artistic life alive. Miles Francis grew up in New York City with Backstreet Boys posters covering their walls. An extraordinary drummer since youth, Miles thrives in collaboration_ whether producing artists in their West Village studio, performing with artists like Angelique Kidjo, or powering protests with a big marching drum. These four_Miles, Julie, Jenny, and Sara_are Sister Squares. What made them a musical unit was working with Grammy winner and Oscar nominee Will Butler. They've all just finished a new record together: Will Butler + Sister Squares. "After Generations, I considered making a weird solo record. Me alone in the basement, etc., etc. Mostly I realized that what I wanted was the opposite," says Will. He increasingly turned to the band for feedback on lyrics and song structures. He asked Miles if they'd produce the record. The band played a run of shows in August 2022, airing out studio ideas in live rooms. After coming home, the band regrouped at Figure 8 Studios in Brooklyn. "I had quit my band Arcade Fire very recently, after 20 years_maybe the most complex decision of my life. I had spent the preceding two years at home with my three children. I was 39 years old. I was waking up every morning and reading Emily Dickinson, until I had read every Emily Dickinson poem. I was listening to Morrissey, to Shostakovich, to the Spotify top 50. I had unformed questions with inchoate answers," says Will. "But, honestly, I was feeling great about the record." The album projects widescreen emotional landscapes. Lead-off single "Long Grass" is like a Harry Styles song with 20 more years of life behind it. Standout track "Saturday Night" has a beat, according to Miles, "with that robot-alien-dancing-at-a-haunted- dive-bar feeling that we were going for." The back half of the album is a danceable, weird choral record with harmonies both beautiful and dissonant. Closing song "The Window" is the comedown after the party_Julie playing a Chopin Nocturne on a three-years-out-of-tune piano, slowed to half-speed on tape with Will singing over it in a voice exactly as tired as he was. It's a record with a warm, humane soul.

Sara Dobbs and Jenny Shore used to work summer stock theater in St. Louis, Missouri. They'd do the hand jive with TV stars past and future; they'd get coldly corrected by the ancient, legendary choreographer Gemze de Lappe. Sara went on to Broadway, including a run as Anybodys in West Side Story. Jenny went on to choreograph in the independent dance scene of early 2000s Chicago. Julie Shore is Jenny's sister. She's always made music_playing Chopin, writing songs, making bands with her friends. She's had the archetypal Millennial journey of entering adulthood in the '08 financial crisis and figuring out what stupid series of jobs you have to take to pay rent while keeping an artistic life alive. Miles Francis grew up in New York City with Backstreet Boys posters covering their walls. An extraordinary drummer since youth, Miles thrives in collaboration_ whether producing artists in their West Village studio, performing with artists like Angelique Kidjo, or powering protests with a big marching drum. These four_Miles, Julie, Jenny, and Sara_are Sister Squares. What made them a musical unit was working with Grammy winner and Oscar nominee Will Butler. They've all just finished a new record together: Will Butler + Sister Squares. "After Generations, I considered making a weird solo record. Me alone in the basement, etc., etc. Mostly I realized that what I wanted was the opposite," says Will. He increasingly turned to the band for feedback on lyrics and song structures. He asked Miles if they'd produce the record. The band played a run of shows in August 2022, airing out studio ideas in live rooms. After coming home, the band regrouped at Figure 8 Studios in Brooklyn. "I had quit my band Arcade Fire very recently, after 20 years_maybe the most complex decision of my life. I had spent the preceding two years at home with my three children. I was 39 years old. I was waking up every morning and reading Emily Dickinson, until I had read every Emily Dickinson poem. I was listening to Morrissey, to Shostakovich, to the Spotify top 50. I had unformed questions with inchoate answers," says Will. "But, honestly, I was feeling great about the record." The album projects widescreen emotional landscapes. Lead-off single "Long Grass" is like a Harry Styles song with 20 more years of life behind it. Standout track "Saturday Night" has a beat, according to Miles, "with that robot-alien-dancing-at-a-haunted- dive-bar feeling that we were going for." The back half of the album is a danceable, weird choral record with harmonies both beautiful and dissonant. Closing song "The Window" is the comedown after the party_Julie playing a Chopin Nocturne on a three-years-out-of-tune piano, slowed to half-speed on tape with Will singing over it in a voice exactly as tired as he was. It's a record with a warm, humane soul.

Die unverwechselbare Stimme von Frontman Christian Schöttel dient als Bindemittel der 10 Songs auf 'Sonne, Mond & Dynamit', die sich auf verspielte Sound-Exkursionen durch rockige Gitarrenriffs und wabernde Synths begeben. Sie begleiten die Reise des in der Ich-Form erzählenden Protagonisten durch Exzesse, Herzschmerzen und düstere Zukunftsdystopien, ohne Selbstmitleid, aber oft mit Humor und einem Schuss Selbstironie.

Mit einer fesselnden Zusammenstellung neu-geschriebener, klangmalerischer Arrangements für Violine und Orchester von bekannten Film- und Serien-Soundtracks und neuen Kompositionen der Oscar-prämierten Komponistinnen Rachel Portman und Anne Dudley zeigt die Geigerin Esther Abrami auf Cinéma ihre Vielseitigkeit, musikalische Sensibilität und Raffinesse. "Ich bin so stolz auf mein neues Album. Ich wollte eine abwechslungsreiche musikalischer Reise zusammenstellen, die meinen klassischen Hintergrund, mein französisch-jüdisches Erbe, meine Unterstützung für Frauen in der Musik und meine Liebe zu Filmen und Anime widerspiegelt und verschiedene Genres, Kulturen und Generationen verbindet. Ich hoffe, dass sich die Zuhörer*innen in die Musik von Cinéma genauso verlieben wie ich", erklärt Esther Abrami. Cinéma enthält neue Arrangements von Blockbuster-Hits aus Animes, Serien und Kinofilmen wie Naruto und Demon Slayer, The Witcher oder The Hunger Games, genauso wie Musik aus ikonischen französischen Filmen wie die Die fabelhafte Welt der Amelie und Die Kinder des Monsieur Mathieu. Darüber hinaus sind klassische Stücke aus Filmen mit Musik von Pjotr Tschaikowsky, Dmitri Schostakowitsch und Astor Piazzolla sowie zwei Weltpremieren der Oscar-prämierten Komponistinnen Anne Dudley und Rachel Portman enthalten, mit denen Esther Abrami persönlich bekannt ist. Besonders emotional ist die Verbindung der durch ihre Großmutter zur Geige gekommenen Musikerin jedoch zu den Filmen Das Leben ist schön und Das Tagebuch der Anne Frank. Ein ebenfalls sehr emotionales Stück auf Cinéma ist das neue Arrangement vom Thema des Protagonisten "Zeyn" aus dem Oscar-nominierten libanesischen Sozialdrama Capernaum, das Komponist und Film-Produzent Khaled Mouzanar eigens für Esther Abrami geschrieben hat. Für die Erstellung der Arrangements von Cinéma hat Esther Abrami mit einem Team von Arrangeur*Innen zusammengearbeitet. Bis auf das ursprünglich für Klavier geschriebene Stück "Comptine d'un autre été, l'après-midi" aus Die fabelhalte Welt der Amelie, das Esther Abrami mit einer Loop-Station auf der Geige neu aufgebaut hat, und "Libertango" von Astor Piazzolla aus Le Pont du Nord, für das sie nur von dem Gitarristen Marcin begleitet wird, ist jedes Stück auf dem Album mit Orchester produziert. Die Aufnahmen zu Cinéma fanden mit dem City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra unter der Leitung des Dirigenten und Arrangeurs Ben Palmer in den legendären Smecky Studios in Prag statt.

Svart Records proudly presents the reissue of classic debut album by early 80’s Welsh punksters The Partisans! The Partisans, often described as “The Professionals meet The Clash”, were a punk band from Wales that started in '78, when all four members were still in their early teens. Their self titled debut album hit No.5 in the Independent Chart and No.1 in the Punk Chart when first released on (the highly collectable) No Future Records back in 1983. Police Story is an extended edition of their debut album accompanied with additional tracks from the Police Story / Killing Machine 7" (1981) and 17 Years Of Hell EP (1982). "Both consistent and powerful, this debut album by The Partisans contains a bevy of fine composition exploring themes of social protest and youth rebellion. An exciting version of “17 Years of Hell" accompanies new streamrollers like “No U-Turns” and “I Never Needed You”—possibly the best material this band has ever committed to vinyl." -Maximum Rocknroll

Svart Records proudly presents the reissue of classic debut album by early 80’s Welsh punksters The Partisans! The Partisans, often described as “The Professionals meet The Clash”, were a punk band from Wales that started in '78, when all four members were still in their early teens. Their self titled debut album hit No.5 in the Independent Chart and No.1 in the Punk Chart when first released on (the highly collectable) No Future Records back in 1983. Police Story is an extended edition of their debut album accompanied with additional tracks from the Police Story / Killing Machine 7" (1981) and 17 Years Of Hell EP (1982). "Both consistent and powerful, this debut album by The Partisans contains a bevy of fine composition exploring themes of social protest and youth rebellion. An exciting version of “17 Years of Hell" accompanies new streamrollers like “No U-Turns” and “I Never Needed You”—possibly the best material this band has ever committed to vinyl." -Maximum Rocknroll

Yoke Lore’s first full length album, Toward A Never Ending New Beginning is set to solidify Adrian Galvin as an indie pioneer, transcending beyond the genre with his unparalleled talent for captivating listeners with his distinct artistic vision and introspective lyricism. The 14-track album chronicles his journey of turning strengths into weaknesses, personal growth, and discovering who Yoke Lore truly is. It’s an album full of reflection and raw, unfiltered honesty that will most definitely connect with listeners on a deeper level. Combining electronic beats with subtle instrumentation, each song on Toward A Never Ending New Beginning is sonically diverse and thoughtfully crafted, taking listeners on a journey of self-discovery along with Galvin. Galvin views his debut record Toward a Never Ending New Beginning, as being guided by the principles of the I-Ching; an ancient Chinese divination text that maps out 64 transitions that you could possibly be going through at any time, reflected in the form of hexagrams. It is a meditation on all of the little changes he has gone through in his life: from celebrations to moments of sadness to moments of stillness. All of it is connected, all of it is related.

Blues rock, prog rock, proto metal, fusion - it's all masterfully represented, as brash as it is beautiful. Heaps of fuzzed vocals, waves of keyboards, boogie rhythms and sick, spiraling leads merge with focus, energy and drive to send Sacri Monti soaring to a next level, riff-filled land. Proggy space rock jams erupt as melodies segue in and out, while vocals drift over the top, seemingly lost in the instrumental sea.

"PETROL", das zweite Album der Schweizer Doom-Visionäre TAR POND, wurde einerseits von US-Doom-Klassikern wie SAINT VITUS inspiriert, greift aber andererseits auch auf die britischen Wurzeln zu, die von BLACK SABBATH verkörpert werden. In anderen Momenten blitzt bei TAR POND eine Verbindung zu zeitgenössischen Doom-Acts wie ELECTRIC WIZARD und ACID BATH auf. Parallel dazu verkörpern TAR POND aber auch die bekannte Eigensinnigkeit des Schweizer Metal, der sich durch Individualität und kreative Eigenständigkeit auszeichnet, so wie es herausragende Acts wie CELTIC FROST, CORONER und ZEAL & ARDOR musikalisch vorgelebt haben. Als Martin Ain, Bassist der Kultband CELTIC FROST und eines der Gründungsmitglieder von TAR POND, im Oktober 2017 plötzlich verstarb, stand auf einmal alles in Frage. Der legendäre Schweizer Musiker hatte vor diesem tragischen Tag das Debütalbum bereits aufgenommen - zusammen mit den anderen Gründungsmitgliedern, dem ehemaligen CORONER-Drummer und Lyriker Marky Edelmann sowie dem renommierten Scratchboard-Künstler und Sänger Thomas Ott. Nach einer langer Pause und intensiven Überlegungen entschieden sich TAR POND schließlich dafür, als Band weiterzumachen und das Debüt im Gedenken an Martin Ain unter dem Titel "Protocol of Constant Sadness" zu veröffentlichen. Aufgenommen wurde das Debüt unter der Leitung von Produzent und Gitarren-Legende Tommy Vetterli (CORONER) in den Jahren 2016/17. Beflügelt von der enthusiastischen Reaktionen auf "Protocol of Constant Sadness", haben sich TAR POND erneut mit Tommy Vetterli im New Sound Studio zusammengetan, um den Nachfolger "PETROL" einzuspielen. Aufgrund von Besetzungswechseln vor und während der Studioaufnahmen ist "PETROL" aus einer Zusammenarbeit von alten und neuen Bandmitgliedern zu verschiedenen Zeiten entstanden. Trotz dieser Umstände erscheint das zweite Album sowohl kohärent als auch auf das erklärte Ziel von TAR POND fokussiert - nämlich: Einen Soundtrack aus brachialer Kraft und ein elektrisches Protokoll einer fortwährenden Traurigkeit abzuliefern. Während die Schweizer ihr Debüt unter der Bezeichnung 'Doom'n'Gloom' einordneten, wurde ihr Sound auch schon als eine Kombination aus Doom und Post-Metal beschrieben. Mit "PETROL" lösen TAR POND ihr ursprüngliches Versprechen ein: Dieses Album ist ein wunderbarer Soundtrack voller bedrückender Dunkelheit und tiefer Trauer.

2023 Repress

Millennial dream boy Gen-Y and his twisted takes on everything! With his roots in Iran, hailing from Berlin he goes deep in, mixing up styles like Kanye mixes up opinions. On this follow-up Ep to the critically acclaimed Saturn Flow Ep from 2021, he keeps it funky and upbeat! On the opener Dreamboy, he collabs with Estonian singer Maryn E. Coote and takes the dancers on a smooth ride with a touch of 80's proto-house, electronic funk sound and vocals from Maryn's original version. River of Light and Time Of Death are proper flowing electro-funkers while Type 0.7 and Rari Jack ft. DJ Ebhardy are proper jackin Dj favorites! Closer Kirby Step takes the term 'funky acid' to another level. When you make tunes that are this cool there is no need to stick to one style... just enjoy what the universe transmits to the ether and vibe along!

European funk fusion of the highest order, Michel Gonet's Phasing News Volume 1 is the essential companion piece to the venerated Volume 2. It's truly a library treasure that every home must own. As Tele Music themselves said, it contains "tense and mysterious underscores in a range of styles"; whilst we don't disagree, we'd add swaggering, orchestral drama-funk-jazz-breaks. Vital.

Opener "Moon To Light (Number II) - A" is a total wonder. It's incredible, and what a way to begin a record. The percussion is electrifying, complimenting the dark, heavy piano, eerie organ work, electric guitar soling and rhythm section brilliance. Part B is virtually identical but without the electric guitar. The slow "Soul Cathedral (Number II) - A" is an ambient spacey synth gem which is both beatless and drenched in phased organ. Pretty captivating. Part B plays it rather straighter, a church organ continuing the same melody and tempo but with less of the swirling synthy effects.

"Light In The Rains (Number II) - A" sounds like something Diamond D would've sampled in the mid-to-late 90s, conjuring as it does that peculiar, creeping Axelrod-funk, all eerie electric guitar and organ, bass and spacey effects. Part B loses the electric guitar and adds brass.

The swirling, dramatic "Mondial Scoop (Number II)" has that urgent News At Ten feel with its prominent timpani drums whilst "Mecanic Bird Song" is a frenetic, abstract track with disorientating keyboard interplay.

*Total highlight* "Mephisto Jet (Number II) - A" rides a slick, proto-hip-hop beat with melodic, warm Rhodes yet, thrillingly, casually ups the drama with strings and timpanis. It then returns to its more mellow state. Ace. Part B adds acidy, phased percussion to create a more hypnotic, tripped out feel to proceedings. Part C is half as long but, pared back to just drums and Rhodes, it's arguably twice-as-nice.

To close, the shuffling, bell-laced urgent jazz of "Phasing News - A" is another highlight, riding a great bassline and augmented by ace drums, organ and electric guitar. Part B is also great, removing the guitar and doubling down on the head-nod funk.

The audio for Phasing News Volume 1 has been remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the original, iconic Tele Music house sleeve has been restored here at Be With HQ as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Das nunmehr 20. Studioalbum der erfolgreichsten deutschen Art- & Progressive Rockband ELOY. Es ist zugleich das 3. Album einer einzigartigen, vom Band- Mastermind Frank Bornemann als Rock Opera gestalteten Trilogie über das Leben und Schicksal der französischen Nationalheldin und Heiligen Jeanne d´Arc.
Bereits die beiden ersten Alben mit dem Titel „The Vision, the Sword and the Pyre, Part 1 & 2“, auf denen sich diverse illustre Künstler (u.a. Alice Merton) auf der Gästeliste befinden, wurden nicht nur durchweg positiv rezensiert, und erreichten hohe Chartsplatzierungen, sondern fanden auch aufgrund ihrer auf profunden Kenntnissen basierenden Umsetzung in allen historischen Details auf kultureller Ebene viel Beachtung.


Mit „Echoes from the Past” legt nun der Autor nochmal nach, und lässt den durch die Handlung der ersten beiden Alben führenden Protagonisten und Waffengefährten von Jeanne d´Arc, Jean de Metz, die aufwühlenden Ereignisse der Vergangenheit auf sehr emotionale Weise reflektieren.


Musikalisch entstand dadurch ein Werk, bei dem sich sensible und atmosphärische Passagen mit gewaltigen, dramaturgisch geprägten Klangwogen abwechseln, die den ELOY-Fan sicherlich an frühere Konzept-Werke der Band erinnern werden.


Diese Melange ist aber gemäß Frank Bornemann, der sich bei dieser Produktion erneut mit Veränderungen im Line up konfrontiert sah, voll beabsichtigt. Obwohl es sich bzgl. seiner musikalischen Elemente bestens in die Trilogie integriert, ließ es bei seiner Entstehung offensichtlich doch viel Spielraum für künstlerische Momente, die man nicht erwartet, aber die sich außerordentlich prägend für das Album auswirken, welches wieder einmal einzigartig ist.

Latin Freestyle war eine schwindelerregende, leidenschaftliche Musik. Es war das klangliche Äquivalent eines Dance-Offs in Spanish Harlem und wurde zur elektronisch konstruierten Brücke zwischen Disco und House. Freestyle entstand aus dem Elektro-Sound der frühen 80er Jahre, kombinierte klare Stakkato-Rhythmen mit Morsecode-Synthesizer-Hooks, und rundete sie mit gefühlvollen, meist weiblichen Gesang ab. Darüber hinaus war noch viel mehr: Proto-House-Klavierlinien, kubanische Percussion, viel Emotion und Synth-Hooks. Zusammengestellt und kommentiert von Bob Stanley ('The Daisy Age', 'Fell From The Sun'), ist 'Latin Freestyle' die erste Zusammenstellung, welche die gesamte Bandbreite des Freestyle von seinem Durchbruch in den frühen 1980er Jahren bis zum 1990er-Revival abdeckt. Die Doppel-Vinyl sowie die CD werden natürlich wieder von ausfühlichen Liner Notes begleitet.

"If you can imagine a love child between MAC DEMARCO and SPAR-KLEHORSE, then this would be what you're left with." - SO YOUNG MAGA-ZINE
Raised in North Queensland, Australia, Jarrod Mahon is not one to shy away from bold new endeavors. Once parting ways with his previous record label in 2019, Mahon chose to go fully independent, relocating to Berlin in 2019 (where he still resides), despite having no contacts at all in the country. What’s more, having recorded/performed under the pseudonym Emerson Snowe for over a decade - during which time he home-recorded five albums and 13 EP’s, toured with the likes of King Krule or Ariel Pink, played showcases SXSW and the Great Escape, the works - Mahon took that brave, most uncommercial decision to release under his own name and start almost totally anew.
“There was never really a concept to that name Emerson Snowe other than having some kind of separation from who I was as a person,” Mahon explains, “using a moniker gave me that confidence to push myself further mentally and to give myself some kind of a freedom”. And through the process of creating what would become his debut album, Mahon saw that he had outgrown the need for this protective persona. ‘Everything Has A Life’ was meant to be the debut Snowe album”, he admits, “but after I finished mixing it with Syd Kemp, co-producer I realized that I had actually grown a lot and was much more comfort-able with who I am and what my personal beliefs are.”
The choice of ‘Everything Has A Life’ as the album title, pulled from beauteous opening track ‘All I Know’, neatly summarizes this new outlook: moving on from ‘self-pity’ of the past-self by becoming present for the loved ones around you, improving understanding of one’s own self, via the wider world at large.
That track marks the first written during a lockdown stint in LA where Mahon wrote and recorded every day for 2 months, produced nigh on 250 demos and birthed the bulk of the record. It also brought Mahon back to his all-time favorite, Sufjan Stevens’ Ilinois and its blend of widescreen orchestral landscapes and more candid, naked acoustic-leaning variations - an important influence for the album's stylistic contrasts. Another key inspiration for the record too brought Mahon back to his roots - those full-bloom strains of his Mum’s Beloved Neil Diamond, an annual Christmas irritant to Mahon as a child, yet an artist he’s come to respect in adulthood. “Whatever the reason, with age I came to love the big show band sounds,” he says, “the idea of a performer on stage with a mas-sive orchestra with strings was amazing to me.”
With the help of producer Syd Kemp (Ulrika Spacek, Vanishing Twin), such grand designs could be met. - “When we first met, he asked me if I would like real strings on it. I said of course.” Enter Magda Mclean on violin (Caroline/the Umlauts), and Gamaliel Rendle Traynor on Cello (Sweat, Fat White Family), whose strings helped lift the record to romantic new heights.
He continues: “I said to Syd that the only thing I wanted to achieve with this rec-ord was that I wanted it to make me cry at one point. And we got there eventual-ly.” The final culmination of all these strands, ’Everything Has A Life’ is indeed a treasure trove of emotive riches. Locking into that bittersweet, quintessentially ‘pop’ combination of triumphant rhythms and confessional, stream-of-consciousness lyrics plucked straight from the heart, Mahon faces up to years of substance abuse with a series of gorgeous, blushing melodies: “I was using, I was drinking, I was lying to my friends, I was messing up again, I was hiding from myself”, he joyously chants on ‘The Growing’.
A banquet fit for an indie king, Everything Has A Life is loaded with psych-pop lusciousness (‘All I Know’) and anthemic glam fuzz (‘Death Of The Ladies Man’, ‘Deadstar’, or ‘Sonny is my Best Friend’); recalling that foundational Sufjan Ste-vens influence too with shambling flecks of country (‘Charly (Romantic Heart)’). There’s also those lo-fi crepitations of ‘My Man’ and ‘I can’t’ harking back home-recorded demos that lie at the core of Mahon’s creative process.

We are very happy to present you the newest eudemonia record by no other than Zeta Reticula. The Slovenian born artist needs no introduction as he has released several iconic releases during the last 23 years. For this EP he explores his more melodic side and presents three unique tracks ranging from Electro to Breakbeat.

Toronto-based producer and DJ Ciel is renowned for a style of dancefloor material that’s as heady as it is visceral. The Xi’an-born artist’s ascendant profile has seen her cutting- edge and club-ready EPs released on UK labels Peach Discs and Coastal Haze, as well as Stateside imprints Spectral Sound and Mister Saturday Night.

As a member of the renowned collective Discwoman and the creator of femme-forward party Work in Progress Ciel’s thoughtful narratives are clear, running in parallel to the perception-altering sounds that are consistently woven deeply into her wide-ranging sets, beloved mixes and inventive collaborations. Now the Parallel Minds label co- founder is crystallising her imaginative and omnivorous sound with her !K7 Records debut, ORLANDO.

Written during her emergence from an uncharacteristic bout of writers’ block, the three original tracks of Orlando chart a return to the musical self, spurred along by a cinephile’s embrace of film, a love of classic literature, and a curiosity for the oddest corners of popular culture. “SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE” might share a name with the episodic series, but is rather a nuanced critique of the modern rite of union, moving through structured chapters, and mirroring the un-static nature of longtime love.Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s radical novel, and its superphysical protagonist, “ORLANDO” considers the cult literary figure who lived from the renaissance to the modern age, and embodies both sides of the sex binary.

The thrown sounds and aural illusions of “EL CALIFA” create the effect of a beckoning, beguiling psychedelic experience. To complete the EP, Ali Berger, Ciel’s recent collaborator on the Jacktone Records’ release Damn Skippy! repurposes the mind-bending flourishes of “El Califa” into a noodly and spacious deep house production, replete with pillowy, gauzy pads.

It is always our pleasure to have new talents in the house, and we've been following Notzing's development since long ago. His approach to techno is absolutely personal and complex, hard and intrincated, mental and physical.

Protae is the first missile in this box full of weapons, a super busy techno exercise with compacted drums, drilling synth lines and random metallic hits breaking the monotony. The effect on the floor is devastating and has been tested extensively in dancefloors worldwide by label owner Oscar Mulero in the past months. 7 minutes of pure dancefloor mayhem.

Fagus continues with the sickness, with hysterical synth washe repeating an hypnotic chant, adding layers of sound as the groove goes by. Repetition is here the key to proper trance, not exactly with pleasant tones but by aggression.

Ekaterin is gummy and elastic with formant synth sounds chewing frequencies and changing constantly in shape. Another mental mantra with a physical drive.

Molniya slows down the pace and dives into profound sound scapes full of unnatural underwater sounds and washes providing a feeling of scuba diving.

To end this sonic odyssey, Emision goes completely beatless, growing from the profound sub bass frequencies to crispy and crunchy surface noises, creating the soundtrack of floating in outer space with no gravity. Please beware of the super intense bass tones when playing on a big sound system.
The perfect combination of experimentation and punchiness, keep an eye on this guy, is gonna make some proper noise in the coming years.

"Die Welt soll durch Zärtlichkeit gerettet werden" Fjodor Michailowitsch Dostojewski In von Krisen gebeutelten Zeiten bietet die Kunst allerhand Möglichkeiten, um dem entrückten Lauf der Welt die Stirn zu bieten. Eine davon liegt in der bewussten Umkehrung von Aggression und Rauheit. Für genau diesen Weg haben sich vier Musiker aus Köln entschieden - und folgerichtig ihre Band nach einer herzerfrischenden Tugend benannt: Die Zärtlichkeit lautet das Credo der Gegenwart. Gewissermaßen ist die Gruppe ein Produkt der Pandemie. Allwöchentlich trafen sich Sänger Andreas Fischer und Gitarrist Tobias Emmerich hinter domstädtischen Wänden, um ihren musikalischen Entwurf auszuarbeiten. Zum Vorbild nahmen sie sich den britischen Jangle-Pop der 80er-Jahre: The Smiths, Orange Juice, Felt. Samtweich klangen jene Formationen und wenngleich ihre Melodien durchaus beschwingt daherkamen, wurden sie doch immer aus Empfindsamkeit geboren. So verhält es sich auch bei Die Zärtlichkeit. Im März 2020 erschien ihre selbstbetitelte Debüt-EP, im November des selben Jahres veröffentlichten sie auf "Die Zärtlichkeit II" vier weitere Stücke. An dieser Stelle bleibe nicht unerwähnt, dass sich das Duo seit dem Beitritt von Bassist Merlin Engelien und Schlagzeuger David Dasenbrook zum Quartett erweitert hat. Mit "Heimweh Meisterwerke" ist nun der Moment für den ersten Langspieler gekommen. Ohne Zweifel steht jene Platte in den Zeichen von Anmut und Grazie. Doch Obacht sei geboten: Am Ende von "Reptil" etwa lauert in Gestalt von "Ulalala"-Chören ein gewiefter Spitzbubenstreich. Vorrangig tut es wohl, dass diese Band keine Bange hat vor Romantik. In Gärten tummeln sich von der Welt verlassene Tiere, der Mai lässt die Bäume hastig erblühen. So lieblich, so leichtfüßig die Lieder aber auch dahinziehen mögen - hinter so manch besungenem Himbeerstrauch hat sich der Pathos versteckt. Hört man etwa die folgenden Verse, möchte man vor Rührung vergehen: "Und ich darf mich nicht verraten, ich träume hier von dir. Und während ich hier träume, befreist du mich von mir" "Ein kurzer Weg" heißt das Lied, dem diese Zeilen entnommen sind. Es offenbart, wie schnell sich die Dinge - freilich durch die Liebe - zum Guten wenden können. Auch bei "Star" nimmt das Schicksal eine rasende Wendung, die hier jedoch schnurstracks in den Abgrund führt. Das Stück nimmt sich einen Menschen zum Protagonisten, der den Sternen näher scheint, als der Erde: "Trotz makelloser Hülle scheint dein Inneres verdorben". Gerade deshalb muss er verglühen - zumindest in dieser mit Scharfsinn vorgeführten Fallstudie. Von einem Besuch in den Gefilden der Kindheit erzählt der Titel "Geteilt". Das Licht am Morgen fällt noch immer wie damals vor dem Schulbeginn. Einige Klingelschilder tragen jetzt andere Namen, ein Baum ist verschwunden. Es ist die Geschichte eines Jemand, der sich aufgerieben fühlt zwischen der Vergangenheit und dem Jetzt. Zwischen Ankommen und Loslassen. Als bittersüße nostalgische Verklärung kommt das Schlusslied "In meinen Träumen" daher. Die letzten Zeilen liefern schließlich den Beweis: Am Ende gewinnt Die Zärtlichkeit. "In meinen Träumen bleiben die Menschen und Orte für immer"

Indies Only LP is opaque green vinyl. Both LPs come with a download. The moment the needle drops on Bite, the new A Giant Dog record, one’s conception of what an A Giant Dog record sounds like bends like space and time around a starship running at lightspeed. The biggest point of departure is that Bite is a concept album, concerning characters who find themselves moving in and out of a virtual reality called Avalonia. A Giant Dog’s first album of original songs since 2017’s Toy, Bite finds the band Sabrina Ellis, Andrew Cashen, Danny Blanchard, Graham Low, and Andy Bauer at their peak as musicians, challenging themselves with more complex arrangements and subject matter that forced them out of their heads and into those of the characters who occupy this supposed paradise. “We had to find ourselves within, or project ourselves into, the principal characters. We developed them, got to know their minds, emotions, and motivations, and then expressed those in nine songs,” Ellis explains. Themes of addiction, gender fluidity, living ethically in a capitalist society, physical autonomy, avarice, grief, and consent bubble beneath the promised happiness of Avalonia. This is evident in songs like “Different Than,” where Ellis sings, “My body can’t explain the things my mind don’t comprehend” as if societal gender pressure is squeezing its protagonist out of their skin. The songs on Bite are full of bombast, at turns calling to mind the spacefaring operatic rock of Electric Light Orchestra and the high drama of an Ennio Morricone film score. The album’s narrative sweep is epic in scope, its characters facing impossible odds and certain doom, existing as comfortably with the sci-fi grandiosity of Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak as it does with the high fantasy of Dio and Iron Maiden. Appropriately, A Giant Dog came to this narrative armed to the teeth with new ideas, unleashing synthesizers and string sections to create what Ellis describes as orchestral, symphonic, futuristic punk. To achieve this, they left their home turf of Austin, Texas, for La Cuve Studio, just outside of Angers, France. Living in the French countryside, A Giant Dog laid down their vision of the future against a decidedly pastoral backdrop. On walks from Angers to La Cuve, Ellis says that they “would see many things, and also nothing at all. Swans on the river. Romani people living in little trailers, with a side hut built for their dog. A juggler on a unicycle—not fucking with you.” “We thought we wouldn’t be allowed back in France after this trip, to be honest,” they continued. “Five loud, stomping, clapping, rowdy Americans who ran through the streets of Angers for three weeks in November 2022.” The experience capped two years of planning and writing, fleshing out the universe of Avalonia beyond the bounds of most concept albums. The resulting nine songs do not merely occupy this space: They’ve lived in it, and they want out.