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Their final LP, recorded with Jeremy Lemos, Purple On Time dropped in late 2003, and found new drummer Adam Vida cannily replacing the fairly departed Pat Samson. With consolidations and developments heavy on the ground, the band once more surged and retarded in near-orchestral precision, as Johnson"s voice swooped through fresh ranges. The songs were tangy, more rock than ever, yet just as potent when it came to drawing forth that thrusting, demented hip-shake that they induced in their faithful. 180-gram DELUXE with a die-cut sleeve and contains an extra song and a poster.

Survival Of The Sickest offers no respite from the horrors of reality. Instead, BLOODBATH’s latest and greatest album gleefully confronts the slavering ghoul lurking in the shadows, and treats him to ten songs of ripping death metal frenzy. In contrast with their last album, Survival of the Sickest goes straight for the jugular in true old school fashion. With strong echoes of everything from Morbid Angel & Death through to Deicide & Obituary. Survival Of The Sickest boasts a smattering of irresistible cameos from the great, and ghoulish of the metal underground, including Barney Greenway (Napalm Death), Luc Lemay (Gorguts) & Marc Grewe (Morgoth). On Survival Of The Sickest, BLOODBATH evoke their most horrifying sonic scenarios to date.

Don your bandanas, leather jackets and distressed jeans, because heavy metal is about to shine brighter than ever as Swedish newcomers BOMBER bring back the hottest era in hard rock history. Asserting their own trademark blend of 70s and 80s inspired classic and hard rock with catchy hooks, top-notch guitar solos and a vibrant aesthetic, BOMBER brings you their debut album, Nocturnal Creatures, via Napalm Records! After explosive live shows in Sweden and a subsequent tour of Germany, the hard rockers prove that the glorious era of rock isn’t over and that they’re already setting the highest standards on Nocturnal Creatures. On ten powerful tracks, BOMBER turns the night into an intoxicating adventure that convinces both old and new fans of the prominent classic and hard rock genre. Album opener and title track “Nocturnal Creatures” opens the gates with epic storytelling and interludes the following passionate ride through “Zarathustra”. With fiery vocals, melodic guitars and untamable drum-play, the track gets the listener’s pulse pumping, while “Fever Eyes” ensnares with wistful weeping choirs and guarantees a quickly increasing temperature. “Black Pants Magic” emerges into an unforgettable high-class rock experience through its industrious and catchy hook, while songs like “A Walk Of Titans (Hearts Will Break)” and “You’ve Got Demons” surprise with dynamic melodies and Anton Sköld’s powerful voice. On “The Tiger”, BOMBER send their listeners right into the eye of a raging thunderstorm of riffs driven by brilliant grooves, while “Kassiopeia” sets the strings on fire with its marvelous solos. Bursting album closer “Aurora” presents Nocturnal Creatures’ crowning achievement, bringing the 40-minute escapade to the edge of the world. With their new studio album, Nocturnal Creatures, the rising stars of Sweden establish a milestone in the legacy of hard rock that leads the once so majestic genre to new glory – marked by their very own special vision!

High Focus Records is delighted to announce the return of Verbz & Mr Slipz on ‘THE WAY FWD’, the anticipated full-length follow up to their 2019 LP ‘Radio Waves’.

An album fuelled by evolution, ‘THE WAY FWD’ pays respect to the signature sonics that are synonymous with the duo; the dust laden, sample driven boom bap energies are present throughout, with a greater focus on arrangement, form and musicality this time around.

Sourcing from the many adventures both Verbz & Slipz have been on in the five years separating the 2 x LPs; experiments across genres and BPMs informing the direction of travel before they completed the circle, ‘THE WAY FWD’ combines new spirit with a dizzying timelessness; Slipz’ sophisticated brushstrokes informing Verbz’ penmanship across 12-tracks of true introspection.

With features from Cappo, Cam Thomas and additional vocals from India Shan, ‘THE WAY FWD’ has all the makings of a classic release, especially if it ends up being Verbz & Mr Slipz’ last collaborative contribution to the genre…

An elusive cult gem resurfaces through Glossy Mistakes. Originally released in 1986, L'Empire Des Sons is an otherworldly blend of synth pop, folk experimentation, and cinematic percussive layers-dreamlike, poetic, and wildly ahead of its time. L'Empire Des Sons was a fleeting yet powerful transmission from the fringes of the French underground-an album that blurred genre lines and evaded easy classification. Fusing experimental folk, lo-fi synth pop, and avant-garde textures, the record exists in its own sonic universe: poetic, layered, and fiercely independent. Formed in Saint-Étienne by percussionist and composer Dominique Lentin (Dagon, Fille Qui Mousse) and first-time vocalist Bipé Redon, L'Empire Des Sons emerged from the vibrant DIY spirit of the early 1980s. Their paths crossed during the interdisciplinary project L'Opéra Quotidien, and what followed was an intuitive, deeply collaborative process. "I would bring in lyrics and my voice," Bipé recalled, "and Dominique would shape the music around the atmosphere or rhythm suggested by the words." The result is a collection of songs that feel both meticulously constructed and completely free. Ethnic percussion, marimbas, xylophones, and synthesizers dance around Bipé's surreal, fragmented lyrics-little sonic postcards from imagined worlds. There's a theatricality here, but it never feels forced; rather, it's playful, intimate, and raw. Despite their inventiveness, L'Empire Des Sons remained a well-kept secret-circulating only in select avant-garde circles and eventually becoming an extremely sought-after collector's item. Now, thanks to Glossy Mistakes, this lost artifact returns to the world with new life: remastered from the original tapes, pressed on vinyl for the first time with extended liner notes. L'Empire Des Sons was never meant to be boxed in. Like the quote from Brian Eno that opens their liner notes-"For the world to be interesting, you have to be manipulating it all the time"-their music resists stasis. It evolves, shifts, surprises. And now, it finally gets the audience it always deserved.

Toko's in-house all-star Si Brad brings forth three fresh jams for the long running UK institution, ensuring record bags are festival fit and nightclub-ready for party season.

Opening with a glitzy, contemporary disco jam, 'Doublestar' provides wide-screen glitterball action with a dazzling instrumental track, busy with key changes and chord progressions that'd make Patrick Adams blush. Sure to have fellow peers like Another Taste and Perpetual Singers checking their wing mirrors, the track is rich with musical decadence - orchestral strings, punchy synth licks and frenetic live bass all shining through this highly dynamic arrangement.

'Compress' moves swiftly into beefy house territory; Si's patented full fat, cushion soft bottom end providing just the low frequency support for a wide array of warehouse-ready bleeps, vocal snips and rave motifs set to cause a whole manner of chaos and confusion come 2AM in the club. A master of functional intricacy, Brad's multi-layered compositions thread together more elements than other producers would care to consider, manifesting almost effortless and involuntary body movement which belies the complexity of the track and is sure to have the dancefloor in a spin.

Concluding with a beautiful piece of Balearic-boogie-beatdown, and with Attaboy muscling in on proceedings; 'Faro Sunset's dreamy and expansive moods cascade over a loose, conga-laden groove glued to the spot with a rugged b-line. Instantly conjuring memories of grilled calamari and poolside play, and sure to garner repeat plays across the familiar party paradises of the Adriatics and beyond; it finds the crew dialling into a deliciously languid vibe that's in contrast to the immediate urgency of the preceding tracks yet retains, assuredly, the sonic trademarks of the producer's hand.

Another unmissable addition to Toko's storied catalogue!

2000black releases it’s second LP ’27’.
A continuation of the afro futuristic sonic exploration, kept in its raw form. London boogie & house not house working under jazz influences, made for dancers footwork in heavy club grooves all spread over two pieces of vinyl.
Finally a follow up to ‘A Next Set A Rockers’

The second installment in the SEMPLATE series arrives with force, presenting "Clones" — four-track EP by British duo Evasion & Conman. Run of 200 copies on transparent red / black splatter vinyl. Across the record, Evasion & Conman navigate the spaces between drum and bass, jungle, and breaks, crafting a sound that is both raw and futuristic.

The journey begins with A1 “Closure”, a heavy workout at 165 bpm, driven by pounding drums and a sparse, stripped-back propulsion. On A2 “Nashi” at 147 bpm, unveil perhaps the most lush cut on the EP — a rolling jungle track rich with textured breaks and atmospheric washes. Flipping to the B-side, B1 “Acid Reflux” sits at 140 bpm, swirling with eerie synths and snarling bass that push into darker territory. Finally, B2 “Clones” fires off at 170 bpm, delivering a vision of futuristic broken drum and bass: fractured rhythms, stark bass hits, and cybernetic touches.

Exit were a five-piece ensemble of journeymen musicians from the lone star state of Texas who came together in the early 1980’s to record a handful of popular local 45’s including two Football-mania songs. The groups line-up consisted of lead guitarist and vocalist Clennis High, rhythm guitarist Lonnie Jones, his brother Johnny K. Jones the groups keyboardist, bassist Frank Houston Jr and George Oliver on Drums.

Clennis High, a promising Football player with a flair for playing the guitar began his early musical career while attending Wheatley High school. Aged 17, Clennis played on several Crazy Cajun, Huey P Meaux’s recording sessions for Eugene Gamble and Barbara Lynn. Further recording sessions on Roy Head followed before he accepted an invitation by his neighborhood friend Willie Parnell to play alongside a group of fellow students in a band called ‘The Drells’. ‘The Drells’ had been founded by Archie Bell in 1966 pulling together neighborhood friends James Wise, base singer Cornelius Fuller, Billy Butler, Willie Parnell joined later by Archie’s brother Lee Bell. Clennis would play with ‘Archie & The Drells’ through their time on Skipper Lee Frazier’s Ovide label often accompanied by the ‘Texas Southern University Toronadoes’ where they scored a hit with the dance instruction song “Tighten Up” which on the strength of Atlantic Records picked the group up. Clennis played on all 3 of the Drells studio albums “Tighten Up”, “I Can’t Stop Dancing” and There’s Gonna Be A Showdown” under Gamble and Huff’s tutelage before quitting to return home to complete his degree. He continued to play with several local Houston bands including the Cold Four who recorded the sort after “Love And Care/Low Riden” (Drells).

Clennis later formed ‘The Reality Band’ with his friend Jerald Grey which introduced him to George Oliver and Frank Houston Jr. Occasionally ‘The Reality Band’ played with other groups, one group in particular (which Jerald previously knew) being an outfit from Conroe, Texas called the ’58 Engineers.

‘The 58 Engineers’ were founded by Johnny and Lonnie Jones, taking their name from the Army unit Johnny served with during his time in the service. By 1973 having grown to 8 members the group entered the studio to record the highly collectable and popular funk outing “The Funky Fly (Part1 & 2)” on their own Bryant Records label (Bryant being the Jones brother’s mother’s maiden name).

As members of the ‘58 Engineers’ moved on, the Jones brothers found themselves working more and more with the ‘Reality Band’ so when Jerald Grey too later moved on the remaining ‘Reality Band’ members Clennis, George and Frank having grown fond of the two “Country Brothers from Conroe” as they affectionally called the Jones’s made the decision to continue working with them, which led to the foundation of the group, Exit.

During 1980 the recently formed Exit recorded the first of their two Football -mania songs but it is from the groups 1981 release “Success/One More Hour” (Dat-Tex 105) that Soul Junction have taken the splendid ballad “One More Hour” to pair with the flipside of the groups third release “The Little Green Monster” (Dal-Tex 106) which is now highly regarded and sort after by sweet soul/lowrider connoisseurs alike. Both of these songs have been put back-to-back to feature on Soul Junction’s forthcoming September 45 release.

Italian cinematic funk legends Calibro 35 continue their journey into the world of cinematic jazz-funk. "Exploration" marks their return to independent label Record Kicks after their last studio album "Nouvelle Aventures" released on Universal Music in 2023. The band picks up from their latest EP, "Jazzploitation," released on Record Kicks last October. "Exploration" is a deep dive into the universe of cinematic jazz-funk, showcasing both the band's reinterpretations of timeless classics such as Roy Ayers' "Coffy" or Bob James "Nautilus" and original compositions by the band such us the lead single "Reptile Strut", the jazz-funk stormer "The Twang" and the soulful cinematic number "Pied De Poule". An exploration and a new journey for the Milanese combo that a long its way pays homage to artists such as Lalo Schifrin (Mission Impossible), Italian Maestro Piero Umiliani (Discomania and Gassman Blues) and Herbie Hancock (Chamelon). Described by Rolling Stone as "the most fascinating, retro-maniac and genuine thing that has happened to Italy in the past few years," Milan-based Calibro 35 enjoy a worldwide reputation as one of the coolest independent bands around. Active since 2007, during their long career, they have been sampled by Dr. Dre on Compton ("One Shot One Kill" feat. Snoop Dogg), Jay-Z ("Picasso Baby"), The Child of Lov & Damon Albarn ("One Day"), and Demigodz ("The Summer Of Sam"). They have played major venues and festivals all over Europe, and as unique musicians, they have collaborated with, among others, PJ Harvey, Mike Patton, John Parish, Stewart Copeland, and Rokia Traoré. FOR FANS OF... Piero Umiliani, El Michels Affair, Idris Muhammad, Surprise Chef, Nu Genea, Khruangbin, Snarky Puppy, The Cinematic Orchestra, Comet is Coming, Kamasi Washington

„A Danger to Ourselves“, das neue Album von Lucrecia Dalt, erscheint am 5. September 2025 bei RVNG Intl. und ist eine gewagte und doch intime Reflexion über die ungefilterten Komplexitäten menschlicher Beziehungen. Ohne die fiktiven Erzählungen der letzten Alben der Künstlerin kommt „A Danger to Ourselves“ von einem Ort der emotionalen Aufrichtigkeit. Dalts Stimme steht im Mittelpunkt und wird von einer üppigen akustischen Orchestrierung, perkussiven Instrumenten und einer Reihe hochkarätiger Mitstreiter unterstützt, die sich wie ein tiefes persönliches Gespräch entwickeln.



Die in Pereira, Kolumbien, geborene Dalt wuchs in einer musikbegeisterten Familie auf, die sie im Alter von neun Jahren dazu ermutigte, eine Gitarre in die Hand zu nehmen. Dalt folgte diesem kreativen Impuls, war fasziniert von computergestützter Produktion und verließ eine aufkeimende Karriere als Bauingenieurin, zog von Medellín nach Barcelona und schließlich nach Berlin, wo sie ihren unverwechselbaren, abenteuerlichen Sound entwickelte. Mit „Anticlines“ (2018) und „No era sólida“ (2020) und vor allem mit „¡Ay!“, Dalts bahnbrechendem Sci-Fi-Bolero-Album von 2022, hat sich ihre Arbeit auf immer anspruchsvolleres Terrain begeben. Auf dem Weg dorthin hat Dalt ihre Praxis auf die Vertonung von Filmen wie „On Becoming a Guinea Fowl“ (2024), die HBO-Serie „The Baby“ (2022) und den bevorstehenden psychologischen Horrorfilm „Rabbit Trap“ ausgeweitet, während sie Klanginstallationen und Performances kreiert, die ihre leuchtenden Modulationen und ihren unverwechselbaren, sich entwickelnden stimmlichen Ansatz zur Schau stellen. „A Danger to Ourselves“ entstand aus fragmentarischen Erklärungen, die Dalt aufschrieb, während sie das Leben auf der Tournee von „¡Ay!“ und die prägenden Momente einer neuen Beziehung meisterte. Im Januar 2024 begann sie, diese intimen Fragmente zu musikalischen Kompositionen zu kristallisieren, die allmählich zu einer zielgerichteten Konstellation von Songs wurden. Die Klangarchitektur des Albums basiert auf dynamischen Drum-Loops, die von Alex Lázaro beigesteuert werden, dessen perkussives Rückgrat wie bei „¡Ay!“ zur Leinwand für Dalts vielschichtigen Gesang wurde. Anstatt konventionellen melodischen Strukturen zu folgen, erzeugt das Album Musikalität durch das Zusammenspiel von Basslinien, Rhythmen und kompositorischem Design. „A Danger to Ourselves“ offenbart Dalts kompromissloses Streben nach klanglicher Klarheit, bei dem kühne Produktionsentscheidungen und sorgfältige Aufnahmetechniken Stimme und Instrument mit neuer Tiefe und Strahlkraft harmonieren lassen. „A Danger to Ourselves“ ist eindeutig anti-konzeptionell und ein poetischer Instinkt, mit dem Dalt den Fokus auf die Musik selbst lenkt, indem er Stimmen verwendet, die über die Parameter der Songs hinaus schwingen, und die perlenden Echos der ursprünglichen, romantischen Erregung beobachtet. Dalts klare Aufmerksamkeit für Details ist in jedem Takt spürbar, eine Hingabe, die sich in konzentrischen Kreisen dreht und ein Feld bildet, das das Persönliche und das Ätherische vereint. Das Album basiert auf intuitiven Experimenten und nutzt einfache Gesten und komplexe Kompositionen, um wandernde Linien zu weben, wie in „Divina“, das sich zwischen Spanisch und Englisch durch elastische Klanglandschaften bewegt. Der Titel des Albums geht auf David Sylvians Text „cosa rara“ zurück, der die Zerbrechlichkeit des Lebens, die Schwingungen der Liebe und die treibende Sehnsucht nach dem Wundersamen symbolisiert. „A Danger to Ourselves“ spiegelt diese transzendenten Zustände wider, indem es die Komplexität menschlicher Verstrickungen und den Wunsch nach Befreiung von Dopaminspiralen und gewöhnlichen Pfaden hin zu einer offeneren inneren Welt widerspiegelt. Sylvian selbst hat auf „A Danger to Ourselves“ eine Doppelrolle als Co-Produzent und Musiker gespielt. Es ist eine kollaborative Collage mit Beiträgen zahlreicher gefeierter Künstler. Weitere Kollaborationen ziehen sich durch das gesamte Album: Juana Molina ist Co-Autorin und Interpretin von „The Common Reader“, Camille Mandoki singt bei „Caes“, Cyrus Campbell spielt den grundlegenden Elektro- und Kontrabass, und Eliana Joy steuert bei mehreren Stücken Hintergrundgesang und Streicherarrangements bei. In den leuchtenden Tiefen von „A Danger to Ourselves“ inszeniert Dalt eine tiefgreifende Metamorphose, bei der das Persönliche durch klangliche Alchemie zum Universellen wird. Dieses Album ist sowohl Höhepunkt als auch Aufbruch - ein Portal, an dem ihre früheren experimentellen Reisen zu etwas verblüffend Intimem und doch Expansivem zusammenlaufen. Das Album ist ein Netz emotionaler Offenbarungen, jede Komposition ein präziser Indikator für Verletzlichkeit, in der Dalts Stimme eine Offenbarung in neuen harmonischen Gefilden verkörpert. Dalt hat ein lebendiges Dokument der Intuition jenseits konventioneller Grenzen geschaffen, das den Weg in Bereiche eröffnet, in denen die Musik sowohl Spiegel als auch Fenster ist.



Für Fans von PJ Harvey, Broadcast, St. Vincent, ML Buch, Stereolab, Cate LeBon, Aldous Harding, Mabe Fratti, Dry Cleaning, Juana Molina

Conceptualized and written during the chaotic fall months of 2020, Hiss Golden Messenger’s O Come All Ye Faithful recorded shortly after the widely hailed Quietly Blowing It is a meditation on grace, loss, hope, and community. Explains songwriter M.C. Taylor, “Big, brash holiday music the type that we hear in big box stores in the middle of December has never resonated with me, and this past year it felt absolutely dissonant. I wanted to make a seasonal record that felt more in step with the way that I, and so many others, experience this time of year: quiet, contemplative, searching, and bittersweet.” Contributors to O Come All Ye Faithful include many members of Hiss Golden Messenger’s extended family, as well as special guests like GRAMMY Award winner Aoife O’Donovan, Nathaniel Rateliff, Erin Rae, and Buddy Miller. The tracklist includes new tunes written by Taylor, classic hymns, and renditions of songs by Spiritualized, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Woody Guthrie, all arranged in the inimitable Hiss Golden Messenger style. Adorned with a beautifully spare design created by celebrated artist Cody Hudson. The deluxe vinyl version of O Come All Ye Faithful includes an additional collection of remixes by Revelators, Taylor’s spiritual jazz and dub-influenced project with Cameron Ralston.

It's spring of 2023 in the North Carolina Piedmont, and songwriter and singer M.C. Taylor - leader of the band Hiss Golden Messenger - is feeling alive. Joyful. Eternal, he might say. For the Grammy-nominated musician, whose albums have traced an internal path through adulthood, fatherhood, spirituality, and depression for well over a decade, this is something new. "The tunes on Jump for Joy were composed in free moments throughout 2022, a year during which Hiss was on the road more or less constantly," explains Taylor. "And perhaps because the post-pandemic energy out in the world felt so chaotic and uncertain, I found myself thinking a lot about the role that music has played in my life and how exactly I ended up in the rarefied position of leading a band and crew all over the globe through dingy graffiti-scrawled green rooms, venerated music halls, dust-blown roadside motels.

Sometimes playing in front of 5,000; sometimes 200. Sleeping sitting up. Laughing until my stomach hurts. Not being able to fall asleep at 3 a.m. in some anonymous bed because my mind is spinning with anxiety or depression or adrenaline, or because my ears are still ringing. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, then robbing Paul to pay Peter back. Over and over again. It's an outlaw life but one, I'm coming to realize, that makes me happy." The songs that make up Jump for Joy - the sharpest and most autobiographical that Taylor has written under the Hiss name - read as a sort of epistolary, postcards between the present-day songwriter and his alias Michael Crow, a teenaged dreamer very much like Taylor himself, who trips his way through the 14 tunes that make up the record. In this way, Jump for Joy is a meditation on a life lived with art, and the ways that our hopes and dreams and decisions bump up against_ and, with a little bit of luck, occasionally merge with real life. "Creating this character became the way that I could explore these vulnerable, tender moments that were so decisive in my life, even if I didn't know it at the time," explains Taylor.

Produced by Taylor and engineered by longtime Hiss compatriot Scott Hirsch over two weeks in the late fall of 2022 at the fabled Sonic Ranch studio in Tornillo, TX, just a short walk from the Mexican border, Jump for Joy dances with joyful, spontaneous energy that feels like a fresh chapter in the Hiss Golden Messenger oeuvre. Taylor is accompanied throughout the album by his crack live band: guitarist Chris Boerner, bassist Alex Bingham, keyboardist Sam Fribush, and drummer Nick Falk, a collection of musicians that have helped make Hiss Golden Messenger's live performances legendary affairs

Billy Bultheel's debut solo album is an ambitious distillation of the composer's sprawling litany of influences and his unique approach to site-specific composition. A compilation of pieces created between 2016 and 2023, the album is a forceful testament to Bultheel's expansive performance practice and collaborations with cutting-edge visual artists like Anne Imhof and James Richards.

Honour's debut album is a ligament stretching from Lagos to London and to New York, curling across the diaspora and brushing the darker hues of blues, hip-hop, free jazz, ambient, gospel with Christian mythology and Yoruba folklore. As cinematic as it is painterly, Alàáfíà is a meditation on themes of life, death and love that pulls inspiration from the unexpected poetic profundity of casual conversations, field recordings, literature, ephemera, or personal archives. The result is an impressionistic vision in Black and Blur that both exhausts and implicates language_substantiating a mythos proposed by Fred Moten that sublimates boundaries between everywhere and nowhere; history and the present; the individual and the universal. Alàáfíà delineates a gothic landscape cut by overdriven beats, swooping orchestral blasts, choral bursts and ear- splitting fuzz, where the fleshly and spiritual realms commune. Dedicated to Honour's late grandmother, the title track began to take form after their last embrace and remains steeped in her influence and spirit_a tape-saturated composition that starts in Lagos and ends in London's smoke-stained cityscape, the song's dream-like quality developed out of the artist's grief and PTSD coping with this loss. Beneath the stretched guitar drones and stuttering loops, their grandmother's shared faith bubbles to the surface. "When Angels Speak of Love," borrows its title from two works by Sun Ra and bell hooks, respectively. Sculpting echoes of praise music into disorienting spirals perforated with syrupy DJ Screw-inspired breaks and sharp splinters of melancholic guitar, "When Angels Speak of Love" engages a conceptual dialogue with the spirits of both late thinkers, folding them into Honour's pantheon of ancestral guides. The album's ninth track, "Giz Aard ($uckets)," is a dirge of regimented drums which anchor this somber melody as it whirls into a blizzard of heartache, uncertain if its consequence will be death or eternal joy. The album's sole lyrical offering, "Pistol Poem (Lead Belly)," begins with a darkly humorous bar, "He went thru hell and back/ came back/ 2 get the strap," that swells into a haunting allegory based on the life of Philip "Hot Sauce" Champion. A modern take on the Blues, Honour's lyrics reify the artist's status as a student of both literature and popular culture, crossbreeding the artist's clever wordplay with additional references to Richard Pryor, Robert Johnson, Kelly Rowland & Bryon Gysin. Setting core principles of hip-hop, R&B, jazz and gospel music to atemporal soundscapes and compositions, Honour crafts a record that marinates in its own knotty contradictions. The ghosts that sit on the artist's shoulders have never been more tangible than with this emotive debut.

1982 was a decisive year for The Fall. Their critically acclaimed album ‘Hex Enduction Hour’ was released in March on Kamera Records, closely followed by ‘Room To Live’ in September of that year. ‘Hex Enduction Hour’ was the fourth studio album by The Fall, building on their lo-fi production and featuring a two-drummer line-up. The album was recorded in Reykjavik, Iceland and Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Featuring the classic line-up of Mark E. Smith alongside Steve Hanley (bass), Craig Scanlon (guitar), Karl Burns (drums), Paul Hanley (drums) and Marc Riley (guitar). This is another fine addition to Cherry Red’s series of deluxe Fall re-issues – “Fall Sound Archive”. ‘Hex Enduction Hour’ and ‘Room to Live’ are also available on a 7-CD boxset – “1982” Founded by its only constant member, Mark E. Smith, The Fall formed in Manchester in 1976 and were one of the most prominent post-punk groups in the world. Musically, there may have been several stylistic changes over the years, but it was often characterised by an abrasive guitar-driven sound and frequent use of repetition, always underpinned by Smith's distinctive vocals and often cryptic lyrics. “They are always different; they are always the same.” John Pee

No-One Driving is a collection of John Foxx singles and B-sides, all released 45 years ago in 1980 and now set for release on black vinyl. Includes the singles ‘Underpass’, ’No-One Driving’, ‘Burning Car’ and ‘Miles Away’, the latter hinting at a new direction after the minimalism of his 1980 album, Metamatic. Some of Foxx’s strongest work is on the B-sides with the likes of ‘Film One’ and ‘Mr. No’ being particular Aphex Twin favourites, while ’This City’ could easily have been a single in it’s own right. An alternative take on ‘20th Century’ became the theme for the Janet Street-Porter TV magazine show, 20th Century Box which was first broadcast by London Weekend Television in 1980, but this B-side remains the definitive, full fledged version. To complete the album are two tracks - ‘Cinemascope’ and ’To Be With You’ - which were later constructed by Foxx out of original cassette recordings, notes and lyrics from the Metamatic sessions and have never been released on vinyl before.

It’s time. Miami’s son, Nick León, is set to release his highly anticipated album “A Tropical Entropy” en su casa, TraTraTrax. After two #1 tracks of the year, “Xtasis” and “Bikini,” Nick expands his "Arquitectronica" sonic universe to an exploration of decay, disillusionment, and psychedelia.
Inspired by Joan Didion’s novel ‘Miami’ and his unique energy, as well as altered states of consciousness—both chemically induced and sleep-deprived—the album reflects León’s personal experience of witnessing life and love fall apart against the backdrop of a crumbling society. The album is a manifesto from start to finish featuring stellar collaborations with Ela Minus, Casey MQ, Erika de Casier, Xander Amahd, Jonny from Space, Esty & Mediopicky, and Lavurn.

You'll find hazy tracks for the body and the mind; tracks to dedicate and feel deeply; tracks for heartbreak and tracks with the promise of future love. You will find themes of memory, sleep deprivation, decaying wildlife, and the suburban still life of Florida. “A Tropical Entropy” captures the haunting feeling of watching life unfold like a broken video recording—frozen in the orange hue of a never-ending sunset, signalling the final days of an apocalypse. In the meantime, León and TraTra will continue to establish their influence on the global circuit and their mission to keep releasing edgy music that connects la mente con el qlo.

Im Eröffnungstrack von Unlearning Vol. 2, seinem fünften Soloalbum, bricht Evidence zunächst mit Mustern. "Set the autopilot, cruising speed", sagt er - eine Zeile, die an seinen charakteristischen entspannten Flow erinnert. Aber anstatt zu cruisen, wählt der aus Venice stammende Musiker die Störung. "That's a setup for a punch to land with 'true indeed'," fährt er fort und gibt den Ton für ein Album vor, bei dem es weniger um Bequemlichkeit und mehr um Transformation geht. Der Titel des Tracks "Plans Change" könnte nicht passender gewählt sein. Seit seinem Auftauchen mit Dilated Peoples hat Evidence immer eine kühle, mühelose Kontrolle ausgestrahlt. Aber "Unlearning Vol. 2" lehnt wie sein Vorgänger aus dem Jahr 2021 jedes Abgleiten in den Status eines Vermächtnisses ab. Es ist nicht nur ein stilistischer Schwenk, sondern eine tiefere, introspektivere Reise, die in technischer Meisterschaft wurzelt, aber von Instinkt und Neugier angetrieben wird. Anstatt vergangene Erfolge zu recyceln, erkundet Evidence raueres, emotionales Terrain und kreiert einen Sound, der sowohl geerdet als auch experimentell ist. Die Produktion zieht Tracks wie Sebb Bashs erschütterndes "Seeing Double", C-Lances nostalgisches "Top Seeded" und Evidence' eigenes unheimliches "Greatest Motivation" in einen hypnotischen Bann. Dennoch bleibt seine Stimme der Anker, der den Dunst mit Präzision und Tiefe durchschneidet. Tracks wie "Nothing's Perfect" zeigen seine lyrische Beweglichkeit, während "Laughing Last" Stoizismus und Verletzlichkeit in Reflexionen über Familie und Verlust verbindet. Die Kollaborateure stammen aus verschiedenen Epochen - The Alchemist, DJ Babu, Blu, Domo Genesis, Larry June, Conductor Williams und viele mehr -, doch das Projekt wird von einem gemeinsamen Ethos getragen: sich neu zu erfinden, einen neuen Kontext zu schaffen und Schmerz durch Kreativität einem Zweck zuzuführen.

Recorded in the Oscar Niemeyer Dome in Tripoli, Lebanon, The Dome Sessions captures the distinctive acoustics of this iconic masterpiece.
Designed in 1962, the dome’s architectural and acoustic qualities provide a distinctive reverb and resonance, shaping a project that dissolves the boundaries between sound, space, and memory.
Featuring performances by notable musicians from Lebanon's contemporary experimental scene, the album invites listeners to engage in an immersive auditory journey, exploring the interplay of sound, memory, and space.


[a] Session 1 Sandy Chamoun, Abed Kobeissy, Pascal Semerdjian [Voice, Tanbur, Drums]
[b] Session 2 Makram Aboul Hosn [Double Bass]
[c] Session 3 Abdo Sawma, Anthony Tawil [Percussions]
[d] Session 4 Ghassan Sahhab [Qanun]
[e] Session 5 Wassim Tanios [Duduk, Acoustic Guitar and E-bow]
[f] Session 6 Julia Sabra [Voice, Acoustic Guitar]
[g] Session 7 Farah Kaddour [Buzuq]
[h] Session 8 Marc Ernest [Bassoon]
[i] Session 9 Makram Aboul Hosn [Double Bass]
[j] Session 10 Fayha Choir [Voices]
[k] Session 11 Charbel Haber, Anthony Sahyoun, Fadi Tabbal, Marwan Tohme [Acoustic Guitars and E-Bow]

Five years on from their iconic debut album, the Red Robin posse return with another epic full length LP - this time featuring the ruffneck deejay styling of their longtime friend Tippa Lee.

With ten hardcore riddims from Naram stretching the full spectrum of 80s roots, rub-a-dub, and digi - and uncompromising street level lyrics from the LA-based Jamaican veteran Tippa Lee - Musically Bad is an absolute must-have for any discerning reggae collector.

The culmination of nearly a decade of collaboration, with multiple trips to LA where they improvised studio set ups at a range of cheap motels. Tippa takes listeners on a journey through his history in reggae, lamenting the rise of slackness and gun culture, firing shots at politicians and oligarchs, and shining a spotlight on the struggles of people of all colours and creeds suffering in the ghetto.

Despite the serious messages conveyed, and the heavyweight militant riddims, the album contains plenty of moments of humour and levity thanks to Tippa's lyrical nous.

With all riddims recorded and mixed to half inch tape in Naram's analogue Whanganui studio, and crisp mastering from Downbeat Studios, the LP is fine tuned to mash up any dancehall or living room.

The magic of A Vision of Panorama returns with the new album Serene Architect — a meditative yet rhythmic journey through luminous musical structures. This is a record about space: physical, internal, emotional.

Known for his soft Balearic touch, coastal synths, and an almost telepathic sense of groove, A Vision of Panorama offers something more here — a designed world where every sound functions as a piece of sonic architecture.

The album features tracks previously released on the legendary Café del Mar — On Avance, Baby Konyawa, Rumbabuena, Golden Sand, Neon Whispers - now reimagined in exclusive versions created specifically for vinyl. These new interpretations sound deeper and more expansive, subtly reinforcing the album’s architectural concept: to renew the familiar without destroying its essence. Architecture of calm, harmony in motion - Serene Architect designs sound for open skies and slow dances beneath the sun.

Own a piece of OceanLab history. Celebrating the legacy of one of dance music’s most timeless acts, Above & Beyond and Justine Suissa present ‘OceanLab: The Anthology’, a limited edition vinyl box set available for pre-order now exclusively on Anjunabeats. Fifteen years after the release of their critically acclaimed 2008 LP, ‘Sirens of the Sea,’ the Anthology box set spans the full spectrum of the OceanLab sound, from early 2000s vocal trance classics to brand new remixes and never-before-heard acoustic reworks. Housed in a premium-quality fabric-wrapped double slipcase with foil detailing, the box features four 12” single discs on crystal clear vinyl, a 10” ‘Another Chance’ single disc, and a special Anthology-edition repress of the original ‘Sirens of the Sea’ album. There is also an accompanying poster print, slipmat, and 28-page perfect-bound book containing notes from the band, never-before-seen photos, and exclusive sheet music arrangements with piano, guitar, and voice parts.

2026 Repress


Psychedelic Krautwave wrapped in analog warmth, raw guitar bursts, and machine-driven pulse, carried by a mesmerizing voice. Songs that stretch time, reject convenience, and crave the real. A romantic revolt against the daily noises that numb and distract – slow, honest, and widely aware. For those who still long to long and refuse to get comfortable. Changing Rules is the third studio album by Berlin-based duo AFAR – a sonic manifesto of presence, eruption, and resistance.

Straight from Maracaibo, a region in western Venezuela known for its intense heat and constant energy, come Onoffon and Ginno presenting a sound that fuses the rawness of the present with the warmth of classic synthesizers from the 80s and 90s. Cervical EP features four tracks made for the dance floor. A debut that speaks clearly about what the label will offer us in the future under Onoffon's leadership.

Dillinger one of the most consistently successful DJ’s to come out of the Jamaica, fondly remembered for his massive ‘Cocaine In My Brain’ hit from the great CB200 album and the later reworked ‘Marijuana In My Brain’ which gave Dillinger crossover hits in both England and Europe. But the versatile DJ has many more strings to his bow.

Dillinger (born. Lester Bullocks,1953 Kingston, Jamaica) began his musical venture around 1971, working asa DJ to Sound Systems run by Prince Jackie and El Brasso.1974 saw his first vinyl release in the form of ‘Freshly’ for Producer Yabby U and in 1975 he came with the great ‘Brace A Boy’ for the young Mr Augustus Pablo.But his first album release was through Coxsone Dodd’s Studio One setup, where he let Dillinger fire some vocals over classic Rocksteady rhythms. It took the form of ‘Ready Natty Dreadie’. It was his time at Joseph ‘Jo Jo’ Hookim’s Channel One Studio that produced his second album set(a crossover release and fore mentioned) the timeless 1976 classic ‘CB 200’. It contained three big singles in ‘Plantation Heights’, ‘Cocaine In My Brain’ and ‘Crank Face’. The reworked ‘ Marijuana In My Brain’ even became a No 1 hit in Holland in 1979.

We have taken our set of tunes from his classic 70’s period when Mr Dillinger could do no wrong.Alongside the big ‘Cocaine’ and ‘Marijuana’ hits the great opening track ‘Love Is All I Bring’ sees him working over Alton Ellis ‘Still In Love With You’ which Itself turned into ‘3 Piece Suite’. ‘Money Alone Is Not All’ where he works over Barry Brown’s ‘Mr Money Man’, ‘Hear and Deaf’ working over Johnny Clarke’s ‘Nobodies Business’. ‘King Pharaoh Was A Baldhead’ has him working Frankie Jone’s ‘ Jesse Black’ cut. ‘Concubine’ reworks the Mighty Diamond’s ‘Mother Winney’ and ‘Time So Hard’ sees Dillinger telling it like it is over Ronnie Davis’ original ‘ Time So Hard’ cut, empathizing the points in fine style.

A classic set of tunes all ‘Killer No Filler’ from the master of rhyme himself we hope you agree…..

The Mighty Diamonds are one of the most famous vocal groups to come out of the Jamaican Reggae scene.
Their perfect harmonies ride over the wholesome and Garveyite influenced lyrics to such great effect that they will always evoke memories of that time and place, but also like all great music never seems to date.

The Mighty Diamonds consist of Donald ‘Tappy’ Shaw (lead vocals) Fitzroy ‘Bunny’ Simpson and Lloyd ‘Judge’ Ferguson providing those fantastic harmonies.
They began their recording career working with producers Stranger Cole and Rupie Edwards but found their breakthrough success with producer Joseph ‘Joe Joe’ Hookim at the legendary Channel One Studios recording ‘Hey Girl’ and covering two foreign tunes namely ‘Country Living’ (The Stylistics) and ‘Stoned Out of Mind’ (The Chi-lites) which suited their vocal styles perfectly.

The vocal group also cut tracks with other famous producers of the time Joe Gibbs ,Gussie Clarke and Mr.Tappa Zukie of which we focus this release on.On listening, these tunes work perfectly with harmonies weaving together and lifting the songs to another level.
The group also leave some room for a history lesson in the shape of ‘Morgan the Pirate’ and the thought provoking ‘Do You Want to Spend Your Time Wasting Time’.
Well waste no more and enjoy this set by one of Jamaica’s finest vocal groups….

Linval Thompson is one of the great roots vocalists that ruled the dancehalls of Jamaica in the mid 1970’s. His distinctive vocal style and roots lyrics, that spoke of the struggles that faced the Rastas, hit a chord with the people of Jamaica, and provided a string of hits for him in the dancehalls. This in turn, would set a tone that he carried on through his musical career and future production work. Linval Thompson (b.1959, Kingston, Jamaica) was actually raised in Queens, New York. He cut his first record there at the age of 16 ‘No Other Woman’ with future Third World singer Bunny Ruggs. He also cut a couple of tracks for a US producer E Martin ‘’Jah Jah Deh’and ‘Weeping and Wailing’. In 1974 he returned to Jamaica and cut ‘Mama Say’ and a version of D Brown’s ‘Westbound Train’ for producer K Hobson which got Thompson noticed by producer Phil Pratt. Pratt took him to Lee Perry’s Black Ark studio’s where he cut ‘Kung Fu Man’. Thompson’s friendship with fellow singer Johnny Clarke led to a meeting with producer Bunny Lee. His first track cut for Lee was ‘Don’t Cut Off Your Dreadlocks’ and it became a big hit in Jamaica. Bunny Lee was the producer of the moment and Linval added to his long list of hit singles with ‘A Big Big Girl’, ‘Cool Down Your Temper’, ‘Ride On Dreadlocks’ and the title of this compilation ‘Jah Jah Is The Conqueror’. He seemed to hit a musical height working for Bunny Lee (who as he has done with many of his singers) encouraged Linval into production work himself. Which has led to another chapter in Linval’s story. Working with an array of artists including, Freddie McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Barry Brown, Rod Taylor and many more. But it is his singing career that we focus on here and that great period in reggaes history the mid 1970’s where Linval delivered a string of classic hits that we have compiled for you here. Hope you enjoy the set.

With their EP triptych "Thee Church Ov Acid House Volume 1–3," Oliver Bradford and Jörn Elling Wuttke created a holy trinity of diverse dancefloor variations, a self-contained circle of rave history.

In itself already a heavyweight statement, which they now crowned with “Bells & Whistles - Thee Remixes”. So to speak the quadrature of the circle And as with their original material, this release also reveals a profound knowledge of dance history in the selection of remixers - combined with the best of the here and now.

Vinyl EP2 featuring remixes of Man Power, As One ( Kirk Degiorgio ), HRDVSION ( Nathan Jonson ), Cosmic Cars ( Pudel Produkte, Smallville, Bureau B )

Originally released in September 2024 we continue the re-release of Clark’s recent catalogue with the chance to get some limited vinyl versions of ‘In Camera’. Since his first composition credit in 2016 with The Last Panthers (Warp) Clark has built a reputation for expanding film and TV scores into intricate, exhilarating soundworlds of their own. Here Clark has expanded his score for Naqqash Khalid’s award-winning debut feature ‘In Camera’ stretching out the film’s surreal ‘modern fairy tale’ atmosphere with reversed vocals and gauzy synthpop-esque chords. Of the recording process Clark says: “Using my vocals but abstracted in a way that totally matched the film was the most unique challenge. I was going to just include the cues but got far too into recording new stuff that fitted the tone and emotion of the film. The record has a very distinct colour/ feel. It’s drenched in muted joy/ dark euphoria”. This includes a gnarly cover of the Carpenters’ ‘Superstar’ that burns closer to the frazzled Sonic Youth version.

Limited Edition of 200 copies incl. Dolphins Remix (DALO, Benedikt Frey and Menqui).

Hot seducers. Two of them. On one 7inch. A/B Side business, hard to choose a fav, as both so fab. The A-Side is called "Happen". It comes from prolific Tokyo based DJ and producer Hoshina Anniversary. A simple drum machine groove, a manic melody, witching siren sounds, psychedelic voices, some soft chords, and soulful high-pitched singing, somewhere between Dam-Funk coolness and Ian Svenonius-The-Make-Up sixties pop longing. One for warm sexy nights under neon lights. Out there in psychic realms. The flip brings a Dolphins interpretation. Yes, that feverish trio behind R.i.O., consisting of Nadia D'Alò, Benedikt Frey and Menqui. Their freshly recorded version comes with haunting nonchalant singing, displaying the tunes core melody as a more prominent actor of the play. Michael-Mann-Pop-Nostalgia with a baroque touch, that waves dark-ish. Even some Jon Hassle feeling is in there. Hoshina Anniversary disclosed, that the original song is inspired by jazz musicians like Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Jaco Pastorius and Keith Jarrett. None of them is directly stylistically audible. But their kind of blue is all over. On the A as well as on the B. Twice soul music for the free.

The songs of Louisiana's Francophone and Creole heritage have flowed through the bayous for centuries, shaped by African, Native American, French, and Caribbean influences. Combining a vinyl record and a bilingual book, Pasé Bél Tan: Francophonies and Creolities in Louisiana celebrates this cultural legacy. It pairs historical recordings with contemporary reflections, inviting artists and scholars to explore this ever-evolving soundscape. Bridging a vibrant present with a painful past, it creates a space for dialogue around identity, memory, and the ongoing transformation of Louisiana’s musical traditions.



The double vinyl compilation and its OBI strip features a staggering 34 songs, ranging from French ballads and Creole renditions to zydeco hooks and reinterpretations by a wide array of contemporary artists such as Madteo, Tanz Mein Herz, Radio Hito, Cyril Cyril, and Deafkids, among others. With archival recordings and contemporary creations side by side, it serves as a bridge across the vast bayou of Louisiana music.



The book is a 272-page bilingual (French/English) publication that seeks to encapsulate the far-reaching implications of Louisiana’s musical heritage within both Louisianan and American society. It explores how this culture has shaped—and been shaped by—its surroundings. With contributions from many key figures of the scene—musicians, researchers, club owners, and other vital witnesses—it aims to present the intricate and singular relationship that exists between Louisiana and its music.



The book only is not available through distribution but only as a bundle with the 2LP version.

The songs of Louisiana's Francophone and Creole heritage have flowed through the bayous for centuries, shaped by African, Native American, French, and Caribbean influences. Combining a vinyl record and a bilingual book, Pasé Bél Tan: Francophonies and Creolities in Louisiana celebrates this cultural legacy. It pairs historical recordings with contemporary reflections, inviting artists and scholars to explore this ever-evolving soundscape. Bridging a vibrant present with a painful past, it creates a space for dialogue around identity, memory, and the ongoing transformation of Louisiana’s musical traditions.



The double vinyl compilation and its OBI strip features a staggering 34 songs, ranging from French ballads and Creole renditions to zydeco hooks and reinterpretations by a wide array of contemporary artists such as Madteo, Tanz Mein Herz, Radio Hito, Cyril Cyril, and Deafkids, among others. With archival recordings and contemporary creations side by side, it serves as a bridge across the vast bayou of Louisiana music.



The book is a 272-page bilingual (French/English) publication that seeks to encapsulate the far-reaching implications of Louisiana’s musical heritage within both Louisianan and American society. It explores how this culture has shaped—and been shaped by—its surroundings. With contributions from many key figures of the scene—musicians, researchers, club owners, and other vital witnesses—it aims to present the intricate and singular relationship that exists between Louisiana and its music.



The book only is not available through distribution but only as a bundle with the 2LP version.

Der aus Harlem/New York stammende Pianist Freddie Redd (1928-2021) wurde 1959 durch die Musik
bekannt, die er für das mit mehreren Preisen ausgezeichnete Off-Broadway-Theaterstück “The Connection” geschrieben hatte. Der Soundtrack des Theaterstücks, in dem es um das Leben heroinabhängiger
Jazzmusiker geht, erschien ein Jahr später bei Blue Note. Noch im selben Jahr spielte der von Charlie
Parker, Thelonious Monk und Bud Powell beeinflusste Pianist mit “Shades Of Redd” sein zweites Album für
das Label ein. Darauf stellte er sein kompositorisches Können mit einem formidablen Hard-Bop-Quintett
noch nachhaltiger unter Beweis.

John Calvin Abney rises again from the Oklahoman prairies with his latest album Transparent Towns. The ten songs focus on how we remember, and ultimately accept, though he is not always certain the memories we carry adequately mark the moments that make us. "This record is wrapped around the passage of time, whether or not we can trust the memories that we swear on, how we forgive ourselves and others as seasons turn, and how we define what is important as we roll the boulder back up the hill," Abney says of Transparent Towns. "We build these routines and live our stories, we rely on our histories and our memories - spoken and recorded. Now, we're relying on copies of copies, memories of memories, all packed like sardines into our phones, and we're losing the ability to tell our own stories. I have to constantly remind myself, as well as redefine what matters at the end of a day." Transparent Towns is the seventh studio album for Abney, and his first since 2022's Tourist, which he crafted after spending the pandemic as an itinerant writer. In contrast Abney penned most of the album's 10 tracks during a period of introspection and convalescence while recovering from vocal cord surgery in 2023. The time to himself - "I didn't sing for nearly a year, and after surgery, I couldn't talk for a month, and couldn't sing for over three months," he says, left him contemplating how to trace his experiences in the silence. The album's title track is Abney's take on the inaccessible past, witnessing loss and grief through the years, damning the "days we let go left unsaid", and accepting the uncontrollable circumstances we are sometimes placed in. "The troubles and the joys exist vibrantly in your memory, but you're wondering if you remember correctly," Abney remarks. "I've sometimes had this sort of confusion between memory and dreams - you crafted this ideal in your head of how things were or might be, in order to soften the blow of a harsher reality." The places we inhabit dictate how our memories form, and for Abney, there is one place to which he is constantly drawn: Oklahoma. Although he was born in the biggest little city in America, Reno, Nevada, he grew up learning guitar and piano in Tulsa, playing bars and DIY spaces from Norman to Stillwater. His affinity for the land that raised him is evident in the production of Transparent Towns. Abney self-produced the record, tracking most of it at Cardinal Song outside of Oklahoma City, with Michael Trepagnier handling mixing and engineering. The band was comprised mostly of Sooner State musicians too, along with Lydia Loveless and John Moreland contributing harmony vocals. His signature vulnerable voice and lyrical handiwork comes through in each of the songs, along with his penchant for alternative pop melodies set against colorful chords and subtle soundscapes. Having toured for years backing up artists like Moreland, Wild Child, Ben Kweller, and S.G. Goodman, Abney embraces a lead role again, as he presses forward with the loving lament and defiant joy throughout Transparent Towns, calling us to leave behind the pressures we place on our ourselves and recognize that just because there is an ending, it doesn't mean it's the end.

If you're a serious music fan but not a native Kiwi, your first awareness of New Zealand's fab music scene may have come from the debut of The Chills' mesmerising Kaleidoscope World collection of early singles. Within a few years, a great number of NZ acts saw music released by various UK and US labels . . . generally to great praise and enthusiasm. That this occurred without any of these acts having to move abroad to further their chances was nearly as delightful a feat as the music itself. The exception to this was Dead Famous People, radical in a snap decision after a five-song 12" for Flying Nun, Lost Persons Area, to change hemispheres and make a go for it in London. It started well. Three London recordings were added to three from their Flying Nun EP and put out by Billy Bragg's Utility label - about as perfect a mini-album as there's ever been. Response was positive, more songs recorded, the group did a John Peel session and played out often, but the vaguely impoverished group began to fall apart. Singer and primary writer Dons Savage - determined to make it - had a near-miss at becoming Saint Etienne's singer on an early take of their 'Kiss And Make Up' cover, and there was a fine performance from her on The Chills' 'Heavenly Pop Hit' . . . but dismay had set in. Upon learning of her mum's passing back home, Dons returned to NZ and was quiet for decades. Most of their London recordings were later released later in minuscule quantities by very small labels, but these saw scant press or attention and enjoyed next-to-no sales. Their moment had passed, and the band has suffered the strange fate of being the least-known of the truly brilliant acts associated with Flying Nun. Listening to these `lost' songs, it seems unfathomable that they could have fallen by the wayside. No NZ songwriter comes as close to equalling Martin Phillipps' pop brilliance as Dons. Her superbly sweet vocals, delicious harmonies and sophisticated arrangements aside, the songs dealt perceptively with universal follies of youth and yearning in tandem with a then-unusual twist of lyrics dealing matter-of-factly with her sexuality at a time when `women's music' was seen as exclusionary (segregated into its own bin in shops, if it existed there at all), and the riot grrrl movement was years away, later breaking through due to its radical stance. Dons is a pioneer in myriad ways, the irony of her transcendent brilliance failing to propel a greater career may rest in the fact that she leapt to the head of the class too quickly for people to grasp it; a fate that's befallen so many musical geniuses acknowledged today but less in their time - something rather tragically acknowledged in old pal Martin Phillipps' song with The Chills, 'A Song For Randy Newman, Etc.' None of these thirteen songs fails to deliver something both immediate and unique. And we're proud to debut 'Vampirella"', a magical fantasy song of longing and intrigue - surely one of the most perfect tunes to ever sit around unreleased for decades! Dons is again busy conjuring new songs; in the meantime we're delighted to unveil these obscure gems from the past.

If there is one person, who has been causing a stir on the international club circuit recently, it is Barcelona's John Talabot. Already his debut “My Old School“ (which is meant literally by the way) on Permanent Vacation in 2009 and shortly after that the single “ Sunshine”, which he put out on his own Hivern Disc imprint, made him one of the most promising musicians of the Spanish electronic scene. And those two releases also already set the mark for John Talabot’s unparalleled music: raw, loopy, heavy on the kick drum, sample based, moderate on the tempo, distorted on the drums and light years away from the clean and ever revolving house sound of today. This unique style which also blends influences from afro beat, Detroit techno, Chicago house and cosmic disco, but also northern soul or the energy of Flamenco, immediately turned some heads around. James Murphy, Âme and Aeroplane started including Talabot music in their sets like it was the most natural thing. However - and this is quite rare - he not only gained legions of fans in the house and disco community, but also amongst the leftfield pop and indie rock followers. NME and Resident Advisor both had “Breakthrough“ features on John Talabot and he can be proud of a “Best New Music“ dubbing on
Pitchfork. (Being rather elusive on showing his face in magazines or the web it also came to some funny rumors that John Talabot was the alter ego of a well-known techno producer from Detroit).
At the same time he drew the attention of like-minded artists like James Holden and Luke Abott from Border Community, Blondes or Delorean, which lead to a bunch of fertile collaborations: Luke Abbott and Blondes remixed Talabot’s “Sunshine“ single , John Talabot remixed a track by Delorean and vice versa Delorean’s Ekhi contributed vocals to the track “Journeys “ on John’s album). Another example is the Young Turks Label (home of Jamie XX, Holy Fuck, El Guincho or SBTRKT ) on which he released the “Families“ EP in 2010. It was praised beyond limits. Pitchfork for
instance hailed: “… where pop and house influences sweetly buffer up against one another to provide an unyielding sense of elation“ and even brought Talabot a comparison with artists like Four Tet or Caribou.
While staying true to his sound, John Talabot has nevertheless shown a constant evolution as a producer since his first release. He has traced a solid musical path that has turned him into one of the big references of European House and has made him also a highly in demand Remixer (for the likes of The XX, Francesco Tristano’s “Aufgang” project, Shit Robot on DFA, Thaiti 80, Joakim or Teengirl Fantasy to name just a few ).
A progression that now crystallizes in “ƒin”, his first full-length album for Permanent Vacation. A record, in which the Barcelona mastermind sets aside the danceable immediacy to expand his stylistic palette more than ever. For that purpose, Talabot melts all the elements that have constructed his distinctive sound until now and makes them emerge from a new perspective, in which the construction of complex song structures, intricate rhythms and superpositions of ever-evolving melodies and atmospheres pick up the baton of the “a kick-drum and a sampler” philosophy of his initial productions. The result brings us 11 tracks (we should call them songs really!) dominated by dark ambiances, gaseous textures and bittersweet moods that, above all, reveal a kind of vivacity that’s really hard to find in contemporary electronics. “Fin” is far from being a track collection. From the majestic opener “Depak Ine“ to it’s solemn ending with
“So Will Be Now“ , one of the two tracks that features Talabot’s soul and label mate Pional, each song traces an overall dialogue with the rest, culminating a highly emotional journey through Talabot’s always compelling and unique musical vision.

JUST. LIFE. is FDC's second endeavour after their 2022 debut 'Some Kind Of Wisdom'. The A-side draws inspiration from everyday life. Things that are often overlooked. Birds whistling. Just being somewhere spending time together. Whereas the first 4 tracks open up a can of playful jazz the B-side explores more heavy conceptualizations. Birth and love for a child & the passing of a friend. Life and death. The cyclicity of it all.

Fruit Distro Collective is a project by long-time friends Boris van der Hoff & Tristan Coco. Raised on boombap beats, schooled through Jazz composition and inspired by Afro & Latin styles. Pour some reel-to-reel tape sauce over it et voilá.

Blue House Rockin’ is the result of a unique collaboration between Soul Sugar and Dub Shepherds — two projects united by a shared love for roots reggae, vintage studio gear, and warm analog sound.

The album was recorded live over two intense days at Blue House Studio by Christophe “French kiss” Adam, using ribbon and tube microphones from the ’50s and ’60s from the ’50s and ’60s, a Hammond organ, upright piano, Fender bass and Gibson guitars, classic amps and preamps, along with drums, syndrums and percussion. The sessions were transferred to a 24-track tape machine, and final mixes were crafted the old-school way by the Dub Shepherds at their own Bat Records Studio, using analog consoles and hardware vintage effects.
The tracklist brings together deep cuts, timeless classics, and original compositions. Curtis Mayfield’s Give Me Your Love and Aaron Frazer’s My God Has a Telephone (Colemine Records) — two soul gems, one vintage, one modern — are reimagined in reggae style, both featuring the great Jolly Joseph on lead vocals, working wonders with his falsetto. He also shines on Hold My Hand, a sweet and mellow original composition with lovers rock flair, written on the spot during the session.
Other standout moments include the soulful fire of UK singer Shniece McMenamin, who lights up Family Affair (Mary J. Blige / Dr. Dre) — flipped into a fiery hip-hop-meets-reggae version packed with energy and attitude.

Instrumentals like Disco Jack, Choice of Music, and Drum Song — all originally composed by Jamaican organ legend Jackie Mittoo — bring Guillaume “Booker G” Metenier’s Hammond work to the front. The playful exchange between organ, guitar, and a rock-solid rhythm section is elevated by swirling spring reverb, dub echoes, and filter sweeps.
The album’s explosive title track — Blue House Rock — was composed and recorded on the spot at the end of the session. A raw, greasy groove that sounds like The Meters jamming at Studio One or a lost instrumental from a Beastie Boys B-side.
Blue House Rockin’ is a vibrant blend of soulful roots reggae and funk, wrapped in the deep, dusty tones of analog tape. A joyful and authentic studio experience, captured live — and played loud.