Suche:rea

Viktor Ori's debut solo album LEPSIE NEBOLO NIKDY DOBRE NEBUDE is an album all over the place. in the most complimentary of senses.

Coming from one of the deepest and most uncompromising projects on the Slovak contemporary music scene, it is an album of profound weltschmerzen.

The music and themes are acute, harrowing, and deeply radical. LEPSIE NEBOLO NIKDY DOBRE NEBUDE paints a bleak picture. exactly as the time we're living in.

It is a statement at times subjective and personal, at other times universal, general, generational. at all times deeply honest and political.

It is not hopeful but at least, it feels sincere.

LEPSIE NEBOLO NIKDY DOBRE NEBUDE is Viktor Ori's debut solo album. thematically and compositionally, it marks a departure from Viktor's band Shallov, but still features his closest collaborators - brother Dusan Ori on bass and Antonin Kropacek on drums. additionally, the album is heavy on collaborations with various, yet likeminded artists.

The songs are simpler and shorter and perhaps more straigh-forward, but as intense and heavy as ever. layered, surprising, full of odd time signatures, sublime harmonies and sudden sonic changes. you can still feel the grandeur, monumentality, and mayhem of Shallov. many moments are cathedral, cathartic and the music leaves you in awe.

Viktor has somehow // unfathomably managed to compress Shallov's eposes into almost-radio-friendly almost-popsongs (had the "common" radio-listener been slightly more openminded and keen on social awareness) and for the first time, his songs feature Slovak lyrics. these are not only hopeless and unsettling, but also astute, sardonic,almostcynical. yet, it is perhaps thisdetachedand more realistic way of experiencing the world that allows for some relief and reconciliation. and at the same time, encourages action.

Best known for being the front - man of legendary US Hard Rock band ANGEL, Frank Dimino is now leading his own solo project and debuts with a fine Melodic Hard Rock album aptly titled Old Habits Die Hard. ANGEL is a band that was discovered (similarly to VAN HALEN) by KISS bass player Gene Simmons, who got them signed to Casablanca Records. With that label ANGEL released 5 critically acclaimed studio and one live album in the second half of the 70’s. After the band’s demise, Dimino went on to work with UFO’s Paul Raymond and worked as singer for Soundtracks, scoring a Platinum
album for the inclusion of his Cycle V song “Seduce Me Tonight” on the “Flashdance” soundtrack. While Frank is undoubtedly the brainchild of DIMINO, the new album sees him collaborate with some heavyweights of the Vegas music scene, which is where he currently resides. Under the production of Paul Crook (MEAT LOAF), DIMINO sees the participation – among others – of Oz Fox (STRYPER), Eddie Ojeda (TWISTED SISTER), Rickey Medlocke(BLACKFOOT, LYNYRD SKYNYRD), Jeff Labansky (ARMORED SAINT), and former ANGEL bandmates Punky Meadows(on guitar) and Barry Brandt (co-writing with Frank the song” Even Now”). Old Habits Die Hard has reached its 10th Anniversary and is being re- issued with the bonus acoustic track “Even Now”

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Nick Mulvey’s fourth studio album, Dark Harvest (Pt. 1), out 6th June via Nick’s own independent label titled ‘Supernatural Records’. It also marks the release of its first single, ‘Radical Tenderness’, and the announcement of the Dark Harvest - World Tour, with dates across UK, Ireland, Europe, North America and Australia. Arriving three years after his previous album, New Mythology, Nick Mulvey is back with Dark Harvest (Pt. 1). The intervening time has been one defined by loss, challenge, independence and empowerment for Nick, who has undergone a transformative period to arrive here, embarking on the release of some of his most profound songs to date. Speaking on the album, Nick explains: “For me, Dark Harvest Pt. 1 tracks the descent and grief that hit me in the last three years, during the losses and challenges I faced. Often brutal, these years have tenderised me, as I know they have others. Making this music carried me through.”He continues, “Back when I was at the hardest point, when I was on my knees, a friend said to me, ‘there will be a ‘dark harvest’ to all of this Nick, there will be treasure from these struggles.’ And she was right.”

When Ella Hanshaw (1934-2020) first picked up the guitar as a 12-year-old girl in Procious, West Virginia, she dreamed of being a country star. But over the next 74 years, as she wrote hundreds of songs, her artistic goals slowly ascended to a higher realm. Ella Hanshaw's Black Book, lovingly compiled by her granddaughter from home and church recordings, features a selection of Ella's original gospel songs (Side A: Big Black Book), performed solo and with her Hallelujah Hill Quartet, and her broken-hearted country songs (Side B: Little Black Book) recorded in a back bedroom during quiet moments at home. Despite differences in style and intent, common themes remain the same across the sacred and secular sides of the record: love and longing for what we cannot quite touch—not yet, anyway—and the physical pages of possibility that we can hold in the meantime.

Harri Pearson is referred to as 'the Most Balearic Man in The World' and goes someway to prove that here on Magic Wand. 'Sweet Machine' is a lively disco cut with plenty of raw machine sounds, elements of peak-time party flavours and fat synths. 'Drums Of Fire' flips the script with a much more chilled out and exotic downtempo offering and 'Acid Reign' is a real dreamy excursion on bongo-laced drums. 'Trash Dubbing' brings a little grit and sleaze to close.

Right on time once again, the fifth outing on Punctuality welcomes Irish producer Drua to the fore. In typical Punctuality fashion the release draws influence from the canon of golden era late 90s and early 2000s dance music with an entirely modern production aesthetic, engineered for big rigs and sweaty dancefloors alike.

Nightfire is a fully realised vision of Drua’s sound that could best be described as contemporary hard house. All four tracks are laden with punchy, rolling basslines, detailed low end, vibrant stabs, sultry vocals, undulating rhythms and sprinklings of quintessential club sparks.

The nouveau handbag styling of UP kicks off the EP. Stuttered vocals, M1 organs and solid grooves are fused together with clever sampling that is sure to make this one a hit for the festival season of s/s ‘25, as early support from the likes of Roza Terenzi, Confidence Man, Spray, Sally C and Maara would indicate.

Job 2.3 has all the elements of a Punctuality anthem and maintains the big tune mood of the EP: skippy bass notes, low end wubs, subtle breaks, catchy vocal hooks and precise drums nail the brief in executing this prog-hard-house hybrid heater.

On the flip, Nightfire nods to classic leaning deep house through a peak time lens. Introspective pads make way for pulsing subs, sensuous vocal chops and hip catching basslines. This is one of those tracks that can shift the arc of a DJ set to the next level. Big tip here.

The EP concludes with Arch In Ur Back which has all the elements to work a dancefloor: multiple grooves, rolling breakbeats, party starting vocals and the modern sound design that punctuality has gained worldwide notoriety for. An all killer no filler EP in the form of four well rounded club tools from Drua that are sure to be mainstays for discerning DJs and Punctualists

Gideon heads up Homo-Centric Records and returns to the label here alongside Rush Davis for more emotionally intense house music brilliance. 'The Two Houses' has dusty, cubby, US garage-inflected drums with a gorgeous male vocal up top serving up the soul and fantastic chord work layering in real musical class. The House Mix strips things back a touch and layers in a nice dynamic four-four groove and the dub shuts down with a little extra funk and flex.

Running some cranky, tempestuous currents on the latest, courtesy of Berlin’s Okain.

A quartet of the meanest cuts to grace the label for a minute as he pulls no punches on propulsion. Hurtling through the temporal plane at break-neck speed.

Proper strapping accelerators rooted somewhere between third portal freak-out and girder-strength tech house flex. All four built like a brick shithouse, but the foundations have given out and we’re falling down a wormhole. Transcending epochs and realities with one foot in the free party and another in the big room.

Organ synth, searing 303 and lysergic flourish in abundance. Synths darting, drums impeccable.

Trippier than we’ve come to expect from the Talman Records founder, but no diminishing returns on dancefloor potency.

"The meaning of this concept (Space Outside :Space) lies within your answers to these questions. Providing the questions are considered with honesty, the true meaning of what "Space" refers to becomes revealed.
There are no right or wrong answers, just reactions based on your view and angles on the mechanisms of life."

- Millsart aka Jeff Mills


What becomes a person that doesn't dream? What happens when we get all that we ever wanted? Do we know too much? Can we truly justify pessimism?
What are you planning on leaving behind? If given more life, stay the same or change? Life is more about giving or taking? Good fortune is based on what? What's more effective, love or hate? Do we care enough? Are we OK?
Life is mostly about ? Is there a end to this? Knowing that it propels, are we capable of critical thinking? Who is more important then yourself? What is worth dying for?

Repress.

The Understated Debut That Launched a Peerless Career: Bob Dylan Is the Clearest Connection to the Singer-Songwriter's Folk Roots
Pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl for Reference Playback: Mobile Fidelity 33RPM SuperVinyl Mono LP Features the Direct Sound Dylan Intended

1/4" / 15 IPS analogue mono master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe

Bob Dylan's self-titled 1962 debut is as understated of an entrance as any significant musician as ever made. Well-versed in American roots music, Dylan simultaneously pays homage to tradition and extends it by putting his own stamp on classic material that metaphorically functions as the soil of contemporary songs and styles. Free of ego, and performed with masterful conviction, Bob Dylan ranks with the initial efforts of giants like Elvis Presley and the Rolling Stones.

Nodding to Woody Guthrie and re-imagining Blind Lemon Jefferson's "See That My Grave Is Kept Clean," Dylan straddles the past and future. He authoritatively displays the ability to handle weighty topics such as death, sorrow, and lamentation with the vaudeville flair, bluesy mannerisms, and poignant command of an artist three times his then-20-year-old age.

Sourced from the original master tapes, housed in a Stoughton jacket, and pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl at Fidelity Record Pressing, Mobile Fidelity's numbered-edition 180g 33RPM mono SuperVinyl LP brings the contents of this seminal release as close as they've ever come to live-in-the-studio quality. Transparent to the source, Dylan's voice, acoustic guitar, and harmonica come across with exceptional realism — the "husk and bark" to which Robert Shelton referred in his legendary New York Times review of a Dylan appearance at Gerde's Folk City — courtesy of the format’s nearly non-existent noise floor, groove definition, and quiet surfaces.

Heard in the original mono configuration, Dylan’s vocals are in the heart of the musical action and as one with the accompaniment. This reissue paints an incredibly accurate portrait of the concrete mass of sound that features no artificial panning and offers a straight-ahead immersion into the music producer John Hammond recorded in just two days in November 1961.

Though much has been made of the commercial indifference that greeted the album upon its low-key release, focusing on sales figures and the reaction of a public not yet hip to Dylan's name miss the forest for the trees. Distinguished from the era's other folk efforts by way of the singer-songwriter’s determination, brazenness, and lived-through-this worldliness, Bob Dylan lays the groundwork for the path he'd soon trailblaze and everyone else would follow.

As Dylan scholar and pop-culture critic Greil Marcus observed in 2010: "Everybody knew Joan Baez and the Kingston Trio; if you knew Bob Dylan, you knew something other people didn't, something that soon enough everybody had to know. Within a year, an album could put an adjective in front of the singer's name as if it were already common coin."

Mono is how almost everyone first heard Dylan’s opening salvo. A career like none other starts here.

MoFi SuperVinyl:

Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analog lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are virtually indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.

To kick off Ace Records 50th Anniversary we are delighted to offer up a 2-LP version of one of the most seminal and important heavy metal albums of all time.

Funded by and released on Chiswick Records in 1977, Motörhead’s debut album was a sonic blister of epic proportions capturing the musical lighting generated by Lemmy (bass/vocals), Phil Taylor (guitar) and Eddie Clarke (drums).

This 2-LP set not only offers up this classic first album featuring tracks like ‘White Line Fever’, ‘Violator’ and ‘Keep Us On The Road’ but also collates together, on sides three and four, ‘City Kids’ the “Beer Drinkers EP” as well as different mixed and alternative versions of ear-bleeding classics like ‘Motörhead’, ‘The Watcher’ and ‘Keep Us On The Road’.

The album cover features a silver hot foil replication Joe Petagno’s original Motorhead logo in all its glory. Sleeve notes are by Ted Carroll who takes the reader through the story of how Chiswick Records managed to scrape together the money to fund the recording and write themselves and Motörhead into rock and roll history.

It’s one hell of a way to kick off Ace’s 50th Anniversary re-issue schedule.

Ein dynamisches und erhabenes Werk voller Emotionen und Sensibilität, "From Where You Came" als eine Reihe nächtlicher Übertragungen, altertümlicher Verfeinerungen und lebendiger Geschichten, die reich an erhellenden Qualitäten sind. Die Kombination von programmatischer Musik des 19. Jahrhunderts mit Jazz aus der Mitte der 70er Jahre und ihrem unverwechselbar farbenfrohen und mehrdimensionalen Kompositionsansatz, der die Improvisation einschließt, ermöglicht Coverdale die Synthese mit Live-Instrumenten in einer genrefreien, aber deutlich erkennbaren Geste der Wiederverbindung mit Land und Körper durch Klang zu verbinden. Sie betrachtet Komposition als diagnostische Methodik zu spirituellen Zwecken, leitet emotionale Resonanz wie Ladungsströme und verdrahtet das rein Gefühlte in elektronische Signale. Obwohl sie auf mehreren Kontinenten komponiert und aufgenommen hat, unter anderem im GRM Studio in Paris und dem Elektronmusikstudion EMS in Stockholm, wurde "From Where You Came" im ländlichen Ontario, Kanada, fertiggestellt. Mit Beiträgen der multidisziplinären Klangkünstlerin und Cellistin Anne Bourne und dem mit einem Grammy ausgezeichneten Posaunen-Wunderkind Kalia Vandever, enthalten die 11 ausgedehnten und doch verdichteten Kompositionen des Albums Streicher, Holzbläser, Blechbläser, Tasten, Software und modulare Synthese, die eine musikalische Sprache einschreiben, die Animationen mit ungefilterter, beeindruckender Klarheit wiedergibt. ,Alles kann eine Stimme haben", sagt sagt Coverdale. ,Für mich ist die Stimme mehr als nur menschlich." Passenderweise ist es die eigene Stimme der Künstlerin die sich im einhüllenden Schwellwerk des Albumauftakts in Luft auflöst: ,Everything you know is real", singt sie in ,Eternity`, "I'm sorry, life is beautiful." Als zwischen Animismus und Animalismus oszilliert, ist das folgende Album absolut voll von Leben in all seiner atemberaubenden Komplexität. Coverdale rechnet mit der Erfahrung von Trauer, Entwurzelung und dem Druck der totalen Freiheit und Unabhängigkeit ab, und beweist eine übernatürliche Fähigkeit, die Trübsal in höchst fantasievolle und inspirierende Fantasy-Epen aus Klang zu verwandeln.

Berlin based DJ & producer Cromby returns to his own Potency imprint by way of the Mandela Hall EP; an ode to the Mandela Hall in Belfast where he attended his first raves at Shine and went onto become a resident at 18. Four club ready swedgers melding influences from house, techno, electro & strands of UK club to twist the melon.

'I Choose You' 3 Winans Brothers Feat. Karen Clark Sheard remixed By Louie Vega is the very reason house music is known around the world as A SPIRITUAL THING! House and Gospel have shared a dance floor from the very start thanks to pioneers like Louie Vega who harness the joy and inspiration of Gospel with the motivational energy of House. Never was this more evident than in the 1st project Louie Vega and 3 Winans Brothers Featuring The Clark Sisters came together for in 2015, DANCE which was a world renowned sensation and the catalyst for 'I Choose You'.

'I Choose You' is the result of a combined 20+Grammy Award Winning artists THE WINANS BROTHERS & KAREN CLARK including our very own Louie Vega's Grammy win bringing forth music that not only stands out but is an undeniably exceptional sound that will undoubtedly reaching past the top of the charts to blaze a path for music that celebrates being thankful for the life we are given! The 3 Winans Brothers, Bebe, Marvin and Carvin, have come together yet again with their love for writing, singing, and performing music with 'I Choose You'. Karen Clark Sheard having laid down new vocals produced by Bebe Winans himself coupled with the additional Winans soulful vocals completely enhance the reaffirming message 'I CHOOSE YOU... the POWER of HIS Love, I could NEVER deny it'.

Louie Vega has once again delivered the ultimate composition and arrangements to complement the beauty that lives in the message of 'I Choose You' and brilliantly elevates the powerful voices of the Winans and Karen Clark Sheard that bring that very deep sentiment of hope and light forward. For music with a message as enlightened as the one in 'I Choose You' Louie enlisted Axel Tosca of Elements of Life band, the Cuban born pianist with an intense passion to bring any keyboard to life who transfers that energy into this exceptional piece. Every single harmony, each key, all seamlessly aligned with in various mixes with engineer Yas Inoue of Vega Records on the boards so that 'I Choose You' can be enjoyed by those looking to fuel packed dance floor or their own individual playlists. The icing on the cake are the new vocals by Karen Clark Sheard, where she is testifying and ad-libbing powerful messages to the world! 'I Choose You' 3 Winans Brothers Feat. Karen Clark Sheard remixed by Louie Vega drop at all vinyl outlets ....AND be on the look out for future performance dates in your country and city.... this message is going world wide!

Exclusive vinyl with the singles released by the Watford post-punk band between 1981 and 1983.

"Before I began to write this piece I listened to some of the tracks and I admit there was a small tear or two as I remembered… Pet Sounds Studios, an 8 track reel to reel studio in a basement under a pet shop in Kennington, South London, our first studio experience as fresh faced 20 year olds. Surrey Sounds, a studio above a milk depot where Siouxsie and The Banshees had recorded singles, we got some studio time through the night when The Professionals (ex Sex Pistols) weren’t recording. Silo Studio in Hammersmith, the engineer was stoned, I smoked at least three packets of cigarettes during the session and having arrived at the studio with a song we believed in, we came out disillusioned and slightly underwhelmed; maybe greatness wasn’t destined to descend upon us at that stage of our career. Spaceward in Cambridgeshire, an old school building turned into a professional recording studio, where we recorded our first album Epic Garden Music over a weekend working through the night with about an hour of sleep. We returned there to record our second album, Feeding The Flame which took two months rather than two days. But my moist eyes are not for the broken dreams, the incredible highs or even the camaraderie with fellow band members, all of whom I may add we are still in touch with. My slight sadness is for my lost youth and the courageous optimism of those early days so viscerally evoked by this collection of songs. The glory of the world fades but in reality Sad Lovers & Giants goes from strength to strength, albeit in a very understated English way mainly because that’s the way we like it. So enjoy these songs which were created with passion and energy over forty years ago but still remain vivid and exciting to a new generation of listeners today." From Garce/Simon Allard's exclusive liner notes (October 2024)

The double A sider of all double headers combines African music superstar Letta Mbulu's two evergreen heaters; the afro-electro boogie gem Nomalizo, a track that has achieved cult status among collectors and DJ's. Finally released for the first time as a single b/w Kilimanjaro Takes Us Higher, the singalong up-tempo dance classic there never fades. Previously unreleased on as a single together, these tracks have had spins aplenty by every DJ worth their salt, and danced to within a myriad of scenes, over many decades. You really need this in your life! Essential!

This is one of a couple of proper holy grail boogie funk gems that French label PBT are dropping this month. Love At First Sight by First Love was originally released in 1982 out of Chicago and is a rare gem that captures the peak of modern soul and funk. Led by powerhouse vocalist Yvonne Gage (who is credited as Yvine Gage), the newly reissued record deals in rich production by Randy B and Chuck Colbert, who are icons of the genre. Standout tracks include the synth-drenched 'Don't Say Goodnight' and the smooth, late-night groove 'Party Lights', while 'Don't Be Afraid' is a sentinel, string-laced slow burner. With deep basslines, tight drums, and lush synths throughout, this one is a real heart melter.

Following the cinematic jazz-funk of Ufo Bar (2021), Banda Maje are back, ready to take you on another sonic journey across Salifornia—and beyond.

Their new 7" single, available starting May 30 via Four Flies, offers an exciting glimpse into the expanded horizons of Banda Maje, serving as a prelude to their sophomore album, Costa Sud.

These past four years, Peppe Maiellano—the band's composer and mastermind—has further refined his unique Mediterranean sound. A deep connection to Italian and Neapolitan roots remains, as evidenced in the heartfelt cover of Peppino di Capri's 1981 track, "Mo…" on Side A. Maiellano keeps things simple, staying faithful to the original, yet manages to freshen the track for today's listeners, making the lyrics resonate with his compelling vocal rendition.

But Maiellano has also embraced new influences, particularly Brazilian music, as showcased in the infectious "(Roda De) Samba Maje" on Side B. This roda-de-samba version of the upcoming album track "Samba Maje," a collaboration with the Amor Pela Roda group featuring Antonio Montuori on percussion and Pasquale Del Solio on cavaquinho, gives us a taste of Maiellano's vision for Costa Sud—a 'music of the South' that transcends geographical and time boundaries, bridging Italy, Brazil, Africa, and contemporary vibes.


Out on 30th May 2025 on 7" and digital.

Sohrab unveils “Dreams of Dawn”, on his newly born Toneblind label, a sonic journey that bridges the space between night’s final whispers and the first light of a new day. A fusion of styles with a progressive imprint, this release is a reflection of movement, crafted as a distinct evolution from the artists previous work

Each track, a fragment of a larger vision, pulses with the energy of transition, capturing the essence of dreams dissolving into reality. More than just a collection of sounds, Dreams of Dawn is a statement of intention, dedicated to friendships forged on the road and the experiences around the globe lived so far

A-Trak, Mele, Aroop Roy, Josh Ludlow, ALOT on Toy Tonics? Yes! The Berlin label comes up with a heavy package of remixes for Sam Ruffillo & Kapote’s „Robot Salsa“ EP. The Latin House EP by the 2 Italian producers. This stuff is the perfect floor fillers for the summer of 2025. While the Afrohouse wave has reached its peak and is becoming a bit „tacky“ a lot of underground DJs turned into playling different styles of latin music connected to electronic dance. And here we got Salsa and Boogaloo turned into 90’s house and indie dance. All of these will make the dancers get their hands in the air. Smiling faces and lot of endorphins secured.

Corrosiv, the sophomore album from Orchestroll, reveals the duo at their most mature and vulnerable. Originally conceived as a reflection on hybridity and bastardization, the album deploys New Age and ambient compositional tropes as a launchpad, exposing their trite sanctity to the realities of corrosion. Having come of age in the 1970s and 1980s, the New Age movement perdures today as a domain of contradictions; its promise of transcendence riddled with the very commercialized dogma from which its adherents claim to flee. Healing modalities such as reiki, crystal therapy, and sound baths are simultaneously pathways to solace and sites of exploitation; their sonic counterparts—ethereal synth pads, shimmering textures, celestial drones—claim to facilitate meditation and enlightenment while devolving into empty signifiers of vitality. With Corrosiv, Orchestroll displays neither reverence nor disdain toward New Age: they exhume it instead, revealing the saccharine effervescence and commodified murk undergirding its aesthetics. The result is intoxicating—disquieting.

Born from a two-week residency at EMS Studios and expanded through a performance at MUTEK Montreal’s 25th anniversary, Corrosiv has since outgrown its original conceptual nucleus, taking on a broader scope. Its inquiry into New Age ideology’s voided rhetoric and aesthetic mysticism now informs a broader interrogation of cultural mediocrity, anti-authoritarianism, gatekeeping, music industry toxicity, and the crumbling edifice of late capitalism and techno-feudalism—all the mechanisms by which meaning is stripped from ceremony, and once-potent forms of knowledge are subsumed into the machinery of economic extraction, severed from their original essence, and transformed into hollow simulacra. Corrosiv distills these themes through a loose narrative: a soul, fixated on wellness as dictated by cosmetic economism, becomes ensnared in an endless afterlife, unable to transcend and shed its dilapidated consciousness.

Framed as an act of audio dissolution, the album thus engages in an alchemical process, whereby complex waveshaping, morphing synthesis, and distortion enact a ritual of fragmentation. There is also friction: between the rigid, mechanical imposition of systematized order and the untamed, chaotic force of organic metamorphosis. Here corrosion and confinement are not solely conceptual motifs; they are enacted in real time, sculpting the album’s terrain. Scraping, tarnishing, degradation—the languid wear of form and substance—become instruments in their own right: buffing as abrasion, entrapment as transformation, corrosion as a means of reconfiguration. The ‘protagonist,’ if there must be one, is the listener, caught within the throes of structural determinism and the potential for emancipation, unable to pass into something greater as the specters of collapsed futures accumulate in the margins.

Corrosiv extends its reach through collaborations with familiar voices: Heith (PAN), VISIO (Haunter), Femminielli (Drowned by Locals), Habib Bardi (Interzone), and Jiyoung Wi (Enmossed, Psychic Liberation, Doyenne) each leave their imprint on its sprawling landscape. At 1h16m, it is a procession, dense with earworms that burrow into the listener’s unconscious.

Misshapen, broken-down metals leach copper into blood, acid reflux burning through the core. Psyche disaggregates into cosmic turmoil, drifting between planes—tongue on rustline, gullet laced with solvent hymns, molars unlatching, bitcrushed to marrowspill. A spasm of brine, ferrous scripture, venomtext blooming in leaden rivulets, cartilage smoldering in phosphor decomposition, synapses drowning in a quicksilver choir. Crest of bile, churning ore, breath clotting into arsenic mist, vein-thread cinched, a corrosive gospel, limb by limb, oxidized to silence.

Ultimately, as the music exhales its final breath, its residue refuses to dissipate—and stillness alone remains. There are no conclusions here—no resolution, no collapse—only the slow drift outward of a vessel unmoored, lost in the sea of symbolic souring. Corrosiv sings the song of a world barren of prophecy, littered with aesthetic detritus. Whether this magic has been transfigured or simply worn away is unclear: the last breath dissipates, but the oxidation does not stop. The silence, too, will decay.

Conceptualized, composed, performed, recorded, mixed, engineered and produced by Jesse Osborne-Lanthier, and Asaël Richard-Robitaille in 2023 and 2024 at Elektron Musik Studion (EMS) - Stockholm, Sweden and Landsc8pe Studio - Montréal, QC, Canada.
Artwork by Jesse Osborne-Lanthier.
Mastered by Stephan Mathieu @ Schwebung Mastering.

A bit of background on how this release came about: I was touring Australia & New Zealand and for one of the shows, I was performing in Melbourne, which is where Kloke is based. I finally got the opportunity to meet him in person for the first time ever, after many years of collaborations with him online and having supported/enjoyed a lot of his music.

I got to visit his studio where we worked on a tune together and afterwards, he was playing me some of the music he had been working on recently and I noticed that they were all in one big folder, where he explained that every time he works on music, he exports what he's done so far into this one folder with multiple versions/iterations of each track he does. There were 1000s & 1000s of files in this folder... ????

Of course, I was insistent on taking this folder away with me haha, and even though I didn't get everything off him, he was generous enough to give me a lot of what was in there. After the tour was done and I was back home, I listened through everything I had from him, which took weeks (if not months) of ploughing through it all, with the aim of putting together an album of my favourites and after a lot of back & forth between us, we were able to come up with this release, On Rhythm, which I'm really pleased with & I hope he is too!

Anyway, big respect to Kloke for consistently creating some amazing music, thank you to my girlfriend Marta who handled the design for this release & a special mention to Nergal who brought me to Australia & New Zealand, which led to me meeting Kloke in person, visiting his studio and then putting this release together.

‘New Music for the 6 String Guitar’ is the 7th studio album from Radnorshire based guitarist Toby Hay. His debut in 2017 ‘The Gathering’, and 2018’s, ‘The Longest Day’, were both nominated for the Welsh Music Prize. This new album is a follow up to 2019’s ‘New Music For The 12 String Guitar’. Since then, he has released two collaborative albums, 2023’s self-titled ‘Jim Ghedi & Toby Hay’ released on the legendary Topic label, and 2024’s ‘After a Pause’, with Aidan Thorne, released on his own, Cambrian Records.

Like it’s 12 string predecessor, the concept for the new record was dreamt up by state51. The idea was to ask Roger Bucknall of Fylde guitars to build a new custom instrument specifically for a guitarist to write and record music for.

The ‘Curlew’ custom 6 string is made from Macassar ebony and light-coloured cedar and is set up to play in Toby’s unique tunings. The album was recorded over three days in the Wood Room at Real World Studios. All tracks are live performances with no overdubs.

“It is a beautiful studio, my brother Tim engineered the session. It is a very honest album, just me, in a room, one guitar, a mixture of compositions and improvisations. We were invited to watch the football with Peter Gabriel and a few of his friends on the final evening, a memorable experience!”

The natural world is a recurring theme across these 12 tracks, with inspiration ranging from Hay’s time working for the Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, to his recent Masters in Music & The Environment from the University of the Highlands and Islands. Inspiration also comes from Hay’s connection to his local landscape, his home in the Cambrian Mountains, and his sheep dog Bear. But ultimately this is an album that explores the relationship between musician and instrument.

With the guitar being built by Roger Bucknall, the album mixed by Tchad Blake, and the photography by Julian Broad, this album is full of talented contributions from masters in their fields.

Born from a desire to explore her background in film composing to create a music film, Hannah Holland’s upcoming album 'Last Exit On Bethnal’ is set for release via PRAH Recordings on 18th July. Together with director Lydia Garnett, the multi-faceted London producer shaped ideas born out of images the pair weren’t finding in film, inspired by queer icon filmmakers like Kenneth Anger and Derek Jarman. “We wanted to craft something unapologetically for dykes: a poetic, surreal exploration of dyke power and sexuality set in a fantasy underworld,” explains Holland. Once the film was shot, she channelled its stunning imagery and the energy of the cast into making the record. Seductive and bass-driven, its nine tracks merge sleazy guitars with 707 machine drums, beautiful evolving arps, and surreal moments of Lynchian dreaminess and Aphex Twin-inspired atmospherics. "It was a really amazing collaborative experience and coming together of a community to make something totally unique….and hot!” she continues. The first single ‘Biker’ features a filthy synth hook atop Hannah’s signature bass-guitar, perfectly capturing the raw and sexy energy of the album and its visual centrepiece. You can listen to it here. The film will be screened at a one-off club night at London’s ICA on 11th April in association with Culture Divided, Somesuch and Bala Project.

Hannah Holland has played a pivotal role in London’s alternative and queer London club scene since the mid-noughties. Rooted deeply in London’s fertile musical community, musical exploration and the transcendent potential of dancefloor have always been her biggest inspiration. Her recent delve into experimental theatre, film and TV scores has proved a future further artistic voyage to explore her creative vision. Holland first arrived on dancefloors sharing electro-tinged techno, with equal inspiration taken from the sounds of DnB and jungle heard at legendary parties such as Metalheadz, which she had frequented in her early teens. Having already been “borrowing” (and perhaps never since returning) Kraftwerk, Grace Jones and Talking Heads records from her parents, the influence of this metropolitan musical soup ensured that Holland emerged on the decks with a unique musical character and diverse taste, hallmarks of her sound that she has not lost since. This has been reinforced with trusted residencies at iconic parties such as Trailer Trash, Adonis, Glastonbury’s NYC Downlow, or undertaking far-reaching marathon sets at Berlin’s Panorama Bar. In 2006 Hannah started Batty Bass with vocalist Mama. Immediately a roadblock party and then a record label with releases from Josh Caffe and The Carry Nation sitting in its discography, Batty Bass explores the disparate strains of electro, acid, techno and house. Hannah also released her own music on the label including the ever-anthemic Paris’ Acid Ball.

A steady stream of releases have followed on Shall Not Fade, Super Rhythm Trax, Crosstown Rebels, Classic, Nervous, as well as remixes for Blessed Madonna ft. Kylie Minogue, Planningtorock, The Knife and Goldfrapp among others. Hannah also finds the time to play bass in several bands including Black Gold Buffalo whose debut album she also co-wrote. Her much-anticipated debut album, Tectonic, came out on PRAH Recordings in 2021, with a second on the way. Hannah’s latest venture into the world of film scores have included queer icon Bruce LaBruce’s ‘The Visitor,’ Channel 4 series Adult Material and award-winning indie feature Electrician.

Hannah Holland continues to push the boundaries of electronic and live music, telling stories and carving her own path in the deeper frequencies.

Bad Company's Burnin' Sky, released in March 1977, continued to showcase the band's bluesy rock roots, with Paul Rodgers' soulful and powerful vocals leading the way. The album's musical style is characterized by its gritty, guitar-driven sound and blues-infused melodies.

The 12 songs were recorded in France at studio Château d Hérouville, where David Bowie would record Low later that same year. The album's hit single and title track "Burnin' Sky" reached No. 78 on the U.S. Billboard pop singles chart. The album peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard 200 chart.

This 180-gram 45 RPM 2LP of Burnin' Sky is the definitive reissue of this chart-making classic.

A resiny slab in the grand tradition of weed-fiend odysseys from Sleep, Weedeater and Bongzilla, ready to inebriate the riff-obsessed masses. Red-eyed at the crossroads of thunderous stoner sludge and towering doom, Hashtronaut are ready to daze and inebriate the riff-obsessed masses on this planet and beyond. No Return is a resiny slab In the grand tradition of weed-fiend odysseys from Sleep, Weedeater and Bongzilla, an intoxicating and pummeling journey through time and space infused with a lungful of potent hook-doom. Pummeling and intoxcating stoner metal for fans of Sleep, Bongzilla, Electric Wizard and Monolord LP re-pressed on weedy green vinyl w/ ripple effect!

Presented here on solid white vinyl, Small Faces is the second studio album by Small Faces, released through Immediate Records on 23 June 1967. The Immediate album shares its name with their 1966 Decca debut album, which has led to some confusion regarding the titles and as a result, this album has been unofficially dubbed The First Immediate Album by fans.

Considered to be the artistic breakthrough for the group in terms of songwriting and composition, and marks their transition from a mod-influenced blue-eyed soul/R&B band to a psychedelic studio group. It was the band’s first LP to contain solely original compositions and includes ‘Green Circles’, ‘Talk To You’ and ‘(Tell Me) Have You Ever Seen Me’.

The album reached number 12 on the UK charts, becoming their only original studio album to chart outside the top-10, but is considered by many fans to be the groups best album.

Fünf Jahre nach ihrem gefeierten Album 'forevher' meldet sich die britische Sängerin Shura mit ihrem dritten Studioalbum 'I Got Too Sad For My Friends' zurück. Eine Mischung aus Kammerpop, 60er-Jahre-Folk und Lagerfeuer-Americana, die Shuras introspektives Songwriting in eine weite Landschaft ausdehnt - ruhiger als der gefühlvolle Schwung von 'forevher' und rustikaler als der grüblerische Synthie-Pop ihres Debüts 'Nothing’s Real' aus dem Jahr 2016.

Obwohl das Album Themen wie Isolation, Traurigkeit und Depression bearbeitet, klingt es aber alles andere als niedergeschlagen - Shuras kristallklarer Gesang trifft auf eine warme, erdige Produktion. Shura dazu ganz selbst-ironisch: „Auch wenn es nicht unbedingt eine maximalistische Platte ist, was den Sound angeht, war der Ansatz für mich, die Platte mit maximaler Freude aufzunehmen - was urkomisch ist, denn es geht darum, unglücklich zu sein!“

Angegangen wie eine „Old-School-Platte“, die eher eine Performance als eine Produktion einfängt, wurde ein Großteil des Albums live aufgenommen, wobei Keys, Bass, Gitarre und Schlagzeug in einem Rutsch aufgenommen wurden. Nur der Gesang wurde separat aufgenommen - mit Ausnahme des sanften Funk-Tracks Ringpull.

THE SPEAKER WARS, an American rock band formed by Stan Lynch and Jon Christopher Davis, brings a unique blend of rock, country, and gospel influences to their debut self-titled release, the product of a longstanding collaboration. Stan Lynch, a founding member of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame drummer, has contributed his talents as a songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, drawing on his work with Don Henley, Ringo Starr, The Byrds, and many others. Lynch produced, engineered, and mixed the album, lending guitar, keyboard, bass, and vocal skills to the mix. Jon Christopher Davis, a seasoned singer-songwriter from Dallas, honed his craft in Nashville, writing songs for icons like Dolly Parton, Timothy B. Schmit, and Vince Gill. Davis, known for his soulful lead vocals, fronts the band and adds guitar, bass, and keyboard layers to their distinct sound. The band’s live lineup features Lynch on drums, Davis on guitar, and additional musicians Jay Brown, Brian Patterson, Steve Ritter, and Jay Michael Smith, creating a dynamic stage presence.

Magenta-Canary Yellow-Black A Side/B Side Colourway
Pushing every boundary to a breaking point, GRIDIRON will go to any extreme and then some. They follow quite possibly the most unpredictable playbook in the game. The band might flood the zone with a corpsepaint-smearing death metal barrage only to double back around for a victory lap narrated by blinged-out and braggadocios bars. Their hybridization of metal, hardcore, and hip-hop wouldn’t be out of place at either OZZfest 1997 or Rolling Loud 2027. It’s why the quintet—Matthew Karll vocals, Will Kaelin [guitar, vocals], Xavier Wilson [guitar], Lennon Livesay [bass], and Tyler Mullen [drums]—have bulldozed their own path as a phenomenon with millions of streams and acclaim from Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, NO ECHO, and more. GRIDIRON was born out of a series of COVID-era marathon Call of Duty sessions, which led to writing and recording together. Their musical pedigree spoke for itself with Will also in Never Ending Game, Xavier in Simulakra, and Tyler and Lennon in Scarab. Given their individual experiences, the guys instantly locked into a creative groove. Following the Loyalty At All Costs EP [2020] and Worldwide Brotherhood EP [2021], they dropped their first full-length, No Good At Goodbyes [2022]. The title track reeled in over 851K Spotify streams followed by “25-8” with 560K Spotify streams. Along the way, they also shared stages with everyone from Missing Link to Trapped Under Ice. Now, GRIDIRON continue to smash through walls on their second full-length offering and Blue Grape Music debut, Poetry From Pain.












[k] 11. Still Playin' For Keeps (Big Umbrella Remix) [feat. Daniel Son, Pro Dillinger, Jay Royale]
[l] 12. Heavy Metal Money (Seen It All Before) [feat. Big Body Bes]

Jahtari label compilation full of all-new Outsider Dubs, Dancehall bangers and lots of cosmic low end, marking twenty years of Reggae oddness from Leipzig.

Vol. 5 is the first addition to the Jahtarian Dubbers series in over ten years, starting off with ‘The Loop Jerk’ by DJ and activist Dave Watts aka KingLMan (who sadly passed away in 2024).

Kiki Hitomi turns up the heat with ‘Red Mustang’, a raw but sweet PG 18-rated Japanese lofi Reggae gem, followed by ‘Casio HipHop’, an addictive synth & drum machine session by UK bedrock producer Kris Kemist (Reality Shock Records).

Singjay miracle El Fata brings the positive energy with ‘Boom Sound’, a synthie dancehall scorcher hot off the tape reels at Naram’s studio in the New Zealand bush, while Jura Soundsystem’s hypnotizing ‘On My Way (Dub)’ easily shifts gears into Sly & Robbie-mode.

Side B starts off with Pupajim’s prophetic ‘Tidal Wave’, produced by digi-reggae specialist Raggattack and coming in an epic extended Disco Dub version.

Melodica wizard Taka Noda (Mystica Tribe) and synth shaman Danny Wolfers (Legowelt) enter into deep magnetic communion with their Sacred Tascam tape deck on ‘Cabal of Puppeteers’, followed by DJ veteran Speng Bond chanting ‘Wha Mek’ over a spaced out depth charge by Jahtari co-founder Rootah.

Gameboy-whisperer DJ Scotch Egg (WaqWaq Kingdom, Seefeel) joins forces with disrupt and Dub trumpet black belt Pablo Volt (STA) for a mindbending journey going all the way from synth heavy Roots to Acid Jazz, on Namahage‘s ‘Voidout Dub’.

The voyage ends with a hazy and mystical Ambient Dub version of ‘Muuri’ by Finish singer Tiiu Helinä, with Tapes on keys – not to be missed!

All lovingly mixed by disrupt, coming with iconic artwork by Disko 69 (Doppeldenk).

The cassette format SPCS1680 features "With Trampled by Turtles" on the A Side and last years 'White Roses, My God' SP1655 on the B Side! No one can help you build something beautiful quite like those who know you best. Alan Sparhawk knows this well. In his years in Low, he built decades of stirring music with his wife and lifelong creative partner Mimi Parker. In recent years, he has performed around Minnesota with his son Cyrus in DERECHO Rhythm Section, a funk band that also frequently features his daughter Hollis on vocals. There's an irreplaceable naturalism that comes with this kind of dynamic. Those who know you understand you. They love you. They want to help you bring your greatest passions to fruition. So it made sense that Sparhawk would turn to fellow Duluth musicians Trampled by Turtles to realize his latest record. As friends and mentees of Low's, taken under Sparhawk and Parker's wing from their earliest days as a bar band, Trampled by Turtles have performed with Sparhawk countless times over the years. The Duluth ties run deep: "There's a certain vibe that has to do with underdog syndrome, coming from a small town," Sparhawk muses. "Some of it is the weird grind and slackness that being at the mercy of Mother Nature puts in you. It humbles you." The two artists hold the kind of ironclad bond. Following Parker's passing in 2022, Trampled by Turtles invited Sparhawk to join them on tour to give him a space to be surrounded by friends. Occasionally, he would join them onstage. The outpouring of love was palpable every time they played together, a surge of warmth. When playing together is that powerful, why stop there? In winter, 2024, Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles created With Trampled by Turtles, a record exactly as its name implies: Collective. Communal. Fraternal. Empathetic. A vessel for comfort, a reminder of the harmony that can exist when surrounded by those closest to you. Where White Roses, My God, Sparhawk's last album, plunged headfirst into electronica and radical vocal modulation, With Trampled by Turtles leans into the folk and bluegrass stylings of its backing band, Sparhawk's voice now completely unvarnished. With Trampled by Turtles is far more than just Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles. It's an affirmation of all the people who have been vital in Sparhawk's life and music, and an opportunity to hold each of their gifts into the light. It's producer Nat Harvie, who has been collaborating and performing with him for years. It's Sparhawk's daughter Hollis, who duets with her father on "Not Broken." And it's Mimi Parker, too: "Too High," "Princess Road Surgery," and "Not Broken" were all tracks she and Sparhawk had been working on in the last few years. These songs finally found a setting that stirringly commemorates them, bolstered by a full ensemble to make every note sing. Their presence is a kind of eternal connection to Parker, a way her musical grace will keep flourishing.

Die deutschen Epic-Doom-Metal-Meister Lord Vigo veröffentlichen im Mai 2025 ihr sechstes Studioalbum auf High Roller Records. Nach den von Presse und Fans gleichermaßen gefeierten "Danse De Noir" (2020) und "We Shall Overcome" (2022) handelt es sich bei "Walk The Shadows" mitnichten um den dritten Teil der begonnenen Trilogie. ""Walk The Shadows" steht für sich alleine und ist unabhängig von einem durchgehenden Konzept", erläutert Schlagzeuger, Sänger und Keyboarder Vinz Clortho. "Das war nach zwei doch sehr ausgefeilten Konzeptalben eine schöne Abwechslung für uns. Es hat wirklich Spaß gemacht." Stücke wie "Through A Glass Darkly", "Servant Of The Dark" oder "The Triumph Of The Killing Heart" verströmen eine Art von Gothic-Horror-Atmosphäre, die einem eklektischen Mix aus Sisters Of Mercy, Fields Of The Nephilim und sogar The Cure ziemlich nahe kommt. "Das kann man durchaus so ausdrücken", stimmt Vinz Clortho zu. "Das Album kombiniert viele verschiedene Stile und kreiert dadurch etwas ganz Neues. Meine Roots liegen im klassischen Metal, und dies in Kombination mit den düsteren Songs auf der neuen Platte ergibt eine komplett andere Richtung für Lord Vigo. Ich denke nicht, dass es ein Album gibt, das ähnlich wie "Walk The Shadows" klingt. Ich weiß nur nicht, ob das ein Vorteil oder ein Nachteil ist." "Der Song 'Walk The Shadows' ist die erste Single", erklärt Vinz. "Dazu haben wir auch ein Video gedreht. Jeder Song steht für sich. Deswegen ist es auch schwierig, bestimmte Nummern herauszuheben. 'El Hakim' ist zwölf Minuten lang, es ist nicht nur der längste Song des Albums, sondern auch der atmosphärisch dichteste. Ganz sicher einer meiner Favoriten." "Stilistisch ist das neue Album sehr wohl ein Sprung für uns" fährt Vinz fort. "Aber genau aus diesem Grund denke ich, dass es eine wegweisende Platte für uns werden kann. Es gibt Gruppen, die immer wieder das gleiche Album schreiben. Aber das sind nicht wir. Bei Lord Vigo klingt jede Scheibe anders. Diesmal haben wir unsere Komfortzone verlassen. Kommerziell mag das nicht unbedingt sinnvoll sein. Aber das ist uns ziemlich egal. Wir wollen Erfolg auf unser Weise. Stellenweise singe ich eine ganze Oktave tiefer als für gewöhnlich. Auch das ist ein Grund dafür, warum "Walk The Shadows" so klingt, wie es klingt."

Als Watchtower im Jahre 1985 ihr Debütalbum "Energetic Disassembly" veröffentlichen, stellen sie die Metal-Welt auf den Kopf. Das Material setzt völlig neue Maßstäbe. Innovativer (und extremer) geht zu dieser Zeit niemand zu Werke. Unbeholfene Stilbeschreibungen wie "Jazz Metal" oder "Techno Thrash" werden kreiert. Ursprünglich werden Watchtower im Mai 1982 in Austin, Texas, aus der Taufe gehoben. In jenem Monat schließt sich Sänger Jason McMaster Bassist Doug Keyser, Schlagzeuger Rick Colaluca sowie Gitarrist Billy White an. In ihrem frühen Stadium zeigen sich Watchtower stark von der NWOBHM inspiriert und spielen Songs von Iron Maiden, Angel Witch und Raven nach - dazu natürlich etliche Nummern der kanadischen Prog-Götter Rush. In der Folge entwickelt die Band sukzessive ihren individuellen Stil und nimmt Demos mit eigenen Stücken auf. Aber die Plattenfirmen wollen nicht anbeißen. Aus diesem Grunde entschließt man sich dazu, auf dem eigenen Label Zombo Records das wegweisende Album "Energetic Disassembly" zu veröffentlichen (gepresst werden 3.500 LPs und 1.000 Kassetten).
"Ich kann mich noch lebhaft daran erinnern, wie ich Demokassetten an Fanzines verschickt habe und nahezu täglich Briefe mit Tapetradern ausgetauscht wurden," erinnert sich Sänger Jason Mc Master heute. "Ich erhielt u.a. Briefe von Gene Hoglan, Mike Portnoy, Jason Newsted und sogar Alan Tecchio Die Reaktionen waren fantastisch, aber wir klangen einfach so andersartig. Die Labels wussten nicht, wie sie uns seinerzeit hätten vermarkten sollen. Waren wir zu extrem? Ich denke schon." Pünktlich zum 40. Jubiläum von "Energetic Disassembly" erscheint über High Roller Records nicht nur eine De-Luxe-Edition des originalen Albums, sondern auch eine neue Abmischung. Die Re-Mixes wurden im Jahre 2009 von Jared Tuten, einem engen Freund von JasonMcMaster, in den Top Hat Studios angefertigt. Als Sahnehäubchen gesellen sich dazu vier Bonus-Stücke: eine Art Drum-Soundcheck namens "Rick On Parade", das kurze Gitarren-Instrumental "BW115" sowie frühe Fassungen von zwei Songs, die später auf dem zweiten Watchtower-Album landen sollten, hier aber noch mit Jason McMaster am Gesang - "Instruments Of Random Murder" und "The Eldritch". Jason McMaster verließ Watchtower im Jahre 1988 in Richtung Dangerous Toys. Sein Nachfolger war Alan Tecchio (von Hades). Zusammen mit ihm wurde 1989 in West-Berlin das zweite Album "Control And Resistance" für Noise Records aufgenommen.

Als Watchtower im Jahre 1985 ihr Debütalbum "Energetic Disassembly" veröffentlichen, stellen sie die Metal-Welt auf den Kopf. Das Material setzt völlig neue Maßstäbe. Innovativer (und extremer) geht zu dieser Zeit niemand zu Werke. Unbeholfene Stilbeschreibungen wie "Jazz Metal" oder "Techno Thrash" werden kreiert. Ursprünglich werden Watchtower im Mai 1982 in Austin, Texas, aus der Taufe gehoben. In jenem Monat schließt sich Sänger Jason McMaster Bassist Doug Keyser, Schlagzeuger Rick Colaluca sowie Gitarrist Billy White an. In ihrem frühen Stadium zeigen sich Watchtower stark von der NWOBHM inspiriert und spielen Songs von Iron Maiden, Angel Witch und Raven nach - dazu natürlich etliche Nummern der kanadischen Prog-Götter Rush. In der Folge entwickelt die Band sukzessive ihren individuellen Stil und nimmt Demos mit eigenen Stücken auf. Aber die Plattenfirmen wollen nicht anbeißen. Aus diesem Grunde entschließt man sich dazu, auf dem eigenen Label Zombo Records das wegweisende Album "Energetic Disassembly" zu veröffentlichen (gepresst werden 3.500 LPs und 1.000 Kassetten).
"Ich kann mich noch lebhaft daran erinnern, wie ich Demokassetten an Fanzines verschickt habe und nahezu täglich Briefe mit Tapetradern ausgetauscht wurden," erinnert sich Sänger Jason Mc Master heute. "Ich erhielt u.a. Briefe von Gene Hoglan, Mike Portnoy, Jason Newsted und sogar Alan Tecchio Die Reaktionen waren fantastisch, aber wir klangen einfach so andersartig. Die Labels wussten nicht, wie sie uns seinerzeit hätten vermarkten sollen. Waren wir zu extrem? Ich denke schon." Pünktlich zum 40. Jubiläum von "Energetic Disassembly" erscheint über High Roller Records nicht nur eine De-Luxe-Edition des originalen Albums, sondern auch eine neue Abmischung. Die Re-Mixes wurden im Jahre 2009 von Jared Tuten, einem engen Freund von JasonMcMaster, in den Top Hat Studios angefertigt. Als Sahnehäubchen gesellen sich dazu vier Bonus-Stücke: eine Art Drum-Soundcheck namens "Rick On Parade", das kurze Gitarren-Instrumental "BW115" sowie frühe Fassungen von zwei Songs, die später auf dem zweiten Watchtower-Album landen sollten, hier aber noch mit Jason McMaster am Gesang - "Instruments Of Random Murder" und "The Eldritch". Jason McMaster verließ Watchtower im Jahre 1988 in Richtung Dangerous Toys. Sein Nachfolger war Alan Tecchio (von Hades). Zusammen mit ihm wurde 1989 in West-Berlin das zweite Album "Control And Resistance" für Noise Records aufgenommen.

Als Watchtower im Jahre 1985 ihr Debütalbum "Energetic Disassembly" veröffentlichen, stellen sie die Metal-Welt auf den Kopf. Das Material setzt völlig neue Maßstäbe. Innovativer (und extremer) geht zu dieser Zeit niemand zu Werke. Unbeholfene Stilbeschreibungen wie "Jazz Metal" oder "Techno Thrash" werden kreiert. Ursprünglich werden Watchtower im Mai 1982 in Austin, Texas, aus der Taufe gehoben. In jenem Monat schließt sich Sänger Jason McMaster Bassist Doug Keyser, Schlagzeuger Rick Colaluca sowie Gitarrist Billy White an. In ihrem frühen Stadium zeigen sich Watchtower stark von der NWOBHM inspiriert und spielen Songs von Iron Maiden, Angel Witch und Raven nach - dazu natürlich etliche Nummern der kanadischen Prog-Götter Rush. In der Folge entwickelt die Band sukzessive ihren individuellen Stil und nimmt Demos mit eigenen Stücken auf. Aber die Plattenfirmen wollen nicht anbeißen. Aus diesem Grunde entschließt man sich dazu, auf dem eigenen Label Zombo Records das wegweisende Album "Energetic Disassembly" zu veröffentlichen (gepresst werden 3.500 LPs und 1.000 Kassetten).
"Ich kann mich noch lebhaft daran erinnern, wie ich Demokassetten an Fanzines verschickt habe und nahezu täglich Briefe mit Tapetradern ausgetauscht wurden," erinnert sich Sänger Jason Mc Master heute. "Ich erhielt u.a. Briefe von Gene Hoglan, Mike Portnoy, Jason Newsted und sogar Alan Tecchio Die Reaktionen waren fantastisch, aber wir klangen einfach so andersartig. Die Labels wussten nicht, wie sie uns seinerzeit hätten vermarkten sollen. Waren wir zu extrem? Ich denke schon." Pünktlich zum 40. Jubiläum von "Energetic Disassembly" erscheint über High Roller Records nicht nur eine De-Luxe-Edition des originalen Albums, sondern auch eine neue Abmischung. Die Re-Mixes wurden im Jahre 2009 von Jared Tuten, einem engen Freund von JasonMcMaster, in den Top Hat Studios angefertigt. Als Sahnehäubchen gesellen sich dazu vier Bonus-Stücke: eine Art Drum-Soundcheck namens "Rick On Parade", das kurze Gitarren-Instrumental "BW115" sowie frühe Fassungen von zwei Songs, die später auf dem zweiten Watchtower-Album landen sollten, hier aber noch mit Jason McMaster am Gesang - "Instruments Of Random Murder" und "The Eldritch". Jason McMaster verließ Watchtower im Jahre 1988 in Richtung Dangerous Toys. Sein Nachfolger war Alan Tecchio (von Hades). Zusammen mit ihm wurde 1989 in West-Berlin das zweite Album "Control And Resistance" für Noise Records aufgenommen.

"How do I know if my cat likes me?" ist die erste Zusammenarbeit der Organisten Ellen Arkbro und Hampus Lindwall mit der bildenden Künstlerin Hanne Lippard, eine existenzielle Meditation über die leeren Weiten unseres automatisierten Alltags. Das Stück entstand während Arkbro und Lippards Residenz 2023 im La Becque in La Tour-de-Peilz, Schweiz, Das Album persifliert die lähmende Ästhetik des Geschäftslebens, von der Warteschleifenmusik bis zum Onlinebanking. "How do I know if my cat likes me?" führt die Linie von Roberts Ashley von Roberts Ashley und Barry fort und hämmert auf die Klänge der Sprache ein, bis sie alle Bedeutungen durch angenehm betäubende Wiederholungen verdrängen. Die Platte zu hören ist, als würde man ein Captcha wieder und wieder lösen bis alle Zeichen zu Hieroglyphen verschwimmen, oder man findet sich in einem tautologischen Kundendienst-Argument verstrickt, nur dass man, nachdem man in der Sackgasse des Unsinns gelandet ist, eine unerwartete transzendente Schönheit findet, in der die Sprache von der reinen Funktion zur reinen Ästhetik umschlägt und vor Möglichkeiten schimmert. Selbst subtile Brüche in lyrischen oder musikalischen Mustern können eine grundlegende Veränderung in der Welt des Songs auslösen. Auf der gesamten Platte begründen strenger Formalismus und Minimalismus eine Erzählung. ,The Long Goodbye" stellt sich einen quälenden Dialog zwischen Bekannten vor, die sich nicht höflich voneinander lösen können: ,It's my pleasure!", stöhnt Lippard, die sich selbst antwortet: "Pleasure is all mine! / See you soon! / See you next time! / See you then!". Obwohl die Zeilen immer wieder dieselben wenigen Abschiedsworte wiederholen, akkumuliert sich eine geheimnisvolle Kausalität in den winzigen Variationen, die einen erzählerischen Bogen kreieren, weniger für die Figuren des Liedes, sondern für den Zuhörer, der sich mit Verzweiflung, nihilistischem Humor oder tiefer Dankbarkeit über die Fähigkeit der Kunst konfrontiert sieht. An anderer Stelle, als ,Modern Spanking" sich frei assoziierend von der Phrase "Online-Banking" in Richtung "breathing down your neck banking" und ,sexy but bankrupt banking" wandelt, wird eine ganze Welt oberflächlicher Vergnügungen ins Blickfeld gerückt. Während minimalistische Bewegungen in der Musik und der bildenden Kunst eine gewisse Situiertheit des Blicks fördern, erinnert ,Modern Spanking" an den glatten, reibungslosen Minimalismus eines gehobenen Einkaufszentrums: eine Menge wahlloser Passanten, die sich zwischen Sex und Geld, Fantasie und Realität, zerstreuter Aufmerksamkeit und intensiver Ablenkung befinden. In einer Welt wie dieser ist der Unterschied zwischen Bankgeschäften und Prügelstrafe zu vernachlässigen.

Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Svart Records is set to release the band’s fourth album TAVASTLAND in February 2025 After three albums, the pieces of the puzzle fit, and Havukruunu, the favorite band of the sensitive and sorrowful returns with a vengeance to blur the line between the real and unreal. The sorrowful guitars of Stefa and Bootleg-Henkka draw threatening dark shadows on the wall, Kostajainen's drumming bombardement pulses like embers of a dying fire in the hearth. All the while, Humö's bass guitar is clanking and wailing like the icy wind rattling windows and banging walls, as Stefa roars and channels messages from the netherworld or preaches wisdom of ancient days, backed by a choir. Lords of Hell smile approving as the flames of hatred and cunning of their beloved sons drowns a dying old world, and heart of the earth trembles the birth of new and weird. Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Havukruunu’s upcoming album TAVASTLAND tells the story of a small, strange people. ”-TAVASTLAND tells how in 1237 the Tavastians rose in a rebellion against the church of Christ and drove the popes naked into the frost to die. TAVASTLAND reveals our fathers’ centuries old sins and lies of consolation. TAVASTLAND speaks of him, who has become a prisoner of his home, alienated from the land of the forest and is now afraid of the dark with all lights on, surrounded by his smart devices. TAVASTLAND tells about the freedom we lost. TAVASTLAND haunts its listener to the grave, and I will personally open that grave one bleak night, and steal the fading light of your sempiternal soul.”, says Stefa. TAVASTLAND is available on Svart exclusive ice & blood vinyl edition, limited to 666 copies. Also available on limited amber & black smoke vinyl, classic black vinyl, CD, cassette tape, and digital platforms. All vinyl editions of the first pressing include a booklet and poster. New Havukruunu T-shirt also up for pre-order now at Svart’s webstore. Release date February 28th, 2025.

Double Italo Header incoming! Hailing from Turin in northern Italy, we have a new artist on Frank Music named Hey Cabrera! who presents his dance single "The Moment", which has it all: The ever-familiar bassline, melodies, and pianos for days and topped with additional catchy vocal phrases. It's exactly this kind of unique vibe you only hear when it's truly made in Italy. Label boss Giovanni Francesco Alberto—a.k.a. Johannes Albert—steps in with a sizzling club mix to keep the vibe afloat. Who wouldn't want to live in "The Moment"? We sure do! Flip it over, and the B-side "Exposed" carries the same high-energy tradition—more vocals, even punchier pianos, and for the J.A. club mix, a dash of 808s for that extra groove. Housed in a fully printed cover and ready to soundtrack your summer nights. Grazie mille, Gianluca! The power of Italo Disco—often imitated, never duplicated.

Silberfarbenes Vinyl. 80er-Jahre-Synthie-Rock-Pop-Magie für Fans von Vierspuraufnahmen. Der DIY-Außenseiter Rick Cuevas war ein Post-Punk-Flüchtling auf der Suche nach einer Vision für einen Hit. "The Birds", 1984 zu Hause aufgenommen, ist der 40 Jahre verspätete Viralkracher und eine von acht retro-futuristischen Hymnen, die Cuevas' Debütalbum ausmachen. Diese von den analogen Bändern neu gemasterte Jubiläumsausgabe repliziert das Original, das in einer Auflage von nur 200 Exemplaren erschienen war, für maximalen Teleportationswert.

SAISEI founder Junki Inoue continues his vital archival work uncovering the riches of Japan’s distinctive electronic music scene and bringing them to new audiences around the world.

HERO U.D.A. aka Hiroyoshi Udaka is not someone you can easily google, but he’s sure lived a life worth retelling. His story starts back in the late 80s when, inspired by the acid house emanating from the UK — during what was fondly christened the Second Summer of Love — he picked up DJing and made the move from Japan to London. Throughout the 90s he DJed at underground techno institutions like London’s The End, CLUB UK and Silver Fish, as well as at the infamous Tribal Gathering raves, periodically returning to Japan to support techno greats like Colin Dale, Mad Mike, Suburban Knight and D. Wynn on tour.

The tracks on this EP, previously unreleased except for one, were all recorded after Udaka moved back from London to Tokyo, between 2002 and 2005. Yet they sound strikingly modern, drawing on a rich range of sounds that have come back round again two decades later: broken beat, acid jazz, dub and breaks. Deceptively simple grooves are given depth by layers of textures and micro samples, for example the surface noise on ‘On The Way’ that glues together an otherwise sparse skeleton of dubby pads and body popping drums. ‘Mature Missile’, ‘So Good’ and ‘Night Driver’ employ raw broken beat templates with acid accents, whimsical melodies and vocal interjections for a playful mood. ‘Sin City’ takes a darker turn, off-key piano hits and plunging bass adding to the wonkiness. The EP closes with a wiggly vignette, ‘222AM’, reminiscent of early 00s contemporaries like Mouse On Mars. Now these hidden treasures from Udaka’s archive gain a new life on SAISEI.

———

SAISEI is a Japanese word which translates to ‘reproduction’ and ‘to play’ (as in playing records). Japanese culture is widely known for its traditional nature just as much as it is for being forward into the future and this label’s concept does justice to exactly that. Having started digging for records as early as 16 years old, Junki Inoue delved into productions from 1990s Japan to uncover these native gems. SAISEI’s core concept is to recapture and reintroduce unique pieces of Japanese electronic music onto vinyl, to an audience it never reached before as most of this music was only released in Japan.


b A2. So Good Acid Funk

Finally available following strong support from Antal and Hunee, including soundtracking the closing of Rainbow Disco Club Festival in Japan: Cabo Verde Show's 1984 showstopper “Bem Danca” revisited in its original form alongside a perfectly stripped-back, synth-focused edit by The Square Sun. Now on a 12” pressed loud at 45 RPM, with the edit on the A-side and the original version on the flip!

“Bem Danca” was a B-side cut from a 1983 release, featuring lead vocals from Luis Da Silva. The original is a party-ready Funaná jam with intricate horn and guitar work. The Square Sun’s edit takes the track deeper, extending some instrumental parts to build tension before the culmination of synths and horns that truly sparkle in this version. An essential for your bag as we begin to enjoy those open-air dancefloors once again!

Berlin-based Tal Fussman perfectly embodies SEVEN's "in-between house and techno" approach, delivering a 90s-infused progressive house EP that simply feels good. Embracing a spirit of openness to genres and styles, this EP features exciting, dancefloor-ready tracks - further enhanced by a Swiss-made remix from Deetron.

Berlin-based Tal Fussman perfectly embodies SEVEN's "in-between house and techno" approach, delivering a 90s-infused progressive house EP that simply feels good. Embracing a spirit of openness to genres and styles, this EP features exciting, dancefloor-ready tracks - further enhanced by a Swiss-made remix from Deetron.

Love is a first kiss, a late night call, an ache of longing that can break your heart or a long drive with the top down to anywhere but here. Love can equally be contained, repressed and longed for as much as it can save, nurture and embolden. Love is a measure of our humanity or how lost we have become. In her new album, How Love Bends, Reb Fountain muses on the transformative power of love. Imprinted with our fear, desire, hurt and hope as much as it is an expression of our suffering and joy, love is an ever-evolving shapeshifter that lives in our marrow; magnetic and emergent it is loosed by its archer to ride on the wind. Reb's medium is that of a surrealist, playing with the stories that we tell ourselves she harnesses the sage wisdom of the dream; we embark upon a limitless exploration of love, life and loss within a landscape entirely of Reb's making. Reb's love is the stuff of chaos and oceans, vulnerability and revolution; stirring up the depths of the human condition and dancing with the richness of who we really are. Unapologetic, vulnerable, heartbroken and commanding; this is How Love Bends. How Love Bends is at once haunting and alluring, mystical and triumphant. Reb is a seeker, actively reaching for the expanse. A reverent explorer she traverses the turbulent and tidal with heartbreaking vulnerability and blazon courage. The result is an emergent odyssey; a dynamic dreamscape unfolding and revealing itself mid-evolution. Reb has explored new approaches to songwriting revealing nuanced layers with endless depths.

Love is a first kiss, a late night call, an ache of longing that can break your heart or a long drive with the top down to anywhere but here. Love can equally be contained, repressed and longed for as much as it can save, nurture and embolden. Love is a measure of our humanity or how lost we have become. In her new album, How Love Bends, Reb Fountain muses on the transformative power of love. Imprinted with our fear, desire, hurt and hope as much as it is an expression of our suffering and joy, love is an ever-evolving shapeshifter that lives in our marrow; magnetic and emergent it is loosed by its archer to ride on the wind. Reb's medium is that of a surrealist, playing with the stories that we tell ourselves she harnesses the sage wisdom of the dream; we embark upon a limitless exploration of love, life and loss within a landscape entirely of Reb's making. Reb's love is the stuff of chaos and oceans, vulnerability and revolution; stirring up the depths of the human condition and dancing with the richness of who we really are. Unapologetic, vulnerable, heartbroken and commanding; this is How Love Bends. How Love Bends is at once haunting and alluring, mystical and triumphant. Reb is a seeker, actively reaching for the expanse. A reverent explorer she traverses the turbulent and tidal with heartbreaking vulnerability and blazon courage. The result is an emergent odyssey; a dynamic dreamscape unfolding and revealing itself mid-evolution. Reb has explored new approaches to songwriting revealing nuanced layers with endless depths.

Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Svart Records is set to release the band’s fourth album TAVASTLAND in February 2025 After three albums, the pieces of the puzzle fit, and Havukruunu, the favorite band of the sensitive and sorrowful returns with a vengeance to blur the line between the real and unreal. The sorrowful guitars of Stefa and Bootleg-Henkka draw threatening dark shadows on the wall, Kostajainen's drumming bombardement pulses like embers of a dying fire in the hearth. All the while, Humö's bass guitar is clanking and wailing like the icy wind rattling windows and banging walls, as Stefa roars and channels messages from the netherworld or preaches wisdom of ancient days, backed by a choir. Lords of Hell smile approving as the flames of hatred and cunning of their beloved sons drowns a dying old world, and heart of the earth trembles the birth of new and weird. Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Havukruunu’s upcoming album TAVASTLAND tells the story of a small, strange people. ”-TAVASTLAND tells how in 1237 the Tavastians rose in a rebellion against the church of Christ and drove the popes naked into the frost to die. TAVASTLAND reveals our fathers’ centuries old sins and lies of consolation. TAVASTLAND speaks of him, who has become a prisoner of his home, alienated from the land of the forest and is now afraid of the dark with all lights on, surrounded by his smart devices. TAVASTLAND tells about the freedom we lost. TAVASTLAND haunts its listener to the grave, and I will personally open that grave one bleak night, and steal the fading light of your sempiternal soul.”, says Stefa. TAVASTLAND is available on Svart exclusive ice & blood vinyl edition, limited to 666 copies. Also available on limited amber & black smoke vinyl, classic black vinyl, CD, cassette tape, and digital platforms. All vinyl editions of the first pressing include a booklet and poster. New Havukruunu T-shirt also up for pre-order now at Svart’s webstore. Release date February 28th, 2025.

Fit for Consequences: Original Recordings, 1984–1987 is the first ever archival release from Repetition Repetition, the “two-man electric minimalist band” consisting of Ruben Garcia and Steve Caton hailing from Los Angeles in the mid 1980’s. Repetition Repetition’s unique blend of cosmic art-rock minimalism / maximalism was self-released across a series of cassettes produced in micro editions, and while garnering the attention and participation of luminaries such as Harold Budd, remained under the radar during the band’s existence. Fit for Consequences: Original Recordings, 1984–1987 collects select material from across the duo’s catalog.

It was over a plate of Mexican breakfast food when Ruben Garcia and Steve Caton first told Harold Budd of Repetition Repetition and the worlds they intended to explore by respective way of synthesizers and guitars --- a rendezvous instigated by the former’s fan mail to the legendary composer. If the upstarts entered this restaurant from a one-way street of admiration, they would leave with not only Budd’s interest but, sometime later, a blessing in the wake of many hours shared by the three in Garcia’s Los Angeles home recording studio: “This is going to be difficult, but God help them, I think they’re great,” noted Budd in a USC lecture in 1985. Now several degrees removed from prior rock music aspirations, the real game was afoot.

Between 1984 and 1988, Repetition Repetition operated within something akin to the underground of the experimental underground, although even that designation perhaps overstates the case. The duo’s sparse output consisted of three cassettes self-released on Garcia’s Third Stone Music label: Repetition Repetition (1985), Lakeland (1987), and The Machinist (1987). Their songs would also be included during this period on Trance Port Tapes’ vital scene-scanning compilations assembled by A Produce. Live performances occurred with similar infrequency, but Garcia and Caton counted converts in quality over quantity, numbering among them the aforementioned Budd, a Chambers Brother, and, judging by a memorably drop-jawed reaction following a rare Repetition Repetition gig, Jackson Browne.

Likewise, critical support materialized in the form of KCRW deejays Brent Wilcox and Dean Suzuki, whose steady airplay positioned Repetition Repetition’s music amidst fearless company like Jon Hassell, Hiroshi Yoshimura, and Richard Horowitz. Yet, to hear fellow Trance Port featured players like Tom Recchion and Bruce Licher of Savage Republic tell it, Garcia and Caton moved as ghosts --- a notion more vexingly endorsed by the silence of record companies that failed to come knocking --- and therein lies an overarching truth to the work itself.

Journey to the heart of Repetition Repetition and one discovers a collective ear impossibly attuned to the hypnotic possibilities of stylistic convergence, the resulting music possessed of seamless multimodalities which beckon to a glimmering plane of the disembodied. Where Caton sought his artistic fixes at an intersection of popular genres, Garcia zoned in on the sonically spare, drawing from the same wellspring as the Enos and Rileys of his personal avant-garde pantheon, and in their coming together the two tapped into a deeper cosmic source. Synthetic walls of keyboard sound in forever states of reprise met waves of shimmering --- and at times even punishing --- guitar in reply, their soundscapes hovering convincingly between, as suggested in fittingly dualistic fashion in a press kit assembled by Garcia, such disparate sensations as bird flight in one song and oil drilling in the next.

But don’t call it a push-pull dynamic, as this was a creative partnership founded upon fluidity and organicism by way of, naturally, repetition. In contrast to, say, the Bressonian ideal of repetitive motion as a great stripping away, the concept in the hands of Garcia and Caton equated to ascendancy via continuous unfolding, a maximal route to minimalism. To be sure, their recording philosophy morphed over the course of the act’s short history, and what started as a process defined by consistent in-person interplay developed into a more isolated method formulated by Garcia, who eventually took to his own one-man bedroom-studio sessions in order to fully chart any and all potential ostinato-loaded paths which he could travel down, the Tascam-captured resonances subsequently provided to Caton as blueprints from which to take flight himself, adding layer upon layer of steel to the proceedings.

If the practice and execution changed, however, the evidence certainly didn’t rest in the results: The seamlessness remained, and, despite the brevity of their time together, so has Repetition Repetition. With this finely calibrated collection of songs in Fit for Consequences: Original Recordings, 1984–1987, Freedom To Spend sees to it that the private worlds of Garcia and Caton can now be visited by all rather than just the count-‘em-on-both-hands lucky few whose musical endeavors or collector vocations carried them into this once-distant dimension.

Repetition Repetition’s Fit for Consequences: Original Recordings, 1984–1987 will be released on Freedom To Spend in vinyl and digital editions on May 30, 2025. The collection includes extensive liner notes from Bill Perrine, and wil be offered alongside Over & Over, a supplemental collection of music available exclusively as a mail order cassette from Freedom To Spend and RVNG Intl.

Mindustries is back, ready for a new chapter!

This journey has not been easy, after the loss of his partner in crime Yuri, it is now time to move on forward. With deep respect for everything they built together, this new release looks to the future.

Bringing you a new wave of music fueled by the sounds of all that came before, with the same energy and attitude that Mindustries is known for. Yet, with this release, reaching beyond the limits of what you expect!

Dark, timeless, raw and energetic hardcore in all its diversity.
This is Mindustries.

Picture Disc, limited to 500 copies. THE ANTICHRIST IMPERIUM debut album 10th anniversary limited edition reissue! Brace yourselves for an unrelenting sonic assault as Antichrist Imperium featuring members of AKERCOCKE, THE BERZERKER, WEREWOLVES & VOICES unleashes their explosive debut album, a thunderous entry into the world of extreme metal. From the first blistering note to the last, this album crushes with an intensity and fervor that's almost apocalyptic. Known for their ferocious blend of thrash, black, and death metal, the band wastes no time in establishing their dominance, offering a sonic journey that is both raw and refined. With lightning-fast riffs, pounding drums, and ferocious vocals that sound like they've been dragged straight from the abyss, Antichrist Imperium delivers a relentless barrage of aggression and passion. The album's production is crisp yet full of grime, creating the perfect balance between clarity and chaos, allowing every intricacy of the band's ferocity to shine through. Lyrically, the album explores themes of apocalyptic destruction, existential rage, and the obliteration of morality told through the lens of a dystopian, anti-religious perspective. These themes resonate with a sense of inevitable doom, driving each track forward like a relentless storm that refuses to let up. The standout tracks are full of both technical mastery and ferocious energy. With riffs that will have you headbanging and beats that will rattle your very core, Antichrist Imperium sets a new benchmark for thrash metal in the modern age. It's a fusion of old-school thrash influences and cutting-edge extreme metal, creating an album that feels both nostalgic and forward-thinking. Antichrist Imperium's debut is a thrilling, no-holds-barred rollercoaster of destruction that cements their place in the pantheon of modern metal. A must-listen for fans of thrash, black, and death metal, it is an uncompromising and absolutely fiery introduction to a band that's ready to reign terror across the metal scene.

The 90s were all about Hip-Hop groups. Brooklyn’s Junior M.A.F.I.A., consisting of members Lil’ Kim, Lil’ Cease, Trife, Larceny, Nino Brown, Chico Del Vec, MC Klepto, Capone, and Bugsy, formed under the guidance of The Notorious B.I.G. after he released his classic debut album Ready To Die. At the end of the summer of 1995, Junior M.A.F.I.A. released their debut album Conspiracy on Big Beat Records featuring the lead single “Player’s Anthem” which featured Biggie and was produced by the late great DJ Clark Kent. Clark Kent produced three other songs including the second single “I Need You Tonight” featuring Biggie’s wife Faith Evans on the chorus. The third single, “Get Money”, another Biggie feature produced by EZ Elpee with it’s classic flip of the Roy Ayers Orduced Sylvia Striplin track “You Can’t Turn Me Away” was certified platinum. With eight members deep, it was difficult to stand out, but Lil’ Kim and Lil’ Cease would be the breakoutr stars and go on to release solo albums. The group disbanded after Notorious B.I.G. was murdered in 1997, but left behind songs that still hold up today and remain a big part of Biggie’s legacy, as well as producer DJ Clark Kent -RIP Out of print on vinyl since 2017, Get On Down is proud to present this 90s Hip-Hop classic as a limited edition reissue preesed on splatter colored vinyl and packaged in a gatefold jacket.

"In a world where it is easier than ever to say something, it is actually the hardest time to be heard.
We are constantly bombarded by so much information and/or distractions that people can hardly be blamed for not tuning in.
The box has been constructed to be safe, so why step outside it?

The vibe shift is undeniable but everyone is free to choose which frequency to tap into.
Music can be nourishment for the soul if you have the right ingredients. Even then you need the right chefs to cook it properly to be served.
Meftah and Ideeyah have taken their time to create something that feels complete.
Something intentional. Meditative.
Another piece in the great chain of the African Diaspora.

Where else but Detroit could something like this come from?
A complete concept that is unabashedly of the present but still honors the past. This is Soul music. Crafted with love for community, for heritage, for fulfillment.
There was a method to the madness, a reason for the gradual formation of artistic merit that is presented to you now.
This music contains a universal message if you can open your eyes and mind to it.

Less talking, more doing.
Go out there and be somebody again.
Reclaim your light under the sun.

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.
For Funk is it’s own reward,
if you want it to be.

- Turtle Bugg"

Singer James Ambrose Johnson, born on February 1, 1948, in Buffalo, New York, fled to Toronto, Canada, to avoid the draft. There, he started The Mynah Birds, a rhythm & blues band and changed his name to Rick James. In 1966, Neil Young joined the band, but their journey ended when James was exposed as a draft dodger and jailed. After serving his time, Rick James joined several bands, including The Great White Cane, and developed his unique funk style. In 1978, Motown signed him to their Gordy Records, releasing his debut solo album Come And Get It! featuring the hits “You and I” and “Mary Jane.” The album climbed to number 13 on the U.S. charts. Rick released multiple successful albums, such as Bustin’ Out Of L Seven and Fire It Up, with hits like “High On Your Love Suite' and “Bustin’ Out (On Funk).” His 1981 album Street Songs marked his internationally breakthrough, blending funk, rock, and new wave. It produced hits like “Ghetto Life,” the massive “Give It To Me Baby,” and “Super Freak,” earning gold records and Grammy nominations.

His follow-up albums included Throwin’ Down, featuring “Dance Wit’ Me” and "Standing On The Top" with The Temptations, and Cold Blooded, with “Ebony Eyes”a collaboration with Smokey Robinson. Furthermore Rick wrote and produced “Party All The Time” for Eddie Murphy, reaching number 2 on the Billboard charts. Also included on this Collected album are the hits “Glow”, “Loosey’s Rap” featuring the queen of hip hop Roxanne Shanté and his collaboration with Busta Rhymes of “In The Ghetto”

Rick James Collected includes most of his hits and early songs and the 2LP, is available on black vinyl and includes liner notes.

French singer, songwriter and producer Léa Sen’s debut album Levels, is a deeply immersive journey through memory, self-discovery, and emotional growth—imagined as a surreal, liminal hotel where each room holds a different chapter of her life.

Created in collaboration with her brother, Florian Fourlin, and inspired by Léa's own coming-of-age, Levels blends experimental pop with slinky R&B, woozy trip-hop, and warm, smudged guitars. The album plays with the tension between reality and dreamlike abstraction, examining the mysterious ups and downs of existence.

Musiker und Produzent Greg Surmacz aus Leeds veröffentlicht mit "Building Beyond The Sky" sein fünftes Album. Seine Musik kombiniert Jazz-Atmosphären mit elektronischen Sounds und wird von Trendsettern wie Gilles Peterson, Tom Ravenscroft, Jamie Cullum, Jamz Supernova oder Moses Boyd unterstützt. Surmacz trat mit James Holden und auf Gilles Petersons "We Out Here"-Festival auf. Bislang erschienen von ihm die Albentrilogie "Timelines" (2021-2022) sowie die LP "What We Can Assume" (2023).

One year on from the release of the critically acclaimed 'Breathe... Godspeed' for Bristol's Timedance, Verraco - aka JP López - returns to announce Basic Maneuvers, his debut for XL Recordings.

Sonically, the project reflects this physical and emotional shift from the more introspective beauty of Medellín to the vibrant energy of Colombia's capital, Bogotá. Basic Maneuvers reflects movement — between scenes, sounds, and cities — pushing forward Verraco's cross-culture sound; one that collides South American dembow rhythms with maximalist synths, UK soundsystem bass culture, meticulous IDM sound design, with the intensity and precision of techno.

Across the EP, he expands his range with the main single, a powerful 4x4 club-ready edgy banger, a dubbed-out stepper "Total" and "sobe sobe", a grime-infused collaboration with legendary Kenyan-Ugandan rapper affiliated to Nyege Nyege, MC Yallah, that celebrates the deep-rooted connection between the underground dancefloors of Africa and South America. Basic Maneuvers is a bold statement of intent from one of electronic music's most vital and exciting producers.

Rhino is synonymous with high-quality reissues, setting the standard with award-winning audio releases for the past 45 years. Now we're raising the bar with a new premium vinyl series, Rhino High Fidelity. These high-end, limited-edition vinyl reissues of classic albums represent the pinnacle of sound and packaging.

To ensure consistent sonic excellence, Kevin Gray will cut lacquers for all Rhino Hi-Fi releases, and Optimal will press the 180-gram vinyl records. The releases boast high-quality glossy covers and "tip-on" jackets, an old-school aesthetic that evokes the golden age of vinyl.

"Black Sabbath's debut album is the birth of heavy metal as we now know it. Compatriots such as Blue Cheer, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple were already setting new standards for volume and heaviness in the realms of psychedelia, blues-rock, and prog rock. Yet of these metal pioneers, Sabbath are the only one whose sound today remains instantly recognizable as heavy metal, even after decades of evolution in the genre. Guitarist Tony Iommi's loss of two fingertips, which required him to play slower and to slacken the strings by tuning his guitar down, created Sabbath's signature style. These qualities set the band apart, but they weren't wholly why this debut album transcends its clear roots in blues-rock and psychedelia to become something more. Sabbath's genius was finding the hidden malevolence in the blues, and then bludgeoning the listener over the head with it." — AllMusic

Girls At Our Best! were one of the greatest and most influential bands to emerge in the early 1980s as part of a new wave of independent acts. DJ John Peel championed them, playing their singles repeatedly and inviting them to record a session for his programme. Wry vocalist Judy Evans and brutal yet melodic guitarist James Alan who’d met at art college in Leeds fronted Girls At Our Best!, the proto-Indie band that formed from the ashes of Alan’s 1977 punk band SOS! Pleasure, the sole album, reached number two in the Indie Chart. It was an album so different from the rest of the post-punk indie pack that you can still play it now and completely baffle new listeners. As John Peel said about Roxy Music, it just doesn’t seem to relate to anything else.

In 2021, Luke (aka Lukid) recorded a mix for Dekmantel, which had some of his jungle tunes (under his Refreshers alias) featured in the set, including an unreleased tune of his called Crumbling Down. I couldn't find any information about this tune anywhere and was unsure if it ever came out or if there were ever any plans to release it.

So out the blue, in 2023, I reached out to him about this track to find out about what the situation was with it, and he replied saying that there were no plans for it to come out. I offered to release it on Future Retro London, which Luke was thankfully up for & here we are!! It was quite a gamble considering I'd never seen any Refreshers tunes released anywhere else besides on his own label (which I have all the releases of and can recommend strongly) but I'm grateful that he was willing to work with me on putting this one out.

Big thanks to Luke for allowing me to have put out Crumbling Down, to Andrew (aka Yedsy, who does all the artwork for Refreshers) for the design of this release's artwork and to Phineus II for his heavyweight remix on the b-side.

Girls At Our Best! were one of the greatest and most influential bands to emerge in the early 1980s as part of a new wave of independent acts. DJ John Peel championed them, playing their singles repeatedly and inviting them to record a session for his programme. Wry vocalist Judy Evans and brutal yet melodic guitarist James Alan who’d met at art college in Leeds fronted Girls At Our Best!, the proto-Indie band that formed from the ashes of Alan’s 1977 punk band SOS! Pleasure, the sole album, reached number two in the Indie Chart. It was an album so different from the rest of the post-punk indie pack that you can still play it now and completely baffle new listeners. As John Peel said about Roxy Music, it just doesn’t seem to relate to anything else.

After a year of scheming and crafting, building and destroying, Maisie Peters is ready to share what she’s been conjuring up – her brand new album ‘The Good Witch’, arriving via Gingerbread Man Records/Asylum on June 16th.

Recently heralded by vulnerable lead single, ‘Body Better’, Maisie’s second studio album ‘The Good Witch’, is the official follow-up to her No. 2 BRIT Breakthrough certified debut, ‘You Signed Up For This’, and in many ways the older, wise and scorned counterpart.

Exhibiting a newfound confidence, sharper storytelling and greater artistic ambition, Maisie created ‘The Good Witch’ across London, Suffolk, Stockholm, Bergen and LA, alongside the likes of, Oscar Görres (Taylor Swift, Troye Sivan), Two Inch Punch (Sam Smith, Jessie Ware), Matias Tellez (girl in red), Brad Ellis (Jorja Smith, Little Mix), Joe Rubel (Ed Sheeran, Tom Grennan) and Elvira Anderfjärd (Tove Lo, Katy Perry).

Hailing from the southwest side of Detroit, Michigan, Dusty Rose Gang makes music that sounds like a celebratory summer evening with friends on the beach of the city’s crown jewel, Belle Isle. The band’s feel-good rock & roll rests its laurels alongside many of the city’s musical heavyweights, bringing a swagger and heft present in the best of the MC5 and the Stooges, while balancing the subtle tones and attitude found in prime-era Sabbath, Queen, Jimi Hendrix and the Flower Travellin’ Band. It should be no surprise that the band’s songwriter, Dusty Rose, haunted the same high school halls as the MC5 at Lincoln Park High, as much of the attitude, poise and spirit can be found on the band’s A-One From Day One long player debut for the legendary Riding Easy Records. The songs shimmer and shake, shredding through solo after solo, while packing just enough hazy 70’s influence to make it sound like Dusty Rose Gang has been here all along. This is Detroit rock n’ roll made by lifers for lifers, the no-bullshit real deal that the Motor City has been breathing since before Gene Simmons coined the term “Detroit Rock City." A-One From Day One was produced and recorded by Warren Defever at Free Party Bar, Hamtramck and mastered at Third Man Mastering. Engineered by Cam Frank. The album was recorded with Brett Donlon (bass), J. Rowe (drums, percussion), Kara Meister (backing vocals), and Warren Defever (mellotron, organ). The current line-up of Dusty Rose Gang features Dusty Rose (guitar, vocals), Brett Donlon (bass), Blake Hill (drums) and Josh Budiongan (guitar).

Neues Scheibe - Neue Wut: Nach Ihrem erfolgreichen Debutalbum gleich noch diese EP nachgelegt! Maschine Mensch beschreibt den alltäglichen Wahnsinn eines Individuums gesehen von unserer westlichen Welt. Wir werden geboren um ausgebeutet zu werden, alles zum Wohle des Kapitalistischen Systems. Maschine Mensch ist die Antwort auf die Frage: Was machst du aus deinem Leben? Auch wir müssen uns jeden Tag neu hinterfragen was unser Sinn des Lebens ist. Mit ,Maschine Mensch" schlägt die Berliner Punkband Shell Shocked ein neues Kapitel auf - und zwar laut. Die EP ist eine musikalische Abrissbirne gegen die Entmenschlichung unserer Zeit: gegen Algorithmus-Alltag, gegen soziale Kälte und gegen die leise Resignation im Kopf. Mit voller Wucht aus den Kellern Berlins meldet sich Shell Shocked zurück - roher, lauter und kompromissloser denn je. Auf ihrer neuen EP "Maschine Mensch" prallen schneidende Gitarrenriffs auf treibende Drums und Texte, die wie Faustschläge gegen die graue Realität wirken. Zwischen Großstadtbeton, Systemkritik und persönlichem Aufbegehren liefern Shell Shocked 6 Songs, die aufrütteln, antreiben und aufregen. Ein Soundtrack für alle, die nicht stillhalten können, wenn die Welt im Gleichschritt marschiert. ,Maschine Mensch" ist mehr - es ist ein Aufschrei. Punk aus Berlin. Direkt. Unverfälscht. Keine leeren Phrasen sondern Songs die verbinden und bewegen. Für alle die nicht blind mitlaufen wollen.

In May 1981 B-Movie and Soft Cell went into Advision Studios in London with the same producer, Mike Thorne (Wire, Bronski Beat, China Crisis, The Communards) to record singles for the label they were both signed to. Phonogram had really wanted to sign B-Movie but had also committed to Soft Cell, having been coerced into it by Stev0, who managed both artists and wouldn’t let them have one without the other. B-Movie commenced recording the dark moody anti-fame anthem ‘Marilyn Dreams’, whilst Soft Cell got underway on a cover of an obscure Northern Soul classic. When both songs were released in July 1981, ‘Tainted Love’ became a worldwide hit and shot Soft Cell to international fame, making them the biggest stars of 1981. B-Movie had formed in 1979, in Mansfield, a typical northern town in the middle of the Nottinghamshire coalfield. Originally a three piece featuring, vocal / bass, guitar and drums, they expanded by adding a keyboard player to broaden their initial post punk sound. Local Lincoln independent record label, Dead Good Records, firstly put them on the compilation LP ‘East’, followed by 7" inch EP and then a mini-album releases, which led to an appearance on the legendary Some Bizarre label (alongside the likes of Blancmange, Depeche Mode, Soft Cell and The The)
Major label interest followed, from which came the deal with Phonogram, B-Movie initially re-recording the track ‘Remembrance Day’, which reached No61 in the UK chart in early 1981 and, more importantly, was played by BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, and appearing in his Festive 50 for that year. All of the recordings the band made during their Phonogram period have been consigned to the Universal Music vault for several decades, with the band finally managing to have these returned in 2024. The various tapes have been digitised and restored, resulting in the creation of what would have been their 1982 debut LP ‘that never was’. Ten tracks including the three singles plus seven previously unreleased recordings. The CD version contains a further seven recordings including the 12” versions, single B-sides and the track “Moles’” from the Some Bizarre compilation.So “Hidden Treasures” from B-Movie, is only four decades late but still able to sit seamlessly alongside contemporaries like The Chameleons and The Sound. The LP is a darker, more brooding and psychedelic affair, more akin to the gothic elements of the Bunnymen or Joy Division, than the ‘pop sensations’ Phonogram wanted them to become. By both opening and closing this chapter of B-Movie, it puts them firmly in the same bracket as their new wave and post-punk contemporaries, which is the least they deserve, as one of the great ‘lost’ bands of the early 1980’s. "It’s nice to hear B-Movie are finally getting a chance to release their forgotten gems’” Matt Johnson (The The) Vinyl

Folwark is a duo composed of Francesco Marcolini (guitars, synths, vocals) and Tommaso Faraci (drums, theremin, vocals). Their music fuses syncopated rhythms, introspective loops, and psychedelic mantras, forging an intense connection with listeners that transcends sound, reaching into emotional and spiritual depths. "All Shadows Stretched" blends heavy grooves, psychedelic explorations, and deep spiritual themes, creating a rich and immersive listening experience. The band's signature dynamic setup of guitars, drums, theremin, synths, and vocals shapes a powerful, emotionally charged soundscape. Produced by Folwark, mixed and mastered by Lorenzo Stecconi (Amenra, Ufomammut, ZU).

Planning For Burial is the solo project of Thom Wasluck, emerging from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It’s Closeness, It’s Easy is the long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s Below The House. If Below The House was about returning home, following in the footsteps of one’s father and joining a union, and leaving behind youth’s wild days, It’s Closeness, It’s Easy embraces what comes next—the weight of all years, the quiet shifts, the reckoning with what remains. This record is many things. It captures the slow drift of time, the unnoticed shifts in a loved one—the creeping changes in mental health, the quiet pull of addiction, the kind of grief that settles in the bones rather than announces itself.
At its core, It’s Closeness, It’s Easy is about stepping into middle age and taking stock. It confronts the reality of living with the hand that’s been dealt and searching for meaning in what remains. It speaks to loss—the crushing weight of saying goodbye to a beloved 17-year old cat, the slow-motion grief of watching friends self-destruct, the inescapable passage of time as it bears down on aging parents and the self. But it also reflects the warmth of reconnection, the kind of love that never burns out but instead deepens. The feeling of picking up where things left off, untouched by the years in between.

While written over the course of two years, the recording process reflects a sense of immediacy. Rather than assembling songs piece by piece over time, the album took shape in singular, immersive sessions—less an act of construction, more an unveiling of something already waiting to take shape.
Rooted in a staunch DIY ethos, Wasluck handles every aspect of Planning For Burial project himself—recording the music, designing the artwork, and performing live as a one-man band. He books his own tours, ever and independent creative. This hands-on approach has led Planning For Burial to play hundreds of shows solidifying his place in the underground music scene. A defining moment came in 2018 when he performed at the Meltdown Festival in London, curated by Robert Smith of The Cure.

Planning For Burial is the solo project of Thom Wasluck, emerging from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It’s Closeness, It’s Easy is the long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s Below The House. If Below The House was about returning home, following in the footsteps of one’s father and joining a union, and leaving behind youth’s wild days, It’s Closeness, It’s Easy embraces what comes next—the weight of all years, the quiet shifts, the reckoning with what remains. This record is many things. It captures the slow drift of time, the unnoticed shifts in a loved one—the creeping changes in mental health, the quiet pull of addiction, the kind of grief that settles in the bones rather than announces itself.
At its core, It’s Closeness, It’s Easy is about stepping into middle age and taking stock. It confronts the reality of living with the hand that’s been dealt and searching for meaning in what remains. It speaks to loss—the crushing weight of saying goodbye to a beloved 17-year old cat, the slow-motion grief of watching friends self-destruct, the inescapable passage of time as it bears down on aging parents and the self. But it also reflects the warmth of reconnection, the kind of love that never burns out but instead deepens. The feeling of picking up where things left off, untouched by the years in between.

While written over the course of two years, the recording process reflects a sense of immediacy. Rather than assembling songs piece by piece over time, the album took shape in singular, immersive sessions—less an act of construction, more an unveiling of something already waiting to take shape.
Rooted in a staunch DIY ethos, Wasluck handles every aspect of Planning For Burial project himself—recording the music, designing the artwork, and performing live as a one-man band. He books his own tours, ever and independent creative. This hands-on approach has led Planning For Burial to play hundreds of shows solidifying his place in the underground music scene. A defining moment came in 2018 when he performed at the Meltdown Festival in London, curated by Robert Smith of The Cure.

Perth’s finest, Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, continue their onslaught on 2025 with the release of a brand new single & announcing details of their 7th record due in May 2025. ‘Carpe Diem, Moonman’ promises to be another weird & wonderful journey through the mind of Jack McEwan, the talisman of the Perth 5-piece. It’s announced alongside brand-new single ‘Weird World Awoke’, another ferocious blast of inimitable rock & roll, with a lyrical rollercoaster to keep pace with the relentless tempo & guitar slaloms.
McEwan himself had this to say about the new record: “Carpe Diem, Moonman” is an entanglement of chaos, the bi-product of excessive touring, an explosion of doubt, wonder, excitement, dog bites, Greek philosophy, death, weekend benders and a partridge in a pear tree, a mongrel of sorts. There’s so many genres, flavours, cream crackers and fairground amusements packed into CDM. It blasts out the gates, takes you for a spin then leads you off into somewhere beautiful, fun and enthralling. I want people to come back and find something new with each listen.”

Slaughter was formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1988. The group was founded by lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Mark Slaughter
and bassist Dana Strum, who previously played together in the band Vinnie Vincent Invasion. The addition of guitarist Tim Kelly
and drummer Blas Elias allowed Slaughter to quickly gain attention for their lively performances, catchy hooks, and melodic guitar solos. Slaughter's debut album Stick It to Ya had three singles released that hit the Billboard Hot 100: the hit "Fly to the Angels" (US#19), and the moderate hits "Up All Night" (US#27) and "Spend My Life" (US#39). In 1992, the band released their second album, titled The Wild Life. It reached number eight on the
US Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and was certified gold, but did not produce any Top 40 hits on the US Hot 100. The only single to reach the Hot 100 was the first single "Real Love" (US#69). The band would go on to release Fear No Evil in 1995, followed up by Revolution in 1997 and their last studio album Back To Reality in 1999. Now Revolution is getting a makeover, being released in updated packaging by original artist Ioannis (Deep Purple, Allman Brothers, BOC), including a 6-Panel Digipak CD

White colored vinyl :)

Die Modern Folk-Künstlerin Jensen McRae hat das Veröffentlichungsdatum ihres mit Spannung erwarteten zweiten Albums „I Don't Know How But They Found Me!“ bekannt gegeben, das am 25. April über Dead Oceans erscheinen wird. Zusammen mit der Ankündigung hat sie auch ihre neueste Single und das Video „Praying For Your Downfall“ veröffentlicht, ein Meisterwerk der Offenheit, das Witz und Charme verbindet, während McRae darüber nachdenkt, wie sie den Drang nach Rache an jemandem, der ihr das Herz gebrochen hat, loslassen kann.



Jensen McRae - Praying For Your Downfall (Official Video)



Vor dem Hintergrund von Herzschmerz, Selbstfindung und der Komplexität der Liebe ist „I Don't Know How But They Found Me!“ eine mutige Entwicklung für die junge Künstlerin. Das elf Titel umfassende Album, das in North Carolina mit Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Bon Iver) aufgenommen wurde und an dem Nathan Stocker (Hippo Campus), Matthew McCaughan (Bon Iver) und ihr Bruder Holden McRae mitgewirkt haben, ist eine lebendige Sammlung von Songs, die von messerscharfen Texten und zeitlosen Pop-Melodien getragen werden. McRaes Stimme ist so vielseitig wie ihr Songwriting - mal flüsternd und strukturiert, dann wieder klar und hell. Es ist eine Stimme, die sowohl den Herzschmerz des Verlassenwerdens als auch die Stärke des Verlassens verkörpert.



Von Anfang an haben sich die Fans in Jensen McRae verliebt, für ihre scharfsinnigen, aufrüttelnden und klarsichtigen Songs. Ihr Songwriting ist verletzlich, ja, aber es ist auch stark, weil es sich nicht zurückhält. „I Don't Know How But They Found Me!“ zeigt McRaes Entwicklung von einer vielversprechenden jungen Künstlerin zu einer echten Songwriterin und Star. „Die tiefgreifendsten Entscheidungen meines Lebens“, sagt McRae, “haben sich oft wie Dinge angefühlt, die ich getan habe, bevor ich dazu bereit war, und in die ich hineinwachsen musste.“ „I Don't Know How But They Found Me!“ handelt davon, was folgt, wenn man dem widerstanden hat, von dem man dachte, dass es einen vernichten würde. Es geht darum, seine Grenzen kennenzulernen und zu erfahren, wozu man fähig ist. „Ich verband mich mit dem Gedanken, dass ich leicht unter dem Gewicht dessen, was mir widerfahren ist, hätte zusammenbrechen können, aber ich tat es nicht. Ich wusste es nicht einmal“, sagt sie, ‚aber ich war die ganze Zeit kugelsicher“. Jensen McRae ist in L.A. geboren und aufgewachsen und hat fast ihr ganzes Leben lang Musik studiert und gemacht. In der High School nahm sie am Grammy Camp teil und schloss ihr Studium an der USC Thornton School of Music mit einem Abschluss in Popular Music ab. McRaes Debütalbum „Are You Happy Now?“ schrieb sie größtenteils im Alter von 21 Jahren und war der erste Schritt zum Aufbau einer treuen Fangemeinde. „Are You Happy Now?“ navigiert die Identität von ihren tiefsten Grundlagen - dem Leben als junge, gemischtrassige schwarze und jüdische Frau - bis hin zu ihren persönlichsten Überlegungen - vertraue ich dir, vertraue ich mir selbst. McRaes Vertrauen in sich selbst hat sich mehrfach bestätigt, zuletzt und vielleicht am bekanntesten in Form des Songs „Massachusetts“. McRae postete eine Solo-Strophe und einen Refrain, kaum mehr als ein Stück eines Demos, und es fing Feuer im Internet. Covers, Duette und eine Lawine neuer Fans folgten, und McRae krönte den Moment mit einer fertigen Version und einer sommerlangen Tournee als Support von Noah Kahan. „I Don't Know How But They Found Me!“ nimmt McRaes mittlerweile beachtliche Fähigkeiten auf und macht sie massentauglich. „Savannah“ ist ein Song für alle, die schon lange dabei sind. Der pulsierende, an Country angelehnte Song erinnert sofort an das Beste von Phoebe Bridgers, wobei McRae in einem akrobatischen Flüsterton über einer federleichten akustischen Gitarre singt. Wenn „Savannah“ sein Crescendo erreicht, wird klar, dass McRae eine Künstlerin mit einer ganz eigenen Kraft ist, wenn sich Klavier und Gitarre überlagern und McRae eine Reihe bissiger Anklagen mit Schärfe und Überzeugung vorträgt: "You swore you'd raise our kids to end up just like you / well you're a false prophet / and that's a goddamn promise." Währenddessen ist „Let Me Be Wrong“ eine echte Hymne, eine beschwingte Ode an die Ablehnung von Perfektionismus. Wiederum auf einem einfachen Gesang und einer Akustikgitarre aufbauend, steigert sich „Let Me Be Wrong“ Schritt für Schritt in seinem Trotz; die Gitarren schichten sich, das Schlagzeug nimmt das Tempo auf, und McRae macht Platz für die Fehler aller. Wenn McRae knurrt „fuck those girls got everything“, ist das ein Schlag voller Kraft und Verletzlichkeit, der darum bettelt, unisono so laut wie möglich gebrüllt zu werden. Der ungewöhnliche Titel ihres zweiten Albums? Er stammt aus einer Zeile in McRaes Lieblingsfilm „Zurück in die Zukunft“. Ein Hauptdarsteller überlebt einen Kugelhagel, und dieses Bild hat McRae sehr beeindruckt. „Ich habe mich mit dem Gedanken angefreundet, dass ich leicht unter dem Gewicht dessen, was mir passiert ist, hätte zusammenbrechen können, aber das habe ich nicht. Ich wusste es nicht einmal“, sagt McRae, “aber ich war die ganze Zeit über kugelsicher.“

Are you ready for this next release of ShitNGutz??

Over the decades, the image of Kompakt as a pirate ship has taken root in our minds, braving the dangers of the seven seas of the music market. Sometimes it glides with a tailwind through calm waters, sometimes it has to survive violent storms. When we set sail in 1993, we never would have dreamt that our journey would still be going on after more than three decades and with 500 releases to date.

In our fast-paced business, the 500 mark is rarely reached, so we want to celebrate it with a lavish 5LP box set. In a democratic process, we have selected 50 pearls from the thousands of tracks released over the last 33 1/3 years and pressed them onto 5 brightly coloured vinyls. Alongside many Kompakt evergreens, there are also some real rarities from the early ‘Kompakt Sound of Cologne’, which have been lovingly remastered here to shine in new splendour.

The box also contains a 144-page book that tells the story of Kompakt from 1993 to today with detailed texts and images. In addition to the manifold musical and graphic achievements of Kompakt, the multidisciplinary links to the visual arts are also highlighted here.

The Bonus Picture Disc opens with the symbolic tolling of 500 bass drums, followed by 50 locked grooves from the 5 Kompakt founders, looping into infinity at 133 1/3 BPM, and the ‘33 1/3 Years Loop Opera’ – in which the loops are combined into one track that, in its reduced essence, is more than the sum of its individual parts. The magic of groovy loop minimalism and the ‘art of omission’ are once again brought to the proverbial point.

On 23 May 2025, the big KOMPAKT 500 art exhibition will open at the venerable Kölnischer Kunstverein to coincide with the release. The entire visual cosmos of Kompakt will be shown here in an unprecedented way on three floors, with the participation of many renowned artists. Of course, there will also be dancing and partying at the vernissage party, with DJ sets and live shows by the Kompakt Allstars.

The last one turns off the bass drum.


Im Laufe der Jahrzehnte hat sich in unseren Köpfen das Bild von Kompakt als Piratenschiff festgesetzt, das den Gefahren der sieben Weltmeere des Musikmarktes trotzt. Mal gleitet es mit Rückenwind durch ruhige Gewässer, mal muss es heftige Stürme überstehen. Als wir 1993 die Segel setzten, hätten wir uns nicht träumen lassen, dass unsere Reise nach über drei Jahrzehnten und mittlerweile 500 Veröffentlichungen immer noch andauert.

Die 500 ist in unserem schnelllebigen Geschäft eine selten erreichte Katalognummer und soll daher mit einer üppigen 5LP-Box gebührend gefeiert werden. In einem demokratischen Prozess haben wir aus den tausenden Tracks der letzten 33 1/3 Jahre 50 Perlen ausgewählt und auf 5 knallbunte Vinyls gepresst. Neben vielen Kompakt-Evergreens finden sich auch einige echte Raritäten des frühen “Kompakt Sound of Cologne”, die hier liebevoll remastered in neuem Glanz erstrahlen.

Die Box enthält außerdem ein 144-seitiges Buch, das mit ausführlichen Texten und Bildern die Kompakt-Geschichte von 1993 bis heute erzählt. Neben den mannigfaltigen musikalischen und grafischen Errungenschaften von Kompakt werden hier auch die multidisziplinären Vernetzungen zur bildenden Kunst beleuchtet.

Die Bonus Picture Disc wird mit einem symbolischen Glockenschlag von 500 Bassdrums eröffnet, gefolgt von 50 Endlosrillen der 5 Kompakt-Gründer, die sich bei 133 1/3 BPM in die Unendlichkeit schleifen sowie der “33 1/3 Years Loop Opera”, in der die Loops zu einem Track zusammengefügt werden, der in seiner reduzierten Essenz mehr ist als die Summe seiner Einzelteile. Die Magie des groovenden Loop-Minimalismus und die “Kunst des Weglassens” werden einmal mehr auf den sprichwörtlichen Punkt gebracht.

Am 23. Mai 2025 eröffnet parallel zum Release die große KOMPAKT 500 Kunstausstellung im ehrwürdigen Kölnischen Kunstverein. Der gesamte visuelle Kosmos von Kompakt wird hier unter Beteiligung vieler namhafter Künstler*Innen in nie gesehener Form auf drei Etagen gezeigt. Selbstverständlich darf zur Vernissagenparty auch getanzt und gefeiert werden zu DJ Sets und Liveshows der Kompakt Allstars.

Der Letzte macht die Bassdrum aus.

The first in a proposed series of transmissions, Surface Detail's mystifying debut introduces an incorporeal body that exists only through sound and sensation, prompting listeners to discern a spiritual realm beyond the physical. Its surging electro-acoustic compositions push past the material world to plunge into deeper sonic dimensions, slowly revealing a philosophy borne of near-death and out-of-body experiences that challenges perception itself.

Overhauling vintage experimental techniques with their bespoke modern methodologies and processes, Surface Detail rearrange the musical timeline, merging vastly different concepts to hint at questions rather than provide solid answers. Their uniquely immersive soundscapes use texture, rhythm and tonality to help brush away the superficial and contemplate the unknown, approaching its delicate, controversial subject matter with sensitivity and sensuality. Not just an auditory experience, 'Surface Detail' tests the potential of sound itself, eliciting visceral physical reactions with its uncanny subtleties.

Those principles are divulged immediately on opening track 'Marée Noire', as breathy saxophone notes loops and swirl over cosmic oscillations and microtonally tuned drones. It's music that cracks open a passage that snakes through various genres, suggesting silhouettes rather than affirming banal musical preconceptions. Skeletal rhythms appear in the ether for only a moment, disappearing into the sonic landscape, and Surface Detail's bespoke instrumentation materializes just to bring out the cellular intricacy of the music, concentrating the gaze on microscopic textures and irregularities that discompose the senses. As the album drifts forward, it bends material reality even further: on 'Southern Breach', warm, lower-register organ tones intermingle with sinewy guitar twangs, evaporating into warped, hypnotic oscillations and eerie echoes; and by 'Superbook of the Dead', the conspicuous details have almost disappeared completely, replaced by subterranean clangs, industrial ambience and other-worldly electrical interference.

It's in this way that Surface Detail softly assert their convictions, insinuating a narrative that subliminally ushers listeners down an hypnagogic River Styx by removing all traces of the familiar. On closing track 'Broken Silicates', distant lullabies, dissociated stutters and ghostly woodwind sounds blot fractal patterns on the wide open space, reincarnating the album in a liminal zone that's not constrained by somatic logic. Whisper quiet and utterly beguiling, it transcends material existence, dissolving barriers between surface and depth.

Oxford band Low Island announce their new album, bird, produced by Grizzly Bear’s Chris Taylor on label Emotional Interference. Recorded at the legendary La Frette Studios, bird is an album as brash as it is tender, exploring the struggle to find freedom and presence in an increasingly automated world.

The result is an album where Jay’s guitars and synths screech with unhinged anger as much as they wail with anguish; Lively’s bass dances frantically whilst swimming underneath the songs with an effortless beauty; Higginbottom’s drums are as deft as they are punishing; Posada’s voice as frail as it is resilient.

These emotional polarities speak to the heart of bird: a coming to terms with the overwhelming breadth of experience in the modern world, trapped as we are in our own bodies. How do we act in the face of this? Do we try to reach beyond ourselves? Wish to be saved or transformed? Retreat inwards? Or embrace things as they are? These are the questions that haunt bird in its search for freedom and presence.

House Music label Ascension on Wax are proud to present AOW003 - Toronto Hustle & Sean Roman - The Unity EP. This duo have had a real buzz to them of late with strong releases on Wolf, Local Talk and Freerange this past year. Now with AoW, this is another EP which truly delivers for the House heads.
Side A is complimented by vocals from Detroit legend Jovonntte, and a mesmerising remix by 90's Deep House pioneer Abacus. Side B is for those deeper, early morning hours with a hard-hitting dub mix followed by a Deep House roller. This versatile release is for those with a love for that iconic 90's US East Coast sound.
Support from Franck Roger, Dj Deep, Dam Swindle, Philippa, Felipe Gordon amongst may others.

From the experimental chaos of IDM to the deep, soulful chords of Detroit techno, Japanese DJ and producer Takuya Matsumoto takes us on a captivating journey through decades of musical evolution. Vertical Stories is Takuya’s debut album, and it seamlessly blends the past with the future. Get ready to dive into a sonic landscape that spans from unfiltered energy to complex, layered textures. If you’re a fan of the raw energy of Underground Resistance, the innovative sounds of Mike Paradinas, or the intricate layers of Floating Points and Pepe Bradock, to name just a few, this full-length album is for you!