Buscar:reflection

Leading outlet for forward-thinking Scandinavian jazz, April Records, proudly presents the new album from Malmö-based quintet People In Orbit. A followup to their critically acclaimed 2023 release Close/Away (Naxos Prophone), the group continues to explore Scandinavia"s jazz tradition through a contemporary lens, blending acoustic interplay with electronics and a focus on collective improvisation. Led by trumpeter and composer Adam Sass, People In Orbit were formed in late 2020 with the intention of reimagining the classic jazz quintet with a contemporary edge. The group prioritises space, interaction, and ensemble balance, allowing composed material and collective responsiveness to shape the music. Alongside Sass, the band features Edvin Ekman (tenor saxophone, effects), Niklas Bergström (piano, Moog, keyboards), Edvin Elmersson (double bass), and Frank William Reis (drums). Viewpoint is a concept-driven album centred on perspective; how different viewpoints influence the way events are interpreted, and how perspective can foster connection or distance. Much of the album is built around Cycles, a four-part suite composed from a graphic score, with each section representing a different human life and its relationship to the surrounding world. The album moves through shifting emotional and psychological states, from curiosity and tension to reflection and release. Perspective is explored not only through human experience, but also via non-human viewpoints - including music inspired by deep-ocean communication between whales and slow, drifting motion. Musically, Viewpoint continues People In Orbit"s blend of modern jazz-rock and electronics, while drawing influence from the Scandinavian jazz quintet tradition of the 1960s. The music balances structured composition with openness, allowing individual voices to exist within a clearly defined collective sound. With Viewpoint, People In Orbit presents a focused and cohesive statement - an album shaped by shared intent, conceptual clarity, and a continued commitment to collective expression.

Odisea is the new album, actually the real debut from Los Retros, out in April on Stones Throw. It draws inspiration from 1980s Japanese City Pop, and marks a new creative chapter from Mauri Tapia shaped by growth, reflection, and renewed purpose. It's been a journey since Tapia first captured hearts with the lo-fi magic of "Someone To Spend Time With", recorded at the age of 17 on a humble four-track in his parents' living room. Now 25, the Oxnard native has stepped into an entirely new season of life - he married his high school sweetheart, became a father to two daughters, and embraced spiritual faith. Earlier this year, he revisited his start with Early Days (2016-2019), a compilation of unreleased music from Mauri's teen years. "Jazz fusion has become my favorite genre and greatest inspiration of all time," Mauri says. "I made this album for the version of me that first fell in love with music. It's my full-circle moment - a sonic hat tip to my beginnings - as well as a nod to the forefathers of jazz fusion and city pop for leaving us with great music." Through it all, he's kept the same DIY spirit, writing and recording every note himself, only now in a home studio of his own. On Odisea, Tapia blends neon-lit City Pop with the melodic sensibility of Latin American soft rock. Mauri's deep love for 70s and 80s jazz fusion records anchors the album, yet Tapia filters those influences through a modern lens. Odisea features two Japanese vocalists, - Hikari and HITOMITOI. Also check out Los Retros new compilation "Early Days" released simultaneously. RIYL soul, bedroom pop, indie, modern jazz, downtempo, soft rock, Mac DeMarco, Thee Sacred Souls, Skinshape, Men I Trust

Composed by Christina Vantzou between 2023 and 2025 after being commissioned by INA GRM, »The Reintegration of the Ear« defines listening as a radical, embodied act of attention: a slower kind of presence rooted in care, intimacy, and reflection. Performed with John Also Bennett, Oliver Coates, Roman Hiele, and Irene Kurka, the work moves through intuition, breath, and resonance, forming an acoustic ecology between perception and expression.

Paired with »Observations, Edits, a Cure for Restlessness«, a companion suite of domestic fragments and temporal drift featuring harp by Sissi Rada, Ben Bertrand's bass clarinet, and others, time here is embodied, a porous medium where sound floats, reforms, and reveals itself as both instrument and witness.

José González has delivered a new album, Against the Dying of the Light, a companion and further meditation on the themes of his critically acclaimed album, Local Valley. Where Local Valley turned inward toward place, language, and personal reflection, this new record widens its gaze, becoming an urgent call to preserve the light of humanity with all its flaws, at a moment when, technology increasingly shapes how we think, feel, and relate to one another.

While José has always embraced technological advancement, he questions the assumption that every new possibility must be pursued to its maximum potential, especially when progress comes at the expense of human flourishing, attention, and empathy.

Keeping in the tradition of folk music as protest, José’s new single — sharing its title with the forthcoming album — urges listeners to resist systems that dehumanize and divide: “Disconnect from every algorithm, every perverse incentive that drags you down. Let’s rebel against the replicators, against the dying of the light. Kill the codes that feed the hate, keep the codes that make you thrive, celebrate the **king fact that we’re alive.”

Across the album, González works within a deliberately minimal framework, pushing his familiar palette to new heights through subtle variation, restraint, and detail. Each song unfolds with its own distinct character, proving how much emotional and musical range can be achieved within self - imposed limitations. Written in English, Swedish, and Spanish, the record reflects his Swedish - Argentine roots and frames its humanist message as a global one rather than a purely personal or political statement.

José González is one of the most quietly influential artists of our generation. The Swedish - Argentine artist has built a singular musical world from hypnotic, minimal guitar work and his unmistakably gentle voice — a sound that has become deeply personal to millions of listeners worldwide. With billions of streams across platforms and hundreds of thousands of physical records sold, González’s songs often act as emotional landmarks. Ask almost anyone, and they can name at least one of his tracks tied to a defining moment in their lives.

In Soft Power, Funk Assault turns their surgical precision toward the invisible forces that shape modern life - control not through force, but through aesthetics, etiquette, and algorithms. Across five tightly woven tracks, the duo dissects how obedience is engineered through desire, conformity, and digital seduction.

From the sterile luxury of Aesthetics of Desire to the algorithmic exhibitionism of Like Me, Watch Me, and the chilling calm of Obedience Spa, this EP is a reflection on how control has evolved -smoother, quieter, but no less powerful. Soft Power invites listeners to dance, reflect, and perhaps notice the strings they didn't know were there.

Knowledge The Pirate returns with a powerful new statement with his new album, The Round Table, which is now available. The Round Table is produced in its entirety by longtime collaborator and legend Roc Marciano through his Pimpire International imprint.

With roots in New York’s revered ‘90s hip-hop scene, Knowledge The Pirate has steadily built a reputation as one of the genre’s most consistent and authentic voices. A frequent Roc Marci collaborator and key figure in the modern underground renaissance, Knowledge fuses golden-age grit with new wave innovation—bridging generations while staying firmly rooted in New York’s timeless sound.

Since his 2018 debut Flintlock, Knowledge has carved a lane entirely his own through his label Treasure Chest Entertainment, Inc. With five acclaimed projects under his belt, including the recent 5lbs of Pressure, he continues to deliver unfiltered street wisdom and personal reflection in every bar.

The Round Table stands as a testament to his evolution—an uncompromising body of work laced with Roc Marciano’s signature production and Knowledge’s lived-in lyricism. It’s not just a record—it’s a meeting of the minds, an audio council of kings.

“The Round Table is cinematic storytelling, teaching street knowledge, eating etiquette that will save your life” Knowledge professes. “This album is like an Honorable Elijah Muhammad book; How To Eat To Live. Produced fully by the true creator of the new wave sound, Roc Marciano, you are all invited to a seat at The Round Table; and break bread with the true Godfathers of this new wave rap renaissance.”

Killer Groove Records proudly presents "Keep Your Step", the explosive comeback by Italian rock steady & early reggae ambassadors The Appetizers, a soulful celebration of reggae's timeless spirit.


"Keep Your Step" marks the band's much-awaited return, landing April 10th on limited edition LP, CD digipack and digital format featuring two exclusive bonus tracks.

The Appetizers deliver a masterclass in roots reggae music with their highly anticipated second studio album, bridging Jamaica's golden age with contemporary relevance. "Keep Your Step" is a heartfelt sonic journey where the band blends rocksteady and early reggae with funk and soul influences to create a sound that's both genuine and refreshingly modern.

The fourteen tracks move fluidly between infectious dancefloor fillers and socially conscious lyrics. From the laid-back swing of "Feel Like Dancing" to the hypnotic rhythm of "Thicker Than Water", the band demonstrates their versatility while remaining true to the roots of Jamaican sound. "A Message from The Meters" pays tribute to the legendary funk pioneers, while the instrumental "Catch This" and "Make It Reggay" highlight the band's musical prowess and the deep connections between reggae and funk.

Meanwhile, tracks like "Fussy Girl" and "Behind My Shoulders" explore love's complexities with humor and soul. The album's heart lies in its social consciousness. "Cool and Deadly", "The Life", "Stormy Weather" and the album title track "Keep Your Step" tell stories of perseverance through life's struggles.

With the hopeful anthem "We Shall Overcome," The Appetizers deliver a timely message about genuine human connection in a social media-dominated era. The digital edition closes with "Get Some Rollin'" and "Swing and Sway," rounding out the journey with two additional gems.

"Keep Your Step" pays homage to Jamaican music legends, from Jackie Mittoo and Tommy McCook to Toots & the Maytals, while carving out The Appetizers' own distinctive sound. This is a groove made for both the dance floor and the soul, proving that reggae's power to inspire, unite, and uplift remains as vital as ever.

The production stays true to The Appetizers' signature sound: organic tones, deep groove, and that live-room vibe you only get when real musicians are locked in together. Luca Monza and Claudio Mambrini, the band's core members, handled the artistic production. Mastering came courtesy of the great JJ Golden (Black Pumas, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos, The Frightnrs) at Golden Mastering in Ventura, California. JJ is one of the most trusted engineers working in this sound, ensuring every ounce of warmth and authenticity came through.

The Appetizers are a rocksteady and early reggae band formed in Milan in 2020 by musicians deeply embedded in the Italian and international reggae scene. Musicians from different paths united by a shared vision: recreating that vintage Caribbean and American sound with authenticity, respect and a forward-thinking edge.

Drawing inspiration from Jamaica's golden era and channeling the soul of Delroy Wilson, Alton Ellis, the early Wailers, and The Upsetters, The Appetizers carry forward the essence of bass culture with a pure, fully organic approach.

Their debut album Listen Up! (2022), released via Belgian imprint Badasonic Records (home to The Slackers, The Aggrolites, David Hillyard & Victor Rice), featured ten original tracks and a dub cut by Victor Rice. Distributed across Europe, the UK, the US, and Japan, it quickly earned international recognition among reggae connoisseurs and selectors worldwide.

Following extensive touring, including shows with The Slackers, Black Uhuru, Skip Marley, and more, the band returned to the studio to record "Keep Your Step", their second album produced by Killer Groove Records. Here the band expands its musical language, weaving together the spirit of historic Jamaican labels like Studio One and Treasure Isle with '60s funk, arriving at a warm, organic, and timeless sound: soul, Jamaican roots, and modern sensibility in perfect balance. Their lyrics explore heartbreak, social issues, and reflections on life and music, performed with dedication and respect for tradition while always pushing forward.


If you're into The Skatalites, The Ethiopians, and those classic Caribbean rhythms, this one's for you.

On Psalm Funk, Bnnyhunna deepens the artistic language he first articulated on his celebrated debut Echoes of a Prayer. Rather than retracing familiar ground, the Amsterdam-based composer and producer expands his palette, allowing rhythm and space to carry as much narrative weight as harmony and lyricism.

While Echoes of a Prayer felt personal and devoted, Psalm Funk opens things up. Gospel harmonies stay central to his music, but now they are energized by smooth funk rhythms and heightened by the flexibility of jazz improvisation. Bnnyhunna moves between styles effortlessly, in a way that nothing seems borrowed, but everything feels lived in.

At the center of the record is an understanding of space. Silence acts not as an absence but as a structure. Breath, restraint, and patience shape the music just as much as basslines and backbeats. This awareness of dynamics allows the album to grow without losing its focus. It signifies a subtle but important change in Bnnyhunna as an artist, moving from inward reflection to forward momentum, from prayer as personal dialogue to prayer as a physical expression. The clarity, discipline, and emotional depth that marked his debut remain, now directed into something more rhythmically confident and spiritually uplifting.

Fusing gospel, funk, jazz, and African rhythmic traditions, Psalm Funk serves as both a meditation and an outpouring. It invites deep thought while demanding a physical response.

The album includes collaborations with American saxophonist Braxton Cook, trumpeter Sheila Maurice-Grey of Kokoroko, 3DDY, and Reggie Dartey, among others. The singles "Sorry Not Sorry" and "Waiting For You" have already hinted at the project's range, while the latest single, "The Heart Part 2," further expands on the album's dynamic and emotional scope.

To celebrate the release, Bnnyhunna will tour the Netherlands in April, with performances in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Nijmegen before heading to the UK for a show at The Great Escape.

Released in October 2024, Bnnyhunna's debut album Echoes of a Prayer was created as a dialogue with God, a personal call expressed through sound. The record resonated both with fans and media, gaining support from platforms like 3voor12, Rolling Stone Africa, and Afromixx. It reached the airwaves of BBC Radio 1 in the UK, KEXP in the US, J-Wave in Japan, and 3FM in the Netherlands, and landed in playlists such as BUTTER, Morning Rhythm, and Vanguard.

In 2025, Echoes of a Prayer earned the Edison Pop award for Soul/R&B/Funk and received Grammy consideration for Best Alternative Jazz Album. On stage, Bnnyhunna established his presence with performances at festivals such as Lowlands, Couleur Cafe, Brick Lane Jazz Festival, Dour, and Super Sonic Jazz, as well as his first tour in Japan.



Upcoming live shows:
10/04/26 - BIRD, Rotterdam (NL)
11/04/26 - Doornroosje, Nijmegen (NL)
12/04/26 - Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam (NL)
13/05/26 - The Great Escape, Brighton (UK)

Marking twenty years since South African producer and DJ Esa Williams left Cape Town, Dala What We Must is a deeply personal and expansive debut LP, an exploration of movement, memory, and sound shaped by two decades of creative evolution.

Co-created with collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Robin G. Breeze, the album deftly combines field recordings, layered instrumentation, and emotionally resonant compositions into a nuanced, globally influenced body of work. It also stands as Esa’s most collaborative release to date, featuring contributions from musicians across London, Oaxaca, Nairobi, and Cape Town, each adding their own creative energy to a project built on openness, trust, and shared experience.

The album draws inspiration from Esa’s recent ventures into documentary scoring and soundtracking, with projects like Cursed (Audible) and The Invisible Hand teaching him to listen differently, to honour space, to serve the story. That sensibility permeates the album, resulting in music that breathes, lingers, and listens as much as it speaks.

The title, Dala What We Must, is a South African call to action: a reminder to do what’s necessary, even in uncertainty. Finalised in the months leading up to Esa’s transition into fatherhood, the record carries a sense of grounding, care, and quiet transformation.

Dala What We Must is a sonic reflection of journey and community, a deeply collaborative project rooted in connection and guided by intention.

Marking twenty years since South African producer and DJ Esa Williams left Cape Town, Dala What We Must is a deeply personal and expansive debut LP, an exploration of movement, memory, and sound shaped by two decades of creative evolution. Co-created with collaborator and multi-instrumentalist Robin G. Breeze, the album deftly combines field recordings, layered instrumentation, and emotionally resonant compositions into a nuanced, globally influenced body of work. It also stands as Esa’s most collaborative release to date, featuring contributions from musicians across London, Oaxaca, Nairobi, and Cape Town, each adding their own creative energy to a project built on openness, trust, and shared experience. The album draws inspiration from Esa’s recent ventures into documentary scoring and soundtracking, with projects like Cursed (Audible) and The Invisible Hand teaching him to listen differently, to honour space, to serve the story. That sensibility permeates the album, resulting in music that breathes, lingers, and listens as much as it speaks.

The title, Dala What We Must, is a South African call to action: a reminder to do what’s necessary, even in uncertainty. Finalised in the months leading up to Esa’s transition into fatherhood, the record carries a sense of grounding, care, and quiet transformation. Dala What We Must is a sonic reflection of journey and community, a deeply collaborative project rooted in connection and guided by intention.

Florida deathcore heavyweights Bodysnatcher return with their most punishing and purposeful statement to date. ‘Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home’, out April 10, is not an escape record, it is a confrontation. Brutal, unrelenting, and emotionally unfiltered, the album captures a band fully locked into its identity while sharpening every weapon in its arsenal. True to their roots, Bodysnatcher deliver a sound steeped in suffocating grooves, bone-crushing breakdowns, and feral intensity. ‘Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home’ pushes beyond pure aggression. The record explores cycles of trauma, self-destruction, survival, and the uncomfortable truth that for many, suffering is not a phase, it is a place.

This is deathcore grounded in lived experience, written from inside the fire rather than in hindsight. Across the album, Bodysnatcher balance sonic violence with a disciplined sense of control. Downtuned riffs grind with oppressive weight, drums hit with mechanical precision, and vocals swing between outright hostility and grim reflection. Each track feels deliberate, built not just to hit hard, but to linger. With this release, Bodysnatcher continue to cement their position as one of modern deathcore’s most uncompromising voices. ‘Hell Is Here, Hell Is Home’ is a record built for the pit, rooted in truth, unflinching and heavy in every sense, delivered with absolute conviction.

Broadside has never been a band to stay in one place for too long—musically or otherwise. The Richmond, Virginia-based band has spent the past decade carving out their own space in the pop rock scene. Drawing influence from The Killers, AFI, Kings of Leon, and Taking Back Sunday, their sound seamlessly fuses nostalgic rock energy with a fresh, modern edge. Their evolution has been nothing short of remarkable, taking them from underground favorites to genre staples, all while embracing the idea that growth and change are not just inevitable but necessary. With Oliver Baxxter (vocals), Domenic Reid (guitar), and Patrick Diaz (bass/backup vocals) at the helm, Broadside has built a career on crafting music that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable.

Their last full-length album, Hotel Bleu, served as a bold chapter in their story, using the transient nature of hotel stays as a metaphor for self-reflection, fleeting moments, and personal reinvention. The album marked a significant milestone in their career, amassing over 100 million streams and standing as their boldest, brightest, and most ambitious work to date. Now, as they prepare to enter their next era, the band is gearing up to release their most dynamic music yet, continuing to evolve while staying true to the energy and authenticity that first captivated listeners.

Broadside has never been a band to stay in one place for too long—musically or otherwise. The Richmond, Virginia-based band has spent the past decade carving out their own space in the pop rock scene. Drawing influence from The Killers, AFI, Kings of Leon, and Taking Back Sunday, their sound seamlessly fuses nostalgic rock energy with a fresh, modern edge. Their evolution has been nothing short of remarkable, taking them from underground favorites to genre staples, all while embracing the idea that growth and change are not just inevitable but necessary.

With Oliver Baxxter (vocals), Domenic Reid (guitar), and Patrick Diaz (bass/backup vocals) at the helm, Broadside has built a career on crafting music that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable. Their last full-length album, Hotel Bleu, served as a bold chapter in their story, using the transient nature of hotel stays as a metaphor for self-reflection, fleeting moments, and personal reinvention. The album marked a significant milestone in their career, amassing over 100 million streams and standing as their boldest, brightest, and most ambitious work to date. Now, as they prepare to enter their next era, the band is gearing up to release their most dynamic music yet, continuing to evolve while staying true to the energy and authenticity that first captivated listeners.

With Alouette!, Les Louanges attempts to make sense of his human condition and Québécois identity by bringing guitars and Joual (the French language dialect spoken in Québec) to the forefront while still fuelling his signature grooves. More rock-oriented than his previous albums, this third effort is luminous yet rich in sounds, emotion and political commentary. It unfolds through a journey that will lead Loulou to encounter universal experiences such as illness, death, and true love.

The album is also the result of an artistic quest that began during a period of self-reflection, when Vincent Roberge (aka Les Louanges or Loulou) seized the opportunity to take a break after his last extended tour. Alongside the existential questions typical of someone approaching their thirties came a rediscovery of the classics—from Leonard Cohen and Prince to Richard Desjardins and the nursery rhyme that gives the album its name–, followed by total exploration. In addition to playing most of the instruments himself, the singer-songwriter revived obscure Quebec records through sampling and got to experiment with actual sound recording. Roberge co-produced Alouette! with his long-time collaborator Félix Petit (because why change a winning formula).

Four years after the success of his sophomore album Crash, Les Louanges returns more confident than ever, thanks to a renewed cultural and emotional baggage that allows him to reflect on the past to better engage with the present, while also enjoying it to the fullest. All of this, without overlooking the future, which he foresees with hope despite the collective challenges that await us.

Blue Hour is Nick Schofield’s first foray into ambient jazz music. The album is an ambient ode to Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way, and opens up Schofield’s sonic palette to introduce his childhood instrument, drums, with his contemporary ambient-electronic practice. Blue Hour features the intuitive, and totally improvised, trumpet playing of Scott Bevins (No Cosmos, Busty and the Bass).

Schofield grew up playing drums, but turned to creating experimental-electronic music when studying Electroacoustics at Concordia University. Well-known for his signature ambient aesthetic, Schofield has been called a “dazzling electronic artist” by Aquarium Drunkard and a “synth maven” by Constellation Records. Blue Hour marks the first time that he has merged his percussion practice with his ambient electronic explorations, and it is all in the service of reinterpreting Miles Davis’ 1969 watershed recording In a Silent Way.

Schofield improvised all of the drumming and main synthesizer parts over the course of a single day, recording in a church in Ottawa. These foundational layers comprise tender Moog pulses and Roland Juno-6 pads, some of which would not be out of place on the back half of Another Green World or Music Has the Right to Children.

If this was to be a reflection of In a Silent Way, of course there would need to be trumpet. Schofield invited Bevins to record the missing piece of the album during a one day recording session, where Bevins improvised all his trumpet parts having never heard the songs before. Scott Bevins’ contribution gives the music a leading instrumental voice, and his intuitive approach shows a perfect understanding of how to both integrate and elevate the compositions.

Blue Hour is itself a profound reference, an ambient adaptation, a dream realized and an uncanny synthesis of sounds, styles, and personal history.

Blue Hour is Nick Schofield’s first foray into ambient jazz music. The album is an ambient ode to Miles Davis’ In A Silent Way, and opens up Schofield’s sonic palette to introduce his childhood instrument, drums, with his contemporary ambient-electronic practice. Blue Hour features the intuitive, and totally improvised, trumpet playing of Scott Bevins (No Cosmos, Busty and the Bass).

Schofield grew up playing drums, but turned to creating experimental-electronic music when studying Electroacoustics at Concordia University. Well-known for his signature ambient aesthetic, Schofield has been called a “dazzling electronic artist” by Aquarium Drunkard and a “synth maven” by Constellation Records. Blue Hour marks the first time that he has merged his percussion practice with his ambient electronic explorations, and it is all in the service of reinterpreting Miles Davis’ 1969 watershed recording In a Silent Way.

Schofield improvised all of the drumming and main synthesizer parts over the course of a single day, recording in a church in Ottawa. These foundational layers comprise tender Moog pulses and Roland Juno-6 pads, some of which would not be out of place on the back half of Another Green World or Music Has the Right to Children.

If this was to be a reflection of In a Silent Way, of course there would need to be trumpet. Schofield invited Bevins to record the missing piece of the album during a one day recording session, where Bevins improvised all his trumpet parts having never heard the songs before. Scott Bevins’ contribution gives the music a leading instrumental voice, and his intuitive approach shows a perfect understanding of how to both integrate and elevate the compositions.

Blue Hour is itself a profound reference, an ambient adaptation, a dream realized and an uncanny synthesis of sounds, styles, and personal history.

Repress.

Step into a journey through time with Lapa Dula's debut album "Agua", proudly presented by the Early Sounds team. “Agua” is a sonic and aesthetic collage, a tribute to the sounds and memories of Naples and its surroundings in the vibrant cultural and social scene of the mid 1980s, not just a reflection of producer’s Alessandro La Padula childhood memories, but also a nod to the myths and legends of Partenope. Written between Rome and Naples and co-produced by label head Pellegrino, "Agua" is the latest addition to the imprint’s distinctive "Mediterranean sound" blending funk, Latin, world music, and disco, with songs like the balearic title track "Agua" and the nostalgic ode to rural life "Sibilla", also inspired by the myth of the Sibyl of Cumae, this album takes you on a journey of emotions and experiences.

From vernacular "Scemanfu", a fun play on the French expression "je m'en fous" (I don't care), to the contemplative "Navigante", dedicated to those who have found solace in the sea or in the virtual world, and the final track "Baibai", inspired by the adventurous and licentious affairs of English nobleman Sir Nathaniel Thorold, who lived on the island of Capri, each song tells a story and adds a piece to this mosaic of sounds, images, and places.

WRWTFWW Records is very excited to announce the first release from its new City Pop Series with Japanese singer, actress, entertainer, scholar and all-around legend Momoko Kikuchi’s sun-drenched classic Ocean Side album, available now as a limited-edition transparent vinyl LP in a heavyweight sleeve with obi.

A cult classic among Japanese music collectors, Ocean Side was originally released in 1984 by mythical label VAP and features lush compositions and arrangements by J-Pop icon Tetsuji Hayashi (Mariya Takeuchi, Miki Matsubara, Omega Tribe, Junichi Inagaki, Urusei Yatsura anime, soundtrack…). Momoko Kikuchi’s city pop gem is a flawless mix of heartwarming beachside funk, breezy grooves, and silky-smooth vocals - the feel-good music we all need in our life right now.

The 9-track summer-is-forever adventure notably includes the ultra-funky megahit “Blind Curve”, the fan-favorite title song, and the insanely romantic ballad “Futari No Night Drive”. A vibrant reflection of summer in 1980s Japan, Ocean Side masterfully balances nostalgia and elegance, and provides part of the origin story for revered modern music genres such as chillwave, and future funk, and vaporwave.

The official reissue licensed from VAP, Inc. is sourced from the original masters with an audiophile-cut by Sidney Meyer at Emil Berliner Studios.

WRWTFWW’s City Pop Series and its Lopetz/Büro Destruct-designed logo also includes jazz-fusion-AOR-mellow-funk treasure Safari (1984), a limited capsule collection of merch, and much more to come in the near future.

REISSUE OF THE 1972 MASTERPIECE BY THE BRAZILIAN SOLO GUITARIST - A VIRTUOSO ALBUM BLENDING CLASSICAL TECHNIQUE AND BRAZILIAN RHYTHMS and A STUNNING COVER

OFFICIALLY LICENSED FROM SONY.

Talulah’s Tape is the debut offering from magnetic Midwest-jangle collective Good Flying Birds. Across a patchwork mixtape of stripped-down home recordings that span the independent-guitar spectrum, the band delivers colorful, intricate pop songs perched between the immediacy of DIY punk and the intimate sweetness of twee. Breakbeats, memes, and noise glue everything together, making the album feel as chronically online as it is timeless.

Originally released on cassette in January 2025 by Midwest-punk legend Martin Meyers’s Rotten Apple label, the tape sold more than 300 copies in under a month and quickly became an out-of-print and coveted item. Meyers called it “certified catnip for popheads.” Now, with a refined track list and a fresh master from Greg Obis, Talulah’s Tape returns on LP and CD via Carpark and Smoking Room in October 2025.

While production and approach vary, a through-line of sensitive self-contemplation rests on bright, scrappy guitars and hyperactive melodic bass. Opener “Down on Me” rides a buoyant bass line while jangling guitars frame reflections on overcoming trauma: “I see you in the mirror every time I cry / I hear your voice every time I try.” Next, the guitars trade twinkling counter-melodies on “I Care for You,” pairing sugary, lovestruck lyrics with effervescent strums: “You catch me when I fall / You build me up so tall.”

The rosy grin occasionally twists into a wicked smirk. “Dynamic” warns, “You used to paint the face, but now you’re just the clown,” while “Glass” asks, “Is it lonely at the top when everyone follows the trend, and you hold the pen?” Both tracks brim with sparkling guitar interplay. By the closing, nearly five-minute “Last Straw,” Good Flying Birds stand far beyond conventional indie-pop or 4-track punk, unveiling a roller-coaster of unpredictable changes, vocal harmonies, and instrumental cross-talk.

Altogether, Talulah’s Tape is a pastel-yellow, candy-coated shell filled with thoughtful juxtapositions and melodic experiments. Standing on the same ground as idiosyncratic songwriters like Connie Converse and Daniel Johnston, Good Flying Birds find sweetness in sadness, tear stains on a colorful flower-print couch. Simultaneously, it’s packed with the scratchy guitars and vibrant rhythms of Scottish guitar groups like The Pastels, Orange Juice, and Josef K. It’s a tremendous opening statement from a band just getting started.