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‘THE GREATEST ROCKSTEADY ALBUM OF THE MILLENNIUM’ NARC - MAY 2022
4/5 REVIEW IN MOJO: “ONE OF THE MOST THRILLING ROCKSTEADY ALBUMS TO HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE THE GENRE EMERGED IN THE LATE 60's”

8/10 REVIEW IN UNCUT + TRACK ON COVERMOUNT: “A STUDIO-ONE INDEBTED, VINTAGE-SOUNDING STUNNER.”

The Frightnrs escort Daptone into the world of long-playing reggae with both the sweetest and the roughest record of the decade. This record will long be treasured by lovers of reggae, lovers of soul and lovers of love...

Crafted under the meticulous eye of black-belt reggae mastermind/producer Victor Axelrod (AKA Ticklah), Nothing More to Say is a rocksteady masterpiece the likes of which has not reared it’s head since the golden era of Studio One. However, you’ll find no imitation here - none of the faux-jamaican cliches of lesser reggae bands. Like all things Daptone, this record is above all soulful and honest.

With the exception of two soul covers (both from the Daptone catalog: Bob & Gene’s "Gotta Find a Way” and Saun and Starr’s “Gonna Make Time”,) the record is populated by original compositions of the highest order.

They are simply great songs, and though their treatment here is masterful, each one of them has the melodic and lyrical substance to hold it’s own in any genre. “Till Then” invokes the coquettish hyper-rhymes of top-form Smokey Robinson, while “Hey Brother” sounds like it fell off the desk of Gamble and Huff, and “Purple” defies any comparison at all.

From the first cracking snares of “All My Tears” through the final pulsing echoes of “Dispute,” the murderous rhythms of Rich Terrana (drums,) and brothers Preet and Chuck Patel (bass and piano, respectively) can be heard chunking mercilessly towards oblivion as Dan Klein pours his endearing poetry over the top like some
otherworldy falsetto potion.

Ayo lands on Kumquat with four cuts of distinct minimal flavor. Punchy kicks and crisp rhythms intertwine with intricately crafted squelches on Hint Please. Pressures Inside takes a lighter turn for early mornings, subtly balancing bouncy optimism with introspective vibes.

Bizness energy returns on the B side — Late Euphoria glides eerie vocal samples over razor-sharp snares that'll have dancers raising their arms in unison. The EP closes with a groovy chugger whose infectious bassline is certain to make sun-drenched dancefloors wiggle. Essential tunes from a rising Marseillais star whose sets consistently turn heads.

Phosphor returns with its fifth release and a new chapter for the label’s founders, Blue Vision. As their second EP on the imprint, Machines Will Transform Us (PHP005) confirms the project’s direction: a precise balance between club-driven tech house and more immersive, hypnotic electro textures.

Across the EP, Blue Vision asks a simple question: after spending our days connected to algorithms and modern machines, can repetitive rhythms and mechanical grooves on the dancefloor turn us into machines once again, or instead help us reconnect with ourselves?

Machines Will Transform Us (A1) opens the EP with a driving Italo bassline and tight, tech-driven drums. Melodic 80s synths contrast with sharper electro elements, gradually building tension before a final drop designed for peak-time impact. The track sets the tone for the release: machines transform us as much as we transform them.

Then comes Just a Game (A2), blending spacious 90s progressive and synthwave influences over a rock-solid club bassline and crisp drums. Playing with atmosphere and emotion, the track explores the feeling that we are never too far from a simulation, that maybe everything is just a game. Perfectly suited for introspective yet intense moments, it acts as an ideal bridge between harder tracks in a set.

On the flip side, I Love Acid (B1) is direct, hypnotic, and designed to lock the dancefloor into a steady flow. Stripped back to punchy drums and a raw acid line, it takes a minimal approach that works equally well in early hours or late-night sets. Behind the title lies the idea of acid as both machine energy and mental escape, where repetitive sequences blur the boundary between human emotion and mechanical movement.

As a final touch, Scan Your Brain (B2) shifts into deeper, more immersive territory. Analog pad textures create a drifting atmosphere over a hypnotic bassline and electro drums. With this closing track, Blue Vision answers their initial question by imagining the dancefloor as a space to disconnect from rigid thinking. The vocal serves as a reminder that the brain is constantly overloaded, and that dancing becomes a way to let go, reset, and reconnect.

In Arc, Yorkshire-born artist Kirk Barley explores alternative tunings and off-grid sequencing to shape fluid rhythmic and melodic systems that unfold into rich harmonic forms. Kirk’s fourth album under his own name and debut for Marionette continues his exploration of just intonation through a sparse but finely detailed palette of organic atmospheres, metallic shimmer and off-kilter rhythms. Across the record, glassy pads, gamelan metallophones, clarinet and guitar dissolve into fluid, dreamlike forms, suggesting vast coastal landscapes, charged air and the stillness that follows turbulence.

Drawing on the feel of sample-based hip-hop, the minimalism of Terry Riley and Jon Hassell, as well as dub techno and post-rock, Kirk brings together a range of influences in a sound that feels both intimate and expansive. After first hearing Terry Riley’s Shri Camel as a teenager, he became captivated by just intonation and microtuning, inspirations that have shaped his work ever since, from his earliest Bambooman releases to the present solo works and as on half of Church Andrews & Matt Davies. Arc is his first record to be fully rooted in alternative tunings from start to finish. Longtime friend and collaborator Matt Davies appears on Ion, Sundry, Ecstatic and Fret (Haar), where his finely detailed, ASMR-like muted percussion deepens the dialogue between tactile acoustic sound and Kirk’s luminous electronic palette.

Released in 2011, Komba is Buraka Som Sistema"s second studio album - their fusion of Angolan kuduro and bass music reaching further across the globe, absorbing new rhythms along the way. Among the standout tracks: "(We Stay) Up All Night" and "Hangover (Bababa)". This limited vinyl reissue - pressed on coloured wax for the first time - remains faithful to the original release, including the bonus track "Burakaton" featuring Colombian outfit Bomba Estéreo.

In a world currently defined by unrest, uncertainty, and cultural fracture, acclaimed saxophonist, composer, and bandleader Isaiah Collier returns with Joy, a 5-track EP that reframes one of humanity’s most nuanced emotions both as a devotional grounding and political act.

Collier’s deeply personal compositions present joy as an act that isn’t rooted in escapism or abstraction, but rather, as something hard-won rooted in lived experience, shaped by transformation, and sustained through connection. Throughout the album’s five compositions, Collier positions joy as a guiding light during challenging times, an expression of challenging yourself to utilize your gifts, an affirmation of love and discovery, and as an affirmative source of reassurance.

“We are in a paradoxical time, where so much is being revealed to us,” Collier shares. “Everything feels political from every scope… our collective hearts feel the heaviness in the air. Yet I say to you all—don’t despair. For right now, the most political thing we can do is share joy.”

That ethos is made clear in the opening title track and lead single “Joy.” A pulsing rhythmic motif anchors the melody with a sense of both searching and certainty. Collier conceived the piece around 3 years ago reflecting on a time where many people in his life were experiencing loss of family and friends and experiencing profound life transitions. “Everything just felt like it was falling apart with no aim in sight,” he reflects. “Yet, there is a light at the end of it all.”

As he played the chords with a sense of urgency, he could feel the vibration of yellow in the piece. That initial triplet motif serves as the guiding light on the piano and the only word Collier could hear was Joy. In addition to Collier at the helm singing and playing piano and tenor sax on the track, it features an expansive 11-piece ensemble with a full horn and string section allowing Collier’s propensity for composition and arrangement to shine with an eclectic sonic palette.

“Landscape of Dreams” finds Collier serendipitously leaning into utilizing his gifts as a multi-instrumentalist. While he had a sketch of the piece going into the studio, a traffic delay caused musicians to be late arriving at the studio. Never one to waste time in the studio environment, Collier stepped into new creative territory and took up the challenge of executing playing all instruments himself as an act of trust and experimentation. “I’ve never done this before, and so it was a leap of faith for me,” he asserts. “I always dream of doing stuff like this, and being part of the small percentage of people who can do it like Prince, Steve Lacy, Frank Zappa, and Stevie Wonder. The end result finds Collier immersed in a hypnotic soundscape playing layered flutes, drums, Metatron, Wurlitzer, and auxiliary percussion.

Another layer of joy is revealed in “Where I’m Loved” that serves as a love letter and leaning into the process of stepping into the willingness to explore life and love with a partner. On the intimate meditation of vulnerability and connection, Collier's vocal prowess is on full display, exerting effortless falsetto reminiscent of D’Angelo over soulful Wurlitzer and guitar as he crosses over into more R&B-inspired realms. “I believe everyone deserves this feeling or to honor the memories of it. Furthermore, I believe you should also go where you’re celebrated and not tolerated.”

“When the Dust Settles” captures the electricity of live collaboration and Collier further steps out of being confined to any specific genre. He had just gotten a microKORG keyboard from co-producer Sonny Daze and was exploring the vast array of sounds on the instrument. Collier plays synth bass on the microKORG joined by the electrifying improvisation of Cole Runge on guitar and the combustible rhythm of his brother Jeremiah Collier on drums with additional post-production work from Sonny Daze.

The album’s final track “God’s By Your Side” reflects on perseverance and artistic legacy, directly inspired from the passing of D’Angelo, whose life’s work was a huge part of Collier’s childhood growing up in the late 90s and early 00s. With gospel flavor and direct influence both from D’Angelo’s vocal and instrumental arrangements, the track speaks to resilience and persistence in the face of obstacles—an affirmation of source and reassurance. “And what’s better than having God by your side, right?” asserts Collier.

Joy is a through-and-through expression of the arc of joy in its truest form. Joy transcends fleeting happiness and is conscious gratitude shaped by taking chances, leaning into your gifts, fostering community, and lived experiences.

“Joy is partially happiness,” Collier explains. “But to me it means happily being grateful for family, friends, lovers, teachers, and good times. These are the things that anchor us.”

The release of Joy comes off the heels of significant momentum for Collier, whose work continues to garner accolades and resonate across cultural spheres. He was featured on the cover of DownBeat’s April 2025 issue, where he was named “The Next Sax Giant,” and profiled on NPR’s Jazz Night in America for his ambitious 13-movement interdisciplinary suite The Story of 400 Years, that traces 400 years of Black American History. He released two full-length albums in 2024 with The World Is on Fire highlighted in The New York Times’ Fall Arts Preview and The Almighty named among the publication’s Best Jazz Albums of the year.

Beyond performance and recoding, Collier’s influence is recognized in broader cultural and intellectual spaces as he was the recipient of the Jazz Journalists Association’s 2025 Up and Coming Artist of the Year Award, the 2024 Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz, and was named a Steve Jobs Archive Fellow joining an elite cohort of the next generation of artistic visionaries through a yearlong program.

In addition to the release of Joy, Collier is touring his “Collier Plays Coltrane” program throughout 2026 in honor of John Coltrane’s centennial. Rather than presenting Coltrane’s expansive catalog as repertory, Collier approaches this music as something living, reshaping it in real-time with a sense of space and improvisational dialog reflecting both reverence to the past and present times.

Jorge Ben’s 1963 debut, Samba Esquema Novo, introduced his infectious blend of bossa nova and samba, propelled by the timeless Mas Que Nada and Chove Chuva. While his later sound leaned more into rock and Afro-Brazilian rhythms, this album bursts with swirling melodies, rich harmonies, and big-band energy, all anchored by Ben’s distinctive, minor-key guitar work. A vibrant, era-defining classic.

The recordings on Volume II were captured in Copenhagen, Denmark on January 18, 2020. Guided as much by human instinct as by musical intention, the ensemble moved through the evening with a shared sensitivity…listening, responding, and trusting the moment as it unfolded. Though Morten McCoy admits to having felt quite ill that evening, nothing in the music suggests restraint. Instead, what remains is a vivid, playful exchange, where McCoy and Johannes Wamberg carry both Part I and Part II as a flowing conversation, speaking through sound rather than words.

Part I begins abruptly, almost throwing the listener back in time to the exact moment the improvisation was born. Jonathan Bremer steps to the forefront, providing a solid, melodic bassline as Kristoffer and Eliel, perfectly in sync, lay down a steady foundation for whichever voice chooses to rise above the rhythm.

This is also one of the few I Am An Instrument recordings to feature two guitarists. Johannes Wamberg leads the way, shaping the harmonic direction, while Steven Jess Borth II adds subtle rhythmic textures through muted palm work, deepening the groove without ever stepping into the foreground.

Part II unfolds with Morten McCoy on his Moog One, delivering a beautiful, expansive solo. Using a carefully chosen patch, the sound pulses through the rhythm, moving with the groove rather than above it, riding the beat like a wave through the ocean.
Shaped by trust, presence, and collective improvisation, Volume II captures a group deeply attuned to one another, allowing intuition and momentum to guide the unfolding form.
——
Volume III was recorded in Copenhagen on March 5, 2020. Little did anyone know that only days later, the world would be placed on pause for years. Captured just before that moment of global stillness, this session carries a heightened sense of presence, a final gathering before silence reshaped everything. Recorded in a space more commonly associated with a club atmosphere, the music draws on a different kind of energy and immediacy. With Eliel Lazo unable to attend, the group invited Victor Dybbroe of Girls In Airports to join on percussion, subtly reshaping the ensemble while preserving its core spirit. Part I opens with Steven Jess Borth II calling out on tenor saxophone, answered by Morten McCoy on Wurlitzer electric piano. The piece gradually unfolds into a meditative groove, patient and expansive, carrying the listener through an eight-minute journey of layered rhythm and restraint.

Part II begins with Jonathan Bremer on stand up bass, slowly joined by the rest of the ensemble as each voice enters with intention. Midway through, an unexpected vocal melody from Borth emerges, drenched in reverb and delay, later reappearing as a melodic line on the tenor saxophone.

Part III is led by Morten McCoy on Wurlitzer electric piano. His signature melodic language sets the direction, guiding the ensemble while leaving ample space for the music to breathe and evolve through collective improvisation. Reprise returns to the closing moments of Part II, its title reflecting its origin. The familiar groove reappears, transformed into a distinctly Jamaican-influenced rhythm, over which Borth delivers a final tenor saxophone solo, bringing the conversation to rest.

Any questions about any of these products feel free to get in touch and we'll help you out!

a a1. Part I [Vol.2]
[b] a2. Part II [Vol.2]
[c] a3. Part I [Vol.3]
[d] b1. Part II [Vol.3]
[e] b2. Part III [Vol.3]
[f] b3. Reprise [Vol.3]

,AGON" ist das Regiedebüt von Giulio Bertelli und feierte auf den Filmfestspielen von Venedig 2025 Premiere. Der Film wurde mit dem Luciano-Sovena-Preis für die beste unabhängige Produktion sowie dem FIPRESCI-Preis (Internationaler Verband der Filmkritiker) ausgezeichnet. Er begleitet drei Sportlerinnen bei ihrer Vorbereitung und ihrem Wettkampf bei den LUDOJ 2024, fiktiven Olympischen Spielen, in ihren jeweiligen Disziplinen - Judo, Fechten und Sportschießen. Inspiriert von den historischen Figuren Kleopatra, Jeanne d'Arc und Nadezhda Durova werden diese Frauen vor dem politischen, sozialen, technologischen und physischen Hintergrund dargestellt, der den Spitzensport und die Höchstleistungen in diesen Disziplinen prägt. AGON untersucht eine zeitgenössische Darstellung der Widersprüche dieser Sportarten, die als Friedensübungen für den Krieg begannen, während ihre Disziplinen institutionell bereinigt, zu harmloser globaler Unterhaltung umgestaltet und schließlich in neuen digitalen Arenen gänzlich entmaterialisiert werden. Die Veranstaltungen bei LUDOJ finden nicht in Sportarenen statt, sondern in Tonstudios, ohne Live-Publikum. Diese spartanischen Räume werden nur von Athleten, Sportfunktionären und dem Filmteam bevölkert, die jede audiovisuelle Informationsebene einfangen. In dieser Umgebung wird jeder Mattenaufprall, jedes Schwertgeklirren und jeder Schuss bis ins kleinste Detail erlebt. Tom Wheatleys Filmmusik begann als konzeptioneller Spiegel dazu. Er nahm drei Musiker, von denen jeder einen einzigartigen Ansatz für sein Instrument verfolgte, wobei jedes Instrument eine Ausdruckssprache besitzt, die sich auf die jeweilige Sportart bezieht: Percussion für Judo, Cello für Fechten, Saxophon für Gewehrschießen. Hinzu kamen klaustrophobische analoge Elektronik und Dudelsäcke, um einen Zustand jenseits des Wettkampfs darzustellen: Krieg. Die reichhaltigen, detailreichen Signale dieser Musiker wurden live im Studio extrem bearbeitet, wodurch sich die Musik zeitweise in eine Grauzone zwischen Filmmusik, Sounddesign und Geräuschaufnahmen bewegte. ,Ich sah eine wesentliche Parallele zwischen dem Sportler und dem Musiker. Dass man diese Werkzeuge hat, die man durchs Leben trägt und die komplexe Nutzungsgeschichten in sich bergen. Diese Techniken und Traditionen werden erlernt und mit zeitgenössischen Technologien kombiniert, um neue Potenziale zu erschließen. So wie Alex Sokolov zu ihrer Waffe steht, so steht Jean-Luc Guionnet zu seinem Saxophon. Aus diesem Modell entstanden viele Ideen, die den Grundstein für die Filmmusik legten: die Anwendung der Gestik des Degenfechtens auf Utes Bogen; die ,gestimmte Luft` sowohl des Gewehrs als auch des Saxophons; die Übernahme des Judo-Konzepts des Schwerpunkts und dessen Anwendung auf eine Form rhythmischer Schwerkraft bei Seijiro. Es war eine reichhaltige Fundgrube" - Tom Wheatley ,So wie in der Welt von AGON Realismus und Fiktion verschwimmen, hat Tom dasselbe für die Filmmusik erreicht und die Grenze zwischen der akustischen Landschaft des Films und der Musik verwischt, wobei er den theoretischen Rahmen des Films selbst respektierte." - Giulio Bertelli











[k] 11REZ (GAME MUSIC) [BONUS TRACK]
[l] 12COURT (ROUGH SKETCH) [BONUS TRACK]
[m] 13PORK CHOP PLOT [BONUS TRACK]
[n] 14AGON TRAILER [BONUS TRACK]

Colemine freut sich, einen weiteren Orgone-Kultklassiker zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl rauszubringen! ,New You", ursprünglich 2013 nur als CD erschienen, ist zeitloser Funk & Soul - mit tiefem Groove und kräftigen Rhythmen. Jetzt, über ein Jahrzehnt später, ist es endlich als LP erhältlich. Seit 2001 liefert Orgone dreckigen, organischen California Soul mit Herz; Musik, die dich am Kragen packt, dich auf die Beine zieht und dich gierig auf die Tanzfläche schubst. Alles begann mit zwei Jungs aus dem San Fernando Valley, deren gemeinsame Vorliebe für raue Soul-Platten der 60er und 70er Jahre auf die bunte Musikkultur traf, die sich Ende der 90er in Los Angeles entwickelte. Diese Freundschaft löste eine Bewegung aus, und seitdem liefert Orgone den Funk-Fans nichts als Gold.

Colemine freut sich, einen weiteren Orgone-Kultklassiker zum ersten Mal auf Vinyl rauszubringen! ,New You", ursprünglich 2013 nur als CD erschienen, ist zeitloser Funk & Soul - mit tiefem Groove und kräftigen Rhythmen. Jetzt, über ein Jahrzehnt später, ist es endlich als LP erhältlich. Seit 2001 liefert Orgone dreckigen, organischen California Soul mit Herz; Musik, die dich am Kragen packt, dich auf die Beine zieht und dich gierig auf die Tanzfläche schubst. Alles begann mit zwei Jungs aus dem San Fernando Valley, deren gemeinsame Vorliebe für raue Soul-Platten der 60er und 70er Jahre auf die bunte Musikkultur traf, die sich Ende der 90er in Los Angeles entwickelte. Diese Freundschaft löste eine Bewegung aus, und seitdem liefert Orgone den Funk-Fans nichts als Gold.

Iconic return with “II”, a second album that doesn’t just continue the band’s journey — it defines it. Where their debut introduced the chemistry between five world-class musicians, II sharpens that vision into a clearer, heavier, and more confident sonic identity, delivering a sound that is more powerful, more direct, and unmistakably rock. At the heart of the album lies the electrifying guitar partnership of Joel Hoekstra and Michael Sweet, delivering a masterclass in soaring melodies, blazing solos, and muscular riffs that perfectly balance technical brilliance with pure hard-rock attitude. Beneath them, the rhythm section of Tommy Aldridge and Marco Mendoza drives the record with thunderous authority, creating a groove that is both massive and relentless. The album kicks off with “Cry No More”, a high-octane opener that immediately sets the tone — an energetic slice of hard rock packed with driving riffs, explosive drums, and a chorus built to stick. On the other side of the emotional spectrum, “Tears Keep On Falling” showcases the band’s dynamic range, unfolding as an electrifying power ballad where melody, atmosphere, and intensity come together in dramatic fashion. Towering above it all is Nathan James, whose performance on II is nothing short of extraordinary — powerful, soulful, and commanding, elevating every track with unmistakable presence. With bigger riffs, deeper grooves, and a stronger sense of identity, II captures Iconic at full force: a band no longer introducing itself but fully owning its sound.

Magyar Posse’s third album Random Avenger out on vinyl for the first time ever in July via Svart Records Looking back, it was the golden age of Magyar Posse. The album Kings of Time had received a tremendous response from both critics and music lovers. The band was touring intensely in Finland and abroad. By now, the band was a well-oiled machine, ready to capture the successor to their celebrated second album. The band decided to follow a different path compared to the creation of Kings of Time: they would record their third album alongside the well-known, slightly eccentric engineer and producer Jani Viitanen. The recognizable Magyar Posse style was present in the pieces of Random Avenger, but something was slightly different. The new music was more rhythm-based, more riff-based and in places more joyous than the dynamic minor key avalanche of Kings of Time. Consciously or unconsciously, the band members saw that they had travelled the Slavic melancholy road as far as possible with the previous album. The success of Kings of Time felt like a positive push, not an extra pressure on their shoulders. It was only natural to strike again while the iron was hot. Many of the pieces had been already developed by the time Kings of Time was released, which eased the production of Random Avenger. After the meticulous but relatively swift mixing and mastering process, the band members were satisfied with the result. The only component that made some of them blush was the cover art – graphic designer Tom Backström had glaringly used photos of empty stages in forgotten community centres and the like. The beauty or the ugliness is once again in the eye of the beholder. Right after its release, Random Avenger got a very positive response, but not as overwhelming as Kings of Time – which was to be expected, as the previous Magyar Posse album had probably been the most universally praised Finnish album of the whole decade. Mikko Elo, musician / journalist, Pori, Finland, March 1st 2026

Magyar Posse’s third album Random Avenger out on vinyl for the first time ever in July via Svart Records Looking back, it was the golden age of Magyar Posse. The album Kings of Time had received a tremendous response from both critics and music lovers. The band was touring intensely in Finland and abroad. By now, the band was a well-oiled machine, ready to capture the successor to their celebrated second album. The band decided to follow a different path compared to the creation of Kings of Time: they would record their third album alongside the well-known, slightly eccentric engineer and producer Jani Viitanen. The recognizable Magyar Posse style was present in the pieces of Random Avenger, but something was slightly different. The new music was more rhythm-based, more riff-based and in places more joyous than the dynamic minor key avalanche of Kings of Time. Consciously or unconsciously, the band members saw that they had travelled the Slavic melancholy road as far as possible with the previous album. The success of Kings of Time felt like a positive push, not an extra pressure on their shoulders. It was only natural to strike again while the iron was hot. Many of the pieces had been already developed by the time Kings of Time was released, which eased the production of Random Avenger. After the meticulous but relatively swift mixing and mastering process, the band members were satisfied with the result. The only component that made some of them blush was the cover art – graphic designer Tom Backström had glaringly used photos of empty stages in forgotten community centres and the like. The beauty or the ugliness is once again in the eye of the beholder. Right after its release, Random Avenger got a very positive response, but not as overwhelming as Kings of Time – which was to be expected, as the previous Magyar Posse album had probably been the most universally praised Finnish album of the whole decade. Mikko Elo, musician / journalist, Pori, Finland, March 1st 2026

Red Dwarf Star emerges as a striking new chapter for Coley Taylor of famous US/CH based MASERATI, a new project that captures a deeply personal arc that spans continents, relationships, and creative reinvention. Working largely alone, Taylor embraced a deliberately stripped-down approach, navigating unfamiliar technology with joyously unpolished determination. Much of the material was recorded in a modest, direct manner that prioritizes feeling over finesse. This DIY ethos is balanced by key collaborations that elevate the record's sonic depth. Drums were recorded in Los Angeles by Kellii Scott, whose distinctive style adds weight and clarity, while contributions from Allen Epley and Jenna Fournier introduce subtle vocal textures that expand the emotional range of the songs. Despite its introspective origins, Red Dwarf Star is not intended to remain a solitary endeavor. What began as a personal outlet is evolving into a fully realised band, with a lineup assembled to bring these songs into a more expansive, dynamic setting. This shift signals not only a new phase for the project, but also a broader artistic trajectory. Taylor is known best for his work with Maserati, a legendary outfit that leans into collaborative, rhythm-driven expanses rooted in krautrock and electronic psych. Through Red Dwarf Star Taylor's lineage of influence is felt, echoing the raw emotional immediacy of `90s alternative, post-hardcore, and the textured atmospheres of jagged dream-pop that bleeds. These are sounds that have lingered in Taylor's creative subconscious for decades, now resurfacing with renewed urgency. For fans of MASERATI, FAILURE, SLOWDIVE, QUICKSAND, SHINER, HUM Black or coloured vinyl LP or CD available

“Released on Joe Boyd’s Hannibal label here was a band rooted in Thompson/Swarbrick Fairport but also a snatch of the Velvet Underground and a sprig of The Byrds. The Eighteenth Day Of May evoked a legendary era, and now they are a justifiably legendary band too.” – KLOF Mag

Beginning life as a trio in London, 2003, the original line-up consisted of Allison Brice (vocals, flute), Richard Olson (acoustic guitar) and Ben Phillipson (guitar, mandolin) before expanding the following year to include the rhythm section of Mark Nicholas (bass) and Karl Sabino (drums, autoharp) and finally Alison Cotton (viola).
This being the mid zeros, the independent music scene in the UK was reluctant to embrace a sun-dazed folk band but this, their sole album, has gradually feathered a bed of affection amongst international folk fans. Twenty years on, the album is now rightfully seen as a trailblazer for the myriad alternative/psych folk bands that emerged in its wake.
Andy Childs who signed the band originally takes up the story. “I first heard their music on a cover mounted CD with the much missed Comes With A Smile magazine and as far as I could tell no-one was making music like this anymore, certainly not with such panache and confidence. To my jaded ears it all sounded so uninhibited - old weird folk songs, Americana, original psych-folk, minimalist drones. Great melodies and all six of them could sing! A joyous, unfettered sound that could in one moment conjure up flashes of The Byrds and then effortlessly the spirit of Velvet Underground would drift through. They even covered a Spacemen 3 song. I loved the fact that they had the aplomb to tackle traditional folk songs like Lady Margaret and Flowers In The Forest and not be afraid to stamp their own identity on them.
Signing them to the Hannibal label was straightforward. If anything the album somehow sounds fresh and undated, even better than it did in the day when perhaps eclecticism was out of synch with the times; its subtleties have become more apparent.”
“Their rendition of Lady Margaret builds to a headswirling crescendo that challenges anyone who claims Shirley Collins, Buffy Sainte-Marie or Trees have recorded the definitive version and the hallucinatory The Waterman’s Song To His Daughter raises an already brilliant album to an unholy level” - IT’S PSYCHEDELIC, BABY Magazine

Not all tropical escapes are meant to soothe. Some are meant to seduce… and unsettle.

On Haunted Bossa Nova, Creepxotica reimagines the language of classic exotica through a darker, more cinematic lens—where swaying rhythms and lush melodies drift through shadows instead of sunlight. This isn’t background music for a carefree afternoon. It’s a late-night transmission from a hidden lounge at the edge of a dream.

Built on the bones of traditional bossa nova and mid-century exotica, the album pulses with nylon-string guitars, vibraphone shimmer, and hypnotic percussion—but everything feels just slightly off-center, like a memory slipping out of reach. There’s a tension beneath the beauty, a sense that something unseen is moving just beyond the music. Each track unfolds like a scene, contributing to a larger atmosphere that’s immersive, cohesive, and quietly haunting.

What sets Haunted Bossa Nova apart is its intention. This is not nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake—it’s a deliberate evolution. Creepxotica honors the lineage of the genre while pushing it into more mysterious territory, blending tropical warmth with ambient unease and cinematic depth. The result feels less like a throwback and more like a lost soundtrack—discovered, not created.

Sonically rich and meticulously arranged, the album invites deep listening. Every tone, every pause, every echo has purpose. It’s exotica for those who crave mood over kitsch, atmosphere over imitation.

For listeners drawn to the edges of jazz, lounge, and ambient soundscapes, Haunted Bossa Nova offers something rare: a fully realized world that lingers long after the final note fades.

With Tarabesque, his powerful new album, Firas Zreik delivers his boldest and most visionary work to date. Fearlessly placing the kanun—the shimmering Mediterranean harp—at the center of a jazz quartet, a hybrid ensemble, and an Arab Takht ensemble, Zreik reimagines the instrument as both a rhythmic engine and melodic force. He builds a world of Maqam-driven melodies woven through rich harmonic and modal landscapes that feel fresh, organic, and defiantly new.

Based in New York City, Zreik is a Palestinian composer and kanunist who recently received Grammy recognition as a songwriter and performer on Residente's award-winning album Las Letras Ya No Importan, and composed The Art of Kanun, a film music album commissioned by Universal Music Production France. He is an official showcase artist at WOMEX 2022, a MacDowell Fellow, and has performed at Lincoln Center, Joe's Pub, and The Jazz Gallery.

With Tarabesque, Zreik signals the emergence of a new musical language—merging Tarab, the ecstatic listening state central to Arab musical traditions, with global influences to create a sound timeless, urgent, and entirely his own.

2026 Repress

Knob twisters Biesmans & Johannes Albert are back at it with another sun-drenched late summer weapon. This time they shine a "Tangerine Beam" straight onto the dancefloor. Expect a cheeky disco spark that might remind you of something at the core, bouncing rhythms, and a melody so infectious you'll catch yourself humming along after the first round. Both playful and relentless, "Tangerine Beam" connects the dots between timeless disco heat and modern club thunder. One spin and you'll know: this beam is unstoppable. For the vinyl fan, there will be an orange 12" even. When life gives you tangerines...

Summer doesn't announce itself. It creeps in through cracked windows and lingers on skin long after the sun sets. It asks nothing of you but surrender. The South London DJ and producer, born Wilf Auty, raised in the fields of Devon before migrating to the city's sprawl, has crafted four tracks that move like heat haze off tarmac: shimmering, hypnotic, impossible to rush. This is house music stripped of its impatience. Rolling rhythms push forward with the inevitability of tide. Driving basslines push through the mix like warm air through an open car window. Something that feels like the longest day of the year. That moment when you realise the light's been golden for hours and nobody's checked the time. Wigs' sets at Meanwhile have become the stuff of whispered recommendation: progressive, modern, emotionally intelligent selections that build through patience rather than force. This EP is the studio distillation of that philosophy. Four tracks. No filler. Each one: unfurling. The reward comes for those who wait. The groove reveals itself in layers. The pulse becomes a feeling you can't quite name but recognise immediately, that elastic stretch of a summer evening when time loses its edges.

Music From Memory presents 'Mood Programs – Extended Play', a two-track release by LA MARR, a new project conceived by Ron Trent. Representing the first in an ongoing series of releases on Music From Memory, ‘Mood Programs - Extended Play’ opens a new chapter within Trent’s deep and continually evolving body of work, rooted in mood-driven composition, spatial depth and the emotional resonance of sound within physical space.

Influenced by ambient and environmental music, New Age, dub traditions, New Wave, Krautrock and HiFi sound system culture, LA MARR reflects many of the formative ideas that informed Trent’s evolving approach to sound and sonic architecture from the early 1980s onward. Rather than revisiting these influences nostalgically, the project recontextualises them through a contemporary production language, balancing analog warmth with precision and spatial depth.

Developed through years of sonic experimentation and research into the physical and psychological qualities of sound, LA MARR extends Ron Trent’s long-standing interest in the relationship between rhythm, acoustics and human connection. Built through a combination of analog processes and contemporary computer-assisted production, the project explores warmth, resonance, depth and sonic clarity through carefully sculpted environments of tone and texture.

Gently unfolding within a spacious, ambient-leaning framework, 'Mood Programs – Extended Play' moves beyond passive background listening toward something more intentional and immersive. Across both tracks, ‘Good Magic’ and ‘Clear’, layers of hypnotic synthesizer arpeggios and gently floating pads gradually unfold alongside organic percussion and subtle low-end movement, creating compositions that feel simultaneously meditative, physical and emotionally responsive. Sound is treated not simply as musical information, but as an environmental force capable of shaping perception, mood and awareness within a room.

'Mood Programs – Extended Play' will be released digitally and on vinyl through Music From Memory on July 15th. Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

Originally released on Art Yard in 2017 finally back in print!

Solo album displaying a collection of foggy electronic dub meditations recorded between 2000 and 2005 by Berliner Ring member Alexander Christou under his Al Chem guise.

In 2009, the label Art Yard sent a probe into the outer regions of contemporary electronic music, releasing Berliner Ring's "Orbital" album, a dub techno hymnal for Berlin’s orbital ring road. Drawing together the disparate elements of invented instruments, modified keyboards, customized rhythm and string machines, it was built around moods and themes drawn from the Berlin landscape.

One member of the Ring, Alexander Christou, also a part of the Berlin electro rock group Elecdrones, recording for Katzensonne. The band were “not interested in the crafting of chunks of music ready to be consumed”. Christou has since been recording under the moniker Al Chem, crossing analogue and digital realms, synthesizing a kind of philosopher’s stone. As Al Chem, he released on Tummy Touch Records, and now follows with a collection of foggy electronic dub meditations recorded between 2000 and 2005 in a full album.

In the battle to harness the elements, ancient mists permeated Chem’s music. A murky, mercurial humidity saturates the project. A distinctly north European descendant of dub, a kind of Seventh Seal that Bergman could have made, if provided enough hydroponic infusions.

No Hopper is a rework of the Ras Michael song No Hoppers, from his legendary album, Rastafari Dub, Chem's version shuffles the pack of electronic percussion with organic, Moondog-like rhythms and hazy atmospheric chords; The Prophet pinpoints Chem's GPS firmly in Berlin, just as The Red Tower blurs that kick-drum parallel between reggae and house music; Baudelaire sputters digital delay, piling on the pressure, a clatter of surgical implements performing an operation out of Dead Ringers, the patient storming out of the theatre with loosely fitted mechanical body parts; the instrumental No Hopper only serves to highlight the distant gathering storm. Ladder of Perfection rounds off the set with a drone, creaking with bubbling digital mud pools

born (literally) in fire, soma flared briefly as the alchemical pairing of two unique and dynamic musicians. david thrussell and pieter bourke met through mutual friends in the artistic melting-pot of early 1990s elwood, melbourne, australia. bourke was an integral member of the gothically ambient eden, thrussell frontman of anarchic industrial combo snog. both admired each others work, and though some considered them an unlikely combination, something rather potent was brewing which drew them inexorably together.

initially bourke joined snog live and then in the studio, contributing mightily to their epic second album ‘dear valued customer’. as a natural result of their friendship and muse, thrussell and bourke instituted their own project, soma, to explore the intersections of arcane and mysterious technologies. the first soma album “hollow earth” was released to acclaim.

soon after, thrussell was awoken by a 3am knock on his door. bourke was now homeless - the result of a devastating fire that had just torn through his apartment and studio - and he needed somewhere to sleep. this is when work on ‘the inner cinema’ began, with bourke and thrussell ensconced in the same dwelling, able to write and record around the clock (often only leaving to plan the next session while dining at local vegan eateries).

at the time thrussell was obsessed by the testosterone bravado and haunting alienation of ‘spaghetti-western’ theme songs, while bourke brought his love of all things percussive and the other-worldly atmospherics of arvo pärt (with the outer-space dub of king tubby) to the mix. together, on a diet of blood-plum sago, fortean times and lingering smoke fumes, they concocted their dadaist brew.

magical and unforgettable, ‘the inner cinema’ stands apart and outside of the musical mainstream. since its 1996 release the album has developed a mythical reputation and is spoken of in hushed and adulating tones among acolytes of atmospheric and electronic music. you hold in your hands a lovingly remastered deluxe reissue of this sonorous gem.

time marches on, and after a few more sporadic soma recordings bourke and thrussell moved on to other pastures. bourke would work with dead can dance, lisa gerrard and hollywood auteur michael mann, as thrussell toured regularly with snog and black lung, cut some interesting soundtracks and birthed the idiosyncratic omni recording corporation.

expelled from its fiery crucible, this dark jewel of sound, this soundtrack of the mind, has lain in the soft earth awaiting rediscovery. fluid metabolic rhythms and breathy washes of timeless melancholy pulsing, inviting, in the warm soil. now is your chance.

Limited copies

Korlakang are four young friends from Thonburi, the quieter, canal-laced western bank of Bangkok, where temple bells and river rhythms shape everyday life. Formed from a bond that stretches back to high school hallways and shared university years, the band came together with a sound rooted in Thai traditional music and the warm haze of psychedelic rock.

Their debut 7-inch, Samong Sai, is that rare thing: a record that seems to arrive already aged, carrying the grain and warmth of a forgotten 70s pressing. It seeps in slowly, sweet and chill, like sound faintly coming through a neighbour's window. The kind of music that makes you stop what you're doing just to hear a little more of.

'Under the name The 4th Street Orchestra, Dennis Bovell released a series of limited-edition albums in the mid-70s specifically for the UK sound system scene. Yuh Learn! stands as a prime example of Bovell’s creativity and production prowess. With its strong Jamaican Roots appeal, it is a record cherished by sound system selectors, capable of taking every listener on a deep journey through the many shades of dub.
'The album features two of Real Rock Records’ favorite tracks. First, the instrumental The Grunwick Affair, recorded in solidarity with the striking workers of the Grunwick Film Processing Laboratories in Willesden. This historic industrial dispute paved the way for the socio-political shifts of the late 70s and remains a landmark in British labor history. The track was even hailed by Time Out as one of the top 100 songs about London. The horn section features also the legendary Rico Rodriguez, Michael ‘Bammy’ Rose, and Eddie Thornton on trumpet. Also included is the classic sound system anthem Rowing Down The River.
'Presented here in an extended version, Bovell’s vocals ride the rhythm perfectly until a heavyweight dub version takes over. The musicians performing as “The 4th Street Orchestra” deserve special mention. The lineup includes drummer Jah Bunny, a foundation musician who played on crucial albums with Bovell and the late Jah Shaka, and John Kpiaye, a leading figure in the British reggae scene and “Lovers Rock” producer. Kpiaye has collaborated with Dennis Brown, Aswad, and I Jahman Levi, and serves as the resident guitarist for the Dennis Bovell Dub Band backing Linton Kwesi Johnson.The late Eddie “Tan Tan” Thornton on trumpet, an Alpha Boys School alumnus and legendary session man also for The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, brings his expertise to the project, having also contributed to masterpieces like Rico Rodriguez’s Man From Wareika.
This is a limited-edition, vinyl-only first reissue of one of the rarest and most sought-after albums from Dennis Bovell’s legendary catalog.'

Cover changed

With his Periodical EP, Isaiah delivers a six-tracker rooted in the foundations of early techno, built around percussion, groove, and stripped-back functionality. As a driving force in the underground scene, both as a DJ and the founder of the Frenzy and Vulged collectives, Isaiah meticulously designed this EP for selectors and club settings.

Opening with 'Monthly', the EP sets the tone with a punchy kick, crisp high-end percussion and a driving bassline, while smeared textures and subtle effects create depth within a minimal framework. 'Yearly' intensifies the approach, with sharper hi-hats and layered mid percussion pushing the energy forward, maintaining a hypnotic yet no-frills momentum.'Hourly' keeps the focus on rhythm, pairing dense percussion work with a bouncing bassline that locks into a steady groove, while occasional pad accents add flashes of brightness.

On the second half, 'Real' strips things back, centering around a rolling bassline and sparse percussion, with shimmering synth touches guiding the track into deeper territory. 'Everlasting' reintroduces a tougher edge, driven by a hard-hitting kick and a bouncing low end, while eerie synth elements add a darker tone. Closing the EP, Beau Didier, a rising force in the Techno scene and fellow Frenzy collective member, reshapes 'Everlasting' into a smoother, more low-end focused roller. Known for his heavy basslines and powerful rhythms, Didier brings the bassline to the forefront, softens the percussion and introduces vocal chops that expand the atmosphere.

On his debut EP on Regal's Backspin Records, the 8th release of the newborn imprint, Isaiahpresents a focused collection of percussive techno tools built for diverse sets, offering tracks for every moment while maintaining a consistent, groove-driven identity throughout.

New York’s Ma Sha brings wigged-out rhythms to Nerve Collect with an explosive, future-facing new EP. The six tracks prove she is bound by no rules but knows exactly how to energise the club.

Ma Sha deals in sounds that operate outside the usual boundaries and demand full-bodied, physical reactions. She has become a driving force in the New York underground with Kindergarten, which is both a much-loved party and a much hyped label. Though built on global techno foundations, Sha’s grooves range from peak-time brain melters to more twisted and rugged, always at high tempo and with plenty of invention on labels like Steel City Dance Discs and Rhythm Section International.

‘Salpa’ opens with a clipped rhythm drenched in neon and psychedelic swirls as oversized bass cocoons from below with glitchy vocal fragments and hard but bouncy techno momentum. ‘Gillz’ swallows you in waves of bass and rubber kicks while screwy synths spray across the mix while a syncopated broken beat brings irresistible funk to a post-human world. ‘Shots’, a collab track with Hodge, works in overdrive with rising tones and liquid metal textures that trap you in a hall of mirrors. Intense club pressure builds with pristine percussion and hyperreal vocals.

‘Spinmachine’ is a freaky sound world of fuzzy synths, cantering drums and static electricity that is full of threat and never lets go. ‘Total Energy’ locks into rolling drums and hyping swing with descending leads and a sense of future rave chaos designed for sheer dance floor release.

Ma Sha’s sound designs feel beamed back from the future to rewire familiar rhythms that tickle the brain as they make their way through your entire body.

A &meless disco classic meets modern house energy as Hamilton Bohannon returns with a brand new
reimagining of “Let’s Start The Dance”, featuring the unmistakable touch of interna&onal house icon Joe T
Vannelli. This special release blends the original groove and soul of Bohannon’s legendary sound with
ontemporary club produc&on, delivering a powerful package for DJs and dancefloors worldwide. Alongside
the main Joe T Vannelli Remix, the release also includes a Classic Mix that stays closer to the spirit of the
original version and a New Corve7e old school mix. A perfect fusion of disco heritage and house music
culture, created for true lovers of groove, rhythm and &meless dance music.

K' Alexi Shelby is a prominent figure in electronic music with a career spanning decades. The cultivation of his massive music catalogue has overflowed into albums and the three labels he heads. It's also led to legendary collaborations with artists like The Pet Shop Boys, Robert Owens, Kenny Dixon, Roy Davis Jr., Joe Smooth, Steve Silke Hurley, Tyree Cooper, Ron Trent, Glenn Underground, Larry Heard, DJ Pierre, Carl Craig, Felix da Housecat, Marshall Jefferson and more. He makes a welcome return to COD3 QR with the jazzy house of opening track, "House Music de Chicago".

Voltaire has built his career through passion and a perfectionist approach to music, creating a richly emotional eclecticism, with inspiration from the pioneers of Detroit to the glorious electro decades of the 2000s and 2010s. Today he's a COD3 QR regular and released his debut album, "Echoes" on the label last year. He leans into the realms of house with a deep techy edge, for new track "Some House".

Finder is the alias of Radial (Jeroen Liebregts), originally from The Netherlands but today residing in Spain. He started mixing records around '98 and in 2002 teamed up with Bas Mooy to started the now legendary label, Audio Assault. He's also released on Token, Perc Trax, Mote-Evolver, Numb, Drumcode, Planet Rhythm, Mord, Will & Ink and MDR, alongside his label, Radial Records. As Finder he goes in a new direction with "Team Dream".

Benny Rodrigues a.k.a. ROD's other moniker, The Lost Souldancer has already seen him drop "No More Voices" and "Life and Death" for the label. In his own words, Benny says: "The Lost Souldancer is about coping with the loss of what once was. Finding comfort in the invisible rather than what can be seen. Disconnect to connect in order to be loved rather than liked." He returns with another emotional journey on "Magnolia".

Producer and manager of Slates Records, Squal G is a French artist who has been passionate about electronic music since the '90s. Initially a DJ, he soon turned to machines and computers. This enabled him to progress with his production and remixes. He never tries to stick to a single style, which, depending on his inspiration, can lead him to be more or less hard, while remaining in the spirit of techno. A popular COD3 QR regular, he's back with the intense techno of "Crackle".

French producer, DJ and live artist, Electric Rescue is world renowned. His productions have been signed on labels like Cocoon, Virgo, Arts, F Communications, COD3 QR, Soma, Sci + Tec, Boys Noize and his own Skrypto¨m. Ahead of his forthcoming artist album (to be released on COD3 QR in October) he closes the vinyl with the electro-tech and wonderfully wonky machine funk of "Internet Was an Illusion".

Der von der Kritik gefeierte Fotograf und in Paris lebende, aus Algerien stammende Künstler Mohamed Bourouissa hegt seit langem ein tiefes, alles umfassendes Interesse an Klängen. ,LILA" ist sein Solo-Debüt, ein selbst bezeichnetes ,musikalisches Objekt", das die wichtigen Beziehungen in seinem Leben auflistet; jeder der Tracks des Albums ist einer Person gewidmet (und nach ihr benannt), an die er dachte, als er das Album komponierte. Mit Gastauftritten von französisch-senegalesischen Künstlers Le Diouck und der italienischen Avantgarde-Künstlerin Valentina Fanigliulo (alias Mushy und Phantom Love) wirkt das Album wie ein Tagebuch hypnagogischer Reflexionen, das mit schwerelosen Synthesizern, herzzerreißendem Auto-Tune-Gesang und dissoziierten Beat-Sequenzen ein Bild von Bourouissas innerer Realität zeichnet. Emotional aufgeladen und verwurzelt in der Ästhetik, die Bourouissa mit seiner Verbundenheit zu Klang, Menschen und Kunst verbindet, ist es so komplex und vielschichtig wie jede seiner gefeierten Installationen oder Ausstellungen. Bourouissas erste erkennbare klangliche Referenz war ,Temps Morts" aus dem Jahr 2009, eine bewegende Videoarbeit, die er nach dem legendären Debütalbum des französischen Rappers Booba benannte, und seitdem ist er seiner Intuition gefolgt und hat nach und nach herausgefunden, wie er Klang nicht nur in seine Werke integrieren, sondern ihn in den Mittelpunkt stellen kann. 2017 arbeitete er gemeinsam mit dem libanesischen Free-Improv-Gitarristen Sharif Sehnaoui und Sina Araghi (alias Sina XX) an ,Si Di Kubi", einer Compilation, die experimentelle Klänge aus der arabischen Welt in den Vordergrund stellte, und sein Weg wurde klar. ,In diesem Moment wurde der Klang zu einem integralen Bestandteil meiner künstlerischen Praxis", erklärt er. Bourouissa arbeitete 2021 mit dem französischen Sounddesigner und Programmierer Jordan Quiqueret zusammen, um herauszufinden, wie sich die von der Akazie erzeugten Frequenzen in Rhythmen auf ,Brutal Family Roots` umsetzen lassen, wobei er Gedichte des Waddi-Waddi-Rappers MC Kronic und des ägyptisch-australischen MC Nardean integrierte. Später arbeitete er mit Fanigliulo an ,Haral!" - einem Duo-Projekt, das dem Künstler endlich das Selbstvertrauen gab, seine Fähigkeiten anzunehmen und seinen eigenen Produktionen Vorrang einzuräumen. Sogar seine jüngste Ausstellung ,SIGNAL" im Palais de Tokyo, Bourouissas erste Retrospektive, wurde ähnlich wie ein Album zusammengestellt, wobei der Künstler besonderen Wert auf die musikalische Logik ihrer Struktur und die ihr innewohnenden Rhythmen legte. ,Ich sehe Klang als Träger von Geschichte und Erinnerung, manchmal traumatisch", sagt er. ,Die Arbeit mit Frequenzen, Geräuschen und Atemzügen eröffnet einen Raum für Heilung, eine kathartische Möglichkeit. ,Und genau diese Philosophie leitet ,LILA`, von den hallenden Klavierakkorden und Chor-Echos von ,INTRO` bis hin zu den mikrotonalen Summtönen und verschleierten Rhythmen, die sich spiralförmig um das kurze, bewegende ,OUTRO` winden. Es ist ein Album, das sich schwer einordnen lässt; es gibt Spuren von Pop in ,HFC", einer beatlosen Suite aus modularen Schluckaufgeräuschen und biomechanischen Schreien, die in Richtung Kakophonie übergeht, und Überreste von Clubmusik, die an den Fenstern und Wänden des schweißtreibenden ,MG" zurückbleiben, in den zitternden Trommelwirbeln und Le Dioucks schrillen Ausrufen. Der rote Faden, der sich durch das Ganze zieht, ist die Tatsache, dass Bourouissa in der Lage ist, eher ein Gefühl als einen Klang darzustellen. Mit einer Palette, die er im Laufe des letzten Jahrzehnts stetig verfeinert hat, bewegt er sich schimmernd durch eine persönliche Landschaft, die sich in ein lebendiges, atmendes klangliches Ökosystem verwandelt. Auf ,AF" schweben gespenstische FM-Arpeggios unheimlich um seine lässigen, herzlichen Worte, und auf dem beunruhigenden ,SEUM" kontern mehrschichtige Synth-Drones sein verzerrtes Crooning mit elektrisierenden xenharmonischen Akkorden. Instrumentale Dunstwolken schweben durch angespannte rhythmische Ausbrüche auf ,MN", und als Fanigliulo auf dem Titeltrack auftaucht, rückt das Album in den Fokus, während warme, hoffnungsvolle Pads einige von Bourouissas eindringlichster Texte. "What did you say, why should I cry", wiederholt er in die Leere hinein und presst die Worte durch metallische Verzerrung und ungleichmäßige Beats. Es ist Musik, die so greifbar ist, dass man sie fast berühren kann.

Auckland-based indie-pop outfit Borderline officially plant their flag in the New Zealand music scene with their self-titled project, Borderline. Seamlessly blending the nostalgic warmth of classic indie-rock with the polished, infectious hooks of modern pop, the band delivers a sonic snapshot of youth, ambition, and navigating the fine line between late-night euphoria and introspective vulnerability. Driven by shimmering guitar lines, driving bass rhythms, and anthemic vocals, the project feels both intimately local and ready for a global stage.

Borderline serves as a definitive introduction to the band’s signature sound, trading in sun-drenched, feel-good anthems built for summer road trips alongside high-energy tracks that tackle the fast-paced nature of modern relationships. By balancing cinematic storytelling with irresistible hooks, the up-and-coming band crafts a listening experience that is both fresh and deeply relatable, securing their place as a compelling new voice to watch out of New Zealand.

Recorded in Paris with Jean-Yves Messan, Patrick Francfort, and François Corea, leading figures of the African diaspora, Na Bo Ndedi is one of the pinnacles of makossa"s golden age. A classic by Ngallé Jojo, with a unique sound that blends traditional rhythms with modern arrangements, vibrant grooves, and a powerful rhythmic drive. Thirty years later, CelluloïdRecords is reissuingthis essential album in a remastered version. For collectors who know it by heart, and for all those who are finally discovering it.

Mit seinem GRAMMY-Gewinn 2021 für seine Zusammenarbeit mit Esperanza Spalding hat sich der Komponist, Sänger und Multi-Instrumentalist Corey King still und leise zu einer der vielseitigsten Stimmen der zeitgenössischen Musik entwickelt. Seine Karriere umfasst Kooperationen mit so unterschiedlichen Künstlern wie Milton Nascimento, Gil Scott-Heron, Bonobo, DJ Premier und Iggy Pop und prägt einen Sound, der fließend zwischen Jazz, Soul, experimentellem Songwriting und filmischer Komposition wechselt. Auf ,Change the Wind" bündelt King diese Bandbreite zu einem fokussierten, zutiefst persönlichen Statement. Das Album, das in Jahren des Umbruchs und des Wandels entstanden ist, schafft einen Ausgleich zwischen Intimität und Weite und bewegt sich zwischen stiller Reflexion und ausladenden Arrangements mit voller Bandbesetzung. Themen wie Resilienz, Klarheit, und emotionale Neuausrichtung ziehen sich durch das gesamte Werk und verleihen der Platte einen Zusammenhalt, der sich eher gelebt als konzeptionell anfühlt. Im Kern steht ein tiefes Gefühl von Hingabe und Verletzlichkeit, das am deutlichsten in ,R.M.K." zu spüren ist, einem strahlenden Stück, das von der Geburt von Kings Tochter inspiriert wurde. Ohne sich in narrativen Details zu verlieren, verankert der Song das Album emotional und gibt den Ton für ein Werk vor, das sich mit Fürsorge, Verantwortung und der Zerbrechlichkeit von Verbindungen beschäftigt. An anderer Stelle erkundet King Liebe, Zweifel und persönliches Wachstum mit einer leichten, aber beständigen Hand, wobei sie Stimmung und Bewegung gegenüber explizitem Storytelling den Vorzug gibt. Musikalisch ist ,Change the Wind" reichhaltig, ohne schwerfällig zu wirken. Warmes Klavier, mehrstimmiger Gesang und kammermusikalische Bläserarrangements werden durchbrochen von Broken-Beat-Rhythmen und subtilen elektronischen Texturen. Manchmal neigt sich das Album zu Groove und Vorwärtsdrang, mit von Afrobeat geprägten Passagen und dynamischen Bläsersätzen, während es sich an anderer Stelle in spärliche, intime Räume zurückzieht. Beiträge von engen Mitwirkenden, darunter Spalding und der Trompeter Takuya Kuroda, verleihen dem Album Tiefe, ohne dessen zusammenhängendes Gefühl zu überwältigen. Anstatt einzelne Titel in den Vordergrund zu stellen, offenbart sich ,Change the Wind" als ein ganzheitliches Hörerlebnis, das sich allmählich entfaltet und mit der Zeit belohnt. Es ist ein Album über stetige Verwandlung, darüber, Klarheit in der Bewegung zu finden, und darüber, inmitten ständiger Veränderung an etwas Menschlichem festzuhalten.

Der international gefeierte japanische Komponist und Dirigent Joe Hisaishi präsentiert gemeinsam mit dem
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra und dem renommierten Harfenisten Emmanuel Ceysson eine außergewöhnliche Weltersteinspielung: Hisaishis Symphony No. 3 „Metaphysica“ und ein Harfenkonzert – ein virtuoses,
genreübergreifendes Werk, das eigens für Ceysson komponiert wurde.
Die Idee zum Harfenkonzert entstand 2023 während Hisaishis Auftritt mit dem Los Angeles Philharmonic in
der Hollywood Bowl vor 17.500 Zuhörern. Im engen Austausch mit Emmanuel Ceysson entwickelte Hisaishi
ein Werk, das die traditionellen Grenzen der Harfe auslotet. Statt filigraner Zurückhaltung entfaltet das
dreisätzige Konzert eine kraftvolle, dynamische Klangsprache mit rhythmischer Energie und emotionaler
Tiefe.
Ergänzt wird die Aufnahme durch die Symphony No. 3 „Metaphysica“, die 2021 zum 50-jährigen Jubiläum des New Japan Philharmonic uraufgeführt wurde. Inspiriert von Gustav Mahler verbindet Hisaishi
in diesem Werk präzise rhythmische Strukturen mit vielschichtigen orchestralen Strukturen und schafft eine
eindrucksvolle symphonische Form von hoher Ausdruckskraft.
Mit dieser Veröffentlichung zeigt Joe Hisaishi eindrucksvoll seine einzigartige Fähigkeit, cineastische Ausdruckskraft mit symphonischer Größe zu verbinden - ein musikalisches Ereignis für Klassikliebhaber ebenso
wie für Fans seiner weltberühmten Filmmusik.

Der international gefeierte japanische Komponist und Dirigent Joe Hisaishi präsentiert gemeinsam mit dem
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra und dem renommierten Harfenisten Emmanuel Ceysson eine außergewöhnliche Weltersteinspielung: Hisaishis Symphony No. 3 „Metaphysica“ und ein Harfenkonzert – ein virtuoses,
genreübergreifendes Werk, das eigens für Ceysson komponiert wurde.
Die Idee zum Harfenkonzert entstand 2023 während Hisaishis Auftritt mit dem Los Angeles Philharmonic in
der Hollywood Bowl vor 17.500 Zuhörern. Im engen Austausch mit Emmanuel Ceysson entwickelte Hisaishi
ein Werk, das die traditionellen Grenzen der Harfe auslotet. Statt filigraner Zurückhaltung entfaltet das
dreisätzige Konzert eine kraftvolle, dynamische Klangsprache mit rhythmischer Energie und emotionaler
Tiefe.
Ergänzt wird die Aufnahme durch die Symphony No. 3 „Metaphysica“, die 2021 zum 50-jährigen Jubiläum des New Japan Philharmonic uraufgeführt wurde. Inspiriert von Gustav Mahler verbindet Hisaishi
in diesem Werk präzise rhythmische Strukturen mit vielschichtigen orchestralen Strukturen und schafft eine
eindrucksvolle symphonische Form von hoher Ausdruckskraft.
Mit dieser Veröffentlichung zeigt Joe Hisaishi eindrucksvoll seine einzigartige Fähigkeit, cineastische Ausdruckskraft mit symphonischer Größe zu verbinden - ein musikalisches Ereignis für Klassikliebhaber ebenso
wie für Fans seiner weltberühmten Filmmusik.

“The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard” war das erste von zwei Alben, die der Trompeter unter der Ägide
von Bob Thiele für Impulse! Records aufnahm. Das im Juni 1962 entstandene Hard-Bop-Album fing Hubbard in einer entscheidenden frühen Phase seiner Karriere ein und rückt seine technische Brillanz, seinen
warmen Ton und sein rhythmisches Gespür in den Fokus. Zur Seite stand ihm dabei ein ausgesprochen
bewegliches Sextett, dem unter anderem der großartige Posaunist Curtis Fuller angehörte, der damals auch
mit Hubbard in Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers zusammenspielte. “Das sind einige wirklich vielversprechende
junge Talente, die ein klassisches Format neu beleben”, kann man in der AllMusic-Rezension des Albums
lesen, das dort vier von fünf Sternen erhielt. “Hubbards Soli zeigen, warum er der meistdiskutierte junge
Trompeter jener Zeit war.”

Das 1962 erschienene ”Big Band Bossa Nova” ist Teil einer ganzen Reihe brasilianisch geprägter Alben
von Stan Getz (1962 ”Jazz Samba”, 1963 ”Jazz Samba Encore!”, 1964 ”Getz/Gilberto”), wobei er auf
dem von Creed Taylor produzierten und von Gary McFarland arrangierten und dirigierte Album mit der
Einbettung seines Tenorsaxofons in Big-Band-Arrangements überraschte. Für die Session verbanden Stan
Getz und Gitarrist Jim Hall, Trompeter Doc Severinsen, Bassist Tommy Williams und Schlagzeuger Johnny
Rae die Rhythmen von Samba und Bossa Nova mit packenden, kraftvollen orchestralen Arrangements.
Das Repertoire greift auf brasilianische Kompositionen zurück, wie Luiz Bonfás ”Manhã de Carnaval” oder
Antônio Carlos Jobim und Vinícius de Moraes’ ”Chega de Saudade”, sowie auf Material von McFarland
(”Balanço no Samba” oder ”Street Dance”) und mehr

This 45 reissues two Spanish classics-DJ'd, sung, and danced to exhaustion-featuring striking arrangements and rhythms inspired by soul, funk, and rock, pushing flamenco-influenced popular music into previously uncharted territory. The flamenco rock of 'Orgullo' (1974) by Las Grecas will appeal to international listeners already captivated by the Anatolian sound of Baris, Manço, Mogollar_ On the B-side, Paco, Paco, Paco' (1969) by Encarnita Polo is a soul-pop hit with an irresistible syncopated rhythm and killer bass lines. In the final years of Franco's dictatorship, when Spain's popular music was kept on the sidelines of avant-garde and countercultural trends, a number of records emerged that dared to bend and hybridize the country's so-called "national" musical genres (calling it flamenco outright would be imprecise) and infuse them with a dose of modernity. The first 20 seconds of 'Orgullo' (1974) hit with a powerful sonic punch built on ferocious fuzzed-out guitars, distorted keyboards, and thunderous drums that could easily belong in the discography of Led Zeppelin, The Guess Who, or Cream_ until, suddenly, Las Grecas start to sing and Flamenco rock is born. It will undoubtedly resonate with international audiences already drawn to the Anatolian sounds of Bar?? Manço or Mogollar. A few years earlier, in 1969, the brilliant Argentine producer and arranger Adolfo Waitzman had already transformed a harmless light pop tune recorded by a yeyé girl, Encarnita Polo, into a soul-pop hit driven by an irresistible syncopated groove and killer bass lines. The playful 'Paco, Paco, Paco' became a bestselling single in Spain and, more than 50 years later, is still celebrated as a brilliant example of the romance between flamenco-inflected sounds and soul-pop. First-ever single reissue.

“Leviathan’s Desire” was Protector’s first release with Olly Wiebel as the new man on the microphone, and he brought in a new and different style, one no less gruff and aggressive than that of his predecessor. With the “Leviathan’s Desire” EP, Protector left the musically mid-paced path they had followed on “Urm the Mad”, turning back to their key skills and delivering a short but sweet-and-extreme thrash metal attack. The EP contains a revised and extended version of “Kain and Abel” that fits in perfectly with the new tracks, which are full to the brim with raging riffs and violent hooks, relentlessly delivered by a band that’s fully aware of its great skills and abilities both with regard to song-writing and performance – rhythm changes, breaks and bridges are all thoroughly worked out and excellently delivered. But do not fear! There are no signs of giving in to any ideas of embracing the “progressive” side of Protector. This is still pure Teutonic Thrash to the bone. “Leviathan’s Desire” was recorded in the Phoenix Studio Bochum in 1990 and originally released by German label Atom H (based in Witten, North Rhine-Westphalia) in the same year. Ralph Hubert of Mekong Delta fame took over production duties of the record. Olly is very glad to see the vinyl re-release of “Leviathan’s Desire”, which has been mastered for vinyl by old comrade Patrick W. Engel at Temple of Disharmony. Protector also opened up their dusty cabinets to present us with a selection of previously unreleased pictures from those still good old days, which will be gracing the High Roller edition of “Leviathan’s Desire”.

Among the projects that helped redefine European electro and EBM at the turn of the millennium, Electronic Corporation and heimelektronik remain essential references. Blending machine-driven rhythms, melancholic synth work and an instinctive understanding of the dancefloor, their productions captured a unique moment where classic body music was reimagined for a new era.

The A-side features "Illuminate" and "We Got Velocity", originally released under the Electronic Corporation moniker, while the B-side collects "My Darkest Sounds" and "Nothing But My Beat" from heimelektronik's sought-after Electronic Lifeforms EP.

Collecting four timeless recordings that move effortlessly between electro and EBM, this 12" is driven by sharp sequencing, uncompromising drum programming and a singular vision of electronic music. TIP!!!