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In spring 2022, Sankt Otten released their album “Symmetrie und Wahnsinn”, and now the next record is ready to enlighten our maltreated minds. “Tote Winkel” (Blind spots) is once again part of an album series with a geometric context, both creatively and musically.

Stephan Otten and Oliver Klemm made productive use of 2021, which has been decelerated to the maximum by Corona. For the first time, an external studio was booked (Mühle der Freundschaft, Bad Iburg) and the pool of analog synthesizers and other sound generators there was dusted off. Sankt Otten came up with the master plan to first free the spirit of 50 years of German electronic music trapped in the antiquated keyboards and oscillator housings, then to dismantle it, turn it inside out and reinterpret it. Echoes of music from Düssel- dorf are joined by sounds familiar from the Weserbergland, or mystical, sublime arcs of sound and, of course, the sequences typical of the Berlin School - whether side by side or interwoven. In a departure from the usual way of working, the majority of the tracks were created in the studio and in part from improvisations, which makes “Tote Winkel “ the most organic material we have heard from Sankt Otten to date.

New York-based Rafael Anton Irisarri mastered “Tote Winkel”, as he has done on productions by Biosphere, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Tycho, Terry Riley, Fennesz and many more. As part of the series of graphic covers, this extraordinary die-cut artwork was also designed by Daniel Castrejon. The vinyl version comes in a die-cut cover and colored vinyl, the CD in an elegant cardboard slipcase.

The Osnabrück duo Sankt Otten, founded in 1999, have been releasing on DENOVALI since 2009. “Tote Winkel” is their 14th album of timeless (instrumental) music. The band has dedicated itself to the holy trinity of Krautrock, Ambient and contemporary Elecronics.

Brussels-based accordionist Suzan Peeters releases her debut album Cassotto on the Belgian label blickwinkel. With Cassotto, she opens a door into a hidden chamber of sound. The title refers to the “cassotto” — a small resonating chamber inside the accordion that warms, softens, and deepens its tone. Listening to this record feels as if you’ve stepped into that room yourself, enveloped in a world where intimacy and grandeur collide.

Although this is her first release, Peeters is already recognised as one of the most promising names in Belgium’s experimental music scene. Her distinctive live shows — from leading venues across Belgium to a packed Café Oto in London — have earned her a reputation for combining accordion, electronics and unconventional objects such as a massage board into a compelling whole where contrasts come together in an unexpected way. Cassotto captures this approach in recorded form, giving listeners the same sense of immediacy as her concerts, but framed within the intimate space suggested by the album’s title.

While the cassotto chamber naturally gives the accordion a soft and velvety voice, Peeters harnesses that warmth to explore extremes — from hushed detail to bold, expansive gestures that fill the room. As such, the album moves between the acoustic and the electronic, the tender and the abrasive, the static and the dynamic, the traditional and the experimental.

With Cassotto, Suzan Peeters presents a debut that places the accordion at the centre of an adventurous and contemporary sound world — one that invites to discover how far an accordion can reach when tradition and imagination intertwine.

Suzan Peeters (*1999) is a Belgian accordionist, composer, and experimentalist. She is constantly looking for new timbres and sound textures within the accordion, pushing its acoustic spectrum to its limits by manipulating the interplay between her body and the body of her instrument.
Suzan studied classical accordion at KASK & Conservatorium in Ghent and at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen. She is currently studying Live Electronics at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels.

Kulture Galerie releases its 3rd Digital Artefacts cassette tape: "Mediterranean Blue" by NYC's own Alien D. Alien D is back on Kulture Galerie. Prior to this, Daniel Creahan has been featured on labels such as Lillerne Tapes, Banlieue Records, and Theory Therapy, and now shares a 6 track EP called Mediterranean Blue that lands on Filippo MSM's tapes series Digital Artefacts, the label's more experimental output.

The work is something of a companion piece to his recent release on Theory Therapy, “For the Early Hours of the World in Bloom,” exploring similar states with a more hazy, fluid sensibility. The compositions here trace back to a week spent several years prior on the Puglia coastline, where, in the midst of a read through of Helene Cixious’s Tomb(e), he began compiling a series of works drawing the gleaming sun, swirling waves and jagged, rocky coastline of the region, mixing in fragments of slow, pulsing low end, wafting synth elements and a range of processed samples dwelling on states of transition, life and love. Waves and dripping water swirl around lilting saxophone, kick drums drown the mix in heavily side-chained throbs of bass, and breaks rush in and out of the mix, making for a series of recordings that seem to view the dancefloor as a dream, always front of mind but hazily remembered.

“I was obsessed with these balances between the light-washed, dusty landscape and these quiet modest homes dotting the hills, and all I could think about was the passage of time, falling in and out and back in love, and the slow drift of memory,” he says. “It was like waking up with a new thought.”

Swan Song

The vinyl LP at the heart of this éthiopiques 31 tracks 2 to 11 was one of the very last vinyl records ever released in Ethiopia. But above all it represents, we felt, the absolute masterpiece of the Ethiopian Groove – the Swan Song of Swinging Addis. The album leaves a clear idea for posterity of the level of sophistication and mastery that modern Ethiopian music had achieved, before being crushed under the Stalino-military heel of the Derg – as the bloody revolution that was unfolding came to be called.

Ethiopia1976.

The Revolution that broke out in February 1974 rolled on in a ruthless march. The whole of Ethiopian society was utterly stunned. The bouquets of flowers handed joyfully to the first tanks of the coup d'état were to wilt very rapidly. From September 1976 to February 1978, 18 months of Red Terror (the name given by the junta itself) spilled blood throughout the country. This fratricidal conflict took its heaviest toll among students and youth. The shift from feudalism to a cruel and primitive Stalinism left the country's citizens deeply traumatised, and snuffed out any pretence of activism, whatever the sector of society. This ice age was to last for seventeen long years.

ሙሉቀን፡መለሰ Mulukèn Mellèssè Muluqän Mälläsä

It was three tracks by Muluken that served as the opener for éthiopiques-1 more than 25 years ago. Seven more tracks appeared on éthiopiques-3 and 13, all accompanied by The Equators, which was soon to become the Dahlak Band.

The first track, Hédètch alu, also the very first piece that Muluken ever recorded, left audiences both unsettled and amazed. Reflecting the singer's extremely young age (he was just 17 at the time), this angelic voice mystified many, who thought they were in fact listening to a feminine voice. He was not yet 22 when he released his last vinyl record in 1976 with Kaifa Records (KF 39LP), one of the very last to be issued in Ethiopia, before the cassette tape became the dominant medium for music distribution – and before the new revolutionary regime put a stop to all independent musical life, via an unspeakable barrage of prohibitions and other persecutions.

Mulu qèn, literally, “A well filled day”. This tender maternal intention wasn't enough to ward off the cruelty of fate. His mother's premature death drove Muluken to leave his native Godjam, in northeast Ethiopia, to live with an uncle in Addis Ababa. Born Muluken Tamer, he took his uncle's last name – Mèllèssè.

The spelling Muluken appeared in his administrative records. Transcription of Amharic to the Latin alphabet, both in Ethiopia and for scholars, gives rise to controversies and quibbles that can never be neatly settled. French allows for a closer approximation of the original pronunciation, thanks to its battery of accent marks, confusing as they may be to anglophones.

Between rather accommodating administrative record-keepers and the various versions that pop up in interviews given by the artist, Muluken's year of birth oscillates between 1953 and 1955…

1954? One thing is certain: the artist's talent made itself known very early indeed, because he got his start in 1966-67, at the age of 13 or 14. Photos from the period attest to his extreme youth. It's a strange sort of initiation for a very young teenager to become a sensation in the heart of Addis's nightlife at the time, Woubé Bèrèha – the Wilds of Woubé. And what's more, in the club of the Queen of the Night, the Godjamé Assègèdètch Alamrèw herself, the very same that was portrayed by Sebhat Guèbrè-Egziabhér in his novel-memoir Les Nuits d’Addis Abeba2… The legendary female club owner who is remembered to this day by the capital's ageing boomers.

Muluken first tried his hand at the drums, before he grabbed the microphone. He emigrated briefly to the Zula Club, across the street from the old Addis Post Office, one of the ground-breaking bars of the burgeoning musical scene, before joining the Second Police Band in 1968, for around three years. He spent a few months with the short-lived Blue Nile Band founded by saxophonist Besrat Tammènè. As the musical scene grew increasingly successful, and pulled slowly but decisively away from its institutional ties, Muluken released his first 45rpm single in February 1972 (Amha Records AE 440). It was included in two LP Ethiopian Hit Parade compilation albums in September of the same year. All in all, Muluken released eight two-track 45s and the same number of original cassette tapes between February 1972 and 1984, the year that he departed for permanent exile in the USA. After converting to Pentecostalism in 1980, Muluken gradually abandoned all secular musical activity. In 1985, at the end of a concert in Philadelphia, he decided to quit concerts and recording for good. Mèlakè Gèbré, the historic bass player from the Walias band who was playing with him that night, recalls that everything appeared so irredeemably diabolical in Muluken's eyes, that it was to be the end of his contribution to Ethiopian Groove.

The end of the story, the beginning of a legend.

Dahlak Band, forgotten by History

Aside from his personal history and vocal talents, it must be remembered that Muluken Mèllèssè was one of the biggest names in the musical innovations that marked the end of the imperial period. These éthiopiques aim to convince those who are just discovering this hidden gem... As for Ethiopians themselves, they are to this day captivated by this singular and atypical figure in the Abyssinian pop landscape – even though he withdrew from public life some 40 years ago. Incorrigible devotees of poetic twists, of more or less hidden meanings, Ethiopians appreciate above all the care Muluken took in choosing his lyrics and the writers who penned them, such as Feqerte Haylou, Alemtsehay Wodajo and, here, Shewalul Mengistu (1944-1977). Love songs, written by women, a far cry from the conventional drivel that pleases sappy sentimentalists.

Muluken is equally acclaimed for his perfectionism when it came to music, the opposite of the overly casual approach that is all too common. He remained a faithful partner of musicians who came from a lineage that borrowed from several inventive and pioneering bands (Venus, Equators, Dahlak). Amongst them were certain artists who began their musical lives with Nersès Nalbandian at the Haile Sellassie Theatre and who come of age in around 1973 – at just the wrong time, you might say. Among them were the pillars Shimèlis Bèyènè (trumpet), Dawit Yifru (keyboards) and Tilayé Gèbrè (sax & flute). Most notably Tilayé Gèbrè, certainly one of the most important musicians, composers and arrangers of his generation, of the end of the imperial era, and of the early years of the Derg.

It was only in 1981 that a miraculous opportunity arose for Tilayé to escape the Stalinist paradise of the dictator Menguistou Haylè-Maryam. Once again it was Amha Eshèté (1946-2021) who provided a solution. The spirited and courageous producer, who had been in exile in Washington since 1975, succeeded, thanks to his incredible perseverence, in bringing the Walias Band to the USA. It was, in fact an extended Walias Band comprising ten musicians3, six of whom chose to slip away after a few concerts and the recording of an LP (The Best of Walias, WRS 100). Tilayé Gèbrè was one of these. He has been living in the USA ever since. There he joined the then-nascent Ethiopian diaspora, which lived largely unto itself, and was making only very modest headway in the American musical market. It seems unfair that Tilayé Gèbrè and the Dahlak Band were not able to benefit earlier from the public recognition that they do deserve.

A similar draining away of the top-rate talents would lead to the reorganization of the major groups of the “Derg Time”. The remaining artists spread themselves around between Ibex Band (renamed Roha Band), Ethio Star Band and a remodeled Walias Band. That spelled the end of the Dahlak Band.

With this record, produced by the essential Ali Abdella Kaifa a.k.a. Ali Tango, we can appreciate everything that the Derg not only destroyed, but also prevented from flourishing. This gem of Ethiopian-style afrobeat came out in 1976 (and, by way of a parenthesis, before the FESTAC 1977 in Lagos, which was attended by an impressive delegation of Ethiopian musicians — although Fela was already personna non grata in his own country). Despite everything that might distinguish this ethio-groove from Fela’s music – no colonial axe to grind, no question of political confrontation with the authorities, no claims to negritude or Africanism for the Ethiopian musicians, and less extrovertion! –, this LP fits beautifully into the saga of intense and electrified soul of the new “African” groove that Fela and Manu Dibango embodied so well from that point onwards.

In restoring this record to its place in the afrobeat epic, it can be seen that, if nothing else, the timeline bestows a legitimate pedigree and a historical primacy to works that had no international impact when they were originally released.

Warning! Masterpiece!

»Hug of Gravity« is the second solo album by Raphael Loher and his first for Hallow Ground. The Swiss pianist and composer uses piano preparations, tape machines, and digital means to forge an aesthetic of playful reduction and rhythmic abstraction. The source material for these four sprawling pieces was culled from recordings of the artist performing the album’s predecessor, 2022’s »Keemuun.« Loher used them in a painstaking two-part working process to create an album that is both a product of and an ode to transformation, exploring themes of alternative temporalities and spatialities. »Hug of Gravity« oscillates between experimental electronic music, ambient, and minimal music and calls to mind the work of artists like William Basinski, Linda Catlin Smith, or label mate Andrius Arutiunian.

Loher laid the foundation for »Hug of Gravity« in 2020 with ten solo performances at his studio, during which he presented the pieces from his debut album. For these intimate concerts, he prepared the piano with modelling clay in order to move beyond the well-tempered tuning that dominates most of Western music. He then used a consecutive three-month residency in the Blenio Valley to refine the recordings. »I cut up and rearranged the material, then transferred the results—around 30 pieces—to a varispeed tape machine and then back to the computer. After that was done, I cut them up and rearranged them again,« he laughs. By radically reworking the material, he created an album that eschews traditional notions of time and space.

Loher points out the influence that his surroundings had on him. »The process created the music—and the place was essential to the process.« he says. He wandered through the mountains for up to nine or ten hours a day, which gave him a sense of what he calls expanded temporality. »Time just felt longer, my experiences seemed more diverse and nuanced, and it was as if I perceived my environment more clearly,« he explains. This shift in Loher’s perception of time and space—the latter also expressed in the album’s title—influenced his work with the varispeed tape machine. It allowed him to change the pitch of different recordings while layering them to let interference patterns emerge and emphasise the emotional qualities of the unconventional tunings he had used.

In this way, Loher constructed numerous interlocking narrative arcs throughout »Hug of Gravity,« an album that is ever-changing; an exercise in calm ecstasy that provides its audience with the feeling of being removed from conventional time and space. This approach is also reflected in the artwork for »Hug of Gravity,« which is based on drawings Loher made during his residency at Blenio Valley. Their fine hand-drawn lines run in parallel and let incidental patterns emerge, an effect that is only multiplied when the six different drawings that accompany each vinyl copy of the album are overlapping, forming ever-new visual constellations.

Vinyl reissue of the most acclaimed album by Brazil's legendary female vocal quartet, this LP captures the group at their creative peak, featuring sophisticated arrangements by Edu Lobo and Luiz Eça (Tamba Trio), A post-bossa gem filled with stunning vocal harmonies. Originally released in 1972 on the Odeon label, Quarteto Em Cy stands as a high-water mark in the group's prolific discography-and a hidden gem for collectors of Brazilian vinyl. Known for their intricate vocal harmonies and deep roots in the bossa nova movement, the quartet ventures into post-bossa territory here, where sophistication meets groove in all the right ways. Arrangements by Edu Lobo and Luiz Eça (of Tamba Trio) lend the album a richly layered sound-elegant, jazzy, and emotionally resonant-while the group's harmonies remain as mesmerizing as ever. It's a masterclass in vocal interplay and tasteful orchestration, with an unmistakable Brazilian soul running through every track. Highlights include their stunning interpretation of Milton Nascimento's 'Tudo Que Você Podia Ser,' along with deep cuts like 'Quando o Carnaval Chegar,' 'Canto de Obá,' and 'Cantoria.' These recordings capture a moment when the group, already respected collaborators of Vinícius de Moraes, Jobim, and Chico Buarque, hit a new creative stride. A MPB landmark and long out of print, often cited as QEC finest work, this self-titled LP has become a sought-after piece among collectors of MPB, bossa, and 70s harmony pop. For those drawn to groups like The Free Design or The Mamas & The Papas-but with a distinctly Brazilian elegance-this album offers a rare and rewarding listen. Reissue on 180g vinyl.

This new chapter marks Gordon’s first solo release as Leaving Laurel - a deeply personal and instinctive body of work born from a period of rediscovery. The record began as an open exploration of whatever music naturally came through, a process that became both freeing and revealing to Gordon. The album is a wordless love story told through sound. An emotional arc that mirrors the stages of falling for someone: the spark, the curiosity, the vulnerability, and the quiet realisation that your heart has opened without you even noticing. The album carries an uplifting, hopeful energy, reflecting both personal growth and newfound love - ‘our lives entwined' is a tribute to Gordon’s journey of finding “the one.” Following the loss that inspired ‘when the quiet comes’, Gordon’s eulogy to his late friend and musical partner Pierce, this album finds light emerging from grief. Where the previous record lingered in somber reflection, this album begins in that same emotional landscape but quickly blooms into something more vibrant and full of life. The opening track transitions from the cold, atmospheric tones of mourning into a more radiant energy - a sonic awakening symbolising the shift that came after meeting someone who changed everything. Sonically, the record expands Leaving Laurel's signature sound while embracing new textures. Gordon moved away from the lo-fi experimentation of earlier works, leaning instead into a more expressive palette driven by synths and fresh instrumentation, while still preserving the nostalgic warmth that defines Leaving Laurel. The result is a collection that feels both renewed and rooted - a reflection of growth, optimism, and the timeless beauty of connection.

From the heart of his own Safe Space imprint, Ackermann returns with a powerful new statement that traces a high-voltage line between techno and house. Known for his raw yet precision-tooled club cuts and a sound that moves from warehouse grit to late-night euphoria, the Stuttgart-based producer once again delivers tracks that are direct, functional and full of character, built for DJs who like it tight, driving and emotional at the same time.
On remix duties, Berlin icon Anja Schneider flips Ackermanns ideas into elegant, rolling peak-time material, balancing subtle tension with her trademark sense of groove and warmth. Rising force Confidential Recipe pushes things further into raw, percussive territory, upping the pressure with jacking drums and rave-soaked energy made for smoke-filled rooms and redlined sound systems.
True to the Safe Space motto, this release is all about the dancefloor: no filler, just stripped-back, high-impact tracks that lock you in and don’t let go.

Everything Is Recorded, ist das musikalische Kollaborationsprojekt von XL-Recordings Chef Richard Russell. Auf dem Album "Temporary" sind zu hören u.a. Sampha, Bill Callahan, Noah Cyrus, Florence Welch, Maddy Prior, Berwyn, Alabaster Deplume, Jah Wobble, Yazz Ahmed, Laura Groves, Kamasi Washington, Ricky Washington, Roses Gabor, Jack Penate, Samantha Morton, Clari Freeman-Taylor und Nourished By Time. "Temporary" entstand im Verlauf von vier Jahren in Russells Londoner Copper House Studio und während einiger zusätzlicher Sessions in Tottenham, Cumbria, Dorset, Los Angeles und Las Vegas Es schließt an die vorangegangenen Releases wie das 2018 für den Mercury Prize nominierte Debüt an. Auf dem neuen Album erfährt Russells musikalische DNA allerdings ein Reboot: Sein Cut & Paste Approach reicht in die Zeit vor Sampling-Helden wie The Bomb Squad und Prince Paul zurück bis hin zu Innovatoren wie Steve Reich, Robert Rauschenberg und William S. Burroughs. Während Russells Musik bislang geprägt war von Rhythmus, Worten und Melodie - in ebendieser Reihenfolge - tauschen zwei Aspekte diesmal ihre Rollen. Der Rhythmus tritt zugunsten der Melodie in den Hintergrund. Musikalisch ist "Temporary" vom Gedankenexperiment "what if folk music had "gone digital" in the 80s, just as reggae had?" geleitet, während sich in spiritueller und lyrischer Hinsicht vieles um Trauer und den Verlust von Freunden, Familienmitgliedern und Kollegen dreht. Im Ergebnis stehen leuchtende und gelassene Kompositionen, auch dank der faszinierenden und vielfältigen Gästeliste, die "Temporary" mitbringt. Die fragilen, zärtlichen und stillen Tracks liefern vielleicht eines der sanftesten Alben, die je über den Tod geschrieben wurden. "Das Album zu machen, war erfüllend, eine Art, das Leben zu heiligen", so Russell. "Temporary" ist die erste reguläre Veröffentlichung von Everything Is Recorded nach über vier Jahren. In der Zwischenzeit war Russell allerdings nicht untätig. Via Soundcloud und Bandcamp erschienen zuletzt "Summer Solstice", "Autumn Equinox", "Winter Solstice" und "Spring Equinox", die alle mit einer Reihe von Gastmusikerinnen und -.musikern im Rahmen ausgiebiger Jams an jeweils nur einem Tag entstanden. Mit der Schauspielerin und Regisseurin Samantha Morton tat er sich zum Duo Sam Morton zusammen, welches sein Debüt "Daffodils und Dirt" veröffentlichte. Für Peter Gabriels Comeback-Album "i/o" produzierte Russell den Song "Four Kinds of Horses".

Marking the return of one of house music’s most revered compilation series, Defected In The House Ibiza 2025 arrives to showcase the label’s sonic identity in full. This definitive 12-track release spans three LPs, shining a spotlight on iconic must-haves, tastemaker originals and Ibiza favourites from Defected Records and its associated imprints.

Reconnecting with the importance of curation, a longstanding cornerstone of the Defected ethos, this expansive collection celebrates the label’s role as a trusted voice in house music. Echoing the spirit of its flagship ITH series, which featured the likes of Gilles Peterson, Louie Vega, and Dimitri From Paris, this special 2025 edition continues its legacy by offering a cohesive snapshot of house music now.

Defected In The House Ibiza 2025 bridges the London label’s impressive catalogue with artists old and new, from new summer club anthems ‘Got The Funk’ by Low Steppa & Capri and Nic Fanciulli’s ‘Hold On’ with Marc E. Bassy, to Tripolism’s transformative reimagining of The Shapeshifter’s ‘Lola’s Theme’ and Dennis Ferrer’s fresh remix of Girls of the Internet’s ‘Affirmations’ featuring Anelisa Lamola.

Capturing the energy and emotional pull of the label’s events; Defected’s brand new residency at Pacha Ibiza in 2025 serves as inspiration for the collection. As such, the three volume collection also contains standout records from definitive artists of today’s Ibiza scene including Keinemusik, The Martinez Brothers, Peggy Gou, Armand Van Helden & A-Track as Duck Sauce, Mau P plus many more.

Did You Enjoy Your Time Here...? ist das neue Studioalbum von PremRock, einem Künstler von Backwoodz Studioz(vielleicht am besten bekannt als die Hälfte von ShrapKnel; das ernüchternde Yin zu Curly Castros wildem Yang). DYEYTH knüpft da an, wo Prems nachdenkliches Backwoodz-Debütalbum ,Load Bearing Crow's Feet" aus dem Jahr 2021 aufhörte: klar, herzlich und gnadenlos witzig. Das Album wurde von Sebb Bash, Blockhead, YUNGMORPHEUS, Child Actor, Controller 7, ELUCID, Small Professor, Jeff Markey und Fines Double produziert, während Prems langjähriger Kollaborateur Willie Green alles zusammenfügt. Textlich wird Prem von einigen der weltweit besten Künstler unterstützt, darunter Pink Siifu, Billy Woods, Cavalier, Nappy Nina, Illogic, AJ Suede, Mary Esther Carter und natürlich Castro. Jeder Gast holt das Beste aus dem Mix heraus und sorgt für fruchtbare Kollaborationen, die weit über einfache Gastverse hinausgehen. Mit originellen Artworks, die vom Album inspiriert sind, vom Chicagoer Künstler Gabe Karagianis. Die besten Formulierungen sind diejenigen, die mehr als eine Bedeutung haben. Wie beim Betrachten eines abstrakten Gemäldes können Worte für verschiedene Menschen unterschiedliche Bedeutungen haben. Eine Frage oder ein Satz, der entweder zu einer längeren existenziellen Überlegung oder einfach nur zu einem Achselzucken führt. Könnte sich auf das gesamte Leben beziehen, auf 90 Minuten in einer Einrichtung oder auf 5 Jahre in einer romantischen Beziehung. Der kurze, berauschende Rausch einer Designerdroge oder die automatisierte Umfrage am Ende einer Online-Transaktion. Es ist eine einfache, aber heimlich geladene Frage. Nun, hast du es getan?

2LP, 180gm vinyl, “Impex Style” Heavy Duty Outer Sleeve w/Flap, Sealed with Analogue October Records Sticker, Hype Sticker
Abbey Road Half speed master from the original tapes
380 gsm Invercote G Sleeve 300 gsm 12 page insert
4.5/5 RECOMMENDED / Editors Choice in Jazzwise magazine
‘And much as audiophiles will savour the tech achievement of this re-issue, the point is the Kaleidoscope of Rainbows
remains joyous, optimistic music that embraces difference and divergence. It needs celebrating not as a revived fossil but as a timeless artwork. Enjoy. And enjoy again’
RIYL Ian Carr / Nucleus / Weather Report / Clips and Art: https://we.tl/t-PfY9QXSjlt
NEIL ARDLEY – KALEIDOSCOPE OF RAINBOWS The Definitive 2LP Reissue of a Landmark in British Jazz Fusion
Analogue October Records proudly presents the long-awaited reissue of Kaleidoscope of Rainbows, Neil Ardley’s 1976 masterpiece, originally released on Gull Records. Produced by Neil Ardley and recorded at London’s famed Morgan Studios, the sessions were engineered and mixed by Martin Levan, capturing one of the most ambitious and beloved works in British jazz. Following the acclaimed reissues of Courtney Pine’s Journey to the Urge Within (AOR-001-ST) and Neil Ardley’s Harmony of the Spheres (AOR-002-ST)—both praised by the audiophile press including The Tracking Angle—this third release confirms Analogue October as one of today’s most meticulous and exciting reissue labels.
A Suite of Sound and Colour
Commissioned for the 1975 Camden Jazz Festival, Kaleidoscope of Rainbows is structured as a seven-part suite, each movement reflecting a colour of the spectrum. Ardley’s composition weaves together jazz improvisation, progressive rock energy, and orchestral elegance in one of the most imaginative British jazz recordings of the era. Featuring Ian Carr, Barbara Thompson, Tony Coe, Trevor Tomkins, and Geoff Castle, the album is a who’s who of the UK’s vibrant 1970s jazz scene.
Cut at Abbey Road, Pressed at Record Industry
For this definitive edition, Analogue October worked directly from the original Gull master tapes. Mastering was entrusted to Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, using his renowned half-speed process to extract every detail and dynamic from Ardley’s score. To give the music the headroom it deserves, the reissue has been expanded to a deluxe 2LP set, pressed on the highest-quality vinyl at Record Industry in Haarlem, Netherlands. The result is a presentation that finally does justice to the scope and brilliance of Ardley’s vision.
Deluxe Package – Restored from the Source
The artwork has been meticulously restored from the original film elements, ensuring a sleeve of unmatched vibrancy and fidelity. Inside, a 12-page booklet printed on heavyweight card features an in-depth essay on Neil Ardley and the making of Kaleidoscope of Rainbows, written by Jazzwise magazine editor Mike Flynn, alongside rare photographs from the period.
Curated and Produced by Craig Crane
As with every Analogue October release, Kaleidoscope of Rainbows has been curated and produced by label founder Craig Crane with a collector’s eye for detail and a deep respect for the music’s legacy. This reissue is not only the definitive vinyl edition of one of the great British jazz fusion albums—it also continues the label’s mission to restore and celebrate the most vital recordings of the era.
Neil Ardley’s Kaleidoscope of Rainbows—vivid, expansive, and timeless—returns as the essential edition for audiophiles and jazz lovers alike.
Retail-ready product description (short form):
Produced by Neil Ardley and recorded in 1976 at London’s Morgan Studios, engineered and mixed by Martin Levan, Kaleidoscope of Rainbows is a cornerstone of British jazz fusion. This definitive 2LP reissue, mastered at Abbey Road by Miles Showell from the original Gull master tapes and pressed at Record Industry (NL), finally gives the music the dynamic headroom it deserves. The deluxe edition includes restored artwork and a 12-page booklet featuring an in-depth essay by Jazzwise editor Mike Flynn.

London based experimental producer and composer "Leifur James" announces his return with news of a six date EU tour and the release ‘Wise Old Man’. The first single taken from his highly anticipated second album ‘Angel in Disguise’, which is due for release on the
24th April 2020 via "Night Time Stories" - Sister label to the coveted ‘LateNightTales’.

Driving, melancholic electronica, ‘Wise Old Man’ is a nod to what can be expected of James’ second album, Angel In Disguise, showcasing a more experimental side to his production. Traversing through musicality, progressive synths and introspection, this first single unveils the producer’s distinct sound with disorientated vocals; speaking of the interplay between reason and emotion, the lyrics repeat “Wise old man in my brain, soul bursting through my veins”, opening the gates to this captivating electronically steered opus.

This news comes after an incredible few years for the artist. In 2018 saw James release his esteemed debut album A Louder Silence on Night Time Stories and follow up remix EP that championed upcoming electronic talent including Bruce, FaltyDL and Whities producer, Coby Sey, on rework duties; projects which captured the attention of key tastemakers including Resident Advisor, Pitchfork, Mixmag, Electronic Sound and Future Music UK.

An aesthetically driven artist dedicated to marrying powerful visual backdrops with sonic explorations, James teamed up with Hungarian director, Balázs Simon; producing the critically acclaimed, ‘Wurlitzer’ project which saw widespread support from the likes of Boiler Room, CLASH, Directors’ Notes, Motionographer, the UK and Berlin Music Video Awards, the London Short Film Festival, Dublin International Film Festival and more.

Angel In Disguise promises to explore the themes of love and loss through a masterful blend of harmonic vocals from James himself, nuanced electronic soundscapes and vibrant percussion -
punctuated by bespoke visuals, directed by Balázs Simon.

This exciting project is expected to make waves and see James
step up, exhibiting his discerning ear and painstakingly honed production craft on aseminal label.

Adrian Younge Presents: Twelve Reasons To Die II inhabits the grimy streets of mid-1970s, NYC. Younge's cinematic, psychedelic soul returns to set the stage for a clash between crime syndicates and the vengeful spirit of Tony Starks (Ghostface Killah). This gripping sequel features special guest appearances from Wu Tang alumni Rza and Raekwon, who personifies the criminal mastermind, Lester Kane. A Wu-Tang saga unfolds in this thrilling sequel to the acclaimed original. Recorded and mixed by Adrian Younge at Linear Labs, the preeminent analog studio of Los Angeles, CA.

Black vinyl repress. Wie in het voorjaar van 2025 het voorrecht had om de theatertour van Het Zesde Metaal bij te wonen, kon daar op de koop toe genieten van een handvol gloednieuwe songs. Het resultaat is de EP Randgevallen: vijf songs, vijf vertellingen uit het persoonlijke en wereldse leven die andermaal bewijzen dat Het Zesde Metaal als geen ander kan beschrijven, beklijven en betoveren.

Wie in het voorjaar van 2025 het voorrecht had om de theatertour van Het Zesde Metaal bij te wonen, kon daar op de koop toe genieten van een handvol gloednieuwe songs. En daarna vaststellen dat die helaas nergens te (her)beluisteren waren. Tot nu, want de goesting om de songs vast te leggen voor de eeuwigheid werd op den duur wel heel groot. En dus kampeerden Wannes Cappelle en co afgelopen zomer enkele dagen in Waimes (DAFT Music Studios), voor het eerst in de nieuwe bezetting met Kasper Cornelus op gitaar/toetsen en Sander Verstraete op bas.

Het resultaat is de EP Randgevallen: vijf songs, vijf vertellingen uit het persoonlijke en wereldse leven die andermaal bewijzen dat Het Zesde Metaal als geen ander kan beschrijven, beklijven en betoveren. Een staalkaart bovendien van de muzikale en tekstuele veelzijdigheid die de band al jaren kenmerkt. Opener Service is een opgewekte popsong waarin Cappelle sappig de drang naar reviews en hartjes in het dagelijkse en economische leven fileert: 'wa' vind je van onze service? / zou j'ons geen tiene willen geven? / asteblieft, want anders is den directeur vies.' In Traagskes Groeien verstilt het tempo en keert de blik naar binnen, het persoonlijke leven in, mijmerend over kinderen die stilaan het nest ontgroeien. 'ge moet u zo nie' spoeien / ge moet traagskes groeien / ge moe' laagske per laagske groeien', probeert Cappelle het loslaten nog even uit te stellen.

Wie dacht dat Oud En Nieuw daarna gaat over feestvieren in de donkerste dagen van december, is op het verkeerde feestje beland. Wiegend op hypnotiserende bas, drum en pedal steel passeert opnieuw de vergankelijkheid van het leven, dit keer met een bredere maatschappelijke blik. 'alles da' oud is, was ooit nieuw / en groot is ooit kleine begonnen / veel komt van weinig / glad was eerst ruw / zelfs de waarheid wierd ooit verzonnen'. Wanneer naar het einde toe pulserende synths het tempo opheffen en de song licht euforisch uitwaaiert in een instrumentale coda, kun je alleen maar de ogen sluiten en stilstaan bij wat was en nog komen zal.

Label is het enige nummer dat speciaal voor de EP werd geschreven en baadt net als Service in meer dartele klanken, terwijl Cappelle met trefzekere oneliners een beeld van zichzelf schetst. 'de meeste middens mijd ik, ik hore bie de randgevallen thuis / misschien verdiene 'kik ook een label'. Moeten we altijd proberen de ander in een vakje te duwen? Kan iedereen niet 'gewoon' anders zijn? En ironisch draait Cappelle de rollen om: 'atypisch is de norm / ge moogt buiten de lijntjes kleuren / gewoon is niet verboden / normaal zijn doet geen zeer / as ze mor hunder plekke kennen / de rare zijn met meer.'

Het slotakkoord is voor het beklijvende Duizend Soldaten van Willem Vermandere, dat Cappelle en Filip Wauters begin dit jaar brachten voor het tv-programma Ik Vraag Het Aan. Nu zet het een pakkend punt achter een EP die nogmaals de tijdloze klasse van de band onderstreept. Meeslepend, verhalend, herkenbaar, grappig, ontroerend, scherp. Het Zesde Metaal is het allemaal en heeft daar slechts vijf songs voor nodig.

Randgevallen werd opgenomen met Frederik Segers (productie) en Jasper Maekelberg (mix) aan de knoppen, en komt uit op 4 oktober. Met de plaat onder de arm én aan de merchandisetafel herneemt de band zijn theatertour, maar dan in het groot, langs fantastische zalen in onder meer Brugge (Concertgebouw), Gent (Capitole) en Nederland.

Es ist alles überlebensgroß, düsterer als der Tod und das beste Album, das die Horror-Punks von Creeper je aufgenommen haben.

Das Album "SANGUIVORE" hat Creepers ohnehin schon überlebensgroße Ambitionen auf neue Höhen geführt, was zu den positivsten Kritiken ihrer Karriere führte und in ihrem ersten Headliner-Konzert in der OVO Wembley Arena in London gipfelte. Historisch gesehen schließt die Band am Ende einer Creeper-Ära den Sargdeckel, um sich erneut neu zu erfinden. Doch dieses Mal trotzt die fünfköpfige Band den Erwartungen, indem sie das kreative Universum des Vorgängeralbums erweitert und am 31. Oktober mit "Sanguivore II: Mistress Of Death" aufs Neue ins Vampir-Universum eintaucht.

"Sanguivore II: Misstress Of Death" ist eher eine thematische Fortsetzung als eine direkte Weiterführung der ursprünglichen Geschichte. Wie eine klassische Horror-Anthologie spinnt es eine neue Geschichte aus derselben Blutlinie wie das Original, diesmal mit dem blutigen Vampirherz als roter Faden, um eine brandneue Erzählung einzuführen.
Die Geschichte führt uns zurück in die moralische Hysterie der Satanic Panic und ihre Auswirkungen auf die Welt des Hardrock und Heavy Metal der 80er Jahre. Es war eine Zeit, in der der verstorbene Prince of Darkness, Ozzy Osbourne und Judas Priest von Gerichtsverfahren verfolgt wurden. Iron Maiden spielte tief im Herzen Amerikas, während W.A.S.P. und Mötley Crüe mit ihrer skandalösen Theatralik und Dekadenz die Gemüter der Konservativen erhitzten.

Wie schon das Original wurde auch "Sanguivore II" von Tom Dalgety (Ghost, Rammstein, Royal Blood) produziert.

A Sonic Escapade Between Elegance, Chill and Laid-Back Electro Nach Compilations von Armen Miran, Dole & Kom und Christos Fourkis präsentieren Rich Vom Dorf und Ravin eine neue Klangreise zwischen Organic House, Downtempo und spirituellem Lounge-Sound. Rich Vom Dorf, ein aufstrebender Produzent aus Deutschland, bringt seine Handschrift in Form von sanften Grooves, subtilen Melodien und introspektiver Tiefe ein. Ravin, bekannt durch die Buddha-Bar-Reihe, ergänzt mit globalen Einflüssen und ritueller Atmosphäre. Die Doppel-CD bietet eine internationale Auswahl mit Künstlern wie Etziama, DJ Pippi & Willie Graff, SUBNESIA, Desert Dwellers oder Giovanna Zattar - perfekt für entspannte Tage und nächtliche Reisen. Die Doppel-Vinyl-Edition hingegen fokussiert sich auf Rich Vom Dorfs eigene Klangwelt - mit exklusiven Tracks wie "Only You", "Weekender" oder "Très Bien", ergänzt durch ausgewählte Stücke von Etziama, portl und KUKS. Zwei Formate, zwei Perspektiven - ein gemeinsames Ziel: Musik, die berührt.

London’s gothic five-piece, Dog Race, unveil ‘Return The Day’—a debut EP that drags you deep into the fog of burnout, codependency, and emotional stasis. Across five tracks, the band unspools the slow horror of fading joy and fractured identity, where insomnia bleeds into daylight and personal growth is sacrificed to keep others comfortable. Following the stark theatrics of ‘It’s The Squeeze’ and the icy operatic swell of ‘The Leader – which earned praise from BBC Radio 6, landed them in NME’s 2025 Top 100, and left Anthony Fantano in awe, placing It’s The Squeeze at #11 in his Best Singles of 2024 – the EP pushes further into the dark. Operatic vocals drift through modulated guitars and synths that crackle with unease. Produced by Ali Chant and released via Fascination Street Records, ‘Return The Day’ captures a band fully embracing psychological unrest and emotional paralysis. Dog Race may take their time, but they strike hard.

Louis Armstrong and his All-Stars are captured in rare form during this live recording from 1956. The album features a great collection of tunes which had become staples of Armstrong's live shows, including his perennial opener, "Indiana"; the crowd favorite, "Tiger Rag"; the always joyful, "When The Saints Go Marching In"; and the great title-track, "Basin Street Blues". Satch's frontline band at the time boasted the very distinctive sounds of trombonist Trummy Young and clarinetist Ed Hall.

CLIQUE exists not as a traditional band but as a forum for radical discourse within hardcore's landscape. Formed in 2022 in California with members spanning the Bay Area and Los Angeles, CLIQUE has quickly made a name for itself through an undeniably vicious live show and a depth that's been long missing from the scene. In a world increasingly defined by individual recognition, CLIQUE operates anonymously, rejecting the spotlight in favor of their message and finding strength in collective struggle.

Unlike many of their contemporaries, CLIQUE was formed with explicit political intent. In an era where hardcore’s content has drifted toward toothless posturing, they aim to reintroduce radical thought into a scene that has lost much of its subversive edge. Drawing from influences spanning Crass to Neurosis, Earth Crisis to MBV, they forge a sound that defies easy categorization while undoubtedly belonging to hardcore.

CLIQUE isn't interested in raising awareness for impotent establishment causes or upholding the system. Their vision extends beyond reform to revolution - the dismantling of structures that exploit people, degrade cultures and destroy the earth. Each show is an invitation for people of all walks of life to participate, a reminder that hardcore’s true strength lies in the connection of everybody in the room, erasing the boundary between stage and crowd.

As they put it: "This is a prayer for those we've lost along the way. This is a celebration of our liberation to come. This is a eulogy for the state and its worthless existence." In an increasingly commercialized hardcore landscape, CLIQUE stands apart - anonymous, uncompromising, and unwavering in their conviction that another world is possible. The message is clear: no one is coming to save us, we can only make our own future, together. This music is both a reflection of our hellish reality and an invitation to imagine and create something better. Clique up. Say nothing.

Mit World of Trance Vol. 2 erscheint die nächste farbige Limited Edition, kuratiert von Talla 2XLC und gefüllt mit zehn sorgfältig ausgewählten Trance-Hymnen. Die Vinyl präsentiert alle Titel in ihren Original- bzw. Radio-Mixen, während die beiliegende CD sämtliche Tracks in den kraftvollen Extended Versions enthält.

Side A bietet melodische Höhepunkte wie Talla 2XLCs „Bliss“, XiJaro & Pitchs episches „Sic Parvis Magna“, das energiegeladene „Free“ von Ultra, Talla 2XLC & Para X, gefolgt von „Tales Of The Truth“ von York, Fawzy & Winterborn sowie DJ Eternitys atmosphärischem „Atmosphere“.

Side B entfacht weitere Trance-Power mit Tallas „No Fate“ (Zyrus 7 Mix), dem antreibenden „Double Down“ von Woody van Eyden & James Cottle, dem intensiven Zyrus 7 Remix von „Illusion“, dem beeindruckenden „Perplexagon Part 3“ im Daniel-Kandi-Remix sowie dem emotionalen Abschluss „Spirit“ von Talla 2XLC & Ralphie B.

Ein hochwertiges Sammlerstück voller Melodie, Energie und Emotion – World of Trance Vol. 2 ist pures Gold für jeden Trance-Fan.

World of Trance Vol. 2 is the next colourful limited edition, curated by Talla 2XLC and filled with ten carefully selected trance anthems. The vinyl presents all tracks in their original or radio mixes, while the accompanying CD contains all tracks in powerful extended versions.

Side A offers melodic highlights such as Talla 2XLC‘s ‘Bliss’, XiJaro & Pitch‘s epic ‘Sic Parvis Magna’, the energetic “Free” by Ultra, Talla 2XLC & Para X, followed by ‘Tales Of The Truth’ by York, Fawzy & Winterborn and DJ Eternity‘s atmospheric ‘Atmosphere’.

Side B unleashes more trance power with Talla‘s ‘No Fate’ (Zyrus 7 Mix), the driving ‘Double Down’ by Woody van Eyden & James Cottle, the intense Zyrus 7 remix of “Illusion”, the impressive ‘Perplexagon Part 3’ in the Daniel Kandi remix, and the emotional finale ‘Spirit’ by Talla 2XLC & Ralphie B.

A high-quality collector‘s item full of melody, energy and emotion – World of Trance Vol. 2 is pure gold for every trance fan.

With Ylh Bye Bye, Swiss-Moroccan producer Sami Galbi delivers a raw and electrifying debut album after the success of his first single Dakchi Hani / Rruina. Merging North African folk, chaâbi, and trap with forward-thinking electronic club music, his punk energy and DIY ethos stem from years immersed in Lausanne"s underground squat scene, shaping a sound that"s both deeply personal and politically charged.

"Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus (Music From The Motion Picture)". Purple + Black & White Splatter Vinyl. Der Einstieg in die Musik von Q Lazzarus erfolgte für fast alle über "Goodbye Horses". Der Song tauchte erstmals 1988 in Jonathan Demmes "Married to the Mob" auf, aber er sollte sich erst dann vollständig im Bewusstsein der Menschen verankern, als er 1991 in Demmes "The Silence of the Lambs" wieder auftauchte. "Goodbye Horses" fühlte sich an wie ein in sich geschlossenes Universum - traumhaft und völlig ungewöhnlich, ein sofortiger Klassiker, der die Zuhörer fesselte und neugierig auf die geheimnisvolle Stimme dahinter machte. Diese Stimme gehörte Diane Luckey, einer einzigartig talentierten Künstlerin, deren Musik ihrer Zeit voraus war und die letztlich zu Lebzeiten weitgehend unerkannt bleiben sollte. In Verbindung mit der Veröffentlichung des Dokumentarfilms "Goodbye Horses: The Many Lives of Q Lazzarus" von Aridjis Fuentes veröffentlicht Sacred Bones eine Sammlung von Songs, die die gesamte Karriere von Q abdecken und die verschiedenen Epochen ihres Schaffens und die ganze Bandbreite ihrer Persönlichkeit zeigen. "Goodbye Horses" ist die erste Musiksammlung, die den Segen von Qs verbliebener Familie erhalten hat, und hat die Besonderheit, ihre erste und einzige Albumveröffentlichung in voller Länge zu sein. Aufgenommen zwischen 1985 und 1995, spiegelt diese Fundgrube bisher unveröffentlichter Musik einige der interessantesten Facetten der Popmusik der letzten vier Jahrzehnte auf eine Weise wider, die sowohl versiert als auch wild eklektisch wirkt. Das titelgebende "Goodbye Horses" bleibt ein einzigartiges Stück gespenstischer New-Wave-Perfektion, und man könnte sich ein ganzes Q-Lazzarus-Album vorstellen, das sich um diese Ästhetik dreht, aber ähnlich den Gesangsikonen Alison Moyet, Annie Lennox oder Lisa Gerrard eignet sich Qs chamäleonhafte Stimme perfekt für eine Vielzahl von Stilen und Settings. Ihre Coverversion von Talking aHeads' "Heaven" verwandelt den Song in eine aus voller Kehle gesungene Power-Ballade mit klimpernden Klavierverzierungen, während ihre Interpretation von Gershwins "Summertime" wie eine dubbige Club-Reduktion klingt, die zu einem Grace Jones Stück der Nightclubbing-Ära hätte passen können. Tracks wie "My Mistake" und "Hellfire" flirten mit House-Musik und zeigen, wie frech und glockig Qs Stimme sein kann, wenn sie sich richtig austobt, während "Don't Let Go" wie eine bombastische Radiosingle klingt, die Cher vor einigen Jahrzehnten hätte veröffentlichen können. Andere Songs wie "Bang Bang" und "I See Your Eyes" sind von einer gitarrenbetonten Alt-Rock-Sensibilität, die in einem Paralleluniversum auch auf MTVs 120 Minutes Show hätte laufen können. "Goodbye Horses" verkörpert das Potenzial für so viele verschiedene Arten von Karrieren, die, aus welchen Gründen auch immer, nie vollständig verwirklicht wurden. Dass wir jetzt diese Songs in der Welt haben und ein klareres Bild von der Person dahinter, ist nichts weniger als ein Segen.

10-Jahre-Jubiläums-Reissue von Twit Ones wegweisendem Album „The Sit-In“ aus dem Jahr 2015. Von vielen Twit-Aficionados als eines seiner besten Werke gefeiert, unterschied sich „The Sit-In“ bei seinem Erscheinen deutlich von seinen vorherigen Alben – und Twits Musik war noch nie leicht vorhersehbar. „The Sit-In“ war die erste Twit-Platte, zu der man Räucherstäbchen anzünden kann, und auch zehn Jahre später hat sie nichts von ihrem Zauber verloren. Mit Sängerin May sowie den Poeten PB Louison und Imam Ally-Salaam. Artwork von Van Lagerstein und Robert Winter. Das 10-Jahres-Jubiläums-Reissue enthält außerdem eine Bonus 7"" mit vier neuen Tracks.

Montreal indie rock trio Plants and Animals announce "The Jungle", their fifth studio album set to be released October 23rd via Secret City Records. Their shortest album yet and certainly their boldest, "The Jungle" is eight acts in a world full of noise. The album is auto-produced and was recorded at Mixart, their studio in Montreal. The band explains : "We started working on this a couple of years ago. Warren was afraid for a friend's health. He thought he was self-medicating too much and not taking care of himself. He couldn't let go of this image of an overworked dude swallowing too many sleeping pills and falling asleep with the stove on. So it began as the place next door, sometime before Greta Thunberg turned the expression into a rallying cry, where Earth is the house and the people are sleeping. It's terrifying, and on the whole we're not unlike this friend, are we?" "The Jungle" starts with electronic drums that sound like insects at night. A whole universe comes alive in the dark. It's beautiful, complex and unsettling. Systematic and chaotic. All instinct, no plan. Voices taunt,"yeah yeah yeah." This tangled time in which we find ourselves is reflected back in shadows. Every song is such a landscape. The first one grinds to a halt and you become a kid looking out a car window at the moon, wondering how it's still on your tail as you speed past a steady blur of trees. You watch a house go up in a yellow strobe that echoes the disco weirdness of Giorgio Moroder, Donna Summer and David Bowie. You get pummelled by a rhythm then set free by a sudden change of scenery_the wind stops, clarity returns. You're under a streetlight in Queens, soft-focus, slow motion, falling in love. You speak French now too, in case you didn't already. Bienvenue. These are personal experiences made in a volatile world, and they reflect that world right back at us, even by accident. There's one song Nic sings to his teenage son who was dealing with climate change anxiety and drifting into uncharted independence. The band carries it out slowly together into a sweet blue horizon. Warren wrote the words to another shortly after losing his father. It's about the things we inherit not necessarily being the things we want. In a broader sense, that's where a lot of people find themselves right now.

With their highly anticipated fourth album, The Third Sleep, Norwegian progressive rock band Oak delivers a striking exploration of societal complacency and the struggle of the individual. The album contrasts light and darkness, both thematically and musically, seamlessly blending folk-inspired acoustic passages with the raw intensity of progressive metal, evoking echoes of Opeth and beyond. Expanding on the lyrical themes of The Quiet Rebellion of Compromise, The Third Sleep ventures deeper into the subconscious, weaving suggestive and poetic storytelling with sharp social commentary. More outward-looking than its introspective predecessor, the album invites the listener to engage, interpret, and reflect. With a rich musical foundation that spans classical piano, electronica, progressive and hard rock, Oak has carved out a distinctive sound-both captivating and challenging in equal measure. Recorded in Ljugekroken (Oslo), the album was mixed by David Castillo (Katatonia, Leprous, Opeth) and mastered by Jacob Holm-Lupo (White Willow, Donner) at Dude Ranch Studio, Sandoya. Prepare to experience The Third Sleep, a thought-provoking journey through sound and emotion.

Das Cover von ,Liquorice", dem dritten Album der australischen Indie-Pop-Künstlerin Hatchie, zeigt ein Nahporträt von Harriette Pilbeam, die lächelt, wobei ihr verschmierter roter Lippenstift auf die glorreiche Folge eines Kusses hindeutet. Das Bild wurde während eines spontanen Fotoshootings im Hinterhof mit einer einfachen Digitalkamera aufgenommen und fängt eine Erinnerung ein, die etwas unvollkommen ist und von Sehnsucht, Begierde und Bedauern geprägt ist Das Bild wurde während eines spontanen Fotoshootings im Hinterhof mit einer kleinen Digitalkamera aufgenommen und verkörpert ein Album, das rau und voller Freude ist und sich mit Themen wie Sehnsucht, Begierde und Reue befasst. Pilbeam begann ernsthaft mit dem Schreiben von ,Liquorice", während sie von 2022 bis 2023 in Brisbane lebte, und später in einem gemeinsamen Haus mit Agius in Melbourne, wo sie die Demos schließlich Mitte 2024 fertigstellte. Als Musikerin, die ihre Einflüsse bisher offen zur Schau gestellt hat, bemühte sich Pilbeam, von Grund auf neu zu schreiben, ohne bestimmte musikalische Einflüsse im Hinterkopf zu haben. Pilbeam begann ernsthaft mit dem Schreiben von ,Liquorice", während sie von 2022 bis 2023 in Brisbane lebte, und später in einem gemeinsamen Haus mit Agius in Melbourne, wo sie die Demos schließlich , und stellte die Demos schließlich Mitte 2024 fertig. Als Musikerin, die ihre Einflüsse bisher offen zur Schau gestellt hatte, bemühte sich Pilbeam, ganz von vorne anzufangen, ohne bestimmte musikalische Einflüsse im Hinterkopf zu haben, und ließ den Songs wochenlang Zeit zum Atmen, anstatt Ideen zu überstürzen. Sie fühlte sich von der melodischen Einfachheit ihrer frühen Songs angezogen und akzeptierte ihre musikalischen Unsicherheiten: ,Ich wollte meine Grenzen als Stärken betrachten, die meinen Stil prägen." Nachdem sie mit den Produzenten Jorge Elbrecht (Caroline Polachek, Japanese Breakfast, Sky Ferreira) und Dan Nigro (Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan) an ,Giving the World Away" gearbeitet hatte, wollte Pilbeam ,Liquorice" mit einem einzigen Kollaborateur fertigstellen, idealerweise einem nicht-männlichen Produzenten, der auch sein eigenes Musikprojekt vorantreibt. Im September 2024 kehrten Pilbeam und Agius nach Los Angeles zurück, um mit Melina Duterte zusammenzuarbeiten, die unter dem Namen Jay Som Indie-Rock aufnimmt und an einer Reihe von Projekten mitgewirkt hat, darunter das mit einem Grammy ausgezeichnete Album ,The Record" von boygenius. ,Mein letztes Album ist sehr düster und introspektiv geworden, und das ist zwar ein Teil von mir, aber es gab noch eine ganz andere Seite, die ich nicht zum Ausdruck gebracht habe", sagt Pilbeam. ,Ich bin eine hoffnungslose Romantikerin und eine sehr alberne Person, manchmal sogar bis zum Äußersten." Die heute 32-jährige, verheiratete Pilbeam stellte fest, dass ,ewige Gefühle" der Sehnsucht und des Herzschmerzes schnell zurückkehrten, als sie über ihre Erfahrungen als jüngere Frau nachdachte. Gleichzeitig ließ sie ihre Vorliebe für tragische Liebesfilme einfließen, in denen die Figuren nicht unbedingt ein gemeinsames Happy End finden. Liquorice beschäftigt sich mit der Endlichkeit des Ewigen. Diese Songs fangen die überwältigenden, berauschenden und transformierenden Nebenwirkungen der Verliebtheit ein, auch wenn die gesamte Liebesgeschichte nur eine einzige magische Nacht dauert. Wie die reichhaltigen Aromen der gewundenen, titelgebenden Süßigkeit - süß, salzig und bitter in einem Bissen - bestätigt Liquorice, wie Sehnsucht und Besessenheit in der Selbstfindung einer jungen Frau miteinander verflochten sind.

Pullman ist eine im Studio entstandene Akustik-Supergroup, die Ende der 90er Jahre aus der Post-Rock-Szene Chicagos hervorging und Ken ,Bundy K." Brown (Tortoise/Directions in Music), Curtis Harvey (Rex), Chris Brokaw (Come) und Doug McCombs (Tortoise/Eleventh Dream Day) vereinte. Später kam Schlagzeuger Tim Barnes hinzu, wodurch die Kernbesetzung der Gruppe gefestigt wurde. Ihr Debüt bei Thrill Jockey gaben sie 1998 mit "Turnstyles & Junkpiles", einer leisen, live auf zwei Spuren aufgenommenen Sammlung verwobener Gitarrenklänge, die Kritiker mit John Fahey, Leo Kottke und Gastr del Sol verglichen. Ihr Folgealbum "Viewfinder" (2001) erweiterte die Palette um Percussion, subtile elektrische Texturen und Mehrspur-Layering, wobei die rustikale, filmische Zurückhaltung von Pullman beibehalten wurde. Mit beiden Alben wurde die Band zu einem Maßstab für akustische, songorientierte Instrumentalmusik: folkig im Geist, postrockig in der Methode und zeitlos im Klang. Zwei Jahrzehnte später kehrt Pullman mit "III" zurück, einem Album, das von Freundschaft und Widerstandsfähigkeit geprägt ist. Im Jahr 2021 gab Barnes seine Diagnose einer früh einsetzenden Alzheimer-Erkrankung im Alter von 54 Jahren öffentlich bekannt. Trotz seines fortschreitenden Gesundheitszustands begannen er und Brown fast täglich, oft aus der Ferne, mit einem großen Kreis von Mitwirkenden aus Barnes' musikalischer Vergangenheit zusammenzuarbeiten. Was als einzelner Beitrag für eine Compilation begann, entwickelte sich nach und nach zu einem vollständigen Pullman-Album, das zwischen 2021 und 2023 fertiggestellt wurde. "III" wurde von Brown bearbeitet und gemischt, mit frühen Beiträgen von Barnes, und führt die für die Gruppe charakteristische Intimität und Räumlichkeit fort, während es gleichzeitig den Geist der Gemeinschaft verkörpert, der ihre Arbeit seit jeher geprägt hat. "III" ist sowohl eine Fortsetzung der einzigartigen Ästhetik von Pullman als auch ein Beweis für die nachhaltige Kraft der Musik und schwebt mit der stillen Schwere der Erinnerung, der Beharrlichkeit und der Anmut.

Entdecken Sie eine Auswahl der kultigsten Songs aus Quentin Tarantinos Kultfilmen auf einer atemberaubenden Picture Disc Vinyl. Diese exklusive Zusammenstellung umfasst legendäre Künstler wie Dick Dale, Johnny Cash, The Coasters, The 5.6.7.8"s und viele mehr - und deckt Tarantinos gesamtes filmisches Universum von Pulp Fiction bis Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ab. Ein Sammlerstück voller Surf-Rock, Soul, Rockabilly und Retro-Vibes - genau so, wie Tarantino es liebt.

Calling All Captains have built a reputation for turning personal struggle into explosive, emotionally charged punk rock. Blending post-hardcore grit with the melodic urgency of pop-punk and alt-rock, the Edmonton-based band delivers music that’s as volatile as it is vulnerable. Their upcoming EP, The Things That I’ve Lost (out January 9, 2026 via New Damage Records), is their most personal and sonically refined work to date. Recorded at The Audio Department in Edmonton, Alberta with longtime collaborator and producer Quinn Cyrankiewicz, the seven-track release features a standout co-write on “Blood for Blood” with world-acclaimed songwriter Tom Denney (A Day to Remember, Pierce the Veil, Neck Deep, etc.) Mastered by Stuart McKillop at Rain City Recorders, the EP explores burnout, grief, and the quiet collapse of identity; capturing a band reckoning with itself in real time: honest, raw, and entirely unfiltered. “This is the most personal release we’ve ever put out,” says Gauthier. “These songs came from a place of reflecting on everything we’ve been through, personally and as a band. It’s raw, but it’s real. And I think people will feel that.”

Belgian sitar player Nicolas Mortelmans will release his second album, titled "SPACE". For these recordings, he went into the studio with Roland van Campenhout, Stef Kamil Carlens, Tim Vanhamel and Simon Segers. The result of this encounter is a raw and honest record in which all the music is improvised. With this album, Nicolas returns to his roots and experiments with psychedelic rock, ambient, funk, and jazz. Expect an intense meditative and explosive listening experience.

HOUSE BY THE CEMETARY, the 'supergroup' led by former MONSTROSITY and VILE frontman and current artwork artist Mike Hrubovcak and Rogga Johansson from PAGANIZER and RIBSPREADER are releasing their third full-length, "Disturbing The Cenotaph". Since the duo, completed by former THE PROJECT HATE drummer Thomas Ohlsson, originally picked up their moniker as an homage to the 1981 cult horror flick of the same name, it shouldn't come as a surprise they've once again paying tribute to director Lucio Fulci (1927-1996) in one of this album most lethal salvo, 'New York Ripper'. Elsewhere on this third album, other tracks like 'Undead Apocalypse' or 'Burial Disturbance' were inspired by other famous horror classics like "Night Of The Living Dead" and "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre", Hrubovcak has come up in his lyrics with his own tales of terror. Some are totally fictional like, 'Coffin Colony' about a "diseased homeless living in underground coffins who gets infected with rabies after eating sewer rats". Others, like 'Lunatic Butcher' are inspired by real-life events or, in that case, by the antics and vicious killings of Paul John Knowles, dubbed 'the Casanova killer'. Musically speaking, Johansson jokes about "every band saying that their new album is their best but that's actually true here eh eh! This album is HOUSE BY THE CEMETARY on steroids. The sound is broad and impious, the vocals are awesome and the heavy riffing interlaced with occasional melody makes an overall varied, fun and GORY listen!" Completed, like on 2024's "The Mortuary Hauntings", by a gruesome artwork courtesy Felipe Mora (whose nightmarish visions can already be seen on albums by CONSUMPTION, ACHERON or WOMBBATH) and mixed by Håkan Stuvemark from WOMBBATH, Disturbing The Cenotaph is one raw, in-your-face and eight songs packed death-metal-to-the-core album ready to chill you to the bone!

Als Sängerin und Pianistin glänzte Blossom Dearie nicht nur mit einer der ungewöhnlichsten Stimmen des
Jazz, sondern auch mit coolem Understatement und swingender, harmonischer Finesse. Dieser Albumklassiker von 1958 mit Gitarrist Herb Ellis, Bassist Ray Brown und Schlagzeuger Jo Jones verbindet zeitlose
Eleganz mit rhythmischer Leichtigkeit.

"Sunshine and Balance Beams", das neunte Album von Pile, ist eine Sisyphus-Parabel über Arbeit und Leben. Um es zu schreiben, begab sich Sänger Rick Maguire an ,einen dunklen Ort" und rang mit dem Konzept, dass es keine Erleuchtung und kein Ende des Leidens gibt. Maguire erforscht den Workaholismus, den Mythos der Leistungsgesellschaft und die Akzeptanz der Sterblichkeit - und das alles in einer teuflischen Allegorie, in der es darum geht, durch einen schattigen Wald zu stapfen und dem ungewissen Traum einer hellen Lichtung entgegenzugehen. Pile ringt mit existenziellen und sozialen Widersprüchen, indem sie klangliche Zwischenräume heraufbeschwören. Die Musik existiert irgendwo im temporären Gleichgewicht von Licht und Schatten, Chaos und Ordnung. Heiße, regenähnliche Gitarren, sich verschiebende Drums, die gewundene Wege in Klang und Tempo ebnen, unheimliche Synthesizer und wässrige Streicher fügen sich zu einem Panorama aus Laut-Leise-Dynamik zusammen, das der Emotionalität der donnernden Auftritte der Band entspricht. Die Gruppe engagierte eine Streichergruppe (Geigen, Bratsche, Cello), die glühende, durchkomponierte Arrangements spielten, die von der Cellistin Eden Rayz und Pile mitgeschrieben wurden. Sie ließen sich von Kino- und Opernpartituren von Chopin, Bernard Herrmann und Ralph Vaughan Williams inspirieren, was "Sunshine and Balance Beams" einen überlebensgroßen Sound verleiht, der Piles blitzschnelle Umsetzungen einiger ihrer bisher zugänglichsten Songtexte noch verstärkt. Die Aufnahme ist ein deutlicher Sprung im Produktionswert und stellt Maguires Gesang auf neue und aufregende Weise in den Mittelpunkt. Pile reisten nach Pawtucket, RI, um zwei Wochen lang bei Machines with Magnets mit ihrer langjährigen Tontechnikerin Miranda Serra (Kal Marks, Kira McSpice) aufzunehmen. Das Album wurde von Seth Manchester (Lightning Bolt, Mdou Moctar) gemischt und von Matt Colton (Aphex Twin, Swans, Muse) gemastert. "Sunshine and Balance Beams" ist das erste Album von Pile für das Chicagoer Label Sooper Records.