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From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is sonically different from Van Etten's previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon - life and living, love and being loved - but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. Reflecting on this new artistic frame of mind, Van Etten muses, "Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's scary, sometimes you feel stuck. It's like every day feels a little different - just being at peace with whatever you're feeling and whoever you are and how you relate to people in that moment. If I can just keep a sense of openness while knowing that my feelings change every day, that is all I can do right now. That and try to be the best person I can be while letting other people be who they are and not taking it personally and just being. I'm not there, but I'm trying to be there every day." Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a quantum leap in that direction. - Lol Tolhurst

Awareness Edition: Amber Galaxy Vinyl. From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is sonically different from Van Etten's previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon - life and living, love and being loved - but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. Reflecting on this new artistic frame of mind, Van Etten muses, "Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's scary, sometimes you feel stuck. It's like every day feels a little different - just being at peace with whatever you're feeling and whoever you are and how you relate to people in that moment. If I can just keep a sense of openness while knowing that my feelings change every day, that is all I can do right now. That and try to be the best person I can be while letting other people be who they are and not taking it personally and just being. I'm not there, but I'm trying to be there every day." Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a quantum leap in that direction. - Lol Tolhurst

Awareness Edition: Amber Galaxy Vinyl + Laptop Sticker. From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is sonically different from Van Etten's previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon - life and living, love and being loved - but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. Reflecting on this new artistic frame of mind, Van Etten muses, "Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's scary, sometimes you feel stuck. It's like every day feels a little different - just being at peace with whatever you're feeling and whoever you are and how you relate to people in that moment. If I can just keep a sense of openness while knowing that my feelings change every day, that is all I can do right now. That and try to be the best person I can be while letting other people be who they are and not taking it personally and just being. I'm not there, but I'm trying to be there every day." Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a quantum leap in that direction. - Lol Tolhurst

Four years after "The Watchful Eye Of The Stars", Adrian Crowley returns with a new John Parish-produced album "Measure of Joy" to be released on the brand new label Valley of Eyes Records. This is album 10 for Crowley: an achievement number and maybe even a career high, but the music doesn"t bother with that. They are just great songs. Crowley is a songwriter and a poet. Here, also, he is in the company of John Parish, who is always more than a producer. "Measure of Joy" is a nocturnal album. Not in the usual commonplace sense of dark and moody though it can be. The night is present in the sounds that can only be noticed when most things rest. In the lost transmission and the ghost lips that talk on the phone over sleepy jazz.

Like so many bands that cut their teeth playing basements, rental halls, and teen centers around the Puget Sound in the early '90s, the Olympia trio Lync may have had similar roots to the local rock heroes of the era but were conscientiously averse to the trappings of mainstream success. Lync kept the grit, the shouted vocals, and the rough-hewn choruses, but eschewed the machismo and metal swagger. Their song 'Cue Cards' is a perfect encapsulation of their overall approach-heartfelt melodies, bashed drums, hoarse throats, gritty bass lines, and fractured guitars. Lync's legacy was interwoven with fellow PNW artists like Modest Mouse, 764-Hero, and Red Stars Theory-bands that were crucial to the foundation of Suicide Squeeze Records. It only made sense for Suicide Squeeze to reissue Lync's lone LP, These Are Not Fall Colors back in 2023. And in conjunction with the reissue, Suicide Squeeze is proud to announce the second single featuring a choice cut from Fall Colors paired with a current artist's reinterpretation of the song. On their latest 7", Lync's original version of 'Cue Cards' is paired with a cover by Julia & The Squeezettes-a Suicide Squeeze-centric all-star line-up featuring Julia Kugel of The Coathangers and Julia, Julia, Staz Lindes of The Paranoyds, Bonnie Bloomgarden and Rikki Styxx of Death Valley Girls. On their rendition, Julia & The Squeezettes excise the half-time distorted bombast of the original in favor of up-tempo minimalist pop. Guitars are reduced to a few choice phrases, putting the song's luring vocals and lyrical charms at the forefront. Paired with the tasteful yet propulsive rhythm section, this new approach to 'Cue Cards' demonstrates the timeless songwriting of Lync while simultaneously showcasing the creative vision, timbral aptitude, and resourceful production savvy of four contemporary artists in the ongoing lineage of American indie rock. Suicide Squeeze is proud to release these two versions of 'Cue Cards' to the world on a pressing of 500 Ocean Blue-colored vinyl 7" singles.

From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is sonically different from Van Etten’s previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon – life and living, love and being loved – but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. Reflecting on this new artistic frame of mind, Van Etten muses, “Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's scary, sometimes you feel stuck. It's like every day feels a little different – just being at peace with whatever you're feeling and whoever you are and how you relate to people in that moment. If I can just keep a sense of openness while knowing that my feelings change every day, that is all I can do right now. That and try to be the best person I can be while letting other people be who they are and not taking it personally and just being. I'm not there, but I'm trying to be there every day.” Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a quantum leap in that direction.- Lol Tolhurst ● Sharon Van Etten returns with a new, self-titled moniker and expansive new sound ● Recorded at The Church Studios in London; produced by Marta Sologni (Bjork, Bon Iver, Animal Collective, Mica Levi, Black Midi + more) ● Extensive press + radio history includes a Sunday Times Culture profile, BBC News interview, Uncut AOTM and extensive 6 Music support. ● Extensive worldwide touring planned throughout 2025. SVE has previously played BBC Proms & Brixton Academy in London.● First vinyl pressing on limited edition “Amber Galaxy” vinyl

From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is sonically different from Van Etten’s previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon – life and living, love and being loved – but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. Reflecting on this new artistic frame of mind, Van Etten muses, “Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's scary, sometimes you feel stuck. It's like every day feels a little different – just being at peace with whatever you're feeling and whoever you are and how you relate to people in that moment. If I can just keep a sense of openness while knowing that my feelings change every day, that is all I can do right now. That and try to be the best person I can be while letting other people be who they are and not taking it personally and just being. I'm not there, but I'm trying to be there every day.” Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a quantum leap in that direction.- Lol Tolhurst ● Sharon Van Etten returns with a new, self-titled moniker and expansive new sound ● Recorded at The Church Studios in London; produced by Marta Sologni (Bjork, Bon Iver, Animal Collective, Mica Levi, Black Midi + more) ● Extensive press + radio history includes a Sunday Times Culture profile, BBC News interview, Uncut AOTM and extensive 6 Music support. ● Extensive worldwide touring planned throughout 2025. SVE has previously played BBC Proms & Brixton Academy in London.● First vinyl pressing on limited edition “Amber Galaxy” vinyl

From the off, Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is sonically different from Van Etten’s previous work. Writing and recording in total collaboration with her band for the first time, Van Etten finds the freedom that comes by letting go. The result of that liberation is an exhilarating new dimension of sound and songwriting. The themes are timeless, classic Sharon – life and living, love and being loved – but the sounds are new, wholly realized and sharp as glass. Reflecting on this new artistic frame of mind, Van Etten muses, “Sometimes it's exciting, sometimes it's scary, sometimes you feel stuck. It's like every day feels a little different – just being at peace with whatever you're feeling and whoever you are and how you relate to people in that moment. If I can just keep a sense of openness while knowing that my feelings change every day, that is all I can do right now. That and try to be the best person I can be while letting other people be who they are and not taking it personally and just being. I'm not there, but I'm trying to be there every day.” Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory is a quantum leap in that direction.- Lol Tolhurst ● Sharon Van Etten returns with a new, self-titled moniker and expansive new sound ● Recorded at The Church Studios in London; produced by Marta Sologni (Bjork, Bon Iver, Animal Collective, Mica Levi, Black Midi + more) ● Extensive press + radio history includes a Sunday Times Culture profile, BBC News interview, Uncut AOTM and extensive 6 Music support. ● Extensive worldwide touring planned throughout 2025. SVE has previously played BBC Proms & Brixton Academy in London.● First vinyl pressing on limited edition “Amber Galaxy” vinyl

'Challenge Me Foolish' is an almost lost album of µ-Ziq material circa 1998-99, an era that saw Mike Paradinas release 'Royal Astronomy' on the now defunct Virgin subsidiary Hut records, and also tour with Björk.

It's an era of his music that's definitely worth re-exploring, in which Mike went against the grain by producing music that was baroque, melodic and whimsical, while the IDM movement he was lumped with made instrumental music that was often neurotic and complicated. His taste for melody and dreamy beauty above roughness and intricacy confused people who were hanging on too tightly to the rules. He even brought in Japanese vocalist Kazumi, adding an extra human touch.

'Challenge Me Foolish' is something of a companion to the Royal Astronomy record, arguably even better given the fresh ears selecting the material. It's imbued with a confident sense of pastoral colour, and a gentle optimism, utilising bells, studied orchestral arrangements and airy synthesisers that sit the album somewhere between, Jean Jacques Perrey (the French electronic composer whose whimsy was always balanced with serious innovation and chops) and the colourful, optimistic soundtracks of Joe Hisaishi. There's a strange sense of the old and new throughout, the sentimental and utopia, with nary a hint of darkness. Even when the album dips into the hyperkinetic rhythms of jungle, the melodies and mood still retain a sense of gentle warmth. Dive into peak time Paradinas.

The Tonarium is an idiosyncratic instrument comprising of two sets of modular synthesizers: Serge by Random Source, and another one by Bugbrand, both of which operate alongside a mixer constructed by Piotr Ceglarek and Jan Dybała. This intertwinement facilitates precise control over audio and CV signals and integrates technology with analog sound, offering the artists a distinctive sonic palette to delve into.

The present record unfolds in two parts, each exploring the fluctuating nature of sound. Both equally contribute to the work’s immersive imaging characterized by sound intensity, continuity and endless flow. Within its sonic tapestry lies a space for listeners to uncover subtle nuances, pulsations, and moments of harmony flickering through each chord’s firm surface.

In Part I, a formidable force consisting of chord progressions pierced by abrupt shifts and transitions unfolds. This deliberate disruption of harmonic continuity invites listeners to immerse themselves fully in each musical entity, uncovering the intricate details of the chords’ overtonal structure, drifting and steadily glimmering inside their glowing cores.

Part II, on the other hand, presents a more closed form—a recurring four-chord motif that evolves and transforms with each iteration until it finally fades out into whisper-like serenity. Here, the bass pulsates with greater intensity, like a wave enveloping the listener in a froth of feelings, which prevails and swells throughout the composition. In contrast to Part I, it exudes a sense of warmth and intimacy, inviting listeners to reflect over the dimensions of their own inner landscapes.

The Tonarium is to serve as a conduit for expression—a vessel through which the artist Aleksandra Slyz is enabled to channel her creativity and emotion into the music. Both Part I and II of the work have the capacity to drag listeners into a sonic odyssey that transcends time and space, therefore leaving an indelible impression on one’s trembling soul.

Performed & recorded on December 18-19th 2023 while in residence at The New Media Laboratory in Katowice, Poland.

Organized by The Soundscape Foundation

Composed & produced by Aleksandra Słyż

Mastered by Rashad Becker

Photographies by Kacper Krzętowski

Design by Maks Posio

Executive production by Christian Di Vito

Lucy Sissy Miller is a French/British singer-songwriter, performer and artist based in Paris. On her latest release for Mêtron Records, Pre Country, she renders her own personal take on country music, an ambient and airy ode to her love of Americana. Across 16 tracks, Miller recollects about love-like friendships, breakups, mermaids and missing girl mysteries - the album acting as a movie-like homage to girlhood and desire.

“With this album I really enjoyed blurring the lines between fiction and reality, a bit like what movies are able to do to us. I hide a little bit of personal truth behind each song.”

Influenced by the tones of Laurie Anderson and Imogen Heap, as well as the imagery found in Twin Peaks and Paris, Texas, Pre Country is a rich and explorative record that mixes a wide range of sonic sources. Though very much rooted in folk music, Pre Country is laced with layers of autotune, bringing an other worldly and haunted presence to the work.

“It’s an album about memories and how we stitch up these moments, making them movie-like to make sense of these experiences.”

The record was crafted with notes from journals, poetry, voice memos, transformed and collected sounds and here it carries the many layers of desire, loss and fear that Miller wanted to convey in the songs, communicating an unsteady, explosion of feeling whilst remaining delicate and personal.

Limited Edition White Vinyl

At the forefront of a rising wave of Brazilian artists captivating international audiences, Nyron Higor brings a quiet yet potent sense of wonder to his new self-titled album. Born in Maceió, Higor’s latest work is rooted in the traditions of Northeastern Brazilian music and golden-era MPB. Within the peaceful surroundings of his home, Higor weaves these roots together with global influences and contemporary production techniques, for a uniquely dreamlike vision of hope.

Following the success of his self-released debut Fio de Lâmina—an instrumental record of delicately balanced rhythmic and harmonic patterns, which earned support from tastemakers like Mr. Scruff, Gilles Peterson, and John Gomez—Higor’s new album is a move towards a more expansive, lyrical exploration of transcendence and triumph. As Higor explains, “This album is a test of resistance and a big event in my life as a young Black man from the Northeast and coming from a humble background, financially speaking, its context is political.”

Taking his demos and unfinished tracks to São Paulo, Higor worked alongside friends and collaborators from Brazil’s vibrant contemporary music scene—including fellow Maceioense artists Bruno Berle, Batata Boy, and New York-based Brazilian vocalist Alici Sol—assembling a rich musical landscape and a cutting edge development on the musical world from which he emerges.

For Higor, the process of recording and producing in close collaboration with Berle and Batata Boy allowed him to fully cultivate the emotive power of his compositions. Album opener "Ciranda" sets the tone with a slow frevo rhythm, as wistful trombone melodies and melancholic acoustic guitar harmonies create an atmosphere both intimate and grand. Lead single "São Só Palavras," featuring Alici Sol and Bruno Berle, captures both the lightness and depth of young love in an all too fleeting minute-and-a-half moment of soaring brilliance.

Building upon the instrumental sound of his debut, “Louro Cantador” with its playful organ, birdlike whistles and elegant acoustic guitar, emanates a kind of rare natural beauty, as each sound dances amidst the gentle pulse of Higor's bass—his main instrument.

Through ten carefully crafted tracks, Higor’s acuity for sound and silence draws listeners into a place that feels both deeply personal and universally resonant. “Above all, I value making music that brings me genuine satisfaction. I’m always looking for depth in the things I create.”

This album is a testament to the timeless themes that define Higor’s artistry, as well as his creative drive to overcome the obstacles he faces. Conveying his feelings of jubilance for his work, Higor notes, “This work is liberating, contemplative and victorious!” Each track invites the listener to experience the raw intimacy, the joy and longing, and the otherworldly ingenuity of Brazilian music, which seems to endlessly keep us coming back for more.

CREDITS

Ciranda (Nyron Higor)
Tico Lima: Trombone, Nyron Higor: Drums, Bass, Synthesizers, Electric Piano, Guitar, Molho de Jatobá, Ganzá, Caxixi, and Indigenous Whistle

Louro Cantador (Nyron Higor)
Nyron Higor: Drums, Bass, Keyboards, Guitar, Percussion, and Direct Sound

Demo Love (Nyron Higor)
Nyron Higor: Drums, Bass Synth, Keyboards, and Synthesizers

São Só Palavras feat. Alici, Bruno Berle (Nyron Higor, Batata Boy, Alici Sol, and Bruno Berle)
Alici Sol: Vocals, Bruno Berle: Vocals and Bass, Nyron Higor: Drums, Guitar, Keyboards, Synthesizers, and Whistles

Estou Pensando Em Você feat. Johanna (João Menezes, Rubens Adati)
Nyron Higor: Vocals, Johanna: Vocals. Bruno Berle: Vocals, Rubens Adati: Piano, Guitar, Programming, Stefan Costilhes: Bass, Batata Boy: Programming

Maravilhamento feat. Nathalia Grilo (Nyron Higor, Nathalia Grilo)
Nathalia Grilo: Vocals, Nyron Higor: Drums, Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, and Synthesizers

Som 24 (Nyron Higor)
Nyron Higor: Sampler, Keyboard, Bass Synth, Vocoder, and Steel Guitar

Pizzicato (Nyron Higor)
Nyron Higor: Double Bass and Keyboards

Eu Te Amo (João Menezes)
Nyron Higor: Vocals and Bass, João Menezes: Guitar, Batata Boy: Rhodes Piano, Bruno Berle: Xylophone

Me Vestir De Você feat. Johanna (Paulo Novaes and João Menezes)
Nyron Higor: Vocals, Johanna: Vocals, Bianca Godoi: Drums, Bruno Berle: Bass, Guitar, Percussion, and Rhodes Piano, Batata Boy: Rhodes Piano and Guitar

===================

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 were recorded by Nyron Higor in Maceió

Track 4: Bass and Synthesizers recorded by Ico dos Anjos. Vocals recorded by Batata Boy at Estúdio Rural

Track 5: Guitars, Bass, Programming, and Pianos recorded at Inhame Estúdio. Coproduced by Rubens Adati

Tracks 9 and 10 Recorded and Co produced by Ico dos Anjos

Mixed by Batata Boy, Ico dos Anjos, Bruno Berle, and Nyron Higor

Mastered by Batata Boy

Produced by Batata Boy, Bruno Berle, and Nyron Higor

Lacquer Cut by Caspar Sutton Jones @ Gearbox Records

Cover photo by Claudio Virginio

Vinyl centre label artwork by Tadáskía

Sleeve design by Alessandro Renaldin

Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan's new album, Your Community Hub, compellingly continues his sonic exploration of the New Towns movement. The issues the councillors, planners, and architects set out to solve still resound and echo throughout society.

For the latest instalment in this unique project, Gordon Chapman-Fox turns his laser eye to focus on Community and the Community Centres that populated Warrington and Runcorn in order to provide all the facilities people needed within a five minute walk from their home. These planning ideas predated the current discussions of fifteen minute cities by fifty years.

Those 50 years have seen a decline in our community centres and services: handy access to a GP or dentist, Post Offices, youth clubs, local shops, banking and much more. Successive governments have undermined and eroded those basic services. The decline in community services has also been matched with a decline in community and shared experiences with a knock-on effect on the population's health and well-being. The disastrous austerity policies imposed over the last 15 years have exacerbated this long, slow reduction in available spaces for people to meet and communicate, with seemingly no recognition of the societal impact that causes. Short-termism at the expense of the community and how we live our lives.

Margaret Thatcher's statement that "there is no such thing as society" has been taken as a mission statement by successive Conservative governments who have aimed to remove as much support and communality from the citizens as possible. It continues now, the wrong-headed idea that everyone can be left to fend for themselves.

Chapman-Fox's latest album decries the cruelty of where we find ourselves in 2024 and his quiet incandescence about the loss of optimism for what communities should be and could be. It's his most powerful work, and as always, it will deeply resonate with those who tune in to his unique vision and unparalleled productions.

As ever, beautifully packaged and designed by Gordon, the album artwork features photographs from the archive of the architect Peter Garvin, which was kindly provided by his son Richard Garvin. The photographs show Peter's work on the Castlefield Community Centre, a sleek modernist structure clad in white ceramic tiles.

This sense of speed, this sense of elation. The man who knows no end, Takeshi Inomata, breaks through the limits of groove with his ever-changing stick work.

Another masterpiece released by Takeshi Inomata, a great drummer who has always kept his eye on the times and opened up new horizons, during the golden age of jazz rock. It is a so-called instructional record produced as one of the "Method" series, but its musicality is fiercely funky and groovy, as if provoking the listener. Leading the famous group Sound Limited, which played a part in the development of jazz rock in Japan, he breaks through the limits of groove with his ever-changing stick work. From cover songs such as "Runaway Child" and "Smack Water Jack" to "Sleeper" and "Seven Four" composed by his close friend Norio Maeda, who also participated in the arrangement, and the overwhelmingly powerful drum solo ""Drum Concert"", the diverse selection is filled with a flawless, high-density groove.

Pinkman is proud to present the debut album of darkwave artist Skelesys. Across nine evocative tracks, "Fading Echoes" navigates the tension between nostalgia and self-discovery, weaving together a moody blend of synth-pop, post-punk, and goth influences. The result is an atmospheric exploration of memory, heartache, and resilience--a soundtrack for those moments when the past refuses to stay buried, and the future feels uncertain. From the cold, creeping synths to the mournful guitar lines that echo like distant whispers, Fading Echoes immerses the listener in a soundscape where shadows and light coexist. The album has a distinct cinematic quality, evoking the smoky allure of neon-lit cityscapes and rain-slicked streets, where every track feels like a chapter in a film noir tale of introspection and escape. There's a sense of longing that runs through the album, a desire to hold onto something beautiful, even as it slips through your fingers.

“Mine” (TBM-1) is the terrifying debut album of saxophonist Kosuke Mine, with a sense of tension that seems to burst throughout, and is a monumental work that marked the historic beginning of the prestigious Three Blind Mice label in 1970.

A limited edition white vinyl repress of some of the major classic tracks from the legendary old skool artist, Sublove. With a technical skill and production level way above the usual for the early 90s, this selection of tracks is epic in every sense!

"Visionary director, photographer and producer, Robert Ascroft unveils a captivating musical odyssey akin to the cinematic allure of Wim Wenders' ""Until The End Of The World"" and the ethereal resonance found in 4AD's This Mortal Coil. Emerging as a prominent photographer in the 2000s, Ascroft forged his path through collaborations with luminaries of the Oscars, Grammys, Tonys, and Emmys. With an innate ability to capture the essence of his subjects through his camera lens, he redefines photography, infusing it with depth, emotion, and narrative. A classically trained guitarist turned music producer, Ascroft weaves intricate melodies and evocative songwriting with cinematic narratives.

Drawing from a diverse array of talented friends, Ascroft curates a mesmerizing ensemble of vocal performances featuring luminaries such as Zumi Rosow (Black Lips), Kid Congo Powers (The Cramps, Gun Club), Tess Parks, Ruth Radelet (Chromatics), Britta Phillips (Luna), and more. With Ascroft's multi instrumental performances on guitar, bass, and keys, complemented by the rhythmic contributions of friends Derek James and Roger Brogan, the album takes on a rich and dynamic sonic journey.

""Echo Still Remains'' transcends traditional musical boundaries, beckoning listeners into a world crafted from Ascroft's vivid imagination. Each track unfolds like a technicolor scene in a cinematic narrative, with each melody and lyric evoking a sense of profound introspection and wonder. Accompanied by stylized music videos in Ascroft's distinct visual world, ""Echo Still Remains"" emerges as a multifaceted work of art, inviting listeners to stir the soul and lose themselves in a world of sound and sensation."

1/4" / 15 IPS / Dolby A Analogue Copy to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe

Carlos Santana and Company Return to a Dynamic Blend of R&B, Latin, Funk, and Rock: Amigos Aims for the Hips, Spreads Joy, and Includes “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” Amigos has been beloved for decades by both long-time and recent Santana admirers, with multiple generations of fans drawn in by the record’s contagious blend of R&B, Latin, rock, and funk elements. As well as its immense accessibility. Coming off a series of albums that heavily leaned into jazz fusion, the band returns to the more dynamic and concise approaches of its earlier works without losing the sense of adventurousness, craftsmanship, and virtuosity that turned it into a juggernaut embraced by both the mainstream and experimentally minded communities.

Mastered at Mobile Fidelity’s in-house studio in California, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM LP of Amigos presents the 1976 album in audiophile sound for the first time on a domestic release. Part of the reissue label’s Santana series, this collectible version features quiet surfaces and black backgrounds that help reveal the intricate details, distinguished tones, and cohesive interplay that cause Santana’s music to take flight.

The enhanced aural perspectives extend not only to Carlos Santana’s intoxicating fills and solos, but to the rich tapestry of the rhythmic, melodic, and vocal elements that help Amigos feel as fresh today as it did several decades ago. This LP shines a beaming light on the surrounding musicians that simultaneously feed off and inspire their bandleader. The solidity and depth of the bass lines; the wash of the organ; the scope and carry of the vocals; the grip and weight of the low-end frequencies; and, possibly the most enticing traits, the textures of the acoustic guitars, numerous percussive devices, and then-modern synthesizers: all come across with tremendous presence and energy.

Entirely appropriate for a set that kicks from the start, with the opening “Dance Sister Dance (Baila Mi Hermana)” true to the song title’s combination directive-invitation meaning. Tropical, soulful, upbeat, and liberating, it beckons hips to shake and delicious libations to pour. Clinking cowbells, spirited background vocals, hand-tapped congas, and Carlos Santana’s six-string magma pour forth with abundance. The song sets the mood and expectations for a record that contains not an ounce of filler, and which inspires and spreads joy at practically every turn.

On the gold-certified Amigos, the ensemble never seems to run short of zest or happiness. Key in on the Latin bite and searing guitar architecture of “Take Me With You,” an instrumental that shifts tempo at its midpoint and sparkles with a samba-like outro that aims to put everyone in earshot on the dance floor. Surrender to the slow-burn of “Tell Me You Are Tired,” sent up with Greg Walker’s sympathetic vocals and spun around with whirling funk accents. Marvel at the Spanish guitar introduction, Mexican folk foundation, group vocals, and extroverted grooves of the forward-propulsive “Gitano,” with lead singing by conga/bongo expert Armando Peraza.

Having reached the Top 10 in the United States and spawned the hit “Let It Shine,” Amigos marked the final stint for bassist David Brown, the last of the group’s famed Woodstock lineup to depart. His contributions feel especially spirited throughout the album, compass readings that the group uses to chart their course. Just listen to how his passages pop on “Let Me” and frame the can’t-get-it-out-of-your-head “what you need is what you want” refrain. And while Carlos Santana remains the centerpiece of the brilliant and meditative “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile),” Brown serves as a trustworthy anchor and friendly advocate.

Denmark"s leading outlet for jazz April Records presents their first debut of 2025 from a brand new quintet of some of the country"s most well known and respected young musicians - collectively called Oh People. Inspired by the works of Duke Ellington in the 20"s and combining them with sounds that came to life over half a Century later with a palpable sense of joy and love, "Part-Time Elegance" is set to release on January 17th on April Records. Exploring the idioms and tropes of the golden age of jazz, the record is built from deep pocket swing, lovesick ballads, percolating latin grooves, and upbeat melodies that can"t help but bring a smile to one"s face. With undertones of contentment and playfulness, each song evokes a sound and style of some of the 20th"s Century"s greatest jazz composers before evolving into passages of animated improvisation from Denmark"s finest new-generation soloists. Anyone who has been keeping up to date with Denmark"s prolific scene will recognize the members of "Oh People" from their solo projects and contributions to many of the nation"s leading jazz innovations. Jonas Due"s trumpet can be heard in the DR Big Band, and popular modern outfit OTOOTO. Andreas Toftemark cut his teeth working and learning as a musician in New York, before returning to Denmark to establish himself with two releases under his own name, receive the prestigious Bent Jædig Prize, and become one of the country"s busiest artists. Casper Christensen"s deep roots in the jazz tradition and Brazilian, coupled with the warm, acoustic sound of his guitar have seen him perform with the likes of Nana Rashid, Jesper Lodval and his own quartet. Lasse Morck has released three albums under his own name, drawing on South American musical traditions as well as literature and mythology. Henrik Holst has spent over a decade contributing his talents to Danish outfits like the Kathrine Windfeld Big Band and Jeppe Zacho Quintet, as well as international jazz legends Mike Stern, Gilad Hekselman and Immanuel Wilkins.

Picking up where "Máquina de Vénus" (Blacksea Não Maya) left off, this is now 100% DJ Kolt at the controls. Slow, grinding power tools working their way across the complex web of ideas the producer lays down. Truly a next level thing, taking elements from recognized styles such as tarraxo, EDM, even trap, bending their accepted signifiers to suit his own creative mind instead of the crowd pleasing monster that constantly haunts Dance Music. Here we find a wonderful, twisted approach to the dancefloor, one heavy on brain activity, fantastically moody, showcasing music that we long ago quit trying to define.

"Despertar" (again) changes the game, adding secret doors and pathways previously unheard and unthought of. This right here is the mark of a unique producer. You'll have a hard time trying to compare Kolt with any other artist on Príncipe, much less on the outside world. A keen sense of groove filters through all tracks, the dance is never forgotten but you know there are certain demands - you can't just expect a straight line to "a good night out", there's an effort required, you'll have to reach out as well so you can let loose and connect with the universal Master Plan.

The album is all made up of liquid transitions as much as rock-hard foundations, perfectly capable of being explicit when honouring the roots but so committed to a new stance that one may feel thrown off balance by the sheer genius of

From a world of its own, somewhat like ours, yet a bit different. Familiar sound, but in a slightly different order, upside down or backwards, with different instruments or in another language just beyond comprehension, that still, somehow, makes sense and carries us further in search of musical discovery. With playful and creative interaction and exceptional chemistry, Mari Kvien Brunvoll, Stein
Urheim, and Moskus take another step into uncharted musical territory. The result is the Album Barefoot in Bryophyte. The members of this quintet are frequent figures in the Hubro discography but had not played together before this project. The collaboration began as the commissioned work Branches & Limits for Voss Jazz Festival in 2023. The music has an immediacy, an unusual combination of song material spontaneous improvisation and musicianship that made the concert a favorite among both critics and audience at the festival. Mari Kvien Brunvoll and Stein Urheim have written the songs that were further developed together with Moskus. The open and improvisational approach is evident, in the blending of the known and unknown in their songs. They have a curious approach to creativity, with lyrics that are both open for interpretation and poignant at the same time

Having haunted stages across the UK for the best part of a decade, the critical success of their 2024 sophomore full-length `Acts of Harm' gave caustic shoegaze outft Outlander pause to refect on their astounding 2019 debut, `The Valium Machine', soon to be reissued by Pelagic Records on vinyl for the frst time. Written and recorded in 2018 over a handful of studio sessions in Stoke-on-Trent, `The Valium Machine' was a formative experience for Outlander in more ways than one. Prior to working on the album, the band would happily describe themselves as your standard, straight-down-the-middle post rock band but an openness to new infuences from the `90s slowcore and shoegaze scenes, the delicate, textural introduction of vocals and the pivotal decision to track the album in sprawling, full-band takes lead Outlander to fundamentally redefne their sound and scale; adding a pointed sense of dynamic and discordant dirge that lead to the four-piece sharing stages with trailblazing genre heavyweights Bossk and Grivo as well as breathtaking performances at festivals like Dunk! (BE) and ArcTanGent (UK). With beautiful artwork produced in partnership with street photographer Richard Lambert documenting the colourful, everyday life of their beloved Birmingham, the initial run of `The Valium Machine' was limited to a criminally small 50 CDs through tiny local imprint FOMA. Now, fve years later, Outlander owe their panoramic pace and formidable, funereal sound to those few days spent in Stoke- on-Trent and the band, along with Pelagic Records, believe this nascent recording deserves to be heard by many, many more. FOR FANS OF: Duster, Codeine, Swervedriver, Catherine Wheel, Kowloon Walled City

Having haunted stages across the UK for the best part of a decade, the critical success of their 2024 sophomore full-length `Acts of Harm' gave caustic shoegaze outft Outlander pause to refect on their astounding 2019 debut, `The Valium Machine', soon to be reissued by Pelagic Records on vinyl for the frst time. Written and recorded in 2018 over a handful of studio sessions in Stoke-on-Trent, `The Valium Machine' was a formative experience for Outlander in more ways than one. Prior to working on the album, the band would happily describe themselves as your standard, straight-down-the-middle post rock band but an openness to new infuences from the `90s slowcore and shoegaze scenes, the delicate, textural introduction of vocals and the pivotal decision to track the album in sprawling, full-band takes lead Outlander to fundamentally redefne their sound and scale; adding a pointed sense of dynamic and discordant dirge that lead to the four-piece sharing stages with trailblazing genre heavyweights Bossk and Grivo as well as breathtaking performances at festivals like Dunk! (BE) and ArcTanGent (UK). With beautiful artwork produced in partnership with street photographer Richard Lambert documenting the colourful, everyday life of their beloved Birmingham, the initial run of `The Valium Machine' was limited to a criminally small 50 CDs through tiny local imprint FOMA. Now, fve years later, Outlander owe their panoramic pace and formidable, funereal sound to those few days spent in Stoke- on-Trent and the band, along with Pelagic Records, believe this nascent recording deserves to be heard by many, many more. FOR FANS OF: Duster, Codeine, Swervedriver, Catherine Wheel, Kowloon Walled City

This is one of the most ambitious 7"s we've ever come across - it is an EP with 11 'tracks' that all play out like a beat tape with interludes crafted by SNDTRAK. It has everything a good beat tape should have - dusty drums, ill samples and a rich sense of soul and storytelling. It moves at pace through the different moods and grounds with gorgeous pianos, sunny vocals, lush strings and mellifluous melodies all grabbing your attention at various points as it plays out. A wonderful and cultural trip through sound.

Linking music and literature, building a bridge between the written and the sung – only the greats have managed to do this in the past. Leonard Cohen, Scott Walker, and Patti Smith were just some of the shining stars that Anna B Savage orientated herself towards as a teenager. Born on the anniversary of Bach’s death, the young musician spent her birthday every year in the Green Room of the Royal Albert Hall watching her parents perform compositions by the grand master. That shaped her. Today, thanks to albums such as her debut, “A Common Turn” (2021), and the incredibly sensual art-pop opus “in|FLUX” (2023), the singer-songwriter is one of the truly exceptional talents on the British independent scene. In her music, otherworldly vocals nestle up against chamber orchestral compositions, delicate arrangements rise up and blow away, and the musician’s highly eclectic sound grows song by song into an experience that lingers for days and weeks. Potentially life-changing.
A sense of rootedness is at the heart of Anna B Savage’s third record You and i are Earth, a record that is as much about healing as it is an unbowed sense of curiosity, and, more simply, “a love letter to a man and to Ireland.” Following on from her critically acclaimed records A Common Turn and in|FLUX, You and i are Earth manages to convey a sense of intimacy, while also being open-ended. Gentleness is as radiant a touchstone on the record as earthiness, something that Savage attributes to the place she finds herself at present, both geographically and emotionally. And quite literally the record bears witness to a particular piece of earth - Ireland, and Savage’s relationship to it as her new home. That process is brilliantly rendered on Agnes, a complicated piece of work featuring Anna Mieke that turns on tropes of duality and transformation. It mirrors an unsettling experience that Savage had through meditation, which ultimately ended in an immersive, beautiful feeling, “I felt like I was part of the earth, completely connected to the mycelium network, I felt like I was where I was meant to be.” In many ways, that experience framed the album’s artwork, a photograph taken in some woodlands in Co. Sligo, with Savage looking up at the trees, their fractals reflected in her eyes, mirroring something she had felt in her meditation, bringing us back full circle, and to that sense that we are essentially in unison, or at least striving to be, that “you and I are earth”.

Linking music and literature, building a bridge between the written and the sung – only the greats have managed to do this in the past. Leonard Cohen, Scott Walker, and Patti Smith were just some of the shining stars that Anna B Savage orientated herself towards as a teenager. Born on the anniversary of Bach’s death, the young musician spent her birthday every year in the Green Room of the Royal Albert Hall watching her parents perform compositions by the grand master. That shaped her. Today, thanks to albums such as her debut, “A Common Turn” (2021), and the incredibly sensual art-pop opus “in|FLUX” (2023), the singer-songwriter is one of the truly exceptional talents on the British independent scene. In her music, otherworldly vocals nestle up against chamber orchestral compositions, delicate arrangements rise up and blow away, and the musician’s highly eclectic sound grows song by song into an experience that lingers for days and weeks. Potentially life-changing.
A sense of rootedness is at the heart of Anna B Savage’s third record You and i are Earth, a record that is as much about healing as it is an unbowed sense of curiosity, and, more simply, “a love letter to a man and to Ireland.” Following on from her critically acclaimed records A Common Turn and in|FLUX, You and i are Earth manages to convey a sense of intimacy, while also being open-ended. Gentleness is as radiant a touchstone on the record as earthiness, something that Savage attributes to the place she finds herself at present, both geographically and emotionally. And quite literally the record bears witness to a particular piece of earth - Ireland, and Savage’s relationship to it as her new home. That process is brilliantly rendered on Agnes, a complicated piece of work featuring Anna Mieke that turns on tropes of duality and transformation. It mirrors an unsettling experience that Savage had through meditation, which ultimately ended in an immersive, beautiful feeling, “I felt like I was part of the earth, completely connected to the mycelium network, I felt like I was where I was meant to be.” In many ways, that experience framed the album’s artwork, a photograph taken in some woodlands in Co. Sligo, with Savage looking up at the trees, their fractals reflected in her eyes, mirroring something she had felt in her meditation, bringing us back full circle, and to that sense that we are essentially in unison, or at least striving to be, that “you and I are earth”.

2025 Repress

Wide Yonder’ is a truly remarkable album, offering as much depth and soul as it’s predecessor, yet sounding ultimately fresh and different. Above all, the ten tracks show an artist that’s willing to take risks, find in- spiration in new places and move beyond the sound of his previous album. Trentemøller: ‘Of course I didn’t want to make the same record twice. So the album is for me a logic development from ’The Last Resort’’. Instead he just started to collect new ideas, without thinking too much about the direction the music would take him: ‘The only thing I knew was that I’d want the music to sound more organic and analog.’ Compared to the intimate electronic mood pieces of ‘The Last Resort’, the ten tracks on the new album indeed have a more strange, mystic and dramatic vibe, with a lot of dynamics, distorted, driving twang- guitars, real and electronic drums mixed with haunting synths. With ‚Into The Great Wide Yonder‘ Trentemøller is not only exploring new moody and atmospheric universes, but combines his sense for glorious soundscapes with a firm melodic and tonal touch. The original chord progressions and feel for melodies is fundamental to him, and that‘s also the reason why most of the instruments are played by Trentemøller himself on this album. ‚I like the possibility to be surprised that chords and melodies change into something new. The music that I like most lets the themes and sounds come back in different disguises‘. The Danish multi instrumentalist and producer shows an unexpected talent for finding vocalists that fit the mood of his songs. The first single of the album, the beautifully tender ‘Sycamore Feeling’, featuring Marie Fisker, is a typical highlight. In fact, all the vocal tracks are stunning. Trentemøller chose to collaborate with the English artist Fyfe Dangerfield from UK based Guillemots and Danish singers Solveig Sandnes and Josephine Philip from the debuting Danish indie girlduo Darkness Falls. They all manage to add their own sound and flavour to the album, while their voices blend perfectly with Trentemøller’s atmospheric songs. This is an album that keeps growing for a long time, as every track works its way stealthily under your skin. The sound of ‘Into The Great Wide Yonder’ might be one step ahead of his previous work, but we still easily recognize the hand of Trentemøller, in this inspired collection of songs and atmospheres. The sonic richness, sharp contrasts and daring musical colours are vintage Trentemøller. Into The Great Wide Yonder’ might demand more from the listener than ‘The Last Resort’, as it ended up being quite a dramatic album. This album is more noisy, there’s more happening.‘ But getting to know the tracks definitely is a rewarding experience, as the album will keep growing and growing for a long time to come and its safe to say that Anders Trentemøller has managed to create

David Allred is a prolific composer and producer based in Portland, Oregon. His new album The Beautiful World captures an enriched, realised understanding of why he composes in the first place. Dedicated to the expression of existential themes such as death, grief, longing and loss, the album’s core theme centres around the suicide of a young girl Lauren, who was a family friend to Allred. For as long as he could remember, Allred always created music out of a kind of dissociative state which he finds alluringly easy to lapse into. A repetition of a motif is usually where he begins composing. But unlike his previous works, The Beautiful World firmly has one foot in reality and is deeply intertwined with Allred’s relationships, past and present. Through his correspondence with Erased Tapes label head and the album’s producer, Robert Raths, over the past year, he came to realise that everyone has a Lauren in a way – someone they’d lost. Through writing to Raths, Allred was able to draw out this thread from the work and position it more clearly as the central concept to this work. The music doesn’t reflect the chaos of trauma, instead it has a therapeutic quality. It was through this dialogue that Allred was able to create what may be his most cohesive body of work to date. The 11 track album unfolds around Oh Lauren, providing the core of the album’s sentiment – how grief returns to us throughout life over and over. Embedded more than halfway through the album, Allred allows listeners to cohabit a meditative space through ambient textures, drones and ballads echoing the vocal sincerity of Arthur Russell, Daniel Johnston and the hypnotic storytelling of Robert Ashley. To truly reckon with The Beautiful World’s emotional position, listeners must understand the importance of the figure of Lauren, and the significance she has had throughout Allred’s life. Lauren’s suicide as a child provided the catalyst for Allred’s lifelong grief. But it was death anxiety and grief itself which provided Allred a link to a universal relationship that people have with each other and the world they live in. Impermanence and loss are the driving force behind all of our connections. The trance-like nature of the album perhaps comes from David Allred’s time sense – particularly when it comes to memory and trauma. Time becomes non-linear rather than a straight line – where one can repeat or return to the same themes but older and in a different frame of mind. Grief continues to manifest itself in life and despite personal growth, there will always be moments where the same feeling will manifest itself again. The album encourages listeners to sit with the concept of grief, and Allred is hopeful they can find comfort and learn to process it in a healing way. The Beautiful World is therefore heavily influenced by Allred’s work in therapy, particularly his relationship to writing music. In the past, Allred would be composing music as a means to dissociate from his life, but the album sees him engaging and connecting more authentically than ever with others and himself. Despite his prolific previous works being made in the company of others, Allred needed to step back from the scenes that he’s worked in to discover what he really wanted to create. Allred concludes: “In the power of love, curiosity, humour, and reconciliation, we give you The Beautiful World.”

Back in December 2016, Jeshi fell asleep whilst driving home from a party at 5am, and he crashed into a park car, only to be woken up by the airbag exploding in his face. This is the inspiration for album two. The new album is a statement of waking up and levelling up from the last period of his life. This is a new era, and full of energy.

SHORT BIOG

Jeshi doesn't run away from fire; he runs with it. The East London artist is on a quest to feel alive in every sense. To him, feeling alive means being present in each experience, no matter how challenging. For Jeshi - who has spent the last few years establishing himself as one of the most exciting voices of his generation - this is what life and art are all about. Chaos, then, is not something to shy away from, but where great ideas are born.
Jeshi's electrifying second album, AIRBAG WOKE ME UP is a collection of moment-capturing songs built to ignite reactions and start conversations. His scene-stealing jaunts to stages worldwide clearly influence its live-wire sound, as Jeshi and his cohorts smash through moods and tempos like kids let loose on funfair dodgems. "I want to make things that have intent and feel like statements," Jeshi declares. His versatile voice is the conductive thread that pulls everything together. "On Universal Credit, my voice was used in one way, whereas on this it's used in ten ways," he notes.
AIRBAG WOKE ME UP is an exploration into what happens when you emerge from tough times, and how they encourage you to view the world a little differently. It's bolder in ambition and built from renewed energy. Chaotic, but in the very best way. "In my head, this is the real arrival chapter," states Jeshi. "The 'I am here, I've arrived' moment."

Rose City Band"s music is sun-kissed timeless country rock whose seemingly effortless momentum carries the joy of its creation without ignoring the darkness pervading our consciousness. Led by guitarist/vocalist Ripley Johnson, the music of Rose City Band is rooted in his love of private press records of the mid to late 70"s. The band, in addition to Johnson, features pedal steel guitarist Barry Walker, keyboardist Paul Hasenberg and drummer John Jeffrey who enmesh a keen sense of rhythmic drive and melody with gentler, sumptuous atmospheres. Nuanced performances and interplay between players unfurl like desert flowers splashing color onto an arid landscape. The ensemble"s buoyant moments still glide with ease, but there is room to revel in respite of the shade of a dark cloud. Across the album, Johnson"s tasteful guitar interjections and soothing voice are met in kind with the versatile playing of Walker, Hasenberg, and Jeffery, with special guest performances by synthesist/vocalist, Sanae Yamada. Album closer "The Walls" perfectly captures the band"s explorative and expansive songs, Hasenberg"s soulful organ driving the album to an emotionally cathartic conclusion. Throughout his prolific career with Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo and now Rose City Band, Johnson"s music has consistently centered around exploration and discovery. Sol Y Sombra imbues his penchant for space and resplendent tonality with a denser amalgam of his influences through a delicate balance of the somber and the serene, of subtle evolutions and familiar sounds, Sol Y Sombra makes for a holistically joyous experience, finding solace in both sun and shade.

Rose City Band"s music is sun-kissed timeless country rock whose seemingly effortless momentum carries the joy of its creation without ignoring the darkness pervading our consciousness. Led by guitarist/vocalist Ripley Johnson, the music of Rose City Band is rooted in his love of private press records of the mid to late 70"s. The band, in addition to Johnson, features pedal steel guitarist Barry Walker, keyboardist Paul Hasenberg and drummer John Jeffrey who enmesh a keen sense of rhythmic drive and melody with gentler, sumptuous atmospheres. Nuanced performances and interplay between players unfurl like desert flowers splashing color onto an arid landscape. The ensemble"s buoyant moments still glide with ease, but there is room to revel in respite of the shade of a dark cloud. Across the album, Johnson"s tasteful guitar interjections and soothing voice are met in kind with the versatile playing of Walker, Hasenberg, and Jeffery, with special guest performances by synthesist/vocalist, Sanae Yamada. Album closer "The Walls" perfectly captures the band"s explorative and expansive songs, Hasenberg"s soulful organ driving the album to an emotionally cathartic conclusion. Throughout his prolific career with Wooden Shjips, Moon Duo and now Rose City Band, Johnson"s music has consistently centered around exploration and discovery. Sol Y Sombra imbues his penchant for space and resplendent tonality with a denser amalgam of his influences through a delicate balance of the somber and the serene, of subtle evolutions and familiar sounds, Sol Y Sombra makes for a holistically joyous experience, finding solace in both sun and shade.

Rob Mazurek graces the Keroxen Records waves with a genre defying album of field recordings, modular electronics, trumpet harmonies and spirit call chants.

An unstoppable force since his first recordings in the early 90’s Rob Mazurek has been at the forefront of experimen-tation and adventurous improvised music for most of the last 4 decades. The American composer, cornetist, and visual artist has been developing his own style of improvisational music with a myriad of collaborators, too many to list but amongst them true giants of the 20th and 21st century music cannon like Bill Dixon, Pharoah Sanders, Jeff Parker, Roscoe Mitchell, Yusef Lateef and Naná Vasconcelos amongst many many others.

Nestor’s Nest is yet another addition to Mazurek’s mammoth catalogue of cosmic unity, coming like a spur of the moment whilst staying at Nestor and Pura’s house in Tenerife during the Keroxen Festival edition of 2023. Dead time doesn’t exist for the American cornetist and whilst hanging at the organisers house Mazurek decided to record and interact with his colourful tropical surroundings. Mangos, Papayas and Star Fruits all make an appearance here as does the quietness of an idyllic garden juxtaposed with Mazurek's stormy interferences, unleashing his modular synths and other acoustic paraphernalia into an ecstatic mix of pure celestial energy. As he beautifully states on the albums back cover:

Fruit from the trees of life, Stop All War. Stop the Killing, Open the senses, Breath. Listen . Feel!

Rob Mazurek: Modular Synths, Moog Sub 37, PolyEvolver, Trumpets, Voice, Bells, flutes

Made from field recordings in and around the Keroxen Tanque and the House of Nestor and Pura in Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Final mix at Marfa Experimental Studio, Marfa Texas
Mastered by Daniel Baez
Cover photo by RM

Burnout Days, the forthcoming sophomore album finds flipturn returning as sonic architects, harnessing their impressive knack for hooks, shimmering soundscapes and "nostalgia-inducing lyrical delivery" (Uproxx). But on Burnout Days, flipturn arrives with more grit, craft and vulnerability than ever before - a clear evolution in the band's sound, and one that reflects their growth as musicians and individuals. Recorded at Sonic Ranch Studios near El Paso, Texas and produced by Chad Copelin (Wilderado, Sasha Sloan, BRONCHO), Burnout Days is inspired by the band's journey on the road, as they sort through challenges like self-esteem, codependency, addiction and the twists and turns of day-to-day life in one's mid-twenties. Together, they uncover the beauty that exists even in times of burnout through a mix of raw, rhythmic moments and sonic experimentation - all with a palpable sense of meticulousness and maturity.

Matt Berry returns with his first new solo album since 2021’s ‘Blue Elephant’. This time he delivers a Soul and West Coast Psych-inspired collection of songs, which attach an innate sense of melody to a lush, contemporary take on classic recording techniques. All of this is allied with Matt’s rich voice and unique lyrics.

Named after a metro station located in East Paris, Pointe du Lac originated in 2014 as the brainchild of analogue gear enthusiast Julien Lheuillier, joined shortly after by multi-instrumentalist Richard Francés, followed by Quentin Rollet on Saxophone a few years down the line. Les siphonophores des eaux froides et profondes de l'Arctique (“Siphonophores of the cold, deep Arctic waters”) is the project’s third studio album, the first one written as a three-piece as well as their first release on Hands in the Dark.

Like the organisms the album title refers to, Pointe du Lac’s music is highly polymorphic and complex, using a subtle and distinctive blend of Electronica, Krautrock, Jazz and Kosmische as vessels for the band’s fantastic instrumental imaginary voyages. Compared to previous albums and EPs -which tended to suggest cosmic odysseys- this new cinematic outing is diving deep and intends to shed light on fascinating, mysterious and diverse creatures and their habitats. Supported by (paradoxically) warm and impeccable sonic forms, the exploration turns out to be an unsurprisingly expansive one, yet accessible and oddly familiar sounding. There is a sense of assurance and serenity in the French trio’s latest offering, the musicians mastery and open-ended approach to free ambient music lets their ideas flow and never stagnate. The narrative of this expedition is one that will be remembered long after the listening finishes.

An ingenious musician with a harmonious sense of melody, French pianist and composer Maxence Cyrin releases Passenger, his 9th album, composed and performed entirely on the piano. With influences ranging from Ryuichi Sakamoto and Brian Eno to Philip Glass and composers such as Erik Satie and Frédéric Chopin, this album weaves together ambient, minimalism and neo- classical music. This time around, the artist has sought to convey his emotions and ideas in a more intuitive and spontaneous way, even keeping improvisations such as "Under A Glass Bell" and "Dive" recorded during a residency in Brittany. Maxence Cyrin is one of France's most internationally acclaimed pianists.

Get on track with Fidelio and Luca Piermattei.

Fidelio’s triple-vision A-side gives a taste of the unorthodox, blending 90s acid rawness with the timeless elegance. This is where baroque drama meets warehouse ecstasy.

Fidelio unleashes an avant-garde fusion of classical organ melodies and razor-sharp acid basslines, echoing through your spleens. Each track oozes groove, driven by punchy kicks and hi-hats that sizzle like sparks on steel.

Fidelio’s mix pulses with a sense of urgency, like a techno odyssey through a neon-drenched dystopia.

Luca Piermattei will catch you on the flippity-flip. ‘Gas’ feels like a transmission from a synthetic consciousness trying to breach the uncanny valley. The track opens with a pulsating bassline that wobbles like liquid mercury, creating a sense of disorientation. A warped robotic voice enters, glitching and stuttering, its eerie attempt at human inflection both captivating and unsettling.

The groove is undeniable—polyrhythms weave through intricate layers of percussive clicks, offbeat hats, and swelling synth stabs. Just as you think you’ve found the rhythm, the track bends your mind with unpredictable shifts, like machinery spiraling into controlled chaos.

Enter Luca’s wormhole with ‘Third Rec. With Tascam 122’: Meet the captivating 4×4 electro groover that pulls listeners into an otherworldly soundscape. Anchored by pulse-driven basslines, the track delivers a surprising and dynamic arrangement that keeps you guessing.

The sections are seamlessly divided with intricate, pinball-like percussion, creating a playful yet precise rhythm. Perfect for late-night explorations, this track balances hypnotic grooves with unexpected twists, making it a standout on the dancefloor.

Christened ‘High Tide’ after the sudden rising of the LA River basin during a particularly epic and rare rainfall, this cosmic slop funk jam was born from the minds of Devin Flynn (Pixeltan) and Eddie Ruscha (Secret Circuit), two individuals with a deep connection to Los Angeles’ tap water sources. While traipsing through the aisles of an Atwater Village bodega, the two mustered up a plan to create a rhythmic piece so delectable as to turn peoples’ heads inside out and pummel the senses with a wobbly Jah Wobble bass sound and a toy drum machine ‘no toy’ style back beat. They figured if they laced it up with enough electronic scuzz, the masses would be sure to want to sip from its nectar.

When DFA got wind it was all systems go and, from then on, all relevant parties knew that they should sit on the track for at least five years before it was released, otherwise the world at large would not be ready for it. The remixes are by Eddie himself - as Secret Circuit - and Dr. Dunks, aka Eric Duncan, a fellow Angeleno (at least at heart). Eric and Devin rolled through the streets as small children, shredding curbs and tagging local ice cream trucks, so it was inevitable they would reconnect and jam on ‘High Tide’.

Devin Flynn is an animator, musician and teacher who has worked on projects like Gary Panter’s web series Pink Donkey & The Fly and MTV2’s Wonder Showzen. He has previously released on DFA with Pixeltan, a trio - Flynn, Hisham Bharoocha of Black Dice and singer Mika Yoneta - that recorded with The DFA at the label’s inception, creating two seminal singles.

Eddie Ruscha is another DFA veteran, having remixed artists including Wolfram and Museum of Love. He has been making music for decades, as Secret Circuit and with myriad other aliases and collaborators, in addition to recording under his own name. He has released on labels like Beats in Space and Emotional Response, among others.

For fans of Young Marco, Suzanne Kraft, Prins Thomas, Khotin, Gaussian Curve.