quête:sensi

Acid Electro Techno to Hard Techno... A bit in a CHOOSE style. A fatal EP with a black light sensitive sleeve !

BIG UP to ISOPE for this pearl !

Oh yes! First ever official reissue of the positively sublime and very rare Butterfly LP, recorded in Tokyo in 1979 by Japanese songstress Kimiko Kasai and jazz legend Herbie Hancock.

Due to it's super-rare status as a Japan-only release, this exquisite collection of covers never got the recognition it deserved at the time, despite incredibly inspired performances from Kimiko, Herbie and the supremely talented musicians assembled for the project. From heavenly drummer Alphonse Mouzon and renowned organist Webster Lewis to bassist Paul Jackson, reedman Bennie Maupin and the master percussionist Bill Summers, the legendary performers crafted amazingly good vocal versions of Herbie / Headhunters jazz-funk. Unsurprisingly, it has been heavily in demand for many years.

The LP opens with Kimiko's highly desirable version of "I Thought It Was You", an elegant take on Herbie's own anthem. Other superb re-workings include the delicately soulful "Butterfly", jazzy groover "Sunlight", the smooth and sexy "Tell Me A Bedtime Story" and the beautiful ballads "Maiden Voyage" and "Harvest Time". A wonderful example of perfectly understated and masterful jazz-funk soul fusion that shouldn't be missed, the set closes with a jaw-dropping version of Stevie Wonder's "As".

This lovingly curated reissue enables a long overdue reappraisal of this hitherto unavailable masterpiece. The stunning artwork which adorned the original jacket - complete with OBI strip and sumptuous
4 page folded insert - has been faithfully restored. Simon Francis' sensitive mastering elevates the sound throughout and, as ever, it has been pressed at a reassuringly weighty 180g. Essential.

Nina Ryser's music has always inhabited its own world; a singular and cohesive collection of Keyboard-centric home recordings that marry her undeniable pop sensibilities with a truly bizarre dreamlike aesthetic. With a solo career spanning 7 releases as well as her work in the highly influential art-punk trio Palberta, Nina's artistic voice has been a staple in the American underground for over a decade, her distinctive and consistent sound earning a cult following. Her latest effort Water Giants signifies a departure in both sound and artistic practice - her first solo release recorded outside of her home studio, with a myriad of first time collaborators, it's Nina's most lavish and expansive offering to date, honing in on the heartfelt songwriting at the core of her work. After completing her usual process of demoing the songs for Water Giants, Nina felt that she wanted to try something new, escaping the confines of her minimal studio setup and the limitations of working alone. At the recommendation of several friends, she began working with Lucas Knapp, a Philly based producer who has contributed work to many Dear Life releases (including Florry's The Holey Bible, Hour's Ease the Work, and Joey Nebulous's Joey Spumoni Creamy Dreamy Party All the Time ). Lucas and Nina's recording sensibilities aligned quite seamlessly, breathing new energy into the songs in what she describes as an "effortless collaboration". The result is some of her most pristine experimental pop offerings to date, centering Nina as a dynamic performer and lyricist without foregoing the surreal qualities of her previous work. The album features contributions from many of her peers in the Philly music community, including Jill Ryan (Great Time), Victoria Rose and Nino Soberon (@, Brittle Brian), Eli Kleinsmith (The Knee Jerk Reaction), and her husband Gabe Adels, whom she frequently collaborates with in the synth-pop duo Data. Even the cover art is a departure for Nina, who has previously crafted it herself or with longtime friend/visual artist Izzy Kross, this time assembling a collage of photographs taken by Eve Alpert (Palm) fit for the album's newfound dimensionality. Lyrically, Water Giants stands as Nina's most personal work to date. Taking a cue from her previous release, I Miss My Dog, which was written as Nina was processing the imminent loss of her and Gabe's dog Billy, Nina approached the writing process with unbridled honesty and chose not to edit or overthink her words as she had in the past. The result is a number of candid, heartfelt reflections on love, illness, addiction, anxiety, and the beautiful absurdity of a trash pile on the street. Interspersed throughout the album are Nina's signature woozy instrumentals, which add some escapism to the grounded nature of the material. By putting faith in a newfound collaboration without straying from her natural instincts, Nina has crafted the most dynamic album in her discography, an exciting testament to her songwriting prowess and what can be accomplished by stepping out of your comfort zone as an artist.

The principles of pleasure radiate a knowing, carnal heat throughout the genre-fluid sound of LSDXOXO. His decade of dedication to the sensibility of underground club culture has brought forth club classics interwoven with pop music hooks and subversive, tongue-in-cheek lyrics.

After four years of what LSDXOXO, real name RJ Glasgow, calls a period of “healing and self-discovery,” he is consolidating his multiplicitous sound with one compelling masterstroke: the debut album DOGMA, to be released on his own imprint F.A.G. DOGMA marks a complete paradigmatic shift: it is a poetic and fantastical performance, a route for deep escapism through an expanded musical palette including piano and guitar, and a deeply personal confessional through a fresh approach to songcrafting.

Within DOGMA, RJ meditates on the interlinked qualities of fame, infamy, lust and submission, as he rediscovers a pure, unadulterated approach to music-making, all the while adopting a futurist approach to pop music appreciation. RJ’s unmistakable signatures—the smutty dancefloor caller, the maker of irresistible bangers, the latter-day electroclash and DnB nostalgist—take on even more shades and intricacies. Despite his widespread acclaim as a collaborator with and songwriter for other artists, RJ strips DOGMA down almost exclusively to himself, carving out intentional space as a chameleonic vocalist and performer. He breathes life into the album with private thoughts, external fears and a red thread through personal themes that crystallise the album’s narrative from front to back.

The album’s promo single “Bloodlust” offers angsty, intimate indie-tronica, and musings on the intoxicating nature of love and infatuation. The lead single “Ghost” reaches beyond RJ’s Philadelphia origins to find itself in the deep south, in a sultry fever dream of coquettish R&B featuring backing vocals from close collaborator Kelela. Elsewhere on the album futuristic love, pensive pop earworms, evocative vintage dance styles and sleazy club tracks intermingle. While the DOGMA era will eventually explore remixes and reworks, the album is RJ’s purest embrace of himself and his artistry.

RJ first garnered attention as LSDXOXO in New York City with his on-the-pulse Soundcloud edits and then as part of the cult GHE20GOTH1K collective. His DJ sets and productions quickly earned him acclaim across globally-linked underground scenes. His decision to shift from sampled vocals to picking up the pen and microphone pushed his reach out to the stratosphere; his association with XL Recordings via the Dedicated 2 Disrespect EP in 2021 was a turning point for the burgeoning superstar.

This multiplicity of the LSDXOXO sound has led to enviable co-signs. These include being selected as the opening DJ for Beyoncé’s German Renaissance tour dates, remixing Lady Gaga, Pink Pantheress and Shygirl and producing five tracks for Kelela's highly acclaimed 2023 album for Warp Records, Raven. His fully-realised live show has also taken to the stage, serving fierce charisma to huge audiences at festivals including Primavera, Nuits Sonores and Rewire.

DEFTR (pron - ‘Defuture’): The Revolutionary Collaboration Redefining Ambient and Techno Music

DEFTR, the newly formed alias of Answer Code Request and Jan Wagner, presents their debut album “Run Away” on npm, introducing a captivating fusion of ambient and techno. This collaborative project marks a departure from Answer Code Request's renowned 4/4 techno framework, venturing into expansive auditory realms enriched by Jan Wagner's classical expertise.

Spanning eight meticulously crafted tracks, DEFTR's debut album explores a spectrum of blissful and resonant soundscapes. The compositions unfold with a delicate balance of ambient textures and rhythmic innovation, punctuated by evocative vocal samples that enhance the album's atmospheric depth.

Having previously released three EPs that hinted at this innovative direction, DEFTR solidifies their unique sonic identity with this full-
length release. The interplay between Answer Code Request's intricate rhythms and Wagner's ambient sensibilities creates a dynamic tension, resulting in a listening experience that is both immersive and transformative.

DEFTR's vision extends beyond the studio, aiming to bring their sound to life on stage with a focus on live performance elements, including drum machines and synths. While details of the debut album release show are forthcoming, Berlin is anticipated to host this significant event.

With their debut album, DEFTR not only establishes a new creative path for Answer Code Request and Jan Wagner but also sets a high standard for npm's inaugural release, promising an engaging and profound auditory journey.

Jeffrey Lewis’s 2015 masterpiece ‘Manhattan’ in random-colour reground vinyl. “Lewis’s catchiest and finest album” - (Grade: A) Vice. Blang Records are thrilled to announce they’ll be bringing the wild streets of Manhattan to the UK and Europe this autumn with the vinyl re-release of Jeffrey Lewis’s 2015 masterpiece ‘Manhattan’. The LP sold out of its first pressing and has been impossible to buy anywhere for years…until now. Out on exclusive Random Mix Colour Reground EcoVinyl in record shops from 20th September. Blang Records and Jeffrey Lewis have history: before Blang was a label, it started life as a live night at the 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street, hosting many a set of the NY Antifolk artists over on UK shores, including Jeffrey Lewis. Now 20+ years since Jeffrey first played Blang, it feels fitting that tour support comes from UK antifolk linchpins, Blang Records mainstay, and arguably one of the UKs most criminally underrated bands, David Cronenberg’s Wife (“A mix of 80’s fall and the Velvet Underground” - NME). Native New Yorker Jeffrey Lewis is a comic book writer/artist and a musician. A cult hero birthed from the now infamous antifolk movement that sprung up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 90s, Jeffrey has released dozens of albums showcasing his unique blend of bleakly witty observations, scratchy, lo-fi punk and croaky folk/anti-folk, all firmly rooted in a strong DIY sensibility. Jeffrey and his band have toured the world multiple times over, released albums on Rough Trade, Moshi Moshi and Don GIovanni Records, and have been featured by NPR, The History Channel, The NY Times and more. ‘Manhattan’ was mixed by John Agnello (Dinosaur Jr., Phosphorescent, War On Drugs) and recorded by Brian Speaker at SpeakerSonic Studios NY, produced by Brian Speaker and Jeffrey Lewis. “We’ve been fans of Jeffrey Lewis since seeing him at the Sidewalk Cafe in 2001, so we’re really really pleased to be really-re-releasing the excellent album ‘Manhattan’ just in time for his September UK Tour. This all started when Jeffrey asked for help looking after his merch after his UK tour finished last year and we said we’d help him press some records in Europe from a UK address as the postage costs from the US were way too much. This ultimately led to us re-releasing his classic album (and respectful nod to Lou Reed's New York) ‘Manhattan’. It's beyond a dream come true. Blang is the home of fantastic lyricists and that's exactly what Jeffrey is - this is a perfect fit.” - Blang Records. “Jeffrey Lewis is an amazing musician, and if you don’t know his songs you probably have a hole in your heart that can only be filled by his words… I did!” – Regina Spektor. “Jeffrey is the best pure songwriter I know of… ‘Sad Screaming Old Man’… is one of my favourite songs ever written.” – David Berman, Silver Jews. Tour Dates: Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage, w/ support from David Cronenberg’s Wife - Aug 29th Hertford – Corn Exchange, 30th Coventry – The Tin Music & Arts, Sept 1st Stockton-on-Tees – Georgian Theatre, 2nd York – The Crescent, 3rd Stirling, Scotland – The Tolbooth, 4th Birkenhead – Future Yard, 5th !SOLD OUT! – Halifax – The Grayston Unity, 6th Norwich – Norwich Arts Centre, 7th Northampton – The Black Prince, 8th Carmarthen – CWRW, 9th Nottingham – The Old Cold Store, 10th Southampton – The Joiners Arms, 11th Hastings – The Pig // Jeffrey Lewis solo: 12th London – West Hampstead Arts Center, 13th London – West Hampstead Arts Center

Die 1976 in London gegründete Band etablierte sich zu einer der
erfolgreichsten und einfl ussreichsten Bands der britischen Punkrock-Szene. Auch nach fast einem halben Jahrhundert (und zahlreichen Besetzungswechseln, bei denen Dave Vanian die einzige
Konstante blieb), elf Studioalben und mehreren Hit-Singles haben
The Damned nicht die Absicht, kürzer zu treten. Im Oktober 2020,
mehr als 40 Jahre nachdem sich die Gründungsmitglieder getrennt
hatten, kündigten The Damned eine Reihe von Reunion-Shows mit
der Originalbesetzung bestehend aus Dave Vanian (Gesang), Brian
James (Gitarre), Captain Sensible (Bass) und Rat Scabies (Schlagzeug) an. Aufgrund der Pandemie waren sie jedoch gezwungen, die
Shows auf das Jahr 2022 zu verschieben. "AD 2022 – Live In Manchester" präsentiert ihr energiegeladenes 21-Song-starkes ReunionSet aus dem ausverkauften O2 Apollo in Manchester, UK. Jetzt
erstmals weltweit im Handel erhältlich

The relationship between our star, the source that gives us life and the land we occupy during this transcendental process is one of sensitivity and compassion. Topography and rock settlements are positioned as conductive posts of energy. An energy line wrapping around a planet that straddles between the past, the present and the future. And on this land, exists an engineered string of energy called the 37th Parallel. Time Travel, multi-dimensional activity, healing, spiritual transition and rejuvenations in the supernatural respect and other powers we've yet to discover and realize.

The long awaited reunion show! Founded in London in 1976, The Damned became one of the most successful and influential bands in the British punk rock scene of the 70s.

Their debut single "New Rose" (1976) is considered to be the first punk single ever released in the UK. Over the course of their 45-year career, The Damned have experimented with different musical styles and integrated elements of gothic rock, psychedelia and new wave into their sound. In October 2020, more than 40 years after the founding members split up, The Damned announced a series of reunion shows with the original line-up consisting of Dave Vanian (vocals), Brian James (guitar), Captain Sensible (bass) and Rat Scabies (drums).

However, due to the pandemic, they were forced to postpone the shows until 2022. On November 3, 2022, the original line-up performed at the sold-out O2 Apollo in Manchester, UK, and presented an energetic 21-song set from the first two 1977 albums "Damned Damned Damned" and "Music for Pleasure"; the only albums to feature all four founding members. "AD 2022 - Live In Manchester" presents not only a legendary reunion show, but also the unique magic surrounding The Damned.

Spirit Mother's forthcoming album "Trails" brings the energy of the band's visceral, all-in live performances while expanding on the sensibilities of their debut album "Cadets." It is the undeniable next chapter in the band's creative process. The darker tonality, heavier, fuzz-fueled riffs, and relentless rhythm section accompanies prolific structure and arrangement. The violin summons a brooding, atmospheric pedestal for the remaining power trio to wield with fervor. Lance's haunting vocals and stark lyricism intersperse the instrumentals with a melody that is as dynamic as it is accessible. It is the culmination of road worn years in pursuit of the art, and the moment-to-moment adrenaline of studio exploration. The album was aged, captured, delivered by Spirit Mother, and brought to the broader public by Heavy Psych Sounds Records.

Mustard Yellow Vinyl, limited to 400 copies. Spirit Mother's forthcoming album "Trails" brings the energy of the band's visceral, all-in live performances while expanding on the sensibilities of their debut album "Cadets." It is the undeniable next chapter in the band's creative process. The darker tonality, heavier, fuzz-fueled riffs, and relentless rhythm section accompanies prolific structure and arrangement. The violin summons a brooding, atmospheric pedestal for the remaining power trio to wield with fervor. Lance's haunting vocals and stark lyricism intersperse the instrumentals with a melody that is as dynamic as it is accessible. It is the culmination of road worn years in pursuit of the art, and the moment-to-moment adrenaline of studio exploration. The album was aged, captured, delivered by Spirit Mother, and brought to the broader public by Heavy Psych Sounds Records.

Formed in London in 1976, The Damned became one of the most groundbreaking and influential bands coming out of the 70s British punk rock scene. Their debut single “New Rose” (1976) is considered the first punk single to be ever released in the UK. Throughout their impressive 45+ year career (and counting), The Damned have experimented with various musical styles, incorporating elements of gothic rock, psychedelia, and new wave into their sound. In October 2020, over 40 years after the founding members parted ways, The Damned announced a series of reunion shows with the original line-up consisting of Dave Vanian (vocals), Brian James (guitar), Captain Sensible (bass), and Rat Scabies (drums). However, due to the pandemic, they were forced to postpone the shows until 2022. November 3rd, 2022, saw the band performing at the fully packed O2 Apollo in Manchester, UK, delivering an energetic 21-song set drawn from the first two albums, the 1977’s “Damned Damned Damned” and “Music for Pleasure”, the only albums to feature the four founding members. This legendary reunion show is captured on the worldwide release “AD 2022 – Live In Manchester” which perfectly portrays the unique magic around The Damned.

“Tu non hai questo suono. Non avrai mai questo sound”

Blank Mind presents three sublime versions of Big Hands’ ‘Girde Maye / Astere’ from Tammo Hesselink, Notte Infinita and Paperclip Minimiser - originally released on the Ossario EP in 2021.

Though playful in nature, and not overtly political - the lyrics explore identity and geographical boundaries. As the artist explains - it is written by an Italian and a Türk that talks in Italian, released in Britain in times of Brexit “and that’s why I chose to have a title in Kurdish in a song “sung” by a Türk.”

The vocal provides endless scope for reshaping and is entrusted to some of the most distinctive producers in electronic music; each of whom sensitively reimagine the original.

On the flip, the esteemed and prolific Tammo Hesselink produces a robust, and heavy version in his angular, crystalline style. Finally, Cong Burn wizard Paperclip Minimiser slows the tempo with a futuristic roller, an impressive creation by a man deeply immersed in technological innovation and at one with his machines.

Black Truffle is thrilled to present a Song for two Mothers / Occam IX the first ever solo release from Laetitia Sonami. Born in France in 1957, Sonami studied with Éliane Radigue in Paris before moving to California in 1978 to study electronic music at Mills College, going on to make important innovations in the field of live electronics interfaces and multi-media performance. Sonami is perhaps most closely associated with one of her inventions, the Lady’s Glove, an arm-length tailored glove fitted with movement sensors allowing the performer fluidly to control digital sound parameters and processing, as well as motors, lights and video playback. Having performed with the Lady’s Glove for 25 years, Sonami retired it in 2016, turning her attention to the interface/instrument heard and pictured here, the Spring Sprye.

In Sonami’s own description, “The Spring Spyre is composed of three thin springs that are attached to reverb tank pickups, mounted on a metal ring. The audio generated when the springs are touched, rubbed or struck is analyzed in Max/MSP. The extracted features are then used to train machine learning models in Wekinator and Rapidmax and control the audio synthesis in real time. We never actually hear the springs.” After decades of aversion to documenting her work on recordings, a Song for two Mothers / Occam IX treats listeners to two side-long performances with the Spring Spyre: the very first piece developed for the instrument and the most recent, the two contrasting remarkably in sound palette, energy and form. A Song for two Mothers (2023) spins an intricate web of rippling synthetic burbles, rapid sweeps and fizzing textures. Performed in real time with the sensitive and partly uncontrollable Spring Sprye ("a bit tyrannical," Sonami calls it), the music is delicate yet chaotic. Abrupt gestures hover against a backdrop of silence, "devoid of spatial or temporal direction". After several minutes, the sound-world becomes metallic and percussive, tapping and ticking in pointillistic flurries before a wavering harmonic cloud emerges, sprinkled with resonant drips and pops.


Occam IX is a radically different proposition. At the outset of Sonami’s exploration of the Spring Sprye, she asked her former teacher Éliane Radigue to compose a piece for it—and her: like all of Radigue’s work since she ceased working with analogue electronics at the beginning of the 21st century, Occam IX is written not only for an instrument but also for a particular performer. These scores are developed verbally, through meetings and conversations between performer and composer; each is grounded in an image (usually kept from listeners, to avoid influencing their experience); all magnify the subtlest acoustic phenomena and require great commitment and patience from the performer. Sonami’s is one of the few Occam pieces to make use of electronics, bringing it closer to Radigue’s famous longform pieces for ARP 2500. Beginning from a rumbling low tone, the listener is gradually immersed in slowly lapping waves of synthetic tones, eventually thinning out into delicate bell-like pings against a background of white noise, reminiscent of one of the most beautiful sections of Kyema from the Trilogie de la Morte.


Accompanied by notes from Sonami, her longtime collaborator Paul DeMarinis, and Radigue, and illustrated with scores, photographs and images of the Spring Spyre, a Song for two Mothers / Occam IX is an essential document celebrating an under-recognised pioneer of electronic music and performance.

Santana III is an album of 'lasts'. It was the last album recorded with the original Woodstock-line up and the last to hit #1 in the Billboard charts until 1999's Supernatural. But there are also a number of important 'firsts' on this album; Coke Escovedo joins in for the first time on percussion, as does Neal Schon (Journey) - who was a mere 17 of age when they recorded the album - on guitar. Santana III is viewed by many as the band's commercial and creative highpoint. The band sounds darker, rawer, and more eager with the doubling up on guitar of Schon's Rock 'n' Roll sensibilities and Santana's ecstatic high notes and soulful fills. Escovedo and Chepito's percussion are as fast as it is furious, and the minimal production adds greatly to the timeless appeal of this album. Santana III is available as a limited edition of 1500 individually numbered copies on translucent yellow coloured vinyl, housed in a deluxe heavyweight gatefold sleeve.

Punk pioneers Crass continue their vinyl reissue series, re-pressing their limited releases by adjacent artists through Crass Records, in association with One Little Independent. Absurdists jazz-infused post-punks, The Cravats originally released single 'Rub Me Out' with Crass Records in 1982. A favourite of John Peel's, the Redditch band left a long legacy, reforming in 2009. Penny continues; “Fast, furious, fiery and often very funny, the Cravats were nothing like the average punk band, indeed, like Zappa before them, their sensibilities leant more towards progressive jazz mixed in with an ample helping of gallows humour; ‘make mine rare’. Dada also comes to mind as The Shend weaves his way through the complex vagaries of everyday existence. ‘Now you see me, now you don’t’. There’s no doubt about it, the Cravats are worth keeping your ears open, and your eyes out for, but mind the gaps!”

PYJÆN are delighted to announce the release of their second album 'Feast', planned for September 2021 on DeepMatter Records. The five-piece outfit reaches inside the deep, multidimensional well of what is broadly called Jazz, bringing together all its diverse components in a singular, emotional sound. After setting a blueprint for their multifaceted artistry, combining cross-genre sensibilities with ferocious talent on their first two releases, PYJÆN have been busy writing and recording music for their second album, their most accomplished offering yet. ‘Feast’ was recorded at Peter Gabriel's legendary Real World Studios in Bath over a full week in November 2020. This proved to be an unforgettable experience, which elevated the music and created an unrivalled connection between the 5 band members and the albums featured artists Nix Northwest, Elisa Imperilee, Hilts and Corto Alto.
With the recording of this new record, each member of the group brought their own specific flavour to the table.

They explain: “We want the album to showcase our growing abilities and confidence as a group of 5 individuals, each with strong personalities and varied sets of influences, while still leaving room for featured artists, an exercise we thoroughly enjoyed on our 'Sage Secrets' EP with Blue Lab Beats and Odette Peters.” The EP reached over 1M streams on Spotify within only a few months, testimony that the band has become a major force in the UK "Jazz and beyond" scene. Their new album will fearlessly navigate the world of funk, jazz, hip-hop and punk. With their trademark raw energy, their objective is to bring people together in their love for music. 

Adventurous songwriting, meticulous timing, incredibly tight horn arrangements and an obvious joy to play together are the PYJÆN trademarks. These are brought to the table in ‘Feast’ through vibrant melodies and rich cadences. The band presents a full course musical experience with four singles: in ‘Beetle Juice’ the band joins forces with rapper Nix Northwest to offer a delicious tune characterized by an easy-going yet alluring atmosphere. ‘The Nightbus’ sees a vivacious journey narrated by enticing piano, guitar and trumpet motifs. ‘Moonlight’ sets a sultry tone with Elisa Imperilee’s ethereal vocals accompanied by delightful and intricate beat sequences. ‘By Your Side’ is the final instalment before the great ‘Feast’ showcasing an enchanting vocal exchange between Byulah and Renato Paris. With its mouth-watering combinations of jazz, ‘Feast’ is a witness to the band’s exponential growth, taking listeners on a vivid sensory experience

Formed in 2016, PYJÆN is composed of Dani Diodato (guitar), Dylan Jones (trumpet), Ben Vize (sax), Benjamin Crane (bass) and Charlie Hutchinson (drums). Releasing their debut self-titled album to wide critical and public acclaim, they have gathered support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Huey Morgan, Jazz FM, and Clash Magazine to name a few. Live, as seen at A Love Supreme, Ronnie Scott's, Jazz Cafe or Brainchild Festival, the atmosphere is sizzling and the sense of enjoyment communicated from the stage is infectious.

“I want it to feel like you’re right there in the room with us.” And in 10 songs and 40 minutes, Wunderhorse capture the raw power and energy that has set them apart as one of the most formidable live acts of recent years. With rugged hooks, unfiltered noise, and fierce melodic sensitivity, Midas rips up the script of traditional second albums and establishes the band as an endlessly addictive and rousing generational talent.
In late 2022, the release of their debut album Cub saw singles ‘Purple’ and ‘Leader of the Pack’ dominate radio airwaves. Landmark performances filling Glastonbury’s Woodsies Tent (FKA John Peel Stage) and selling out London’s Kentish Town Forum months in advance followed tours with Pixies and Fontaines D.C. and stadium appearances with Sam Fender, signalling the band’s arrival as one of the most prominent and exciting new guitar acts in the UK.
With Grammy Award-winning producer Craig Silvey (The Rolling Stones, The National, Florence + The Machine) on board for their sophomore record, the band looked to do something different. Their goal – in the very same studio that Nirvana put In Utero to tape and PJ Harvey recorded the Mercury Prize-nominated Rid of Me – was to push themselves outside of their comfort zones.
“There’s absolutely no faking on this record,” ends Slater, “it's not supposed to be perfect; it’s supposed to be a snapshot, even if it is a bit of an ugly portrait. That's how it was then, and that's how you're gonna see it.” And it sounds like you’re right there in the room with them.

Milky Clear Vinyl. Aprender a Ser: Extended is an EP by Mexico City band Mint Field. It was recorded in the same sessions as Mint Field's latest album, Aprender A Ser. Mint Field decided to split the work into an album and an EP as they felt it was too dense for a double album and wanted these songs to co-exist in another space and have its own time to shine. As with Aprender A Ser, the EP incorporates influences from shoegaze, trip-hop, dream pop and electronic music. The final track includes longtime friend and cello player Mabe Fratti to play Cello. Time. It's something we tend to cherish. As a band, you're typically thrown into more than usual stressful scenarios when recording albums and rushing decisions becomes the norm. Mexico City's Mint Field knows this all too well. Rewind to the spring of 2020 (yes, Covid). The band started fleshing out their new album Aprender a Ser (meaning Learn To Be in English), the follow up to 2020's minimalist psych/ shoegaze album, Sentimiento Mundial. For the first time, the band was not under any time constraints in the recording process. They wrote, recorded, produced and mixed the album in isolation. They had time to slow things down and think more obsessively about the sound, environment and vibe they wanted to create. Aprender a Ser became really intimate, every single detail was meticulously worked on. Mint Field recorded take after take, but at the same time tried to keep the soul of the demos intact. Some of the guitar and drums are first takes in the final versions. The band would let a recording sit, leave it and come back to it. The songs evolved a lot doing so, but at the same time didn't lose the essence of its original intention. Thematically, Aprender a Ser talks about opening our perspective of the reality that we live every day, acknowledging each moment that we witness in life. Learning to recognize what we are, what we live, what we see, what we feel. Whether it's seeing ourselves in the past and observing how we have evolved in the present. Or the lifetime of a butterfly from its formation within a cocoon to how it lives its short life in five days. Or seeing how an orchid slowly opens every day, never forgetting the essence of what we are and will be. Nothing in life should be taken for granted. Living in the present is a gift. Learning to be (Aprender a ser) is learning to recognize our emotions, not repress them, not turn them off and feel them.

Love Rudiments is a meditation by Ty Segall on his first love: the drums. Known popularly as a singing guitar player, he generally starts the recording of his songs by laying down a drum track. Love Rudiments kicks off with drums and percussion then adds a few other percussive and production aspects. It travels a great journey in this configuration. However, Love Rudiments wasn"t written or performed to present as some kind of solo drums album - it"s just another music album, with vibes (figurative as well as literal), feels, a theme and a through-line. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Ty"s made an instrumental album of percussive music that rides the wild surf of a waxing-then-waning love affair - from the first blinding look, to the eventual recognition, that look back at love"s rudiments, viewed from beyond and outside that seemingly infinite sensation And why not? Drums are a melody instrument too. Ty plays them with precision and sensitivity, delving deep into the textures of timpani, vibraphone, xylophone, percussion and e-drums, all of them occupying space within the luxe stereo spread of the drum kit. In the process, a psychological space is opened - a private emotional location where only two can meet. Love Rudiments reembodies the passion and compulsion that drives all of Ty Segall"s music in a suite of moments played on orchestral batterie to explore the most delicate passages of human interaction - playing on the bones of love.