Search:september

Finnish prog-psych masterpiece Harvest Time by Elonkorjuu reissued in September The original pressing of Elonkorjuu's debut album Harvest Time is among the most valuable collector’s items in Finnish rock; its average price in 2026 is over 1200 euros, and even 1500 euros have been paid for a mint copy. Recorded almost entirely live and originally released in 1972, Harvest Time is a best kept secret for many Scandinavian Prog aficionados. Inspired by groups like Cream and Free with a more progressive and free-jam style, Elonkorjuu is one of the few bands that successfully progressed the whole heavy Blues/Psych Rock style in a way that made them unique and ahead of their time. Drawing influences initially from the schools of bands like Sabbath and Colosseum but expanding them with soulful church organ and cutting guitar from bandleader Jukka Syrenius, Harvest Time is entirely worth its reputation as a sought after treasure. A killer album from beginning to end. Heavy guitar work all over with great vocals sung in English, which is rare for a Finnish band of this era. After the sold out 2017 and 2021 reissues by Svart and due to a constant high demand, Harvest Time will be available on wax and CD again in September. If you have a place in your heart for the shadowy and mysterious world of early heavy progressive rock, then it’s probably Harvest Time for you!

Finnish prog-psych masterpiece Harvest Time by Elonkorjuu reissued in September The original pressing of Elonkorjuu's debut album Harvest Time is among the most valuable collector’s items in Finnish rock; its average price in 2026 is over 1200 euros, and even 1500 euros have been paid for a mint copy. Recorded almost entirely live and originally released in 1972, Harvest Time is a best kept secret for many Scandinavian Prog aficionados. Inspired by groups like Cream and Free with a more progressive and free-jam style, Elonkorjuu is one of the few bands that successfully progressed the whole heavy Blues/Psych Rock style in a way that made them unique and ahead of their time. Drawing influences initially from the schools of bands like Sabbath and Colosseum but expanding them with soulful church organ and cutting guitar from bandleader Jukka Syrenius, Harvest Time is entirely worth its reputation as a sought after treasure. A killer album from beginning to end. Heavy guitar work all over with great vocals sung in English, which is rare for a Finnish band of this era. After the sold out 2017 and 2021 reissues by Svart and due to a constant high demand, Harvest Time will be available on wax and CD again in September. If you have a place in your heart for the shadowy and mysterious world of early heavy progressive rock, then it’s probably Harvest Time for you!

Erin LeCount returns with the release of EP PAREIDOLIA, now on limited edition transparent glitter vinyl and with the addition of hotly-anticipated track THE CINEMA.

Available for pre-order on the 1st July at 5PM BST and set for release on 11th September 2026.

Erin LeCount is a 23-year-old self-taught artist and producer. A visionary sonic architect and the sole writer and producer of her music, her sound ranges from luscious baroque-pop arrangements to alluring gothic-pop. At the foreground of her music are diaristic lyrics and captivating synths which offer an enchanting interplay of vulnerability and power. The themes within her music explore everything from identity to relationships and the meaning of life. Erin’s influences include Fiona Apple, Kate Bush, Lorde, Imogen Heap, Charli xcx, and Sampha.

The Rascals are a British indie rock trio formed in 2006 by Miles Kane (guitar and vocals), Joe Edwards (bass) and Greg Mighall (drums), hailing from The Wirral on Merseyside. Before becoming The Rascals, all three members spent their formative years playing together in The Little Flames, gaining valuable experience touring with prominent contemporaries such as The Coral, The Zutons and, most significantly, Arctic Monkeys. It was while supporting Arctic Monkeys—drawing inspiration from their fiercely independent, DIY ethos and refusal to compromise—that the trio decided to trust their instincts and strike out on their own.

In September 2006, Kane, Edwards and Mighall began writing and jamming as a three-piece, giving birth to The Rascals. The band quickly developed a sound rooted in strong pop melodies and psychedelic flourishes, but distinguished by a darker, more introspective undercurrent. Influenced by artists such as Scott Walker, their music carries a sweeping, epic quality, while their lyrics often evoke a David Lynch–like atmosphere. As Kane explains, The Rascals were never content with skimming the surface, instead preferring to explore subtler, shadowy themes that reveal themselves over time.
Released on Deltasonic Records, Rascalize showcases clear influences from labelmates and peers such as The Coral, as well as echoes of bands like The Inspiral Carpets. Standout tracks including “The Glorified Collector,” “Does Your Husband Know That You’re On The Run?” and lead single “Freakbeat Phantom” highlight the band’s knack for catchy hooks, layered guitar effects and driving rhythms.

Swedish speed/thrash metal newcomers XION are set to release their second album, *When Stars Collide*, on 11 September via Fireflash Records. XION’s fresh blend of speed and thrash metal sounds unique, and you can clearly sense the power, dedication, boundless energy and ambition of this young band.

The quintet was formed in 2022, when some of the members were still under 18, yet they were already playing with the same precision and energy as more established metal bands. Since then, the band from Falun – the hometown of acts such as SABATON, BROTHERS OF METAL, TWILIGHT FORCE and others – has taken the world by storm. The combination of the members’ young age and their extremely precise and virtuosic musical skills has made XION one of the most interesting and promising newcomers on the Swedish metal scene in many years.

»Ich bin ein sehnsuchtsvoller Mensch. Innerlich immer in Bewegung«, sagt Annett Louisan.

Die Sängerin ist in Aufbruchsstimmung. Auf ihrem elften Album »Sehnsucht» spürt sie all den bittersüßen Zuständen nach, die uns hoffen und streben lassen. Vor allem aber erzählt Deutschlands große Chanson- und Pop-Sängerin davon, was auf die Sehnsucht folgt. Erfolg und Enttäuschung. Wie leicht und wahrhaftig sie große Themen in ihren musikalischen Miniaturen verdichtet, berührt ungemein. Getragen von ihrer grandiosen unverkennbaren Stimme.

Seit ihrem Debüt im Jahr 2004 mit dem stilprägenden Album ›Bohème« hat sie mehr als 1,5 Millionen Tonträger verkauft. Niemandem mehr muss sie etwas beweisen. Und mit dieser Energie hat sie nun ihr eigenes Label gegründet: Atelier Louisan.

Ab September 2026 geht sie auf große ›Sehnsucht»-Tour und ist immer wieder zutiefst dankbar, wie aufmerksam ihr Publikum zuhört. ›Das sind Leute, die sich Zeit nehmen für Musik, die Anregungen wollen.« Und die bekommen sie. Etwa, wenn Annett Louisan sich radikal entliebt in dem jazzigen ›Ich kann dich nicht mehr sehen». Wenn sie in ›Weltuntergang« mit satirischer Finesse über Hedonismus in multiplen Krisenlagen singt. Oder wenn sie in ›Königin der Nacht» mit wunderbar entschleunigtem Gesang die Macht des Weiblichen beschwört. Das Album endet sehr persönlich mit ›Ich geh nur schonmal voraus«. Mit weicher Wucht befasst sich Annett Louisan mit der eigenen Vergänglichkeit. Ganz nah klingt ihre Stimme da. Ein zartes Vermächtnis für die, die weiterleben. Die Sehnsucht versiegt. Doch die Liebe bleibt bestehen.

»Ich bin ein sehnsuchtsvoller Mensch. Innerlich immer in Bewegung«, sagt Annett Louisan.

Die Sängerin ist in Aufbruchsstimmung. Auf ihrem elften Album »Sehnsucht» spürt sie all den bittersüßen Zuständen nach, die uns hoffen und streben lassen. Vor allem aber erzählt Deutschlands große Chanson- und Pop-Sängerin davon, was auf die Sehnsucht folgt. Erfolg und Enttäuschung. Wie leicht und wahrhaftig sie große Themen in ihren musikalischen Miniaturen verdichtet, berührt ungemein. Getragen von ihrer grandiosen unverkennbaren Stimme.

Seit ihrem Debüt im Jahr 2004 mit dem stilprägenden Album ›Bohème« hat sie mehr als 1,5 Millionen Tonträger verkauft. Niemandem mehr muss sie etwas beweisen. Und mit dieser Energie hat sie nun ihr eigenes Label gegründet: Atelier Louisan.

Ab September 2026 geht sie auf große ›Sehnsucht»-Tour und ist immer wieder zutiefst dankbar, wie aufmerksam ihr Publikum zuhört. ›Das sind Leute, die sich Zeit nehmen für Musik, die Anregungen wollen.« Und die bekommen sie. Etwa, wenn Annett Louisan sich radikal entliebt in dem jazzigen ›Ich kann dich nicht mehr sehen». Wenn sie in ›Weltuntergang« mit satirischer Finesse über Hedonismus in multiplen Krisenlagen singt. Oder wenn sie in ›Königin der Nacht» mit wunderbar entschleunigtem Gesang die Macht des Weiblichen beschwört. Das Album endet sehr persönlich mit ›Ich geh nur schonmal voraus«. Mit weicher Wucht befasst sich Annett Louisan mit der eigenen Vergänglichkeit. Ganz nah klingt ihre Stimme da. Ein zartes Vermächtnis für die, die weiterleben. Die Sehnsucht versiegt. Doch die Liebe bleibt bestehen.

London based duo Curbside Lambsear have announced their debut EP Put Rings On All My Fingers To Weigh Down My Hands out 11 September via Scenic Route. The duo comprised of Magdalena McLean and Annabelle Mödlinger have also shared new song ‘No Ordinary Word’.

Mödlinger and McLean met performing in The Umlauts and McLean is also a member of caroline. Curbside Lambsear is their outlet to explore rough textures and soft intentions, a space that combines the meticulous and the improvised. The announcement follows their debut single ‘Man The Door’ and was first revealed in their interview with The Quietus.

Curbside Lambsear say, “This EP came from experimentation and is composed of all the sounds we felt drawn towards while making music together, all the noise and melodies we came to be in agreement about, all that emerged while testing and probing what felt right. Some of it was found, some of it was built, some of it happened by accident while cycling down a narrow lane. Like the hands in the EP title, extremely adorned, weighing down on the keys of a keyboard, these songs are precious to us and needed to be spurred on by the mutual curiosity of what could be done if we started trying. We had a lot of fun making these songs and we hope you enjoy them.”

Brian Fallon reunites with producer Butch Walker (Taylor Swift, Fall Out Boy, Green Day) for Not Bad for New Jersey, his first collection of original solo songs since 2020's Local Honey. Fallon is best known as the frontman of The Gaslight Anthem (The '59 Sound, Handwritten). Featuring Brandon Flowers (The Killers), Phil Collen (Def Leppard), Lori McKenna, Donovan Woods, and guitarist Marc Ribot (Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Robert Plant). Out September 10, 2026. Eleven tracks of high-energy, power-pop-leaning rock about underdogs turning setbacks into rocket fuel.

MEMPHIS, TN — Fat Possum Records and Hi Records are proud to announce the first vinyl pressing in half a century of Ann Peebles' 1975 album Tellin' It, fully remastered and recovered from the Hi Records vault, where it had sat untouched for decades. Available on vinyl in stores September 11, 2026 and can be pre-ordered now and also available streaming everywhere now. 
Peebles was at the height of her career when she recorded Tellin' It — coming off her biggest hit, "I Can't Stand the Rain," the year before. Produced by Willie Mitchell at Royal Studios in Memphis, with the grooves that defined the label's sound, backed by Howard Grimes' drumming and the Memphis Horns. 

"Peebles and Mitchell don't just recast "Rain" 10 different times—instead, they lean into the supple support laid down by the Hi Rhythm Section, who have plenty more uptempo grooves to offer." Andy Beta, Bandcamp
The original master tapes were sent to John Nicholson at Nashville Tape Transfer for their first listen in fifty years. From there, the project stayed close to home: remastered by Clay Jones in Taylor, MS, then back to Memphis for lacquers cuts by Jeff Powell (Take Out Vinyl), and was pressed & plated at Memphis Record Pressing.

Essex punk duo The Meffs return with their second album BUSINESS, due this September via Frontiers Label Group, following their 2024 release What a Life. After a huge 2025 touring with major acts, selling out shows across the UK and Europe, and playing festivals like Glastonbury, 2000 Trees and Download, Lily (vocals/guitar) and Lewis (drums) headed into the studio with producer Dan Weller to create 11 of their most intense and politically charged tracks yet. Blending frantic punk energy with sharp commentary on the music industry and modern life, BUSINESS captures the raw sound of their live shows while showcasing the band’s anger, vulnerability and refusal to be pigeonholed.

Der charismatische und kreative junge Pianist Justus Eichhorn startet mit der Veröffentlichung seines
Debütalbums „The Source“ bei der Deutschen Grammophon eine exklusive Zusammenarbeit mit dem
gelbem Label. Die am 11. September 2026 erscheinende Aufnahme, welche die Liner Notes des 16-
jährigen Künstlers selbst enthält, ist eine Hommage an die reiche Musikgeschichte seiner Geburtsstadt
Weimar. Eichhorns sorgfältig zusammengestelltes Programm umfasst Werke von Komponisten, die eng
mit der deutschen Stadt verbunden sind, von J. S. Bach, Mendelssohn und Liszt bis hin zu R. Strauss und
Hindemith. „The Source“ stellt nicht nur sein Talent als Interpret, sondern auch als Komponist unter Beweis
und präsentiert zudem die Weltpremieren-Aufnahmen von drei Originalwerken Eichhorns sowie seine frischen
Interpretationen von Etüden von Czerny und sein Arrangement des Largos aus Vivaldis Blockflötenkonzert
RV 443.

Seit ihrem Durchbruch im Jahr 2016 gehört Åsa Söderqvists ShitKid zu den interessantesten Acts überhaupt, die immer wieder Erwartungen unterlaufen und Konventionen brechen. Nachdem sie das Projekt 2020 abrupt beendet hatte und komplett aus der Musikszene verschwunden war, kehrt ShitKid nun mit Compilations und einem Live-Comeback im Jahr 2026 zurück, bei dem sie um die ganze Welt tourt. ,The Essential (Vol. 2)" versammelt Tracks aus der ruhigeren und experimentelleren Seite von ShitKid und knüpft damit an das rauere, rocklastige ,Vol. 1" an. ,The Essential (Vol. 2)" erscheint, während ShitKid im Herbst durch Großbritannien, Europa, Japan und Kanada touren wird - nach einer ersten Tour im Frühjahr mit ausverkauften Konzerten in London, Berlin, Paris und Stockholm.Die Veröffentlichung erfolgte parallel zu den Tourterminen in Großbritannien und der EU im September; das Live-Comeback, das mit ausverkauften Konzerten in London begann, führte später im Jahr weiter durch Kanada, Japan und Skandinavien. Im Laufe der Jahre hat ShitKid Unterstützung von Medien wie The FADER, NME, DIY, The Line of Best Fit, KEXP und NPR erhalten.

Bonobo alias Simon Green returns with "Distance In Static", his new album, which will be released on September 11, 2026, by Ninja Tune.

On "Distance In Static", Bonobo collaborates with a characteristically impressive lineup of artists, including Arooj Aftab, Joy Crookes, Nilüfer Yanya, Ichiko Aoba, Nicole Miglis (Hundred Waters), and Aanya Martin. The lyrics are written in English, Urdu, and Japanese, while historical Iranian samples and guzheng recordings stand alongside Bonobo's carefully crafted instrumental sounds. These were created during recording sessions in Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, and beyond: a significant part of the album was completed at Neil Young's legendary Broken Arrow Ranch in California, where he had retreated for several weeks earlier this year.

The album's title - "Distance In Static" - aptly describes Bonobo's current situation: it evokes images of distorted transmissions and fleeting frequencies, memory fragments and glimmers of meaning that echo through more than two decades at the forefront of electronic music. He sees the traces of his work reflected in a younger generation rediscovering trip-hop, downtempo, and experimental electronic music of the 1990s from a contemporary perspective. "I think the beginning of my work is relevant to younger people today," he says. "I liked the idea of listening for a distant signal - finding something in the noise," he continues. The entire album conveys the feeling of a search for transcendence: music that hovers between intimacy and vastness, the familiar and the unknown.

Within the universe of "Distance In Static", there is also a sense that this album marks something truly monumental. It is a moment of transition, a celebration of Bonobo's 25th anniversary, but perhaps also his last album in the traditional sense: with numerous guest contributions and a multi-year world tour with a full live band.

Whatever comes next, one thing is certain: "Distance In Static" is arguably Bonobo's best album to date; as ambitious and forward-thinking as ever and a reminder of why he has influenced so many people so strongly for so long.

Bonobo alias Simon Green returns with "Distance In Static", his new album, which will be released on September 11, 2026, by Ninja Tune.

On "Distance In Static", Bonobo collaborates with a characteristically impressive lineup of artists, including Arooj Aftab, Joy Crookes, Nilüfer Yanya, Ichiko Aoba, Nicole Miglis (Hundred Waters), and Aanya Martin. The lyrics are written in English, Urdu, and Japanese, while historical Iranian samples and guzheng recordings stand alongside Bonobo's carefully crafted instrumental sounds. These were created during recording sessions in Los Angeles, Tokyo, London, and beyond: a significant part of the album was completed at Neil Young's legendary Broken Arrow Ranch in California, where he had retreated for several weeks earlier this year.

The album's title - "Distance In Static" - aptly describes Bonobo's current situation: it evokes images of distorted transmissions and fleeting frequencies, memory fragments and glimmers of meaning that echo through more than two decades at the forefront of electronic music. He sees the traces of his work reflected in a younger generation rediscovering trip-hop, downtempo, and experimental electronic music of the 1990s from a contemporary perspective. "I think the beginning of my work is relevant to younger people today," he says. "I liked the idea of listening for a distant signal - finding something in the noise," he continues. The entire album conveys the feeling of a search for transcendence: music that hovers between intimacy and vastness, the familiar and the unknown.

Within the universe of "Distance In Static", there is also a sense that this album marks something truly monumental. It is a moment of transition, a celebration of Bonobo's 25th anniversary, but perhaps also his last album in the traditional sense: with numerous guest contributions and a multi-year world tour with a full live band.

Whatever comes next, one thing is certain: "Distance In Static" is arguably Bonobo's best album to date; as ambitious and forward-thinking as ever and a reminder of why he has influenced so many people so strongly for so long.

One of South Africa’s most respected house music producers, SculpturedMusic returns with his sixth studio album, Playhouse – a release that further cements his reputation as a master of soulful, deep and emotionally rich electronic music.

Scotland's incomparable and influential Arab Strap are back with their ninth studio album Half-Told Tales, due for release via Rock Action Records on 4th September 2026: almost exactly 30 years since the beloved duo’s first ever single, The First Big Weekend, was released. The follow-up to 2024's acclaimed I'm totally fine with it (y) don't give a fuck anymore (y) , Half-Told Tales is rich with Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton’s trademark wit and dark humour, whilst creating moments from quiet brooding to a self-described “disco-metal incantation that might make you dance” . Including the single You You You, the album was recorded with long-time collaborator Paul Savage (Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand) . Vinyl is released as a double LP in a gatefold sleeve.

Scotland's incomparable and influential Arab Strap are back with their ninth studio album Half-Told Tales, due for release via Rock Action Records on 4th September 2026: almost exactly 30 years since the beloved duo’s first ever single, The First Big Weekend, was released. The follow-up to 2024's acclaimed I'm totally fine with it (y) don't give a fuck anymore (y) , Half-Told Tales is rich with Aidan Moffat and Malcolm Middleton’s trademark wit and dark humour, whilst creating moments from quiet brooding to a self-described “disco-metal incantation that might make you dance” . Including the single You You You, the album was recorded with long-time collaborator Paul Savage (Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand) . Vinyl is released as a double LP in a gatefold sleeve.

Appleton announce the release of a brand new EP, 'Side By Side', which will be released Friday September 4th, marking the first new Appleton body of work in over two decades.
Nicole says: "The reaction to 'Falling Into You' and our first Appleton show in over twenty years has been incredible We feel so grateful that people still connect with these songs and are excited about what we're doing now. This EP feels like the natural next chapter." After reissuing their cult- classic 2003 album 'Everything's Eventual' on vinyl, this January Appleton returned with 'Falling Into You' their first new music as a duo in 23 years.
While nostalgia may have sparked the reunion, 'Side By Side' is firmly focused on the present. Across four original tracks, the EP blends the melodic pop songwriting and distinctive harmonies that made Appleton favourites first time around with a fresh, contemporary sound that reflects where Natalie and Nicole are today. For both sisters, the project has been a reminder of the unique creative bond they've always shared. "We've always had a special connection when we sing together" says Nicole. "Making these songs reminded us of that. It never feels forced it just feels natural." More than twenty years after they first burst into the charts, Appleton aren't looking backwards. They're simply enjoying making music together again side by side.

While the sterile “professionalism” of some heavy bands can be like a clinical drone strike, Texas-based Judiciary feels personal. Like close combat with a knife. And it’s all in their chemistry. Judiciary is an amalgamation of four guys raised in the intersection of metal and hardcore—all devoted to pushing their craft further. Across two esteemed LPs, the band has proven their worth as a crucial entity in the crowded heavy music scene by evolving their sound further and further with each release. And now with the band’s latest Stalagmite Angels, due on September 4th via the venerable Closed Casket Activities, Judiciary can further showcase their status as a crucial, one-of-a-kind part of the evolution of hardcore in 2026. Life changes can bring about chaos and seismic shifts, but if Stalagmite Angels is any indication, then it’s all for the better. In the wake of the release of Judiciary’s second LP Flesh + Blood, the band called upon Juan Vazquez to pick up guitar duties, thereby changing the internal framework of the band for good, and unknowingly for the better. It’s this pivot in personnel that resulted in the band’s latest EP. “The goal with this EP was a hard reset, but we also wanted to chill the f— out a bit, have fun, and do something that felt true to the four of us,” recalls drummer Austin Looney. “We wanted time to reconfigure things and let the music come naturally–temper this new mindset that we've adopted post-Flesh + Blood.” Judiciary’s greatest strength lies in their musical singularity. Though Stalagmite Angels represents the collision of influences from across well-worn territories like metallic hardcore, death metal, black metal, d-beat and more, it’s the Lubbock-born band’s approach that makes it distinctly their own. Stalagmite Angels is a wholly new document that resembles a horde of bands ranging from Hatebreed to Carcass to Slayer to Iron Age, yet never aping any single band nor even revealing any single influence. It’s all familiar but none of it is specific. “90s hardcore and hardcore in general is always gonna be our natural inclination, but it manifests with different elements not only from song to song but within each song,” says vocalist Jake Collinson emphatically, who learned guitar specifically to help with writing new material. “Whether that’s Dying Breed or Cannibal Corpse or Crowbar or Machine Head or any number of other influences that any one of us may have, it all manifests in our work, and through our individual and collective lenses. With this EP, we transformed those ideas into the Judiciary approach.” Stalagmite Angels is an EP about anger at the world, belief in yourself, and how harnessing both in the pursuit of growth is necessary to achieve. But furthermore, it’s a concept record that envisions a subterranean world in both a literal and metaphorical sense—where hidden beauty lurks in the shadows (and in the eye of the beholder) and where triumph manifests in the ability to rise from the depths and into the world above.

Ohio’s 156/Silence return with From a Distance, their crushing new full-length and first release for Pure Noise Records, arriving September 4. Produced by Josh Schroeder (King 810, Lorna Shore, The Plot In You), the album expands on the breakout success of People Watching with a darker, more cinematic approach that balances punishing heaviness, eerie atmosphere, and emotional depth. Featuring guest appearances from Mike Hranica (The Devil Wears Prada) and Alex Reade (Make Them Suffer), From a Distance pulls influence from horror, prestige television, and retro game soundtracks while moving seamlessly between hard rock, experimental textures, and the band’s chaotic mathcore roots. Atmospheric, unpredictable, and unbound by genre, From a Distance pushes 156/Silence further into their own lane while cementing them as one of heavy music’s most fearless rising acts.

Purple Vinyl, inkl. Poster. The Black Wizards, das in Porto beheimatete Trio bestehend aus Joana Brito (Gitarre/Gesang), José Gomes (Bass/Gesang) und Helena Peixoto (Schlagzeug), kündigt sein neues Album ,Force Majeure & The Acts of God" an, das am 4. September über Hassle Records erscheinen wird. Force Majeure & The Acts of God ist von einem dunklen Humor geprägt. Der Titel bezieht sich auf den juristischen Begriff für unkontrollierbare oder nicht beeinflussbare Umstände und spiegelt damit das Chaos wider, das die Entstehung des Albums begleitet hat. Gleichzeitig deutet er auf den verschmitzten, widerständigen Geist der Band hin.Das Album entstand in einer Zeit, in der politische Landschaften weltweit zunehmend ins Chaos abzugleiten schienen. Es kanalisiert Frustration und Dringlichkeit, ohne dabei in Hoffnungslosigkeit zu verfallen. Für die Texte ließ sich Frontfrau Joana Brito von Büchern über Politik, Geschlechterrollen und toxische Männlichkeit inspirieren. Diese Themen finden sich in Songs wieder, die sich kritisch mit leerer Führung und gesellschaftlicher Spaltung auseinandersetzen. Besonders ,Killing The Buzz" durchschneidet das politische Spektakel mit scharfem Humor und energiegeladenem Punk-Spirit. Musikalisch markiert Force Majeure & The Acts of God einen deutlichen Wendepunkt für die Band. Anstatt den ausufernden Klangnebeln ihres früheren Heavy-Psych-Sounds zu folgen, setzen The Black Wizards nun auf einen kompakteren, raueren und direkteren Ansatz. Das Album vereint die Attitüde des Garage Rock, die nervöse Spannung des Proto-Punk und einen unaufhaltsamen rhythmischen Antrieb. Getragen wird dies von Britos kantigem und durchsetzungsstarkem Gesang, den rauen Gesangsantworten von José Gomes sowie dem kraftvollen Schlagzeugspiel von Helena Peixoto. Aufgenommen wurde das Album während einer intensiven fünftägigen Session mit Cooper Crain in Porto. Das Ergebnis lebt von Dringlichkeit, ungeschliffenen Kanten und einer explosiven Live-Energie.

„Ein Lächeln im Gesicht“ ist das fünfte Studioalbum von Farin Urlaub und erscheint am 4. September
2026 auf roter Vinyl, roter CD sowie als Download und Stream und ist vorbestellbar

„Ein Lächeln im Gesicht“ ist das fünfte Studioalbum von Farin Urlaub und erscheint am 4. September
2026 auf roter Vinyl, roter CD sowie als Download und Stream und ist vorbestellbar

Ellie Goulding’s sechstes Studioalbum „I Know Too Much“ erscheint am 04. September 2026. Mit dem
Album hat Ellie Goulding auf ehrliche Weise alles zusammengeführt - wie ein Tagebuch in Musikform,
eine Sammlung von Liedern, die eine bestimmte Zeit in ihrem Leben widerspiegeln. Es markiert das
nächste Kapitel einer Karriere, die von internationalen Erfolgen, zahlreichen Auszeichnungen und einer
unverwechselbaren Mischung aus emotionalen Texten, elektronischen Beats und ihrer charakteristischen
Stimme geprägt ist.
„I Know Too Much“ erscheint auf Vinyl und CD.

After orbiting the sun for six years, HMD returns in collaboration with Omformer to revisit and expand upon the enduring compositions from HMD002, Ascending and Distance, originally released in September 2020 (Late Lobster Theremin distribution). Since then, the search has been on for the right producers to breathe new life into these beloved pads and melodies. The remixers each build upon stems from Ascending and Distance, approaching the material with complete creative freedom.

Released spring 2019, HMD002 resonated through its airy, embracing, and intricately woven sound. In the years that followed, the release found its place within a rapidly evolving club music landscape, while Omformer also continued to shape their identity through releases on UTE.Rec and performances across the world.

HMD006 brings together a collection of forward-thinking artistic perspectives on today’s fast-tempo progressive club landscape, while remaining equally suited to afterparty sofa conversations or late-night kitchen burnouts. Each remix is soaked in rich, hopeful reinterpretation, combining inventive sample work, distinctive percussion, and the personal creative oddities of its four contributors.

Remixers

Alvar (Teo Bachs, Ekkel) — Co-founder of UTE.Rec
Mikkel Rev — One half of Omformer and producer on UTE.Rec
Human Space Machine — Nous’klaer Audio, De Lichting
Joachim Krüger — HMD Records

New Japanese Ambient Electronica from Tokyo

Composing primarily with the piano, Kotaro Maruyama creates music for a variety of visual media, including commercials and short films. Influenced by the composer Toru Takemitsu, he places importance on the “silence” and "ambience" of sound, aiming to create works where the music quietly depicts a scene.

Kotaro Maruyama's first solo album, "Vapor Curve," is constructed entirely from the sound source of the OP-Z digital synthesizer. Notably, he avoids the concept of harmony for a single tone, instead pursuing a unique "woven harmony" created by intricately layering multiple independent melodies. Using only the OP-Z, and recording everything in a single take without using a computer, Kotaro Maruyama's "Vapor Curve" is distinguished by its uncompromising production style. The minimalist melodies that are layered to create an ambient soundscape, along with the incidental noise that gives an organic texture to the inorganic electronic sound, showcase the raw appeal of sound that is imperfect."

Originally scheduled for release September 2025, this album faced delays due to a series of errors involving the distributor, pressing plant, and cutting engineer. However, earlier this year, Personal Affair teamed up with a new distributor, Rubadub, who introduced them new pressing plant, allowing them to restart the entire pressing process from scratch. Emerging from Tokyo via Glasgow, this release is now ready to deliver a fresh sound to the world."

Callisto celebrates 20 years of Noir with a vinyl reissue out in September Finnish post-metal outift Callisto are celebrating the critically acclaimed 2006 album Noir with its 20th anniversary vinyl reissue released by Svart Records in September. Founded in Kokkola in 2001, but already established in Turku early on, Callisto has been laying low in recent years. However, the band's versatile and nuanced metal achieved international popularity in the early 2000s. Their second full-length album, Noir, released in 2006, is a significant cornerstone of Callisto's career. – Noir is the album we have probably received the most feedback about over the years, the band admits. – People make and send covers of Noir songs to us and the album is usually the first thing that comes up in conversation when you come across people who have some experience, memory or opinion about Callisto's active years. Noir's production and recording process was also difficult in its own way, so it's already a reason to celebrate that it ultimately became an album that strongly defined the band's early years, the band continues. Noir has the menace and progressive edge of doom metal; the album is lively, looks forward darkly, moves from whispers to screams and ends with massive, powerful energy.

Ein Konzert ist ein Ereignis, bei dem Songs zu neuem Leben erwachen. Deshalb trägt dieses Album den Titel "Live!", erklärt Jarvis Cocker zu diesem besonderen Werk im Pulp-Kanon. "Es ist sowohl eine Tatsachenfeststellung (es handelt sich um die Aufnahme einer Liveband) als auch eine Herausforderung (kommt schon! Alle sollen lebendig werden!)." Gleichzeitig ist es auch sowas wie der erste Filmsoundtrack von Pulp: Der von Garth Jennings inszenierte Film "What Do You Do For an Encore?" erscheint weltweit am 25. September. Die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Pulp und Garth Jennings reicht bis ins Jahr 1997 zurück, als er das Musikvideo zu "Help the Aged" drehte. Als Pulp 2023 ihre Rückkehr auf die Bühne ankündigten, nahm Garth Kontakt auf und bot an, das Bühnenkonzept mitzugestalten. Im Juni 2025 filmte er schließlich die beiden Auftritte der Band in der Londoner O2 Arena, die das Herzstück des Films bilden. Diese Konzerte liefern auch das Material für das Livealbum. Es waren die 566. und 567. Shows der Bandgeschichte und zeigen eine Gruppe auf dem Höhepunkt ihres Könnens. Aufgenommen in der Woche, in der "More" - Pulps erstes Album seit 24 Jahren - Platz 1 der offiziellen UK-Charts erreichte, fängt das Album genau den Moment ein, in dem die Band als kreative Kraft zurückkehrt: alte und neue Klassiker erstmals vereint.

LIMITED EDITION FIRST PRESS OF 300 COPIES ON TRANSPARENT RED VINYL WITH JAPANESE STYLE OBI. NON-RETURNABLE.
Osaka quartet HIBUSHIBIRE return this August with their fifth studio album ‘Phantom Fuzzy Exotica‘.
Phantom Fuzzy Exotica continues to find the band exploring their own little universe, where psychedelia, 70’s hard rock and folk rock influences collide. You’ve got the short punchy riff heavy songs, the mellow time-out bits, and of course the epic psych jams and more vocals then previously. It’s all here, and as always they deliver the goods.
Phantom Fuzzy Exotica … in the bands own words
The initial image behind this album was “phantoms”- things that seem to exist, yet somehow don’t. Another thing that sets this album apart from our previous releases is that four of the five tracks feature vocals. The only instrumental is “Invocation and Ritual Dance of the Electric Nonsense.” We didn’t consciously plan it that way; it just happened naturally. After finishing last year’s tour, we didn’t have much time, but everyone’s ideas came together, and I think we’ve created an album we’re truly satisfied with.
Mandrake Oracle: The opening track of the album.Built around a single guitar riff by changchang, while the other instruments and electronics keep pushing the music forward. Personally, I imagined Deep Purple playing a Pink Floyd song while writing this one.
Minagoroshi Western: Imagined as the soundtrack to a fictional spaghetti western. In the end … everybody dies.
Daydream Rendezvous: A piece of daydream acid psychedelic folk.
Invocation and Ritual Dance of the Electric Nonsense: Hard psychedelic jazz rock. The title is a little nod to Frank Zappa.
Ai Vist Lo Lop (Cover): I’ve always loved Ai Vist Lo Lop by the wonderful Occitan traditional band Mont-Jòia, and I’d wanted to cover it someday. We especially enjoyed creating the a cappella section and finding the right sound for the main melody.
We sincerely hope you enjoy listening to this album as much as we enjoyed making it. — changchang
The Phantom Fuzzy Exotica European Tour 2026
AUGUST
19th Archive, Liverpool (UK) , 20th Ivory Blacks, Glasgow (UK), 21st The Golden Lion, Todmorden (UK), 22nd The Bunkhouse, Swansea (UK), 23rd Beautiful Days, Devon (UK), 25th The Peer Hat, Manchester (UK), 26th Le Pub, Newport (UK), 27th Strongroom Bar, London (UK) with Black Helium, 28th The Holloway, Norwich (UK), 29th The Sunflower Lounge, Birmingham (UK), 30th The Piper, St Leonards (UK) with Black Helium
SEPTEMBER
1st DND, Dunkirk (FR), 3rd Pilsen Busking Fest, Pilsen (CZ), 4th Pilsen Busking Fest, Pilsen (CZ), 6th Riff, Budapest (HU), 7th Végállomás Klub, Szombathely (HU), 8th A Beton, Győr (HU), 9th Chemiefabrik, Dresden (DE), 10th Bar Neun, Berlin (DE), 11th Subsol, Dusseldorf (DE), 12th Magasin 4, Brussels (BE), 13th De Onderbroek, Nijmegen (NL), 14th La Bulle Café, Lille (FR)
HIBUSHIBIRE are
Changchang (Guitar/Vocal/Bouzouki/Electronics/Melting Eye Spectacle), Tetsuji Toyoda (Bass/Vocal/Mermaid Mountain), AOI HAMA (Drums/Vocal/Cat Tongue Queen), Kohei Katsuma (Conga/Vocal/Theremin/Percussion/God Dog Family)

Obwohl der Bariton Johnny Hartman bereits in den 1940er Jahren mit den Orchestern von Earl Hines
und Dizzy Gillespie sowie mit dem Pianisten Erroll Garner aufgetreten war, erlangte er erst 1963 durch das
brillante gemeinsame Album mit John Coltrane große Bekanntheit. Bob Thiele produzierte für Impulse!
Records anschließend noch zwei Soloalben mit dem Crooner, die seine samtige Stimme und seine subtile
Phrasierung in den Vordergrund stellten. “The Voice That Is!” entstand bei zwei Studiosessions unter
der Regie des Arrangeurs Bob Hammer. Am 22. September 1964 nahm Hartman mit einem Quartett um
den Pianisten Hank Jones jazzige Versionen von Standards auf. Zwei Tage später kehrte er mit einem
interessant besetzten größeren Ensemble ins Studio zurück, um Nummern aus populären Musicals und
Filmen einzusingen, denen mit Perkussion, Marimba, zwei Gitarren und Flöte ein lateinamerikanisches Flair
eingehaucht wurde.

celebrating the critically acclaimed 2006 album Noir with its 20th anniversary vinyl reissue released by Svart Records in September. Founded in Kokkola in 2001, but already established in Turku early on, Callisto has been laying low in recent years. However, the band's versatile and nuanced metal achieved international popularity in the early 2000s. Their second full-length album, Noir, released in 2006, is a significant cornerstone of Callisto's career. – Noir is the album we have probably received the most feedback about over the years, the band admits. – People make and send covers of Noir songs to us and the album is usually the first thing that comes up in conversation when you come across people who have some experience, memory or opinion about Callisto's active years. Noir's production and recording process was also difficult in its own way, so it's already a reason to celebrate that it ultimately became an album that strongly defined the band's early years, the band continues. Noir has the menace and progressive edge of doom metal; the album is lively, looks forward darkly, moves from whispers to screams and ends with massive, powerful energy.

Ein Konzert ist ein Ereignis, bei dem Songs zu neuem Leben erwachen. Deshalb trägt dieses Album den Titel "Live!", erklärt Jarvis Cocker zu diesem besonderen Werk im Pulp-Kanon. "Es ist sowohl eine Tatsachenfeststellung (es handelt sich um die Aufnahme einer Liveband) als auch eine Herausforderung (kommt schon! Alle sollen lebendig werden!)." Gleichzeitig ist es auch sowas wie der erste Filmsoundtrack von Pulp: Der von Garth Jennings inszenierte Film "What Do You Do For an Encore?" erscheint weltweit am 25. September. Die Zusammenarbeit zwischen Pulp und Garth Jennings reicht bis ins Jahr 1997 zurück, als er das Musikvideo zu "Help the Aged" drehte. Als Pulp 2023 ihre Rückkehr auf die Bühne ankündigten, nahm Garth Kontakt auf und bot an, das Bühnenkonzept mitzugestalten. Im Juni 2025 filmte er schließlich die beiden Auftritte der Band in der Londoner O2 Arena, die das Herzstück des Films bilden. Diese Konzerte liefern auch das Material für das Livealbum. Es waren die 566. und 567. Shows der Bandgeschichte und zeigen eine Gruppe auf dem Höhepunkt ihres Könnens. Aufgenommen in der Woche, in der "More" - Pulps erstes Album seit 24 Jahren - Platz 1 der offiziellen UK-Charts erreichte, fängt das Album genau den Moment ein, in dem die Band als kreative Kraft zurückkehrt: alte und neue Klassiker erstmals vereint.

Der Breakthrough-Artist sombr hat sein Debütalbum "I Barely Know Her" veröffentlicht. Das 10-Track-Album ist jetzt über Warner Records erhältlich und enthält die Hits „back to friends”, „undressed” und „12 to 12” (inklusive Musikvideo mit Addison Rae), die weiterhin international die Charts stürmen – darunter die globalen Spotify-Charts, die UK Official Singles Charts sowie die US-amerikanischen „Top 40 Radio“ und „Alternative Radio“-Charts. In diesen erreichte sombr schneller als jeder andere neue Künstler der letzten zehn Jahre Platz 1. Auch in den Billboard Hot Rock Songs setzte er ein Ausrufezeichen und verdrängte Hozier nach einem Jahr von der Spitze. In Deutschland befinden sich mit „back to friends”, "12 to 12" und „undressed” mittlerweile 3 Singles in den Top 30 der deutschen Single-Charts und das Debutalbum schoss auf Platz #16 der offiziellen deutschen Albumcharts!
"I Barely Know Her" wurde komplett von sombr geschrieben und vom 20-jährigen Künstler zusammen mit dem renommierten Produzenten Tony Berg (Phoebe Bridgers, The Replacements) co-produziert. Gegenüber i-D gibt er zu Protokoll, die Songs seien inspiriert von „young romance, dimly lit rooms, late nights, and love, loss, and life.” Die Veröffentlichung folgt auf die Nachricht, dass sombr sein Debüt bei den MTV Video Music Awards geben wird – live aus New York am 7. September –, wo er als Best New Artist und Best Alternative Artist nominiert ist.

sombr (bürgerlich Shane Boose) wuchs im New Yorker Stadtteil Lower East Side auf und entdeckte seine Liebe zur Musik als Teenager im eigenen Schlafzimmer. Parallel dazu studierte er klassische Musik an der renommierten LaGuardia High School. Mit dem viralen Hit „Caroline“ (2022) wurde er über Nacht zum Internetphänomen. Seitdem hat er mehrere EPs und Singles veröffentlicht und bringt es inzwischen auf über 400 Millionen monatliche Streams über alle Plattformen hinweg. Heute lebt sombr in Los Angeles und verarbeitet in seinen Songs die Höhen und Tiefen junger Liebe – alles selbst geschrieben, co-produziert und veröffentlicht über Warner Records.

Die späten 1990er Jahre waren eine fruchtbare Zeit in der amerikanischen Elektronik- Underground-Szene. Eine wachsende Zahl von Künstlern, verteilt über das ganze Land, beteiligte sich an der jüngsten Runde eines jahrzehntelangen transatlantischen musikalischen Dialogs. An der Schnittstelle von Hip-Hop, Elektronik und Soul versuchten diese Künstler, ihren eigenen Weg zu gehen. Im September 2001 schlossen sich Telefon Tel Aviv aus New Orleans, die Highschool-Freunde Joshua Eustis und der verstorbene Charles Cooper, schlossen sich diesem Dialog mit ihrem Debütalbum ,Fahrenheit Fair Enough" an, das bei Hefty Records erschien. Als Herzensprojekt war ,Fahrenheit" ein Versuch des Duos, ,etwas Sinnvolles beizutragen ", sagt Eustis heute, ,etwas eindeutig Amerikanisches und irgendwie auch Südstaatliches." Zum fünfzehnten Jahrestag der Veröffentlichung bringt Ghostly International ,Fahrenheit Fair Enough mit einer Vinyl-Ausgabe und zusätzlichem digitalem Bonusmaterial neu auf. Als sie Ende der 1990er Jahre in New Orleans lebten, standen Eustis und Cooper im Bann zweier musikalischer Strömungen: amerikanischer Klassiker - New Orleans' Bounce, Detroits Techno, Chicagos House - und britischer Electronica - Autechre, Aphex Twin, Jega. Aufgenommen im Laufe eines Jahres in Eustis' Kindheitszimmer im Stadtteil Riverbend in New Orleans, lotete ,Fahrenheit" das Potenzial amerikanischer elektronischer Musik in einer Zeit der Hoffnung aus. Die Tracks sollten ,sich ständig weiterentwickelnde Skulpturen" sein. Fasziniert von IDM, wollten die beiden ,etwas Schwung hineinbringen , es ein wenig lockerer gestalten, es aber auch hyperromantisch klingen lassen." Eustis und Cooper hatten sich ursprünglich eine ,harte Club-Platte" vorgestellt, doch stattdessen wurde ,Fahrenheit" von Fans und Kritikern, die seine stilistischen Wurzeln falsch interpretierten, als zartes Stück Electronica wahrgenommen. Die Musik klingt im Jahr 2016 umso relevanter, da der Weg, den Eustis und Cooper damals anstrebten, heute Realität ist. Und weil heute jeder darauf hört, was der Süden zu sagen hat." ,Wir wollten einfach nur sehen, ob wir es hinbekommen", erinnert sich Eustis. ,Wir wussten es nicht. Unser Ziel war es, etwas zu schaffen, auf das wir stolz sein konnten." Zum 25-jährigen Jubiläum dieser bahnbrechenden Elektronik-LP, einem Meilenstein der amerikanischen Elektronikmusik, erscheint eine Deluxe-Obi- Edition als Doppel-Vinyl in einer neuen Watercolor- Variante. Joshua Eustis und der verstorbene Charlie Cooper schufen einen Klassiker, der an der Schnittstelle von IDM, Experimental- und Bass-Musik ansiedelt und eine neue Generation von Künstlern (Loraine James, Kelly Moran u. a.) beeinflusste. Das Album kehrt nun endlich für eine neue Generation zurück.

Als Gitarrist Grant Green im September 1964 zum ersten Mal mit dem Hammond-Organisten Larry Young
und dem Schlagzeuger Elvin Jones ins Studio ging, um das mitreißende Trio-Album “Talkin’ About!”
einzuspielen, lag Hochspannung in der Luft. Zwischen den drei Musikern entwickelte sich auf Anhieb eine
besondere Chemie, die nach einer Fortsetzung der Zusammenarbeit verlangte. Bereits zwei Monate später
kehrten sie mit dem Vibrafonisten Bobby Hutcherson ins Studio zurück, um das Album “Street of Dreams”
aufzunehmen, auf dem sie sich von ihrer subtileren Seite zeigten. Bei der Zusammenstellung des Repertoires, das von atmosphärischer Eleganz geprägt ist, setzten die Musiker auf seltener gespielte Standards
und Songs, die normalerweise nicht von Jazzinstrumentalisten aufgenommen werden.

London's Spearmint follow-up their acclaimed 2023 record `This Candle Is For You' with the ambitious new concept album `Chase Me' New single "1986" evokes a time when the world wasn't connected by technology, but there was still a strong connection across the globe: music. Specifically in the song, it's folk in Newcastle and Madrid who are dancing to the same music. The vinyl version also features an exclusive track "Is It Just Nostalgia?" which sees the band time-travelling past `The Tube' and `Soul Train` to Friday nights of the past. Standby for the follow-up single in July_ Spearmint have been making great records since debut `A Week Away' in 1999 (`Sweeping The Nation', `A Trip Into Space', `We're Going Out'). Still the same line-up: Shirley Lee (singing, guitar), Simon Calnan (singing, keyboards), James Parsons (guitar) and Ronan Larvor (drums). This will be their eleventh album proper and the 65th release on their own hitBACK label. Re-united with producer Rhodri Marsden (Scritti Politti, Cardiacs), the `Chase Me' album tells a story of success, disillusionment, disconnection, peril, and resurrection. Anchored by three chases across a city at night, book-ended by two out-of-body experiences, and working towards a suite of uplifting love songs, it's a thriller, it's a horror, it's an allegory. Song-writer Shirley explains "The story would make a good movie I think_ but we don't know how to do that, so we did this." `Chase Me' will be available digitally, and on limited edition CD and vinyl. The vinyl version will be released on WIAIWYA records, and will include an exclusive 24 page full-colour lyric book, including photos and illustrations. Spearmint will premiere songs from the album alongside tracks from their catalogue that haven't been played for years, or ever in one instance, live at Colours in Hoxton, London, on Tuesday 29th September 2026.

After the wild Afro-jazz fusion of Trancedance (reissued as BT118) and the meditative solo Christer Bothén Donso n’goni (BT133), legendary Swedish multi-instrumentalist Christer Bothén returns to Black Truffle as part of a dream quartet completed by the three members of Ghosted: Oren Ambarchi (guitar), Johan Berthling (bass) and Andreas Werliin (drums). Recorded at a rustic studio built by Werliin and Hans Fredriksson in the sylvan surrounds of Hamburgsund, Sweden across a few days in September 2023, Serpentine offers up four generous slices of hypnotic repetition and shimmering resonance, cut through with wild bursts of Bothén’s bass clarinet.

The depth and ease of the quartet’s rapport is evident from the first moments of the opening title-track. Berthling’s resonant upright bass locks into a head-nodding ostinato that makes sensitive use of a prominent end-of-phrase rest, opening spaces through which Werliin’s continually shifting statements of the pulse shine through. Having worked together in various groups for many years, Berthling and Werliin are masters at playing subtle games of difference and repetition, creating a driving rhythmic flow animated by perpetually changing details: here, you can never step in the same groove twice. Weaving through it all is Ambarchi’s now-signature Leslie-cabinet guitar tone, sounding out long chords at times strikingly close to a Hammond, while also creating intricate cross-rhythms through the play of his tremolo modulations against the bass and drums. When Bothén enters five minutes in, the growl of his bass clarinet at first works deep in the collective brew, carving off brief staccato phrases and twisting them into fragmented melodies. As he moves into the instrument’s higher registers, Bothén’s playing becomes wilder, twinning with Ambarchi’s guitar in shimmering arcs like a 21st century update of the Garbarek-Rypdal pairing immortalised on Sart.

Each of the four pieces explore different possibilities of a shared language. On ‘Antigorite’, another hypnotic bass riff emerges gradually from an atmospheric haze, eventually developing into a frenetic rhythmic workout propelled by Werliin’s cowbell. Berthling sits out for ‘Lizardite’, while Bothén moves from bass clarinet to the Donso n’goni, the sacred Wassoulou hunter’s harp he has studied for half a century; the resulting performance streamlines the approach heard on other tracks into pure modal propulsion, sparkling with harp-like arpeggios from Ambarchi’s guitar. On the closing ‘Chrysotile’, the bottom drops out, leaving a swampy, churning mass of wavering organ-like chords, roaming bass runs, and distant toms, over which Bothén floats bass clarinet figures by turns bluesy and abstract, the whole thing landing somewhere between classic ECM and the most blasted freeform moments of early Amon Düül II. Bearing a delicate calligraphic abstraction by Bothén on its cover and beautiful documentation of the recording sessions on its inner sleeve, Serpentine is a powerful reminder of the magic that can happen when inventive musicians just get together and play.

Fij makes a vibrant return with his new single "Don't Bring Me Sunshine," a bittersweet, high-speed ode to independence and renewal. Described by Fij as an "anti-love song," "Don't Bring Me Sunshine" flips the script on romance. Its sardonic, bah-humbug lyrics are set against a rush of euphoric energy - inspired by the simple thrill of driving fast with the windows down, music blaring, and summer stretching endlessly ahead. As Fij puts it: "Who needs love when you've got a full tank of petrol... and the whole of Summer lying ahead on the heat-hazed open road?" The track is the latest preview of his long- awaited debut solo album, due this September via Tip Top Records. It signals a clear shift in tone and tempo. After years marked by introspection - shaped by personal upheaval, frontline work during the pandemic, and his role as a funeral celebrant - Fij has hit reset.

Re- embracing the electric guitar, raising the BPMs, and rediscovering joy, his new material blends the fuzzed edges of dream-pop with elements of pop and electronica, all delivered with his signature wit and melodic finesse. Fij first emerged in the early 90s with Adorable, whose debut album Against Perfection (Creation Records) became a cult favourite, earning multiple NME accolades and topping the Indie charts. The band's legacy continues to resonate, with artists citing their influence and figures like Noel Gallagher famously calling their label's decision to drop them a major mistake. Following Adorable, Fij explored new sonic territory with Polak and later collaborated with Terry Bickers of The House of Love, producing critically acclaimed releases that reaffirmed his reputation as one of Britain's most distinctive voices. His baritone - often compared to Lee Hazlewood, Lou Reed, and Richard Hawley - remains as rich and compelling as ever, now carrying a renewed urgency.