Chris Alexander: Musician, Director and former editor of Fangoria presents this, his first album in quite some time, remastered and rejigged for vinyl by us here at GDHQ. The soundtrack for your bleak midwinter. Dark as space, drugged-out helltracks for paranoid dreamers and night-fantastists. Spooktactular art by Eric Lee, Mastered by Alek Stark.
Von Carl Bown und Colin Richardson (Slipknot, Machine Head, Trivium) in den Metropolis Studio in London produziert, entpuppt sich VENOM als kompromissloser, erbitterter Schritt für Bullet For My Valentine. Ihr heftigstes Album bislang packt den Hörer sofort an der Kehle, wofür die mächtige Performance von Sänger / Gitarrist Matt Tuck, die bissigen Riffs von Gitarrist Michael "Padge" Paget und das Drumming-Sperrfeuer von Michael "Moose" Thomas sorgen. Auf VENOM hält das Trio perfekt seine ureigene Balance zwischen Heaviness und dringlichen Melodien und schraubt sich so auf das nächste Level.
"Es ist schwierig, ein komplettes Album zusammenzufassen, nachdem wir soviel Zeit mit dem Songschreiben und Aufnehmen verbracht haben und Blut, Schweiß und Tränen flossen," erzählt Frontmann Matt Tuck. "Es war hart, für die Texte wieder an einige äußerst dunkle Orte zurückzukehren, aber sobald ich Fährte aufgenommen hatte, war es OK für mich, gewisse Themen einfach rauszulassen - und die Hölle brach los. Dieses Album ist ganz klar das aggressivste, das wir je eingespielt haben, und textlich wird es sicherlich Viele aufhorchen lassen.
Vor eineinhalb Jahren war er noch Tellerwäscher in einem Restaurant in Fort Worth, vor drei Monaten jagten vierzig Plattenfirmen nach seiner Unterschrift. Nun, im Frühling 2015, steht Leon Bridges vor der Veröffentlichung eines DER Alben, die mit Spannung erwartet werden. So musste zuletzt beim diesjährigen SXSW Festival in Austin beim seinem Konzert hunderten Besuchern wegen Überfüllung der St. David's Episcopal Church der Eintritt verwehrt werden. Doch wie war dem extrem schüchternen, 25-jährigen Texaner, der mit seinem Look und Sound den Soul der Prä-Beatles-Ära aufleben lässt, in der kurzen Zeit dieses Kunststück nur geglückt Leons große Liebe war eigentlich das Tanzen und so absolvierte er zunächst eine Ausbildung als Choreograph. Auf die Idee, irgendwann einmal selbst Musik zu machen, wäre er damals nie gekommen. Seine eigene Musikerkarriere begann Leon Bridges mit dem Schreiben einfacher Songs und trat bei "Open Mic"-Abenden im Großraum seiner Heimatstadt auf. Im Laufe der Zeit entwickelte der junge Texaner dann ein Faible für perfekt nuancierten Retro-Soul und -Gospel, der ihm Vergleiche mit seinen Helden Sam Cooke, Percy Sledge und Otis Redding bescherte.
FINA Records presents 'Tyranny of Fun', the debut EP from Slow Learner. The coining of the new alias 'Slow Learner', marks a new chapter and musical direction for an already established artist who is by no means new to the game. Preferring to start afresh and steer clear from associations, the somewhat reclusive figure from the South Coast is now focused instead on allowing his new output to speak solely for itself. And his debut release under his new pseudonym achieves just that. 'Tyranny of Fun' is an accomplished sonic offering that reveals a versatile sound characterized by original combinations of samples, depth and range. The EPs opener, 'The Skin Horse' is surely one for the after afters - a dark and off kilter growler of a track whose prevailing bassline and waltz time beat provide a brooding backdrop and relentless rolling nod to its intricate fusion of dissident chords, dusty synths and jazz stabs. On the flip side, an unpredictable 'Cupboard Love' starts muted and deep but soon surprises, opening out into a warm and progressive feel-good groove. Mixing things up again, Slow Learner impulsively cuts up the flow 4 minutes in with a funk-filled refrain, leaving the track dancing in and around dirtier disco territories. Last up, a made for vinyl 'Honey' goes deeper still; a delectably crafted down tempo offering whose syrupy vocals stir and evocative cross-rhythm synths, coupled with the vintage analogue percussion, ooze an unmistakable old 90's deep house sound.
Gravity Pleasure's inaugural release is a rippling compilation of womxn, trans, and non-binary artists and
collaborators that invites listeners into an aqueous paraworld of fluid resistance and sonic kinship. Across 21 tracks from the likes of Yetsuby, Flora Yin Wong, Felisha Ledesma, Ursula Sereghy, tibslc, and more, Water Bodies spans a post-genre miasma of ethereal mermaid music, cathartic flows, and glistening sibilants. Inspired by a poetic prompt from Lou Croff Blake, each track is an exquisite message in a bottle of deep diving emotionality. Pulling from a wide range of musical perspectives – field recording, lovesick ballads, shimmering downtempo, post-party comedown, and percolating ambient – the compilation contains multitudes yet maintains deep sentimental coherence. Like a wave crashing in slow motion, each artist sonifies possible ways of being, insisting on the porous, the interdependent, and the deep and unruly. Water Bodies reminds us that home is a body made of water, to which we all belong.
Credits Curated by Ashlynn White & Madelyn Byrd
Artwork by Dre Roelandt
Layout by Madelyn Byrd Mastered by Estle
Distributed by Rubadub
Published by Gravity Pleasure ❊ GP01 ❊ 2025
Following the release of the dreamy and bewitching darkwave debut single “Mirror Twin”, Harsh Symmetry announces the release of a full-length debut Display Model on Fabrika Records, home of Selofan, Lebanon Hanover, and She Past Away, whose own Doruk Öztürkcan mixed and mastered the LP. With a vocal style reminiscent of Cocteau Twins collaborator Cinder (This Mortal Coil, Cindytalk), and Ian McCulloch of Echo & The Bunnymen, Harsh Symmetry’s Julian Sharwarko is the epitome of old-school and post-punk and goth, capturing a vision that perfectly matches his sound, while physically resembling his music forebears to the point where he looks like he just stepped out of a copy of Smash Hits circa 1983. Hailing from Sacramento, California, Sharwarko’s love of music began at the tender age of 8, with parents who influenced his early music tastes by playing the music of Siouxsie and The Banshees, The Birthday Party, Iggy Pop, Depeche Mode, and Bauhaus. David Lynch’s work also made a profound impact on his style, specifically the short film The Grandmother.
PeelingFlesh - The G Code Since their 2021 inception, Peeling Flesh have quickly emerged from the underground amidst a flurry of electrifying live shows. A reputation for utter carnage and a rabid fanbase created real hype. With a genuine crossover appeal rarely seen in the genre, PF seem to entice fans from all spectrums of extreme music fandom. After the band released a string of EPs leading to their signing by Unique Leader Records, tours with Devourment, Jesus Piece, Sanguisugabogg and many more paved the way for their latest offering…. The fastest rising band in modern slam return with their eagerly awaited new album ‘The G Code’. Featuring guest appearances from Despised Icon’s Alex Erian & Steve Marois, Cold Hard Truth’s Tim Louth, Matti Way (Ex - Disgorge/Liturgy/ Abominable Putridity) and more, ‘The G Code’ is a mixtape style record that invokes both nostalgia and forward thinking. A modern classic,
TOO BAD JIMS - Over The Hill ist eine leidenschaftliche Hommage an den legendären North-Mississippi-Bluesman R.L. Burnside. Das britische Trio aus Brighton - bestehend aus Little Victor, Son Jack Jr. und Nick Simonon (Bruder von Paul Simonon, The Clash) - verbindet rohe Energie, hypnotische Grooves und den unverkennbaren Hill-Country-Sound zu einem zwingenden, rauen und erdigen Blues-Erlebnis. Was einst als spontane Zusammenarbeit zweier vielfach ausgezeichneter US-Musiker begann, entwickelte sich zu einer Band, die den Spirit der Juke Joints aus Nord-Mississippi in die Gegenwart transportiert. Minimalistische E-Gitarren, treibende Bottleneck-Soli und ungeschliffener Gesang formen einen Sound, der "absolutely scorching" (Living Blues Magazine) und "relentlessly upbeat" (Blues Blast Magazine) genannt wurde. Over The Hill erscheint streng limitiert und liefert einen kompromisslosen, unmittelbaren Blues, der gleichermaßen Tradition ehrt und vor roher Spielfreude strotzt. Für alle, die echten, unverfälschten Hill-Country-Blues lieben.
From dreamy indie pop to melancholic ambient fragments to crazy distortion pedals, The Me In You has never sounded more adventurous without losing sight of cohesion.
Press:
Humo: “The Me in You simply offers more colour and dimension than most other Belgian pop groups”
OOR: ‘A wonderfully addictive album for connoisseurs.’
Het Nieuwsblad: ‘Duyster music that gets under your skin.’
Le Soir: ‘Every song, every melody manages to surprise us.’
Stu Bru: Catch of The Day – De Afrekening list
Radio 1: Top 10 Vox list – A Rotation
PET NEEDS return with their fourth studio album ‘ELBOWS OUT! THIS IS CAPITALISM’ to be released on Xtra Mile Recordings on 27th March 2026. Recorded by George Perks (Enter Shikari, You Me At Six, Mogwai, Skindred) it follows the release of their Top 20 album ‘Intermittent Fast Living’ in February 2024. The album charts the exploits of the band buying a second-hand punk rock career at auction and trying (and failing) to make it work.
Over the course of the genre-spanning 12 tracks, the story unfolds with a mix of frenetic punk rock defiance; reflective melodic introspective and beat heavy party anthems as well as guest appearance by CJ Ramone, legendary auctioneer Eric Olson and friends The Whops and Jess Guise who help the story develop. The album is a satirical look at the pitfalls of trying to make it as a DIY punk band, delivered by a band at their most creative and bold as they continue on their own ascension of success.
PET NEEDS are a punk fuelled melodic rock fourpiece from Colchester who have toured the world since they signed with Xtra Mile in 2020. Their past three albums have helped catapult the band to the rising stars they are today. They regularly headline tours in UK, Europe and in America as well as huge support tours with Laura Jane Grace, Art Brut, Frank Turner, Flogging Molly, Skinny Lister, Bouncing Souls, NOFX, The Hives. The Lottery Winners, Spike & The Gimmie Gimmies and The Levellers. In the lead up to the album release the band will tour the UK’s regional towns giving fans exclusive listens to some of the new songs. And throughout week of release will perform instores and outstores to push for a high chart position.
Letztes Jahr erschien in Blue Notes audiophiler Tone Poet Serie mit “In The Wee Small Hours“ erstmals
ein Klassiker von Frank Sinatra. Die Überraschung ging voll auf: das Album wurde einer der größten
Verkaufserfolge der Serie. Jetzt folgt mit ”Songs For Swingin’ Lovers!” ein zweites Sinatra-Album in gleicher luxuriöser Aufmachung und Verarbeitung: Wie bei der Serie üblich wurde auch diese Produktion
von “Tone Poet” Joe Harley persönlich überwacht, von Kevin Gray bei Cohearent Audio rein analog von
den Originalbändern gemastert, bei Record Technology Inc. (RTI) auf 180-g-Vinyl gepresst und in einer
luxuriösen Tip-on-Gatefoldhülle verpackt.
So gut wie in dieser Fassung hat das relaxed swingende Album ganz sicher auf LP noch nie geklungen.
Es wurde 1956 in den Capitol Studios in Hollywood aufgenommen und enthält großartige Nelson-RiddleArrangements von Klassikern wie ”You Make Me Feel So Young“, ”Love Is Here To Stay“ und ”I’ve Got
You Under My Skin“.
Since emerging in 2020, the band has carved out a reputation as one of the most exciting rising acts in heavy music, with support from BBC Radio 1, Kerrang! Radio and acclaimed rock and metal press such as Metal Hammer, Kerrang! and Alt Press. 2024 saw the band make their Download Festival debut, undertake their first UK headline tour, and secure huge support slots with powerhouse bands such as Skindred. Following the release of their EP "Echoes", the band has enjoyed a busy schedule in 2025 - with appearances at 2000trees (main stage) and Alyx Holcombe's MANTRA showcase.
In recent months, Mallavora have been popping up everywhere, from the stages of Boomtown and Burn It Down Festivals, to the catwalk at London Fashion Week where they provided the soundtrack to Unhidden's latest clothing range. Most recently, you may have heard vocalist Jessica's incredible vocal abilities in an episode of BBC 1's The Celebrity Traitors, a star- studded game show that features household names such as Stephen Fry, Alan Carr and Claudia Winkleman. Jess was called upon by the producers of the show to produce 'banshee-like' wails, demonstrating her vocal range which stretches from beautiful high octave singing to the extremes of fry screaming. All of Mallavora's achievements have been leading to this moment: the announcement of their debut album ' What If Better Never Comes ?'. Set for release on March 27th 2026 via Church Road Records , this record showcases the band's growth as songwriters and highlights their constant hunger to push the envelope.
Like its cover, Nicolas Remondino's Hìeratico plays in the rich shades of crepuscular spaces. A night-tuned, percussion led album where prepared drums are accompanied by flickers of spoken word, acoustic instruments and muted electronics,
The title translates to 'hieratic', for Remondino a "black and gold" term laden with dualities and complex connotations. A sense of teetering between sparkling light and richly coloured darkness imbues the music, the compositions simulating a sense of heightened acuity as they convey us through a spooky elemental soundworld. The opening title track begins with a metallic shimmer, a drum skin activated in a way that sounds like it's being smelted. A cushioned rhythm enters, a smothered timbre akin to hearing something lurking around the garden. On "litho non-danse", percussion cracks like branches and dried foliage under foot.
Remondino recorded initial outlines for the pieces at Giuseppe Ielasi's studio in Milan, before fleshing out these ideas with his own additional instrumentation and contributions from a globe-spanning network of collaborators. On "blue hymne", chiming percussion equal parts jubilant and sinister heralds spoken word from Limpe Fuchs. "Tombal" opens with Massimo Silverio whispering in the Carnic dialect, a minority language from the Carnic Alps. Around, Marco Baldini, Pierre Bastien and Remondino construct a somber soundscape that cranks and sighs in the crevices.
Hìeratico is an album of hybrids. Diverse voices, accents and dialects deliver its lyrics, the instrumentation underpinning it crosses idioms. The drumkit at its core is modified to amplify its resonant tones and harmonics. Inspired by natural substances and phenomena: stone, wood, wind, earth, metal, grass, rain, clouds and bark, Remondino explores how percussion could evoke their materiality, treating drums as lucid textural instruments as much as rhythmic timekeepers. It gives the album a finely shaded depth and clarity as it conjures the vibrancies that reside in darkened corners. Hìeratico dwells in a sensation that crosses borders, the speckles of light in the oblique night sky. Listening is an aural equivalent to stepping into a pitch black forest and waiting for your eyes to adjust, a lightless void turning into a spectacular tableau of shadows and glows. Daryl Worthington
With ADT026, Adroit Recordings deliver a focused, high-impact techno 12" built for late-night floors and proper sound systems. Remco Beekwilder leads the release with a driving, groove-forward aesthetic, tight percussion, raw pressure and hypnotic movement, while Tarkno, Toni Dextor and Unconformist add complementary perspectives that expand the EP’s range without losing its functional, club-ready edge.
Pressed on orange transparent vinyl, Skindeep EP is a straight-to-the-point tool for DJs: energetic, lean, and designed for momentum from start to finish.
Silicon Scally and Fleck E.S.C. need no introduction at this stage. Both artists are veterans not just of Sheffield's Central Processing Unit label but of modern electro as a whole, with the pair having decades of skin in the game at this point. Their new release, a four-track EP entitledSlipwhere Silicon Scally handles the first half and Fleck E.S.C. the second, carries itself with the adventurous confidence of a record made by masters of their craft.
Slipopener 'Phased Array' is exactly the kind of top quality machine-funk tackle you'd expect from this meeting of minds. The beat programming is deliciously tactile from the off, hissing and clanking like machinery in an old Detroit factory. The feel of 'Phased Array' is altered, though, when the chords come in, a series of alternating floating sounds which give the track an altogether eerier feel. When all of this is coupled with the otherworldly synth blurts that periodically force their way to the front of the track, the overall effect is a piece of real depth assembled by an expert practitioner.
'Phased Array' is followed up by 'Stax', another brilliantly propulsive number. Here we find the drum beat - one which is a little reminiscent of that Kraftwerk tune about the numbers, no less - once more offset by some decidedly more shadowy synth work, all while arpeggiated keyboard licks work against an intricate web of basslines, chords and unidentifiable flying synth tones.
Fleck E.S.C. opens theSlipB-side with 'Good Ride', a number where the nudge-wink title is borne out by a track built around looped snippets of sighing vocals. That said, with a bassline that sounds like a blurting old landline telephone, a ghoulish synth lead and all manner of motion-sick breakdowns, the 'ride' in question could just as well be aWipeout-style whizz through hyperspace as anything more suggestive. 'Good Ride' also sets itself apart from the other joints here by showing off a swaying halftime breakdown.
'Intox Remedy',Slip's closer, wraps the EP in a manner which continues some of the trends of the record's earlier tracks - richly tuneful chords, precision-engineered broken beat drum programming and a wide palette of delightfully unusual synth tones are all present and correct. However, there is also something about the chords here which pares back the eeriness of previous joints for a bit more of a wide-eyed, stargazing feel, and as such 'Intox Remedy' sees the record out by placing the listener firmly back in the cosmos.
Tough enough for the dancefloor and intricate enough for home listening, theSlipEP is a fabulous collaboration from two of the most respected voices in the electro game.
The sun of Rio has never shined brighter in the streets of London. The human connection between Skinshape and Pedro has been growing for over a year now, leading to an incredible musical synergy between the two artists. Mostrando os Dentes is the second project born from this collaboration, once again offering a universe rich in colors and emotions.
Blending elements of Bossa Nova, MPB, and World Music, the distinct touch of both artists can be felt in every layer of this album’s narrative journey. A hint of sun-kissed melancholy brought to life by one of the key figures of the UK scene and a young prodigy deeply rooted in the classical influences of his culture.
Laputa, a title taken from the fantastical floating island of Gulliver's Travels is aptly named as 'The album that never landed' for, apart from a limited touchdown in Japan, Laputa was never released. This mystical world is a summation of Yokota's journey so far, a complex and at times challenging work but immeasurably rewarding. Beguiling and bewitching in equal measure.
Over fifteen undulating sonic fugue states, he guides listeners round a liminal world, made up of familiar materials but formed in a way defying all laws of perspective and physics. Background murmurings give way to almost uncomfortably foregrounded chattering, and one perceived soundstage segues into another impossible tableau of sonic apparitions, some recognisable in form, but all boldly decontextualised and arranged in expertly cluttered amalgams.
Laputa's obscurity was a prime reason Lo Recordings decided on the Skintone retrospective. Falling as it did between The Boy and the Tree on The Leaf Label and our own debut of Symbol. It was something of an audio crime that the album had never been properly explored and discovered. Lo Recordings hope Laputa can now ascend to its rightful place... hovering above us.
G.A.M.O. (Gods Against Man's Oppression) recounts events leading to Napoleon Da Legend transformation after being bestowed a metal helmet, which is a weapon against our modern dystopia. The album features a blend of soulful and dystopic grit featuring the likes of Vinnie Paz, Goretex, General Steele, Skyzoo, Passport Rav, Nejma Nefertiti, Innocent?, SKAM2?, Eloh Kush, CF, Dontique and more. It has production from Dub Sonata, Maitre D, Homage Beats, Passport Rav Proffeny and Napoleon Da Legend. The result is 23 tracks that blend retro-sci fi "Noir Wave" and modern Boom Bap. It features an exclusive 2 page comic illustrated by UK's Dan Lish. Limited to 300 copies only.
As we celebrate 30 years of Ten Lovers Music our first offering of the year is a Various Artist selection called Frisson EP Part 1. Frisson is a medical term for the response you get from listening to music, often referred to as goosebumps or a skin orgasm which is caused by the dopamine released in the brain’s reward centres.
Kicking off the A side we have Sound Signals featuring flautist Han Litz, a superb opener. Following on are Future Jazz Ensemble and Don’t Be Afraid, another track from them oozing quality. Onto side AA and Mike Perras is back with another live track featuring keys, drums, bass and a battling flute and sax on Sweet One. Rounding off side AA is Stefano De Santis with Simple Things, an aptly named track for this music that gives us Frisson.
Stunning, limited edition 12" picture disc featuring iconic, gruesome artwork by Vince Locke. A crucial 1998 release that kept traditional death metal alive during the rise of nu-metal.
Tapping into the otherworldly frequencies of the UFO series, UK-born, Lisbon-based prodigy Rene Wise arrives on Dekmantel with an assured demonstration of his position at the cutting edge of real techno.
Andrew Shobeiri appeared in the cut and thrust of the scene fully-formed around 2017, instantly bringing his Rene Wise alias to top-tier labels with a razor-sharp combination of functional minimalism and mind-warping flair. There's no grey area fluctuation in his hypnotic, intentional sound — this is deep, captivating techno for the long haul, music to submit yourself to.
True to his sound, Rene Wise makes his presence felt on Dekmantel UFO with a varied spread of sounds, leading with the melancholic charm of the melodic sequences weaving through 'Johnson's Theme' before sinking into the engrossing folds and low-end rumble of 'Granite Skin'. There's a lighter atmosphere at play in the vaporous impulses that mark out 'Flow' before rolling into the rhythmic urgency and strafing bleeps of 'Kanga'.
This is the Dekmantel UFO experience as expressed by one of the leading lights in modern techno — an artist who understands the psychoactive power contained within the subtleties of production and pursuit of the ultimate loop.
The world of discovering Soul music and artists can lead to sheer moments of jubilation. The thought of igniting a long lost sound, reviving the energy of a once exuberant individual . But not every story that's told is filled with joy. Some are peppered along the way with struggles and heartache. Over time artists have battled with over powering label owners, record executives who just don't back what you do. The story of Tommy Hill is one such story. Tommy along with friend and longtime collaborator Ricky Tarbo had a deal with Motown records back in the early 1980's which turned sour very quickly. His release "Flame"/"Super Star Of Love' was dropped pretty quickly with no promotion and record boss Sylvia Rhône calling the shots within the duo questioning skin colour within the group and even trying to get vocals wiped off the release to sabotage it.
This said the single didn't amount to much and nothing else was recorded for Motown records. The duo did record some 4 demo's in LA before Tommy headed to re-record them again in New York circa 1982.
The A side has never been released until now, which is such a crying shame as the quality is so damn good. It's an uptempo boogie cut called "All My Love" which we gave a sexy 45 mix so you get some slamming synth work half way in. Tommy Hill's vocal range is nothing but astonishing. Just check out the 2 step ballad of "Can't Get Over You", which was recorded and released back in 1980 by The James Simpson penetration Band written by Tommy Hill, who went back into the studio 2 years later to give the song much more depth not only within the production but also to his vocal range. Tommy Hill headed back to LA after not securing a record deal and a few years later tried to get this singing career back on track. Like many of the artists who have moved on to a higher place Tommy succumbed to his own mental health issues and took his life. We hope this record does you proud Tommy Hill
Repress of the 1 st album of the fresh Afro funk sensation ! Recorded on analog equipment in Lyon in 2014 !
Peter Solo is a singer and composer born in Aného-Glidji, Togo, the birthplace of the Guin tribe and a major site of the Voodoo culture. He was raised with this tradition’s values of respect for all forms of life and the environment. With his new band, Vaudou Game, Peter Solo claims, and spreads this spiritual and musical heritage. Chants are at the heart of the Voodoo practice, but for times immemorial, harmonic instruments have never accompanied them. No balafon, no kora - only the “skins” support the singers. However, in 2012, Peter, along with his band based in Lyon, France, decided to explore and codify the musical scales that are found in sacred or profane songs of Beninese and Togolese Voodoo so they can be played easily on modern instruments. Peter composed the album Apiafo, using the two main musical scales of this tradition. The first musical scale on Apiafo leans towards raw Funk with a sound similar to the famous 70’s bands, L’Orchestre Poly Rythmo De Cotonou and El Rego. Funk, is the skeletal structure of this record, and provided the opportunity for Peter to invite his uncle, Roger Damawuzan - the famous pioneer of the 70s Soul scene - on two tracks. Their collaboration on “Pas Contente” is a highlight on this 100% analog album. Apiafo was entirely recorded, mixed and mastered with old tapes and vintage instruments. The second scale, which had never before been transposed for instruments, evokes deeper feelings and a sacred ambiance. The moving song Ata, an invocation to a supreme divinity is another highlight of this record. Even if some can recognize similarities between this scale and Ethiopian scales, they are in fact different. Peter, the only African band member, introduced the other musicians to the universal values of Voodoo and he taught them his native language. On the recording of Apiafo and during their live performances, the musicians all sing and answer Peter in the Mina language. The strive for authenticity, the analog sound and vintage looks don’t mean that Vaudou Game is looking backwards. This is Togolese funk, born in the post-colonial era but that never before explored its ancient roots so deeply and proudly.
Antoine RAJON
Sakura is without doubt the most loved and lauded entry in Susumu Yokota’s catalogue.
The music unravels like cascades of petals falling from the eponymous cherry blossom trees. Yokota intended to ‘express ki-do-ai-raku (the four emotions; joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness) through music’, and throughout Sakura, the effect fluctuates between profound tranquillity, hesitation, melancholy and joy with ease, addressing the fickle nature of human emotion, while transcending the inclination to label moods entirely.
Sakura became Yokota’s best selling album. It was greeted with universal acclaim, lauded by Philip Glass and Brian Eno and launched Yokota internationally.
‘A bittersweet beauty, heightened by the sadness that all things must one day end.’ - Martyn Pepperell
Sasha's collaborative hot streak continues with Manchester-based duo Cortese. The pair were last on Last Night On Earth in 2024.
A big 2025 saw electronic titan Sasha linking up with a mix of fellow pioneers and next-generation stars. He collaborated with the likes of Artche, Henry Saiz, and Joseph Ashworth, always pushing forward his signature sound, steeped in meticulous synth craft, built on transportive grooves, and packed with rare levels of universal emotion.
Cortese are new school artists with an emotionally rich mix of garage, breaks, and house. They head up their own Plaza Recordings and, as well as appearing on Sasha’s LUZoSCURA compilation, they dropped their 'All U Do' EP here in December 2024. Following gigs in support of mainstays like Bicep and Mike Skinner, they now hook up with one of dance music's most recognisable names.
The result is 'One', a deep and heavenly odyssey with warm, supple drums infused with subtle garage swing. Wordless vocals bleed into the mix, heightening the sensuality, as the majestic arps and shimmering chords light up the airwaves. It's an irresistible invitation for the dance floor to take off on a wave of cautious hope and optimism without ever losing sight of the grounding groove.
On the flip and the fantastic 'U Disappear' is an Ibiza anthem in the making - the synths are widescreen and sun-kissed, while the bass is dark and transportive. Balearic piano chords ripple through the mix alongside arching pads and soft, wordless vocals, lending a dreamy edge to what is a powerful track, both physically and spiritually.
Marlon George is a British DJ and producer based in London renowned for his "slightly spacey, casually jazzy, and fully groovy house music," with support from names as illustrious as Kyle Hall and Jimpster. But really, if he's getting signed by the legendary Trelik, then that's all you need to know about his skills. He lays them bare across three tasteful cuts here, starting with the liquid dub of 'My Secrets Are Safe With Me' with its wispy shards of light piercing the water's surface and glistening against the dusty hi-hats. 'Najagen' has more drive but no less depth and warmth to it and 'Do The Rha!' is another smoky, minimal, heady dub house roller that sneaks right under your skin.
M.C.’s/How Many Miles? is the follow-up solo single and arrival proper of MC D. With DJ Fusion once again handling production and scratch duties, this extended player is no less uncompromising than its predecessor. Benefitting a full release with the now iconic Mendoza green labels, it cemented the young MC in the annals of UK rap history. MC D (aka Darren James) cut one more record for Mendoza as part of his Silent Eclipse project before moving on to future collaborations with the likes of The Principle (Caveman), Deckwrecka, Rodney P and Skinnyman. M.C.’s/How Many Miles? is ranked amongst Mark McDonald’s Top 100 UK rap records in the essential Megablast book published in 2024.
This EP aims to positively boost your subconscious thoughts while your body is captured by ravey energy. You wanna loose your skin and become a Mental Mamba? Than you should sometimes mirror your thoughts, and not only your body...
DJ Tjizza’s latest inception has been crafted to positively boost your subconscious state, whilst your body is captured by ravey energy
Reissue 2026
The track "I'm So Crazy" by Par-T-One vs. INXS (a remix of INXS's "Just Keep Walking")
is widely praised in dance/electronic circles for successfully fusing classic rock attitude with driving house beats,
retaining the iconic guitar and vocals while adding powerful drums,
making it a timeless and energetic club anthem that captured the spirit of the original for a new generation.
Produced in 2001 by the Italian electronic duo Par-T-One (Sergio Casu aka Sergione and Andrea Pareo),
reviews highlight its infectious energy, inspiring guitars, and effective dancefloor appeal.
The song has been classified as "Punk House" because the video depicts people performing the Pogo move and Michael Hutchence's skinhead-like vocal style.
The song also features samples of Dennis Parker's "Like an Eagle" and "I'm So in Love."
The single reached number 19 in the UK singles chart and the video (directed by Sam Brown and Paul Gore,
who later found success directing videos for James Blunt and The Bravery) won and was nominated for various awards
in the Short Film category and Best Promotional Video.
2026 re-release remastered by Gianni Bini at HOG Studio
Soft lines draw a texture in the sky, marking time in the most unpredictable ways. A call comes from far away. It’s Romanian legend SEPP, who’s making his RE.FACE LIMITED debut with three tracks that carry his long-lasting, unique touch. Rolling, hypnotic, lush, as he blends rhythm and emotion, flooding the dancefloor with energy in a sensational manner.
2026 Repress
- Linen Paper, Foil Printed Box Set
- Includes 6 Double LPs + 1 Single LP, 13 Discs In Total
- All LPs Pressed on Coloured Vinyl
-Each Disc is Housed in a Printed Inner with PMS Print, Finished with Spot Gloss Printing. Each Sleeve Features an Abstract of the Original Album’s Artwork
- Also included are a 4 page Insert + Poster
Skintone Edition commemorates the singular talent of this music pioneer with the re-release of all of his albums released via his own Skintone label.
Over a 20 year period Yokota released 30 albums and countless 12s under a variety of aliases, across more than a dozen pre-eminent labels. Yokota received domestic and international acclaim as a house and techno DJ and producer throughout the nineties. Part of the vanguard of the Tokyo scene, his influential release Acid Mt. Fuji inspires techno artists to this day.
In 1998 though, at the height of his success, he established his Skintone imprint, which came to eclipse all of his previous achievements. Skintone shone a light on the diverse new directions in which his creativity had blown, from delicate, cyclical tape-loop meditations to neo-classical compositions. It also gave him the autonomy to combine his visual and music-making practices and, importantly, to create at his own pace. The label was a great success and his experiments proved foundational in the global 00s ambient canon.
Skintone Edition will be available as 2 box sets - the first volume coincides with the 10th anniversary of Yokota’s untimely death and the 30th year of Lo Recordings. All music has been fully re-mastered. This edition is presented with the generous assistance of the Yokota family.
Albums Included:
Magic Thread 1998
Image 1983-1998 [1998]
Sakura [1999]
Grinning Cat [2001]
Will [2001]
The Boy and the Tree [2002]
Laputa [2003]
Part 1[34,66 €]
We're excited to announce 2 stone cold classics from Theo Parrish on Peacefrog - First Floor Part 1 and First Floor Part 2.
Originally released in 1998 "First Floor” is Detroit/Chicago auteur Theo Parrish’s debut album. Released on vinyl in two parts for maximum playability; the raw bluesy, soulful offbeat grooves have long since buried themselves deep under the skin of the house community.
Showcasing Theo’s innovative use of drum programming and effects its uniquely loose but taut knit of minimalist elements worked to maximal, hypnotic effect have solidified its reputation as a contemporary classic and served as a corner stone for Theo’s truly legendary status.
"First Floor” is one of those albums that has transcended generic borders to influence heads of all stripes with its unmistakable soul-nuzzling texture and groove. Essential.
Irradiated is the second LP on Appendix.files from Berlin-based sound artist and producer Kurt Reinartz Salgado. Across eight tracks, Reinartz explores the space between dub-techno lineage and ambient experimentation — what he describes as “ADHD-ambient.” Drawing from ’90s German techno and Chain Reaction-era dub, the album blends elastic 4/4 rhythms, fractured breaks, submerged bass pressure, and patient, detail-driven atmospheres.
The record moves from deep dub openings through porous rhythmic studies and warm melodic ruptures, before closing with hydrophone and geophone recordings from Berlin’s Kaulsdorfer See — grounding the LP in physical space and material listening.
We're excited to announce 2 stone cold classics from Theo Parrish on Peacefrog - First Floor Part 1 and First Floor Part 2.
Originally released in 1998 "First Floor” is Detroit/Chicago auteur Theo Parrish’s debut album. Released on vinyl in two parts for maximum playability; the raw bluesy, soulful offbeat grooves have long since buried themselves deep under the skin of the house community.
Showcasing Theo’s innovative use of drum programming and effects its uniquely loose but taut knit of minimalist elements worked to maximal, hypnotic effect have solidified its reputation as a contemporary classic and served as a corner stone for Theo’s truly legendary status.
"First Floor” is one of those albums that has transcended generic borders to influence heads of all stripes with its unmistakable soul-nuzzling texture and groove. Essential.
UILTY RAZORS, BONA FIDE PUNKS.
Writings on the topic that go off in all directions, mind-numbing lectures given by academics, and testimonies, most of them heavily doctored, from those who “lived through that era”: so many people today fantasize about the early days of punk in our country… This blessed moment when no one had yet thought of flaunting a ridiculous green mohawk, taking Sid Vicious as a hero, or – even worse – making the so-called alternative scene both festive and boorish. There was no such thing in 1976 or 1977, when it wasn’t easy to get hold of the first 45s by the Pistols or the Clash. Few people were aware of what was happening on the fringes of the fringes at the time. Malcolm McLaren was virtually unknown, and having short hair made you seem strange. Who knew then that rock music, which had taken a very bad turn since the early 1970s, would once again become an essential element of liberation? That, thanks to short and fast songs, it would once again rediscover that primitive, social side that was so hated by older generations? Who knew that, besides a few loners who read the music press (it was even better if they read it in English) and frequented the right record stores? Many of these formed bands, because it was impossible to do otherwise. We quickly went from listening to the Velvet Underground to trying to play the Stooges’ intros. It’s a somewhat collective story, even though there weren’t many people to start it.
The Guilty Razors were among those who took part in this initial upheaval in Paris. They were far from being the worst. They had something special and even released a single that was well above the national average. They also had enough songs to fill an album, the one you’re holding. In everyone’s opinion, they were definitely not among the punk impostors that followed in their wake. They were, at least, genuine and credible.
Guilty Razors, Parisian punk band (1975-1978). To understand something about their somewhat linear but very energetic sound, we might need to talk about the context in which it was born and, more broadly, recall the boredom (a theme that would become capital in punk songs) coupled with the desire to blow everything off, which were the basis for the formation of bands playing a rejuvenated rock music ; about the passion for a few records by the Kinks or the early Who, by the Stooges, by the Velvet mostly, which set you apart from the crowd.
And of course, we should remember this new wave, which was promoted by a few articles in the specialized press and some cutting-edge record stores, coming from New York or London, whose small but powerful influence could be felt in Paris and in a handful of isolated places in the provinces, lulled to sleep by so many appalling things, from Tangerine Dream to President Giscard d’Estaing...
In 1975-76, French music was, as almost always, in a sorry state ; it was still dominated by Johnny Hallyday and Sylvie Vartan. Local rock music was also rather bleak, apart from Bijou and Little Bob who tried to revive this small scene with poorly sound-engineered gigs played to almost no one.
In the working class suburbs at the time, it was mainly hard rock music played to 11 that helped people forget about their gruelling shifts at the factory. Here and there, on the outskirts of major cities, you still could find a few rockers with sideburns wearing black armbands since the death of Gene Vincent, but it wasn’t a proper mass movement, just a source of real danger to anyone they came across who wasn't like them. In August 1976, a festival unlike any other took place in Mont-de-Marsan – the First European Punk Festival as the poster said – with almost as many people on stage as in the audience. Yet, on that day, a quasi historical event happened, when, under the blazing afternoon sun, a band of unknowns called The Damned made an unprecedented noise in the arena, reminiscent of the chaotic Stooges in their early adolescence. They were the first genuine punk band to perform in our country: from then on, anything was possible, almost anything seemed permissible.
It makes sense that the four+1 members of Guilty Razors, who initially amplified acoustic guitars with crappy tape recorder microphones, would adopt punk music (pronounced paink in French) naturally and instinctively, since it combines liberating noise with speed of execution and – crucially – a very healthy sense of rebellion (the protesters of May 1968 proclaimed, and it was even a slogan, that they weren’t against old people, but against what had made them grow old. In the mid-1970s, it seemed normal and obvious that old people should now ALSO be targeted!!!).
At the time, the desire to fight back, and break down authority and apathy, was either red or black, often taking the form of leafleting, tumultuous general assemblies in the schoolyard, and massive or shabby demonstrations, most of the time overflowing with an exciting vitality that sometimes turned into fights with the riot police. Indeed, soon after the end of the Vietnam War and following Pinochet’s coup in Chile, all over France, Trotskyist and anarcho-libertarian fervour was firmly entrenched among parts of the educated youth population, who were equally rebellious and troublemakers whenever they had the chance. It should also be noted that when the single "Anarchy in the UK" was first heard, even though not many of us had access to it, both the title and its explosive sound immediately resonated with some of those troublemakers crying out for ANARCHY!!! Meanwhile, the left-wing majority still equated punks with reckless young neo-Nazis. Of course, the widely circulated photos in the mainstream press of Siouxsie Sioux with her swastikas didn’t necessarily help to win over the theorists of the Great Revolution. It took Joe Strummer to introduce The Clash as an anti-racist, anti-fascist and anti-ignorance band for the rejection of old-school revolutionaries to fade a little.
The Lycée Jean-Baptiste Say at Porte d’Auteuil, despite being located in the very posh and very exclusive 16th arrondissement of Paris, didn’t escape these "committed" upheavals, which doubled as the perfect outlet for the less timid members of this generation.
“Back then, politics were fun,” says Tristam Nada, who studied there and went on to become Guilty Razors’ frontman. “Jean-Baptiste was the leftist high-school in the neighbourhood. When the far right guys from the GUD came down there, the Communist League guys from elsewhere helped us fight them off.”
Anything that could challenge authority was fair game and of course, strikes for just about any reason would lead to increasingly frequent truancy (with a definitive farewell to education that would soon follow). Tristam Nada spent his 10th and 11th unfinished grades with José Perez, who had come from Spain, where his father, a janitor, had been sentenced to death by Franco. “José steered my tastes towards solid acts such as The Who. Like most teenagers, I had previously absorbed just about everything that came my way, from Yes to Led Zeppelin to Genesis. I was exploring… And then one day, he told me that he and his brother Carlos wanted to start a rock band.” The Perez brothers already played guitar. “Of course, they were Spanish!”, jokes their singer. “Then, somewhat reluctantly, José took up the bass and we were soon joined by Jano – who called himself Jano Homicid – who took up the rhythm guitar.” Several drummers would later join this core of not easily intimidated young guys who didn’t let adversity get the better of them.
The first rehearsals of the newly named Guilty Razors took place in the bedroom of a Perez aunt. There, the three rookies tried to cover a few standards, songs that often were an integral part of their lives. During a first, short gig, in front of a bewildered audience of tough old-school rockers, they launched into a clunky version of the Velvet Underground's “Heroin”. Challenge or recklessness? A bit of both, probably… And then, step by step, their limited repertoire expanded as they decided to write their own songs, sung in a not always very accurate or academic English, but who cared about proper grammar or the right vocabulary, since what truly mattered was to make the words sound as good as possible while playing very, very fast music? And spitting out those words in a language that left no doubt as to what it conveyed mattered as well.
Trying their hand a the kind of rock music disliked by most of the neighbourhood, making noise, being fiercely provocative: they still belonged to a tiny clique who, at this very moment, had chosen to impose this difference. And there were very few places in France or elsewhere, where one could witness the first stirrings of something that wasn’t a trend yet, let alone a movement.
In the provinces, in late 1976 or early 1977, there couldn’t be more than thirty record stores that were a bit more discerning than average, where you could hear this new kind of short-haired rock music called “punk”. The old clientele, who previously had no problem coming in to buy the latest McCartney or Aerosmith LP, now felt a little less comfortable there…
In Paris, these enlightened places were quite rare and often located nex to what would become the Forum des Halles, a big shopping mall. Between three aging sex workers, a couple of second-hand clothes shops, sellers of hippie paraphernalia and small fashion designers, the good word was loudly spread in two pioneering places – propagators of what was still only a new underground movement. Historically, the first one was the Open Market, a kind of poorly, but tastefully stocked cave. Speakers blasted out the sound of sixties garage bands from the Nuggets compilation (a crucial reference for José Perez) or the badly dressed English kids of Eddie and the Hot Rods. This black-painted den was opened a few years earlier by Marc Zermati, a character who wasn’t always in a sunny disposition, but always quite radical in his (good) choices and his opinions. He founded the independent label Skydog and was one of the promoters of the Mont-de-Marsan punk festivals. Not far from there was Harry Cover, another store more in tune with the new New York scene, which was amply covered in the house fanzine, Rock News (even though it was in it that the photos of the Sex Pistols were first published in France).
It was a favorite hang-out of the Perez brothers and Tristam Nada, as the latter explained. “It’s at Harry Cover’s that we first heard the Pistols and Clash’s 45s, and after that, we decided to start writing our first songs. If they could do it, so could we!”
The sonic shocks that were “Anarchy in the UK”, “White Riot” or the Buzzcocks’s EP, “Spiral Scratch” – which Guilty Razors' sound is reminiscent of – were soon to be amplified by an unparalleled visual shock. In April 1977, right after the release of their first LP, The Clash performed at the Palais des Glaces in Paris, during a punk night organised by Marc Zermati. For many who were there, it was the gig of a lifetime…
Of course, Guilty Razors and Tristam were in the audience: “That concert was fabulous… We Parisian punks were almost all dressed in black and white, with white shirts, skinny leather ties, bikers jackets or light jackets, etc. The Clash, on the other hand, wore colourful clothes. Well, the next day, at the Gibus, you’d spot everyone who had been at this concert, but they weren’t wearing anything black, they were all wearing colours.”
It makes sense to mention the Gibus club, as Guilty Razors often played there (sometimes in front of a hostile audience). It was also the only place in Paris that regularly scheduled new Parisian or Anglo-Saxon acts, such as Generation X, Siouxsie and the Banshees, the Slits, and Johnny Thunders who would become a kind of messed-up mascot for the venue. A little later, in 1978, the Rose Bonbon – formerly the Nashville – also attracted nightly owls in search of electric thrills… In 1977, the iconic but not necessarily excellent Asphalt Jungle often played at the Gibus, sometimes sharing the bill with Metal Urbain, the only band whose aura would later transcend the French borders (“I saw them as the French Sex Pistols,” said Geoff Travis, head of their British label Rough Trade). Already established in this small scene, Metal Urbain helped the young and restless Guilty Razors who had just arrived. Guitarist for Metal Urbain Hermann Schwartz remembers it: “They were younger than us, we were a bit like their mentors even if it’s too strong a word… At least they were credible. We thought they were good, and they had good songs which reminded of the Buzzcocks that I liked a lot. But at some point, they started hanging out with the Hells Angels. That’s when we stopped following them.”
The break-up was mutual, since, Guilty Razors, for their part, were shocked when they saw a fringe element of the audience at Metal Urbain concerts who repeatedly shouted “Sieg Heil” and gave Nazi salutes. These provocations, even still minor (the bulk of the skinhead crowd would later make their presence felt during concerts), weren’t really to the liking of the Perez brothers, whose anti-fascist convictions were firmly rooted. Some things are non-negotiable.
A few months earlier (in July 1978), Guilty Razors had nevertheless opened very successfully for Metal Urbain at the Bus Palladium, a more traditonally old-school rock night-club. But, as was sometimes the case back then, the night turned into a mass brawl when suburban rockers came to “beat up punks”.
Back then, Parisian nights weren’t always sweet and serene.
So, after opening as best as they could for The Jam (their sound having been ruined by the PA system), our local heroes were – once again – met outside by a horde of greasers out to get them. “Thankfully,” says Tristam, “we were with our roadies, motorless bikers who acted as a protective barrier. We were chased in the neighbouring streets and the whole thing ended in front of a bar, with the owner coming out with a rifle…”
Although Tristam and the Perez brothers narrowly escaped various, potentially bloody, incidents, they weren’t completely innocent of wrongdoing either. They still find amusing their mugging of two strangers in the street for example (“We were broke and we simply wanted to buy tickets for the Heartbreakers concert that night,” says Tristam). It so happened that their victims were two key figures in the rock business at the time: radio presenter Alain Manneval and music publisher Philippe Constantin. They filed a complaint and sought monetary compensation, but somehow the band’s manager, the skilful but very controversial Alexis, managed to get the complaint withdrawn and Guilty Razors ended up signing with Constantin with a substantial advance.
They also signed with Polydor and the label released in 1978 their only three-track 45, featuring “I Don't Wanna be A Rich”, “Hurts and Noises” and “Provocate” (songs that exuded perpetual rebellion and an unquenchable desire for “class” confrontation). It was a very good record, but due to a lack of promotion (radio stations didn’t play French artists singing in English), it didn’t sell very well. Only 800 copies were allegedly sold and the rest of the stock was pulped… Initially, the three tracks were to be included on a LP that never came to be, since they were dropped by Polydor (“Let’s say we sometimes caused a ruckus in their offices!” laughs Tristam.) In order to perfect the long-awaited LP, the band recorded demos of other tracks. There was a cover of Pink Floyd's “Lucifer Sam” from the Syd Barrett era – proof of an enduring love for the sixties’ greats –, “Wake Up” a hangover tale and “Bad Heart” about the Baader-Meinhof gang, whose actions had a profound impact on the era and on a generation seeking extreme dissent... On the album you’re now discovering, you can also hear five previously unreleased tracks recorded a bit later during an extended and freezing stay in Madrid, in a makeshift studio with the invaluable help of a drummer also acting as sound engineer. He was both an enthusiastic old hippie and a proper whizz at sound engineering. Here too, certain influences from the fifties and sixties (Link Wray, the Troggs) are more than obvious in the band’s music.
Shortly after a final stormy and rather barbaric (on the audience’s side) “Punk night” at the Olympia in June 1978, Tristam left the band ; his bandmates continued without him for a short while.
But like most pioneering punk bands of the era, Guilty Razors eventually split up for good after three years (besides once in Spain, they’d only played in Paris). The reason for ceasing business activities were more or less the same for everyone: there were no venues outside one’s small circuit to play this kind of rock music, which was still frightening, unknown, or of little interest to most people. The chances of recording an LP were virtually null, since major labels were only signing unoriginal but reassuring sub-Téléphone clones, and the smaller ones were only interested in progressive rock or French chanson for youth clubs. And what about self-production? No one in our small safety-pinned world had thought about it yet. There wasn’t enough money to embark on that sort of venture anyway.
So yes, the early days of punk in France were truly No Future!
