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Grounded in a season of life that has been earned rather than borrowed, Benjamin Tod speaks with the ease of someone no longer running from himself. There is joy now - a steadiness that comes from commitment. With the recent arrival of his son and a deep well of new music on the horizon, Tod is firmly rooted in both purpose and possibility. That clarity is evident in Vengeance and Grace, the Lost Dog Street Band frontman's forthcoming and most expansive solo album to date. Conceived as a "dual-version" release, the project presents two parallel worlds: (Alone) is a stripped solo-acoustic version, along with its full band counterpart.

Together, the two versions form the full range of what Tod is capable of: restraint on one side, force on the other. At the core of Tod's writing is a simple conviction: music should serve something larger than the moment. His writing speaks to mind, body, and soul, shaped by faith, discipline, and a hard-earned understanding of consequence. The darkness that once defined him is neither denied nor indulged. It is understood and no longer in control. Today, Tod moves with a sense of calm that wasn't always there. He is grateful, settled, and intentional, continuing to follow the compass that's guided him from the beginning. Rooted in traditional country and folk, his work stands firmly in the modern music landscape, shaped by experience, restraint, and the life he's built around it.

In the spring of 1977, Millie Jackson was in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, laying down tracks for what became “Feelin’ Bitchy” with co-producer Brad Shapiro. Released in August 1977, the album reached #4 and #34 in America’s Billboard’s R&B and Hot 100, going gold with over 500,000 copies sold. Jackson’s cover of ‘If You’re Not Back In Love By Monday’ – already a hit for Merle Haggard in March 1977 – also reached #5 R&B and #43 in the Hot 100 in August. Although the album did not chart in the UK, “Feelin’ Bitchy” sold strongly to a dedicated fanbase who had voted her the #1 female singer in the Blues & Soul magazine annual poll. Jackson also performed much of the material on her sold-out UK dates in early 1978.

“Feelin’ Bitchy” was not only a commercial success, cementing Jackson’s no-nonsense reputation, but is now considered an all-time classic. Her rap on Benny Latimore’s ‘All The Way Lover’ stretched the original out like chewing gum to 10 minutes. “’Back In Love By Monday’ is a great song an’ that,” she told Black Echoes, “but it didn’t sell the album. ‘All The Way Lover’ sold the album.” Indeed it did, but other tracks like ‘A Little Taste Of Outside Love’ ‘Lovin’ Your Good Thing Away’, ‘Cheatin’ Is’ and ‘Feelin’ Like A Woman’ show that while Jackson’s tongue – front and centre on the LP cover – was always ready to hand out a lashing, it also helped her sing beautifully.

Ace are delighted to reissue “Feelin’ Bitchy’ on vinyl and Millie Jackson spoke to Ian Shirley about the recording of the album. This interview runs on an inner sleeve along with classic photographs of Jackson from this period.

Celebrating 20 years of Frank Turner’s solo debut EP ‘Campfire Punkrock’, Xtra Mile Recordings are excited to release a special anniversary extended edition of the seminal release. Featuring the original EP with two added songs (The Real Damage and The Ballad Of Me & My Friends, both of which were included on the US version in 2007), plus 7 further live tracks recorded from Frank’s 50th solo gig in London 2006 - taking listeners right back to where it all began at the very early days of Frank’s incredible solo career. The 12” LP features new reworked artwork with shiny gold campfire on matt black cover plus coloured vinyl.

The original EP was recorded by Frank's guitarist Ben Lloyd at the Oxford home of Turner's bass player Tarrant Anderson and mixed by Tristan Ivemy. If features fan favourites ‘Nashville Tennessee’, ‘The Real Damage’ and ‘Ballad Of Me And My Friends’. Throughout April, Frank will tour UK performing tracks from Campfire Punkrock and the early years of his solo career. All dates are sold out including two nights at London’s Scala.

‘Bad Wiring’ by Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage, originally released in 2019 and long ago sold out, is re-released in UK/Europe on Blang Records. Recorded in Nashville by Roger Moutenot (Lou Reed, Yo La Tengo, Sleater-Kinny) the album blends raw lo-fi garage-punk with acoustic interludes. His trademark literate lyrics, moving between the poignant and the hilarious, shift from personal anxieties to existential dread (often in the same song eg, ‘My Girlfriend Doesn't Worry'), record stores ('LPs') and under-appreciated artists ('Exactly What Nobody Wanted'). The album was greeted with widespread acclaim in 2019 with many reviewers declaring it his best yet. Jeffrey Lewis & The Voltage play End Of The Road in September with a UK/Europe tour planned to follow.
Press For Bad Wiring In 2019:
" The “and about our relationship” refrain of ‘My Girlfriend Doesn’t Worry’ will have you replaying the album instantly." grade A- Robert Christgau, Consumer Guide (top albums of the year 2019).
" terrific wordplay." ******* Rob Hughes, Uncut
"Thick with the evergreen anti-folkie's charm." **** Mojo
"Electrifying, again." **** Q Magazine.
"one of the most consistently enjoyable records Lewis has made in his 18-year career." ********- HotPress
"possibly his best studio album yet." **** The Skinny.
"Jeff Lewis sits comfortably with Lou Reed and Leonard Cohen as an exemplary songwriter. Reed always strived for street cool and Cohen’s words were imbued with mysticism and his love of women. Lewis has the courage to open up his heart and lay out all the horrible neurosis, paranoia, and despair that we all fall prey to. Reed the cool, Cohen the mystic and Lewis the honest. A better triumvirate you couldn’t hope for.” Louder Than War.
"There’s a strong suggestion that this is the best album his written to date and after listening to just a handful of songs you’d be hard-pushed to disagree – you’ll also be left wondering why in the hell Lewis is not better known than he is, this album is filled with unforgettable songs that set his songwriting apart from anything else you’re likely to hear today." Folk Radio UK.

2025 Reissue.



Münchenbuchsee, a suburb of Bern, Switzerland. Stephan Eicher is the youngest of three children. His father, a radio and TV repairman, is also a jazz violinist and a sound tinkerer in his spare time. In the family home's converted fallout shelter turned studio, Mr. Eicher experiments with homemade sequencers, tortures handcrafted drum machines, and abuses reel-to-reel tape recorders—all under the fascinated gaze of young Stephan.

The boy quickly develops a musical curiosity, exploring sound through various experiments and wanderings. Alongside his younger brother Martin, Stephan crafts audio plays on a homemade multi-track recorder (essentially several cassette decks hooked together!), which they write, record, add sound effects to, and perform for family and friends. Just a couple of nice kids, really...

Then comes 1972, and Lou Reed's Transformer album changes everything for the Eicher kids. For 13-year-old Stephan, it's a revelation—especially "Vicious", the opening track, which he plays on repeat for months. He convinces his father to buy him an electric guitar. Not stopping there, his father also builds him a tube amp using an old radio.

Then comes adolescence. A rough one. Stephan leaves home at 16 and moves to Zurich. With obvious artistic talent, he persuades his art teacher to help him get into F+F, a radical, alternative art school—despite his young age. Accepted, he starts learning video techniques, determined to become a filmmaker.

At F+F, Stephan organizes Dada-style happenings and concerts with a group of friends known as the Noise Boys. Among them: one of his teachers on bass, Veit Stauffer on drums (who would later found ReR/Recommended Records), his girlfriend Sacha on vocals, and Stephan on guitar. In one of their early performances, they release a remote-controlled mouse covered in dull razor blades into the audience to create panic and chaos. Keeping with this aggressive, confrontational spirit, they once played a concert while wearing headphones blasting Tristan and Isolde, trying to perform their own songs simultaneously—to maximize the cacophony. The goal was always the same: clear the room.

Their “songs,” if you can call them that, followed suit. Take "Hungeriges Afrika", for instance—performed entirely with power drills and some drum feedback.

To make ends meet, Stephan returns to Bern on weekends to work as a waiter at the Spex Club, the city’s main punk venue. On September 16, 1980, during a show by proto-electro group Starter, the police raid the club and arrest everyone. Stephan, who manages to avoid arrest, seizes the opportunity to “borrow” Starter’s gear left behind. He suddenly finds himself in possession of a Roland Promars synth, a Korg MS20, and a gorgeous CR78 drum machine, which he runs through a Big Muff distortion pedal to get that perfect gritty sound.

He then sets out to reinterpret some Noise Boys tracks, reworking them during impromptu sessions recorded on a dictaphone (yes, a dictaphone—now the lo-fi sound makes more sense, doesn’t it?). He ironically titles the resulting cassette "Stephan Eicher spielt Noise Boys" ("Stephan Eicher plays Noise Boys"). This gem features seven tracks, which are the ones reissued here.

Back in Zurich, he visits his friends Andrew Moore and Robert Vogel, who have a DIY cassette duplication setup. They make 25 copies of Stephan Eicher spielt Noise Boys for Stephan and his friends. Robert encourages him to visit Urs Steiger of Off Course Records and play him the tape.

Without much hope, Stephan shows up at Urs’s office. But Urs is instantly hooked and suggests releasing a 7” single. Due to space constraints, they reluctantly drop two of the seven tracks ("Hungeriges Afrika" and "One Second"). As for the musical score featured on the cover—it was randomly chosen and remains a mystery to this day. Calling all music theory nerds!

The 7-inch is pressed in 750 copies and released in the first week of December 1980—a date Stephan remembers well, as it’s the same week John Lennon was killed. Smartly, Urs sends a promo copy to François Murner, Switzerland’s answer to John Peel, who hosts a show on alternative station Sounds. Murner falls in love with the record and starts giving it airtime. To Stephan’s surprise, sales follow—and people actually seem interested in his music.

Even this modest underground success scares Stephan a bit. He stops making music for a year and moves to Bologna, where he works as a programmer at Radio Città, a feminist radio station.

Meanwhile, Stephan’s younger brother Martin, who’s also involved in the punk scene, joins the band Glueams as a singer and guitarist. Glueams, named after the fanzine run by two of its members (drummer Marco Repetto and bassist GT), eventually rebrands as Grauzone. Stephan is invited to their shows to project hacked Super 8 visuals live on stage.

Urs Steiger, now working on a compilation titled Swiss Wave – The Album, asks Grauzone to contribute alongside bands like Liliput, Jack and the Rippers, The Sick, and Ladyshave (Fall 1980).

For the album, Martin tasks Stephan with producing their recording sessions. Under Stephan's artistic direction, two tracks emerge: "Raum" and "Eisbär". During "Eisbär", Martin plays a minimalist bass line borrowed from post-punk band The Feelies (just an open string). Drummer Marco Repetto struggles to keep time. Later that evening, unhappy with the takes, Stephan builds a four-bar drum loop from a ¼-inch tape and uses it instead of the flawed original. He then adds bleepy synths and wind sounds to complete the track’s icy vibe before handing it over to Urs.

The Swiss Wave – The Album compilation is released quietly at first, but things snowball thanks to "Eisbär", which eventually becomes a smash hit—selling over 600,000 singles.

Meanwhile, Stephan plays in a rockabilly band called SMUV (named after Switzerland’s social security agency) and begins producing artists, including the debut album of Starter (1981), which includes a more pop-oriented version of "Minijupe".

By early 1982, Stephan starts spending time with the post-punk girl band Liliput (formerly Kleenex). They’re older than him, and he happily drives them around in his Renault Major, acting as their roadie.

By 1983, Grauzone—signed to the major label EMI, which turned out to be a misstep—is falling apart. Stephan begins to pivot toward a more mainstream pop sound with his debut solo album Les Chansons Bleues.

But that... is already another story.

AE Productions in association with Sure Shot Recordings and In Effect Recordings are pleased to announce a 10 Year Anniversary Edition of the critically acclaimed Phill Most Chill and Paul Nice album as the Fabreeze Brothers.

The hugely successful first edition which was pressed on colour vinyl and supplied in double fold out sleeve sold out in only 2 weeks from release date and then the 2nd pressing black vinyl edition sold out a little while later but has for years been out of print but is increasingly requested by shops, via email, social media, AE Productions website back in stock requests, etc…

As it has been 10 years since original release back in 2015 at the time of proceeding with manufacturing, it was the perfect opportunity to do a 3rd pressing to mark the anniversary but we had to pull out all the stops for a 3rd run of this incredible album and also make it subtly different again in packaging design from the 1st and 2nd pressings so that each has it’s own particular feel and quality.

With help from the original designer and all-round vinyl artwork supremo Mr Krum we have found some nice adjustments for the gatefold sleeve where the detail from the insert sheet found in the original issues is incorporated into the inside panels of the sleeve. We have also tweaked the hype sticker to mark the 10th Anniversary Edition and updated the vinyl labels so as to work better with the new Splatter vinyl which follows the original red and yellow vinyl but each splattered with the opposite colour.

For something a little extra we have compiled a Limited Expanded Edition Double Cassette Box Set that includes the original album and also a ‘Bonus Tape’ which features all of the remixes, alternate versions, Original Versions of album cuts and bonus tracks found on B-sides of the array of singles and we included for good measure 2 tracks that only appeared on the promotional only LP sampler that ended up being different on the final release. This is limited to cassette just for the non-vinyl heads as all of these tracks already appear on vinyl. The outer box is A5 card in black with gold foil Fabreeze Brothers logo and comes with discography booklet.

‘The Bonus Tape’ from the box set is also available as a standalone cassette release with alternate j-card art work so that it has it’s own flavour and so that anyone that purchased one of the original run of cassettes that sold out before we could even ship any copies, did not need to purchase the main album again unnecessarily and to make it noticeable from the Expanded Edition Box Set version.

This version also has an alternate shell design in keeping with the clear shell with dark liner that was commonplace back in the 90’s and the cassette geeks may note the red text on the spine as was also a common design back then – giving this a pseudonym of ‘the 90’s tape’ during the design process.

We couldn’t stop there so we also have an extremely low quantity Limited Edition Mini Disc version which is the main album plus 8 of the bonus tracks from The Bonus Tape – only missing the 2 least significant alternate versions but clocking in at just a few seconds under 80 minutes – the absolute maximum for the format! Mini Disc???!!! You’re probably asking – yes!

While looking into the cassette duplication options we realised that the duplicator also offers Mini Disc production so we thought that it may be worth doing a very small run just because not only are professionally manufactured Mini Disc’s rare in Hip Hop, they are rare within the entire music industry as they never really took off as a medium to purchase music but ended up as the choice for home recorded Walkman and car use. Indeed, AE boss Mr Fantastic still has his main machine, portable and old discs. Amazingly also, the sleeve artwork transferred brilliantly to the Mini Disc template. They are manufactured using high quality Sony discs using ATRAC 4.5 codec.

All releases are supplied with unique free download codes on cards that are included inside the packaging but also with the Expanded Edition cassette and Mini Disc having 2 cards – 1 for the main album and a 2nd card for ‘The Bonus Tape’. The free downloads are supplied direct from Phill Most Chill’s Bandcamp page keeping it independent.

Chris Liebing's first full solo techno LP, 'Evolver' is released on 27th March 2026, via his own CLR imprint. The German techno don's LP features a host of collaborators across music, images, and artwork. Luke Slater, Charlotte De Witte, Speedy J, The Advent, Terence Fixmer, Pascal Gabriel, Daniel Miller contribute to the music, while long-time collaborators Studio Bergfors deliver design, and legendary photographer Anton Corbijn shot Liebing for the project.

The Evolver LP is the sum total of Chris Liebing's three decades at the beating heart of techno. It's the record only someone whose first break as a techno DJ was playing five hours at Sven Väth's infamous Omen in Frankfurt - and who has ridden out every twist and turn of life and subcultures since, while remaining rooted in the true school, dark, sweaty techno sweat pits of the world - could have made. It's the result of deep introspection, but it's about utter immediacy. It's the sound of someone previously driven along by compulsion and happenstance at last finding the confidence to be utterly intentional about their practice, allowing them to take the most classic, familiar, proven elements from the past and render them completely new.

Evolver is also Liebing's first completely solo album. There are collaborations, yes: with old friends from the OG techno generation, Luke Slater, Speedy J, and The Advent, all on uncompromising form, and with new generation figurehead Charlotte De Witte, who provides a thrilling narration of total surrender to the moment on acid clarion call "Symphonie des Seins". But unlike all Liebing's albums to date, there's no co-pilot. Every structure, every mixdown, every choice serves his singular vision of how his untold immersion in the surging currents of the world's greatest clubs should sound. The elements are all those forged in the white heat of Omen and Tresor in the mid 90s - brutal repetition, titanium kick drums, industrial atmospherics, but also dark rave euphoria, ever present surging acid lines just on the cusp of trance, and just enough human voices to remind you of bodies on the dance floor - but rendered with all the extraordinary accumulated skill and technological developments since then.

It's Chris's vision entirely, his musings on sound, technology, and life birthing tracks like "Roy Batty." Inspired by thoughts of AI becoming sentient and hungering for more life like Rutger Hauer's titular Blade Runner character, it was one of the first tracks to emerge and a foundation stone for the album. And in pursuit of that vision, it's built like a "proper album". The anticipation and menace of intro "Unfold" tip over into the glowing hot high drama psychedelia of "Symphonie…" then the breathless headlong rush of The Advent collab and on through an unfolding narrative that goes deep, goes dark, opens out into grand vistas, takes strange turns before finally landing on the alien landscape of… well… "Endtrack".

Not everything is pummelling on Evolver - the dazzling title track feels like you've been welcomed into the courtly dance of a higher dimension civilisation, and the audacious Speedy J collab "Shaping Frequencies" is a beatless flow that tests the boundaries between signal and noise. But for all its complexity, conceptualism, and stylistic branching out, every last part unmistakably powered by that dark techno-cavern energy above all else. All of it positively radiates the qualities of Liebing's greatest work and sets to date - but somehow even more so than before. Whether you're listening for aesthetic inspiration, cerebral stimulation or just that raw physical power, this album will sweep you up into its momentum and won't let go of you until it's done.

With two albums released—and a third arriving—in less than two years, Agitator are as ferocious in their release pace as they are on stage. All the more surprising, then, that the forthcoming album "Året av sex" is the darkest and slowest work they have made to date. Influenced as much by chanting witch doctors as by Christian Kjellvander and Leonard Cohen, and drawing from electronic and avant-garde music, the band reshapes its sound into something more brooding and expansive.

Partly recorded in a barn on the island of Öland, the album’s soundscape sees the drum kit augmented—and at times replaced—by scrap metal found in a nearby bay. Through this process, Agitator expand the idea of both what a creative process can be and what a rock band might look like in 2026. The result is bold, unsettling, and compelling: an album that digs deeper than many are willing to in Sweden today.

The lyrics on "Året av sex" are darker, more dangerous, and more precise than ever before. Given greater space within the broader sonic landscape, they become central to understanding this new incarnation of Agitator.

Agitator’s new album is released on March 27 via Adrian Recordings, preceded by three singles. The band’s first two albums have previously been praised by outlets including Dagens Nyheter, P3, Gaffa, Café, and PSL, leading to sold-out tours. A full Swedish tour is scheduled in connection with the album release.

From the quiet desolation of earlier Iterum Nata now rises something heavier – more aggressive and defiant. With “Heartwood”, Finnish multi-instrumentalist Jesse Heikkinen (The Abbey, Henget, ex-Hexvessel) reshapes his progressive rock and neo-folk foundations through the crucible of metal, layering doom-laden riffs and blackened textures upon the project’s introspective core.

To give this vision its pulse, Heikkinen enlisted Ukrainian drummer Yurii Ciel (Stoned Jesus, Cailleach Calling, ex-White Ward), whose expressive performance transforms “Heartwood” into the most visceral Iterum Nata release to date. Together they carve a sound both expansive and immediate: progressive journeys steeped in folk atmosphere, driven by the weight and force of metal.

The record also features rare guest appearances: King Dude lends his commanding voice to “Forgiveness Undone”, Alexander Kuoppala (ex-Children of Bodom) unleashes a searing solo in “I Have Been Sacrificed”, and Sami Hynninen (Reverend Bizarre) delivers an unearthly vocal in “Only Ash and Bones Remain”.

“Heartwood” is an album hewn from fury yet tempered by revelation. Where past Iterum Nata releases drew from solitude and sorrow, here the wellspring is anger – but anger that points beyond itself, toward beauty, hope, and transcendence. It is a meditation on the spiritual war within the collective unconscious, channelled through music that flows between Anathema and My Dying Bride, Opeth and In the Woods…, Pink Floyd and Green Carnation.

Four-time GRAMMY Award-nominated global superstar RAYE, is releasing her highly anticipated sophomore album THIS MUSIC MAY CONTAIN HOPE. The album, set in 4 “seasons” with each side of the vinyl being a different season, takes listeners on a sonic journey that begins with darkness and ends with light.

“Music is medicine. I’ve always said that, and I guess I’m in the process of making medicine for myself that I can share with the world. I want us all to say to ourselves that it’s going to be all right, and I’m going to have faith in the seeds that I’ve planted beneath the snow. I wanted to create something that is a hug or bed or soft place for that person who needs it.”

RAYE recently kicked off her massive 51-date sold-out arena tour THIS TOUR MAY CONTAIN NEW MUSIC includes arena dates across Europe and the UK — including six sold-out nights at The O2 — before heading to North America with stops at iconic venues such as Radio City Music Hall (April 15 and 16th) and the Greek Theatre (May 12 and 13th). Additionally, RAYE will be a special guest on Bruno Mars’ The Romantic Tour for 27 stadium shows across the US this summer.

Expanded Edition Double Cassette Box Set including main album and Bonus Cassette with unique download cards


AE Productions in association with Sure Shot Recordings and In Effect Recordings are pleased to announce a 10 Year Anniversary Edition of the critically acclaimed Phill Most Chill and Paul Nice album as the Fabreeze Brothers.

The hugely successful first edition which was pressed on colour vinyl and supplied in double fold out sleeve sold out in only 2 weeks from release date and then the 2nd pressing black vinyl edition sold out a little while later but has for years been out of print but is increasingly requested by shops, via email, social media, AE Productions website back in stock requests, etc…

As it has been 10 years since original release back in 2015 at the time of proceeding with manufacturing, it was the perfect opportunity to do a 3rd pressing to mark the anniversary but we had to pull out all the stops for a 3rd run of this incredible album and also make it subtly different again in packaging design from the 1st and 2nd pressings so that each has it’s own particular feel and quality.

With help from the original designer and all-round vinyl artwork supremo Mr Krum we have found some nice adjustments for the gatefold sleeve where the detail from the insert sheet found in the original issues is incorporated into the inside panels of the sleeve. We have also tweaked the hype sticker to mark the 10th Anniversary Edition and updated the vinyl labels so as to work better with the new Splatter vinyl which follows the original red and yellow vinyl but each splattered with the opposite colour.

For something a little extra we have compiled a Limited Expanded Edition Double Cassette Box Set that includes the original album and also a ‘Bonus Tape’ which features all of the remixes, alternate versions, Original Versions of album cuts and bonus tracks found on B-sides of the array of singles and we included for good measure 2 tracks that only appeared on the promotional only LP sampler that ended up being different on the final release. This is limited to cassette just for the non-vinyl heads as all of these tracks already appear on vinyl. The outer box is A5 card in black with gold foil Fabreeze Brothers logo and comes with discography booklet.

‘The Bonus Tape’ from the box set is also available as a standalone cassette release with alternate j-card art work so that it has it’s own flavour and so that anyone that purchased one of the original run of cassettes that sold out before we could even ship any copies, did not need to purchase the main album again unnecessarily and to make it noticeable from the Expanded Edition Box Set version.

This version also has an alternate shell design in keeping with the clear shell with dark liner that was commonplace back in the 90’s and the cassette geeks may note the red text on the spine as was also a common design back then – giving this a pseudonym of ‘the 90’s tape’ during the design process.

We couldn’t stop there so we also have an extremely low quantity Limited Edition Mini Disc version which is the main album plus 8 of the bonus tracks from The Bonus Tape – only missing the 2 least significant alternate versions but clocking in at just a few seconds under 80 minutes – the absolute maximum for the format! Mini Disc???!!! You’re probably asking – yes!

While looking into the cassette duplication options we realised that the duplicator also offers Mini Disc production so we thought that it may be worth doing a very small run just because not only are professionally manufactured Mini Disc’s rare in Hip Hop, they are rare within the entire music industry as they never really took off as a medium to purchase music but ended up as the choice for home recorded Walkman and car use. Indeed, AE boss Mr Fantastic still has his main machine, portable and old discs. Amazingly also, the sleeve artwork transferred brilliantly to the Mini Disc template. They are manufactured using high quality Sony discs using ATRAC 4.5 codec.

All releases are supplied with unique free download codes on cards that are included inside the packaging but also with the Expanded Edition cassette and Mini Disc having 2 cards – 1 for the main album and a 2nd card for ‘The Bonus Tape’. The free downloads are supplied direct from Phill Most Chill’s Bandcamp page keeping it independent.

,Stürmische und kathartische Dark-Pop-Perlen", schrieb Gorilla vs Bear über Jessica Weiss' frühe Soloarbeiten. Die Sängerin und Songwriterin von Fear of Men bringt dieselbe lyrische Präzision und emotionale Intensität in ihr Soloprojekt New German Cinema ein. Es hat fünf Jahre gedauert, zwischen London und LA, aufgebaut aus nächtlichen Dateien, langen Stillephasen und der stillen Beharrlichkeit zweier Menschen, die versuchen, etwas Schönes von entgegengesetzten Enden der Welt aus zu vollenden. Produziert mit Alex DeGroot (Zola Jesus, Cate Le Bon), wirkt es sowohl forensisch als auch hingebungsvoll, das Produkt von jemandem, der die Katharsis nicht überstürzt. Pain Will Polish Me präsentiert sich sowohl einsam als auch verbindend, als wäre es aus Fernübertragungen zwischen zwei Traumzuständen entstanden. Weiss nennt es eine Meditation über Pop und den europäischen Arthouse-Autoren Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Es verfolgt, wie Intimität und Kontrolle ineinander übergehen, bis es unmöglich ist zu sagen, wo das eine endet. Die Songs handeln von den Teilen von dir selbst, die sich in der Liebe auflösen, und von den kleinen Gewalttaten, die damit einhergehen, wenn man bekannt ist. Sie bewegen sich durch klaustrophobische Beziehungen, Obsession, Hingabe, Zyklen des Leidens, die sich allmählich wie Hingabe anfühlen. Die Sprache ist Pop, aber das Gefühl ist etwas Fremderes, Kälteres, Innerlicheres. Die Songs bewegen sich im Schatten. Es ist ein Album darüber, sich selbst zu verlieren, um zu sehen, was übrig bleibt. Ein Dokument der Liebe als Besessenheit, Wiederholung, Überleben. Eine Meditation über die Liebe als Spiegel und Untergang, in Fragmenten gestaltet und dann zu einem Ganzen zusammengefügt.

Als Justin Morris 2019 nach einem Leben in North Carolina nach New York City zog, hatte er vor, das Gegenteil von dem zu machen, wofür die Leute normalerweise in die Stadt ziehen: seinen Traum aufzugeben. Seit seiner Kindheit war dieser Traum einfach: Songs schreiben, in Bands spielen, im ,Indie-Rock" leben. Aber als er für einen der größten Indie-Stars der Zeit Merchandise verkaufte, geriet diese Überzeugung ins Wanken. Von seinem Platz im Bus aus betrachtet, schien der Alltag auf Tournee nicht zu den faszinierenden Shows zu passen; Zugaben wichen einer Arbeitsrealität, die ihm die berufliche Seite von etwas zeigte, das er immer nur romantisiert hatte, und ihn fragen ließ, wo der Glanz geblieben war. Für seine naive Weltanschauung war die Kluft zwischen der Fantasie, ,es zu schaffen", und der Realität erschütternd. Wenn das ,der Traum" war, dachte er, musste er vielleicht überdacht werden. New York sollte ein Neuanfang sein, vielleicht sogar der Ort, an dem er einen anderen Beruf erlernen und die Musik hinter sich lassen würde. Doch weniger als einen Tag nach seinem Einzug in die Untermiete in Bushwick trat ein Mann mit einer Waffe seine Schlafzimmertür ein, zwang ihn auf den Boden und fesselte seine Hände mit Fernsehkabeln. In den Tagen nach dem Raubüberfall, in denen er nur noch durch Songs einen Sinn in den Dingen erkennen konnte, begann er wieder zu schreiben. Diese Songs wurden zum Beginn eines neuen Projekts, das er Sluice nannte. Sluice ist jetzt eine vierköpfige Band aus Durham, North Carolina - mit Morris an der Gitarre und am Gesang, Oliver Child-Lanning am Bass und verschiedenen Instrumenten, Avery Sullivan am Schlagzeug und Libby Rodenbough an der Geige - mit Companion, ihrem dritten Album und Debüt bei Mtn Laurel Recording Co. Es folgt auf Radial Gate aus dem Jahr 2023, das still geliebte Album, das Morris aufgenommen hatte, nachdem er aus New York geflohen war und sich mit dem damals noch unbekannten Child-Lanning in einem Haus in Hillsborough niedergelassen hatte, das er über Craigslist gefunden hatte. Dort nahm er Songs im Sylvan Essos Studio Bettys auf, während er als Zimmermann arbeitete. ,Companion" ist ein Album über das Dating, über das Verlieben zu den weitläufigen Refrains von Kenny Chesney und Alan Jackson. Der ,Begleiter" ändert seine Form: Manchmal hat er einen Namen (Sara, Bluey, Of Doe Eyes), manchmal ist er ein Hund, der morgens aus der Tür schlüpft, manchmal ist es Morris selbst, der sein Spiegelbild im Badezimmerspiegel sieht und murmelt: ,Junge, ich liebe dich." Manchmal sind es die Tischler, die Stadtbewohner, die Bandkollegen, die alten Tourkollegen, die wieder in sein Leben treten. In seinem sachlichen, ironiefreien lyrischen Stil, den Pitchfork einmal als ,eine Umerziehung in Aufrichtigkeit" beschrieb, wirken diese Menschen real, weil sie es sind. Und immer in greifbarer Nähe ist die Musik selbst, die Begleiterin, die fast verloren gegangen wäre.

Yellow Vinyl

Blue Lake reveals his most ambitious album yet, which finds its visionary creator Jason Dungan harnessing the collective alchemy of his band, with ten spirited tracks that resonate with a powerful directness, evoking an ecological connection to the wider world.

The solo project (Blue Lake), now on its fifth album, found its name and inspiration via Don Cherry's 1974 live album, sparking a creative epiphany in Dungan, who set off on a path into his own untapped sonic world, guided by what he cited as the emotional potential found within non-lyrical composition. With a newly inspired ethos aimed toward creating direct and simple instrumental music imbued with a deep sense of feeling, Jason began combining an array of musical elements that gave rise to his highly revered album 'Sun Arcs' (2023), with its "ornate, zither-led lattices" (Pitchfork, Best New Music). Conceived in the blissful isolation of a Swedish cabin set in the woods, this was music that soundtracked spring in full bloom. Then, in contrast to the solitary approach of 'Sun Arcs', the highly lauded mini-album 'Weft' (2025) began to set the tone for a more band-oriented approach to delivering the Blue Lake sound. Jason had by this time experienced a special collective energy with his band during a swathe of live performances, which he then sought to harness and distill on 'The Animal', leading him to take the project into a traditional recording studio (The Village) and its limitless potential along with his gifted cohorts.

'The Animal' at its core vividly celebrates human collaboration and is deeply rooted in a sense of community and non-hierarchical connectivity. The group's creative alchemy transcends outwards and beyond the musicians performing together, to summon an inclusive, existential and ecological connection to the wider world and its inhabited spaces. The album contemplates the idea of the human as an animal as Dungan explains: "I'm quite fascinated in thinking about humans more as part of the animal environment and not as something that's so separated into a "human" realm, or sitting on top of a hierarchical pyramid. So the Animal is also me, or us - that we are just living, existing, in the same way as a piece of moss or a sparrow or a cow.

'The Animal' is a form of musical metamorphosis, still acoustic, yet more amplified, elevating it to new dimensions. The Blue Lake project takes on a new lease of life to encompass collaboration with Jason Dungan bound in a universal connectivity, resulting in his most ambitious album to date. A harmonious rejoicing that cements his reputation as a transformative presence in contemporary music.

With „Darkness Is My Crown“, DEFACING GOD present their most personal and intense album to date. The Danish extreme metal visionaries once again fuse blackened death metal, symphonic darkness and occult atmosphere - this time with a strong focus on inner conflict, loss, transformation and resilience. The album stands as an unfiltered reflection of confronting darkness head-on and reshaping it into strength, identity and purpose. „Darkness Is My Crown“ is a powerful artistic statement, defined by authenticity, emotional depth and uncompromising vision, further solidifying DEFACING GOD’s place within the modern extreme metal landscape. The album will be released on March 27, 2026, and was mixed and mastered by Tue Madsen (Heaven Shall Burn, Babymetal, Belphegor …) at Antfarm Studios.

Transmitter ist Max Clarkes viertes Album als Cut Worms. Produziert von Jeff Tweedy im Loft Studio von Wilco, zeigt Transmitter, wie Clarke seine Fähigkeiten weiterentwickelt hat und wie zwei Künstler zusammenkommen, die in ihrer Arbeit nach Anmut inmitten von Entwurzelung suchen. Es sind Orte, die vom Mythos der Selbstständigkeit geprägt sind, an denen Menschen, die die Idee der Verbindung durch Technologie verkauft haben, zu stillen Sendern reduziert wurden - Datenpunkte, die gekauft und verkauft, manipuliert und gemessen werden und deren Leben durch genau die Netzwerke verzerrt wird, die sie eigentlich verbinden sollten. Die ersten Anzeichen für Transmitter gab es, als Cut Worms im Sommer 2024 als Vorgruppe von Wilco unterwegs waren. Am Ende der Tour lud Tweedy die Band ein, im legendären Loft in Chicago aufzunehmen, und schon bald wurden Pläne geschmiedet, im Herbst damit zu beginnen. In der gemütlichen Unordnung aus Gitarren, Verstärkern und Büchern im Loft fanden Clarke und Tweedy schnell eine gemeinsame musikalische Basis und eine gemeinsame Vorliebe für komplexe Songs. Während Clarkes Stimme und Texte den Rahmen bildeten, skizzierten Tweedys Gitarren- und Basslinien die Räume, in denen die Songs leben. Tweedys Präsenz als Produzent zeigte sich nicht in hartnäckigen Entscheidungen, sondern darin, wie er Räume kolorierte und immer wieder neue Texturen anbot. Zwischen ihnen überbrückte ihre gleichgesinnte Sensibilität eine Generationskluft, um etwas zu schaffen, das nuancierter war, als es jeder von ihnen allein hätte schaffen können. Wenn frühere Veröffentlichungen von Cut Worms von der Dekadenz des Brill Building und verrückter Americana geprägt waren, wirkt der Sound auf Transmitter dunkler, reichhaltiger und gesättigter mit der Angst des modernen Lebens. ,Long Weekend" beschleunigt die Zeit und hat die melodische Dringlichkeit von Big Star oder Dwight Twilley. ,Evil Twin" kämpft mit bitterer Enttäuschung, seine gesprächigen Gitarren erinnern an den klirrenden Herzschmerz von The Replacements und The Go-Betweens, und ,Windows on the World" neigt sich mit einer Melancholie, die irgendwo zwischen Elliott Smith und Miracle Legion schwebt, der Sonne der Zukunft zu. Der letzte Titel ,Dream" bringt uns zurück auf eine vertraute Ebene: Clarke allein am Klavier, zart und unentschlossen, grübelt er über das Schicksal von Träumen und das Risiko, zu kurz zu kommen oder sich auf dem Weg zu verlieren. Transmitter zeigt Clarke in voller Fahrt, der mit der Überzeugung eines Menschen schreibt, der seinen Frieden mit der Ungewissheit gemacht hat. Diese Songs setzen sich mit den Kosten des Komforts auseinander und kehren zu der Idee zurück, dass Schönheit, Verbundenheit und Liebe keine Luxusgüter sind, sondern Überlebensnotwendigkeiten. Clarke fühlt sich zu Paradoxien hingezogen - der Reibung zwischen Intimität und Flucht, Glauben und Zweifel, Schatten und Licht. Seine Vergebung kommt, wie die des abgeschnittenen Wurms, durch Übertragung zustande: durch den Akt, etwas Zerbrechliches in den Lärm zu entlassen und darauf zu vertrauen, dass es noch immer spürbar ist.

Transmitter ist Max Clarkes viertes Album als Cut Worms. Produziert von Jeff Tweedy im Loft Studio von Wilco, zeigt Transmitter, wie Clarke seine Fähigkeiten weiterentwickelt hat und wie zwei Künstler zusammenkommen, die in ihrer Arbeit nach Anmut inmitten von Entwurzelung suchen. Es sind Orte, die vom Mythos der Selbstständigkeit geprägt sind, an denen Menschen, die die Idee der Verbindung durch Technologie verkauft haben, zu stillen Sendern reduziert wurden - Datenpunkte, die gekauft und verkauft, manipuliert und gemessen werden und deren Leben durch genau die Netzwerke verzerrt wird, die sie eigentlich verbinden sollten. Die ersten Anzeichen für Transmitter gab es, als Cut Worms im Sommer 2024 als Vorgruppe von Wilco unterwegs waren. Am Ende der Tour lud Tweedy die Band ein, im legendären Loft in Chicago aufzunehmen, und schon bald wurden Pläne geschmiedet, im Herbst damit zu beginnen. In der gemütlichen Unordnung aus Gitarren, Verstärkern und Büchern im Loft fanden Clarke und Tweedy schnell eine gemeinsame musikalische Basis und eine gemeinsame Vorliebe für komplexe Songs. Während Clarkes Stimme und Texte den Rahmen bildeten, skizzierten Tweedys Gitarren- und Basslinien die Räume, in denen die Songs leben. Tweedys Präsenz als Produzent zeigte sich nicht in hartnäckigen Entscheidungen, sondern darin, wie er Räume kolorierte und immer wieder neue Texturen anbot. Zwischen ihnen überbrückte ihre gleichgesinnte Sensibilität eine Generationskluft, um etwas zu schaffen, das nuancierter war, als es jeder von ihnen allein hätte schaffen können. Wenn frühere Veröffentlichungen von Cut Worms von der Dekadenz des Brill Building und verrückter Americana geprägt waren, wirkt der Sound auf Transmitter dunkler, reichhaltiger und gesättigter mit der Angst des modernen Lebens. ,Long Weekend" beschleunigt die Zeit und hat die melodische Dringlichkeit von Big Star oder Dwight Twilley. ,Evil Twin" kämpft mit bitterer Enttäuschung, seine gesprächigen Gitarren erinnern an den klirrenden Herzschmerz von The Replacements und The Go-Betweens, und ,Windows on the World" neigt sich mit einer Melancholie, die irgendwo zwischen Elliott Smith und Miracle Legion schwebt, der Sonne der Zukunft zu. Der letzte Titel ,Dream" bringt uns zurück auf eine vertraute Ebene: Clarke allein am Klavier, zart und unentschlossen, grübelt er über das Schicksal von Träumen und das Risiko, zu kurz zu kommen oder sich auf dem Weg zu verlieren. Transmitter zeigt Clarke in voller Fahrt, der mit der Überzeugung eines Menschen schreibt, der seinen Frieden mit der Ungewissheit gemacht hat. Diese Songs setzen sich mit den Kosten des Komforts auseinander und kehren zu der Idee zurück, dass Schönheit, Verbundenheit und Liebe keine Luxusgüter sind, sondern Überlebensnotwendigkeiten. Clarke fühlt sich zu Paradoxien hingezogen - der Reibung zwischen Intimität und Flucht, Glauben und Zweifel, Schatten und Licht. Seine Vergebung kommt, wie die des abgeschnittenen Wurms, durch Übertragung zustande: durch den Akt, etwas Zerbrechliches in den Lärm zu entlassen und darauf zu vertrauen, dass es noch immer spürbar ist.

REVNOIR is one of the most exciting new forces to emerge in the rock and metal world. Officially unveiled in September 2023, the project has been quietly evolving behind the scenes for nearly two years, led by the talented trio Maxime Rodriguez-Medallo, Julien Ho-Tong, and Kaz Nakazawa. Blending elements of modern rock, crushing metal, and dark electro, REVNOIR crafts a powerful, melodic sound that resonates with both emotional depth and cinematic intensity. Since their formation, the band has made impressive waves—already surpassing 1 million Spotify streams across their four latest singles and building a loyal listenership with over 70,000 unique monthly listeners on the platform.

Their explosive live energy was on full display when they joined Future Palace on a European tour and later proved their rising star status with a sold-out headline show at La Maroquinerie in Paris (550 capacity) in April 2025. Now signed to Arising Empire, REVNOIR are gearing up for their next big chapter: supporting Coldrain on their massive UK/EU headline tour this winter. Spanning 17 dates across 10 countries, including major stops in the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands, and more, the tour marks Coldrain’s first European run in over four years and is set to draw thousands of fans each night. As main support on every date, REVNOIR will be performing in some of the biggest venues of their career so far—introducing their sound to a whole new wave of international listeners and firmly cementing their place among the most promising heavy acts of this new generation.

We are repressing Neil Young's 2004 Greatest Hits. The new pressing on 180g black 2LP vinyl will be available for a "release date" of 6th March for all retail accounts ex. Amazon.
Greatest Hits is the third hits compilation, and presents 16 of Neil Young's best-known songs, spanning his solo career from 1969-1992, including "Down By The River", "After The Gold Rush", "Old Man", "Heart Of Gold", and "Rockin In The Free World".
The original version of the LP came with an additional 7" which is excluded on this pressing.