quête:som

Human Leather have always been a ferocious live act, unbelievably loud for a 2 piece. Their gigs are often an overwhelming wall of sludge, howls and amphetamine-addled drums, with spectators flying joyously around the pit. Previous recordings did full justice to the impact of the live show; however, the second helping is something else. On Here Comes the Mind, There Goes the Body the sludge is still present, rising, and lapping at your ankles, but there's a new clarity showing off exactly how f*cking good those riffs are. There are ear worm riffs for days, shout along vocals that roar, shriek and reform into a Greek chorus, drums that thump you repeatedly in the chest and then the whole thing vanishes in just under 30 minutes, leaving you bruised, deafened and with Some Questions about your life. Squint your ears a bit and you'll hear the influences of bands like Karp, Torche and Big Business but they're thrown into a much crustier stew. The lyrics span a variety of political issues, not limited to the landed gentry, global warming and consumerist harbingers of doom. Importantly the songs are also not afraid to discuss class issues (unlike many political bands who you suspect have a much sturdier security net). While this could easily feel preachy, every line is delivered with the knowing wink of the underdog and good humour (I am going to smile every time I think of "clod damn" or "QVC Hands" staring up at me from the lyric sheet), and the vibes are as they've always been in difficult times - "we know we're fucked, tonight we mosh, tomorrow we march". And what is the point of a revolution you can't dance to? Speaking of dancing, the final track features an honest-to-god dance beat, acid squelches and disembodied vocal samples, pointing to an alternative universe in which Human Leather are a heavy electroclash band. Here comes the record of the year, bring what is left of your eardrums. You didn't need that body anyway

A unique sonic journey blending jazz, candombe, dub, hip-hop, and electronic music. Written, sequenced, and recorded by Ian Lampel (Uruguay), the album captures Montevideo's vibrant essence with innovative beats and deep roots. Embark on a sonic journey through the rich tapestry of Ian Lampel's multicultural heritage with his debut solo album, "The Parque Rodó Tapes." From the echoes of his grandparents' wartime exodus from Europe's tumultuous past to the rhythms of daily life in Parque Rodó, Lampel's artistic vision was shaped by a kaleidoscope of influences: Science fiction and fantasy books, graphic design annuals, comics, films, early computers and videogames as well as music; the haunting melodies of Russian and Polish classical composers hummed by his grandmother while cooking, the choir and hammond music of the synagogue, his early explorations in club music and dub or the syncopated drumming of candombe and carnaval echoing in the streets of Montevideo. The composer, producer and bass player, wrote, sequenced and recorded practically everything that is heard throughout the album. With meticulous attention to detail, he has crafted a sonic landscape that seamlessly blends elements of jazz and Uruguayan music with the innovative spirit of dub, hip-hop and electronica; from the infectious rhythms of candombe and the raw energy of murga, to breakbeats, moog's and samples. Drawing from a treasure trove of samples collected over two decades, "The Parque Rodó Tapes" weaves together a tapestry of sound that is both nostalgic and forward-thinking, from the haunting voice of Marosa Di Giorgio and the vibrant cacophony of a carnival field recording by Lauro Ayestaran, to the guest contributions from notable musicians including Lampel's wife, singer/songwriter Eco Lopez, multi-instrumentalist Luciana Giovinazzo on flute, and Ferna Nunez on repique drum. Each track is a testament to Lampel's eclectic vision. A debut album with a certain degree of melancholy that works as a soundtrack to the world in which the artist grew up, a world now gone, without cellphones or social networks, in which everything had to be proactively pursued "in the streets".

Forgetting is Violent is the most powerful release to date from Los Angeles saxophonist and composer Patrick Shiroishi (The Armed, Wild Up), with timely suites that meditate on racism and addiction. The music developed in part through extensive solo touring opening for Emma Ruth Rundle, in which Shiroishi brought effects pedals to the forefront. For the first time on a solo LP, Shiroishi has brought in collaborators: a who’s who of heavy music, including Aaron Turner (SUMAC), Gemma Thompson (Savages), and Mat Ball (BIG|BRAVE). With liner notes by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hua Hsu, Forgetting is Violent is Shiroishi’s latest masterwork. We recommend snapping this one up while you can, because we expect copies will fly.

Georgette Sayegh & Melhem Barakat – Belghi Kull Mawaidi & Instrumental:

Finally, hopping across from Egypt to Lebanon for this infectious number, Georgette Sayegh delivers what some consider her magnum opus in a captivating duet together with Melhem Barakat, and on the flipside a stripped-down instrumental version that’s equally catchy.

Georgette Sayegh is a legendary Lebanese singer and actress known for her tender and dulcet voice that echoed the grace and beauty of the inimitable Fairuz yet carried its own unique warmth. Her passion for collecting vinyl at an early age formed her eclectic musical palette, and she eventually caught the eyes of the Rahbani brothers and played the lead role in a monthly play written by Fairuz’s son, Ziad. Georgette’s household classic "Yay Yay Ya Nassini” shot her to stardom across the Arab world in the 1970’s, and till this day carries the exact same nostalgia of a Lebanese summertime anthem – flirtatious, jolly, and unfettered. In Belghi Kull Mawaidi (I cancel all my appointments), Sayegh’s voice entwines with compatriot and fellow household staple, Melhem Barakat in an emotional display of longing and depth - her voice delicate yet powerful, effortlessly blending with Barakat's commanding baritone.

The instrumental version on the flipside (surprisingly a stereo mix) reveals a highly catchy arrangement that is lush and emotive, driven by strings that glide smoothly through the melody, while brass instruments add a touch of drama. The rhythm section, punctuated by a steady percussion, anchors the track, allowing the interplay of instruments to build a sense of urgency and longing, accurately reflecting the struggles and emotional resilience that defined Sayegh’s own life.

This reissue, remastered with painstaking care, brings both versions of Belghi Kull Mawaidi back to life, making it an essential addition to any avid listener, DJ or collector’s shelf. It captures the timeless beauty of two of Lebanon's most cherished musical icons, their voices and instruments merging to create a track that resonates through the ages.

Muhammad Al-Najjar
London, April 2025

credits
Audio restoration and vinyl mastering: Colin Young
Lacquer cut: Timmion cutting lab
Sleeve and label artwork: Grotezk Studio
Under License of Voix de L'Orient

Embark on a nostalgic journey through the pulsating beats of the 90s with the iconic anthem "The First Rebirth" by the visionary duo Franky Jones and Axel Stephenson. Since its inception in 1993, this timeless classic has etched its place in dance music history, and now it returns in a dazzling new avatar. The much-celebrated track has been meticulously repackaged in a sleek, cool sleeve, accompanied by an electrifying array of both recent and classic mixes. Some of these renditions, previously confined to digital realms, make their long-awaited debut on vinyl, adding an extra layer of allure to this collector's dream.

This new album you hold in your hands, Sleep Circle, is this newly recorded, abridged version of Sleep informed by those concert experiences and focusing on the movements within the composition that are more in the foreground. This way Sleep Circle becomes a hallucinatory 90-minute trip into the hypnagogic state. For Max, the approach offered new insights into his epic composition: “Some of these compositions, such as Dream 11, Moth-like Stars or Non-Eternal, are so rich in their poetic core that I wanted the music to be experienced in a more traditional way. I first wrote a structure for a concert performance. The new version we’ve recorded now is based on these performances, which also means that it has a slightly different architecture. It's like Sleep distilled.”

Bodhi, the Cardiff-based production team, return to Hotflush Recordings with a follow-up to last year’s standout Laurus Ascending extended play.

Having emerged in 2012 with a slew of breathlessly-received edits and subsequent releases on labels including Future Classic and Rinse, the pair took a 4-year hiatus in 2017, returning with an invigorated sound in 2022. Recent releases on Hotflush and dh2 have brought the duo back to the forefront of the UK’s cutting edge music scene.

‘Corrupta’ is six tracks of bass-inflected, garage-influenced beat science. Opener ‘dwndwn’ sets the stage with a genuine wtf beat-drop moment. That vibe is continued on the shuffling ‘Silian Rail’.

Dancefloor smasher ‘Okinobi’ is a hat-tip to the recent Speed Garage revival, while T.O.P. is a classic slice of 2-step bassline pressure. Bodhi’s techno influences are also present with electro breaks hybrid of ‘Without You’ and the 8am Berghain vibes of ‘Bellcurve’.

This is another long-form statement of intent from some of the most inventive club producers in the game right now.

Support from Jamie xx, Lee Gamble, I.Jordan, dBridge, Machinedrum, DJ Haus +++

Candido Cameron was a Cuban percussion maestro who had played with luminaries such as Dizzy Gillespie, Buddy Rich and Count Basie throughout his illustrious musical career which started in 1952. Fast forward to 1979 and Candido finds himself caught up in the Disco boom that had engulfed his adopted New York City. Feeling he could add his trademark quick-fire Conga and Bongo playing to Disco's straight 4 x 4 syncopated rhythm he cut some records with legendary NYC label Salsoul. The fruits of this partnership were 2 full length LP's and a handful of 12" singles that changed the face of underground Disco."Jingo" is an all-time classic dance record, sampled, edited, re-configured and coveted by too many names to mention! It's a killer funky Disco version of master Nigerian drummer Olatunji's 1969 percussion suite of the same name, Salsoul style, while over on the flip we have one of the deepest Disco records of all time; "Thousand Finger Man" a testament to Candido's percussion prowess and a spacey, beautiful voyage that has left more than an indelible mark on modern House music, often being cited as a huge influence by artists such as Masters At Work and more. Essential stuff basically, every collection should have a copy!

This 12" has got to be one of the toughest Salsoul records to find. Changing hands for up to £300 a time for a used copy. Now it has been re-mastered, re-pressed and made available again with all original label artwork intact with the permission of Salsoul Records, New York City.

Back in 2020 we released the original of ‘Oliver Dollar & ADMN feat. Mr. V - Sanctuary’ on Industry Standard.

The original is a sublime track with a nod to a vintage deep house sound. ’Sanctuary’ features Mr. V’s spoken word vocal over a slick rhythm section, lush chords stabs, and ethereal synth pads.
Fast forward to 2025 and we are delivering a vinyl release featuring the original mix, and 2 new remixes from France’s DJ W!ld, and Detroit’s Bendersnatch.

DJ W!ld comes with a deep, rolling take on the track, with a low slung baseline, and trippy breakdown that will wig out the dance floor. Bendersnatch take their version into trackier territory with a heavy kick, stripped back vibe and FX on the vocals that give this version another dimension to the package.

The vinyl release will proceed this come some months before we release these remixes digitally, so get them while they are hot on wax!

Cornucopia returns to Guy J's label Early Morning with a remix of Roots, the iconic track by Chopstick & Johnjon featuring Signaljacker. This release brings together some of electronic music's most unique voices, merging legacy with forward momentum.



Early Morning, established as a platform for creative reinvention in electronic music, continues to evolve with a release that both reflects and expands its core vision. Cornucopia's interpretation of Roots is an immersive journey spanning over seven minutes, maintaining the emotional heart of the original while reimagining its sonic landscape with precision and depth.

The remix preserves the enduring elements of Roots: Signaljacker's sensual vocal, the melancholic atmosphere, and a thematic continuity that resonates deeply. Yet Cornucopia reframes these within a refined, futuristic aesthetic that feels both intimate and expansive.

This release is a subtle yet powerful redefinition of a classic, crafted by an artist who bridges heritage and innovation.

“UFO” lives up to its namesake, landing at shops on an etched, one sided 12” and bearing little more than a logo. The music will have to speak for itself, and it does: a believer’s anthem from Venus to Versailles, the song is infused with playfulness and warmth, like the sound of old friends collaborating for the first time. It's propulsive, hypnotic, contemplative and full of yearning for someone special, whichever galaxy they may reside.

This is the 11th vinyl release of the label! Iner has gathered some of the best Russian artists in their genre. The record will be yellow.

New label RUKI launches with a warm and immersive debut from Finn Logue, shaped by a year of experiments with texture, field recordings, and acoustic elements. The four-track EP blends electronic production with live sounds to create something both personal and playful.

The EP opens with the dreamy, layered percussion of “Delinquence”, followed by the earthy and uplifting “Ocean Forest” with saxophone from Dom the Hopeful. Flip the record and the refreshing downtempo of “Dim Light” lays the path for “Confused Apathetic,” an ethereal, ambient closer steeped in nostalgia.

A bright opening statement from a label rooted in nature and built from the ground up.

Müne isn’t just a label—it’s a sonic language carved somewhere between the imagined and the real. Born from the fusion of the Japanese words 夢 (yume, “dream”) and 音 (oto, “sound”), Müne exists as a liminal space where emotion, memory, and sound design blur into something that feels. Less about genre, more about atmosphere. Less formula, more intuition.

The debut release capture that vision into four tracks shaped by hardware grit, dusty grooves, and moods that shift between tension and warmth.

A-side
Jose Daguerre sets the tone with Barbaria, a hypnotic loop-based workout with gritty low-end, dry drums, and a subtly evolving structure. It’s meditative, but with weight. Electro Reunión leans into stripped-down electro mechanics—tight sequencing, foggy FX, and a lingering sense of space. With Patricio Felip collab on the keyboard, both tracks feel tactile, intentional, and refreshingly unpolished.

B-side
Dani Labb brings Resfr0m, a broken-beat track that feels like it’s breathing—loose and raw, wrapped in textures that drift between dreamy and distorted. Finally, Veloz y Raptor by Juan Proeliis & Cohema closes this first release with a bouncy, dark cut full of kinetic energy, tape color, and playful detail.

MÜNE 001 is a declaration of intent: warm, human, and left-of-center. Built for deep listening and late-night systems.

Perro Bueno Edits has been behind some much-sought-after edit releases in recent times and this one is another of the same. The fifth entry in the cult series again looks to unearth rare Afro disco gems and rework them with precision and soul. On Side A, 'AMDS' is a hypnotic cut with a rolling bassline that radiates warmth as the original is respectfully reimagined with sharp edits and an extended arrangement built for movement. The B-side is a spiritual stunner that melds heartfelt vocals with layered rhythms and dreamy keys to back the soulful vocal. It's a dubbed-out groove perfect for late nights with some bright horns adding extra vitality.