When João released “Quem é Quem” in 1973, he had already been in the music industry for over 20 years, gaining national and international recognition. Nevertheless, the album marked the beginning of a new phase in his career: the surprising multi-instrumentalist included lyrics in his songs for the first time. It is one of his most important albums, which now returns to shelves on 180-gram vinyl as part of the “Classics on Vinyl” collection from Polysom.
The album was produced by Milton Miranda and Marcos Valle, with arrangements by João Donato, Maestro Gaya, Lan Guest, Laércio de Freitas, and Dory Caymmi. It features 12 tracks, the vast majority of which are authored by him, with collaborators such as Geraldo Carneiro, Lysias Ênio, Paulo Cesar Pinheiro, Caetano Veloso, and João Carlos Pádua. The only exception is the song “Cala Boca Menino” by Dorival Caymmi.
Suche:son of a son
“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.
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.
Bad Brains is the self-titled debut studio album recorded by American hardcore punk/reggae band Bad Brains. Recorded in 1981 and released on (then) cassette-only label ROIR on February 5, 1982, many fans refer to it as "The Yellow Tape" because of it's yellow packaging. Though Bad Brains had recorded the 16 song Black Dots album in 1979 and the 5-song Omega Sessions EP in 1980, the ROIR cassette was the band's first release of anything longer than a single. The release includes the original liner notes by Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo. This reissue marks the second release in the remaster campaign on the band's own Bad Brains Records imprint with Org Music. In coordination with the band, Org Music has overseen the restoration and remastering of the iconic Bad Brains' recordings. The audio was mastered by Dave Gardner at Infrasonic Mastering.
When I played b2b with Sonar's Ghost on my radio show on NTS last year, he played a new tune entitled "Eggs2C" and it sounded really good, so I asked him what the deal with it was. He said that he was working on it with Outrage and that it was going to be part of an EP they were working on, with Future Retro London in mind for releasing it on. It was the first I'd heard of this EP being made for me haha, but I was curious about what the rest of the release sounded like. He sent me the rest of the tunes and I was into them, so here it is!
"Hyperglyph" is the first new album in 11 years from composer/trumpeter/synthesist Rob Mazurek and composer/percussionist Chad Taylor"s long-running Chicago Underground Duo project. Mazurek and Taylor have played music together in a multitude of formations over nearly three decades, including their ongoing partnership in Mazurek"s large-format-skyward-expressionism vehicle Exploding Star Orchestra, in the expanded Chicago Underground Trio, Quartet and Orchestra (all with guitarist Jeff Parker), as well as a plethora of other assemblages. The early albums by the Duo have proven to be embryonic blueprints for the avant-jazz / electronic / indie rock hybridizing of the time, making them majorly important moments in the articulation of the "jazz" dimensionality of the then-burgeoning "post rock" sound. That sound, of course, was being transmitted far and wide due to the success of these groups as well as the Mazurek/Parker project Isotope 217, and the Chicago Underground"s frequently-intersecting collaborators in Tortoise. Just as most of the still-working projects born of that era have evolved, reconfigured, and grown, the Chicago Underground Duo has undergone a number of musical moltings, with the project always in the background of disparate individual aural investigations. The concurrent personal evolutions of Mazurek and Taylor as the Duo project drops off and picks back up makes it a true reflection of their own lives and friendship.
Percussive P (who has previously released on the label with FR037 & our remix on THCFR001) is a top quality producer who I wish had more music/releases out there. I used to play a tune of his called "Gunsmith" a lot in sets, as well as a lot of his collabs with Kid Lib which I was a big fan of. I'd previously collaborated with him on a tune for Dublinquents a few years ago and I was quite keen on doing a new collaboration with him for Meeting Of The Minds, so he sent me some tracks he had started, I picked my favourite to work on and that led to "Impatience".
Fluid Haunts is a solid producer who I was familiar with, but it wasn't until his music was drilled into my head by Dwarde who was playing a few select tunes from him in every single b2b set we had together, that I started to really appreciate his skills. Dwarde would play "Not Your Ordinary Love Song" without fail, in any given moment and time, and it would always get a great reaction from the crowd, so I had to get in touch to see if he'd be up for working with me & thankfully he was! We ended up making "Pineapple Soup" together & I can't remember why it's called that, I think he named the tune ????
Hobzee is one half of Silent Dust (him & Zyon Base) & I used to chat regularly with him and trade music with him on AOL Instant Messenger (showing my age here!) a long while back. He got back in touch with me about wanting to work on music together and he had an early version of "Sunspots" done. It was very promising sounding so I was quite keen to get involved with him on it and I'm grateful that I was able to get him on Future Retro London after many many years of IM chats!
Usually, I limit my collaborations on Meeting Of The Minds to producers that are fairly established and already somewhat known to other people, but for those who don't know who Eff is, she is a potentially familiar face to anyone who has attended a Future Retro London event, as she has been on the door for every single one. One day after a Distant Planet event in Bristol, she mentioned to me that she had an idea for a track inspired by a PFM tune and she already had the title in mind for it, which is "Wavebreak". I was curious about how this would sound in reality, so we met up to work on the tune & she said it was pretty much like how she had envisioned it & I liked how it sounded, so I thought it would be worth putting out on a future Meeting Of The Minds release, which ended up being this one.
Big up to all the artists involved on this edition of Meeting Of The Minds, it's quite a long and arduous task putting together each one, which is why there was such a gap between Vol. 9 & 10 and Vol. 11 & 12. I plan on getting the series back into something more regularly occurring, so hopefully I can actually stick to that plan!
In 2024, Kyoto Jazz Massive released their third album as a digital-only project, 30 years after their debut. It now receives the honor of a special vinyl edition, featuring brand-new exclusive mixes by Young Pulse—elevating these already great tracks to even greater heights, for both your ears and your feet.
This marks the first and exclusive collaboration between KJM and Echoes Of A New Dawn Orchestra (aka Jéroboam), the unique Parisian band that has been performing live with KJM across Europe for the past three years. On this occasion, KJM recorded four new tracks with EOANDO, including three original songs ("Power", "Love Wars", and "Impulsive Procession") and a new rendition of “Stand Up”, a previously released composition. To complete the album, you'll also find a stunning cover of KJM’s iconic track "Substream" by EOANDO, as well as their signature piece, “EOANDO's Theme”.
"Power" and "Stand Up" were recorded with Vanessa Freeman, while "Love Wars" features Bembe Segue. This London-based duo has been singing live with KJM since 2004.
"Power" is a crossover anthem, blending jazz-funk and French disco with a gospel touch. Vanessa Freeman’s uplifting lyrics call for collective awareness and energize audiences. "Love Wars" is a live-band interpretation of broken beat with a boogie spirit, enhanced by Bembe Segue’s sharp and spiritual vocals. “EOANDO’s Theme” was specially composed by Echoes Of A New Dawn Orchestra for KJM, capturing the Okino Brothers' love for boogie-funk jams with Brazilian and Balearic influences reminiscent of Azymuth.
“Impulsive Procession” fuses Afro, funk, jazz, fusion, soul, rock, house, and techno—drawing inspiration from several of KJM’s most respected musical heroes. A brand-new version of “Stand Up”, originally released in 2008, was re-recorded live in the studio with EOANDO and fresh vocals by Vanessa Freeman.
The album closes with a reimagined version of “Substream”, one of KJM’s most beloved tracks, covered by EOANDO for the official Tokyo Crossover/Jazz Festival 2023 compilation. This new version was recorded as an organic disco interpretation at Danilo Plessow’s studio in Paris.
Indie exclusive Peak Edition on Orange & Black Swirl Vinyl, in a gatefold cover + poster.
It's spring of 2023 in the North Carolina Piedmont, and songwriter and singer M.C. Taylor - leader of the band Hiss Golden Messenger - is feeling alive. Joyful. Eternal, he might say. For the Grammy-nominated musician, whose albums have traced an internal path through adulthood, fatherhood, spirituality, and depression for well over a decade, this is something new. "The tunes on Jump for Joy were composed in free moments throughout 2022, a year during which Hiss was on the road more or less constantly," explains Taylor. "And perhaps because the post-pandemic energy out in the world felt so chaotic and uncertain, I found myself thinking a lot about the role that music has played in my life and how exactly I ended up in the rarefied position of leading a band and crew all over the globe through dingy graffiti-scrawled green rooms, venerated music halls, dust-blown roadside motels.
Sometimes playing in front of 5,000; sometimes 200. Sleeping sitting up. Laughing until my stomach hurts. Not being able to fall asleep at 3 a.m. in some anonymous bed because my mind is spinning with anxiety or depression or adrenaline, or because my ears are still ringing. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, then robbing Paul to pay Peter back. Over and over again. It's an outlaw life but one, I'm coming to realize, that makes me happy." The songs that make up Jump for Joy - the sharpest and most autobiographical that Taylor has written under the Hiss name - read as a sort of epistolary, postcards between the present-day songwriter and his alias Michael Crow, a teenaged dreamer very much like Taylor himself, who trips his way through the 14 tunes that make up the record. In this way, Jump for Joy is a meditation on a life lived with art, and the ways that our hopes and dreams and decisions bump up against_ and, with a little bit of luck, occasionally merge with real life. "Creating this character became the way that I could explore these vulnerable, tender moments that were so decisive in my life, even if I didn't know it at the time," explains Taylor.
Produced by Taylor and engineered by longtime Hiss compatriot Scott Hirsch over two weeks in the late fall of 2022 at the fabled Sonic Ranch studio in Tornillo, TX, just a short walk from the Mexican border, Jump for Joy dances with joyful, spontaneous energy that feels like a fresh chapter in the Hiss Golden Messenger oeuvre. Taylor is accompanied throughout the album by his crack live band: guitarist Chris Boerner, bassist Alex Bingham, keyboardist Sam Fribush, and drummer Nick Falk, a collection of musicians that have helped make Hiss Golden Messenger's live performances legendary affairs
Dario Bassolino is pianist, producer and composer born in Naples, where he currently resides. With an eclectic taste and an genre-defying musical ability, he has produced for and played alongside alt-R&B vocalist LNDFK, jazz-funk legend Nicola Conte, Early Sounds boss Pellegrino and has collaborated with Nu Genea, Kurtis Rosenwinkel and rapper Pink Siifu to name a few. Inspired by the Brazilian funk greats Hermeto Pascoal and Airto Moreira and their Italian counterparts such as Franco Califano, Lucio Battisti, Panella, Enzo di Domenico and Gennaro D'Auria. Bassolino’s live show has a very organic form and is inspired by jazz, funk and disco improvisation, having extensive experience playing to enthusiastic international audiences as a session musician at prestigious festivals Primavera Sound, Montreux Jazz festival, Dour Festival and We Out Here.
Bassolino's new release is located where the sea begins and the sky ends. Two tracks that carry the horizon drawing a straight line between Naples, Tunisi and Beirut. A thin but tangible line that unites the Mediterranean poles. Hence the concept of "Popoli del Mare", the multiform sound waves intertwine a composition with an incessant rhythm: the Afro contamination of Charif Megarbane finds a fit with the Italian and dreamy harmonies of Bassolino. Baid Alik is a song of love and hope. The sound, purely inspired by the research of Habibi Funk, evokes the memory of an ancestral past shared by Bassolino with the Tunisian singer Marzouk Mejri.
His voice, halfway between proto- rap and melodic, mix perfectly to the disco-cinematic instrumental.
- A1: The Bird
- A2: Heart Don't Stand A Chance
- A3: The Waters Ft. Bj The Chicago Kid
- A4: The Season/Carry Me
- A5: Put Me Thru
- A6: Am I Wrong Ft. Schoolboy Q
- A7: Without You Ft. Rapsody
- A8: Parking Lot
- B1: Lite Weight Ft The Free Nationals United Fellowship Choir
- B2: Room In Here Ft. The Game & Sonyae Elise
- B3: Water Fall (Interluuube)
- B4: Your Prime
- B5: Come Down
- B6: Silicon Valley
- B7: Celebrate
- B8: The Dreamer Ft. Talib Kweli & Timan Family Choir
The two-time GRAMMY Nominated timeless album, Malibu. After dropping his debut album, Venice, in 2014, and then being featured on six tracks on Dr. Dre’s Compton album in 2015, 2016’s Malibu marked a major landmark moment in Anderson .Paak’s now storied career and paved the way for him to be the household name he is today. Known by many as one of the best live performers around, and with countless brand collaborations, sold out tours, chart topping albums, and even a joint album with the legendary Bruno Mars to his name, it’s safe to say that Anderson .Paak has reached Icon status. This classic catalog piece features appearances from Schoolboy Q, The Game, BJ The Chicago Kid, and more.
Northern Front records 8th vinyl release is The Drowning World (Passive Margins EP) which is Response & Sonic under an alias, the EP consists of 3 atmospheric drum & bass tracks with tenor sax played by Jasper Byrne and 1 house track by Response. The vinyl will have full artwork sleeve by Mark McGuinness and has been mastered by Simon Davey exchange…….
- A1: De Vrouwen Die Ik Nooit Heb Gekend
- A2: Broekjes Aan De Lijn
- A3: Alzheimer Blues
- A4: Mooi Zoals Je Bent
- A5: Ijsje Met Chocola
- A6: Sex Op Vreemde Plaatsen
- B1: Jessica
- B2: Vaginale Vakantie
- B3: Meneer De Generaal
- B4: De Zuchter
- B5: De Blik Die Je Die Gast Geeft
- B6: Ik Wil Mezelf Bedanken
‘Tedere Baldadigheden’, Guido Belcanto's new, long-awaited album in a production by Firmin Michiels and Guido Op De Beeck, was released on 4 October, 2024 at the beginning of a very extensive, sold out tour. It is a special retrospective from an award-winning singer who looks back with melancholy and humour on the many mischievous adventures that marked his life. Love prevails, but tragedy and tristesse also leave their mark on Belcanto himself and the scarred souls of the many colourful characters who come to life in his songs.
This 15th studio album undoubtedly represents a new high point in Belcanto's oeuvre, which now numbers over 300 songs, with 11 of his own songs and 2 surprising adaptations of songs by Eels and Guido's idol Renaud. Besides members of his loyal backing band Het Broederschap, guest musicians such as Stoy Stoffelen, David Poltrock, Evert Verhees, Jan De Smet, Alban Sarens, Adriano Cominotto and Chris Peeters also play along. Also notable are certainly the passages of Lara Chedraoui (Intergalactic Lovers) and The Bonnie Blues.
For more than 40 years, Guido Belcanto has been creating a universe all his own with his songs. A warm, recognisable home for everyone, young or old, rich or poor, winner or loser. A home too, masterfully brought to a stage where the audience is allowed to be themselves without embarrassment, praising happiness, measuring the damage suffered, letting the tears flow and the laughs ring out.
Dark Green Vinyl[37,40 €]
Press Quotes:
Rock Hard 8.5/10: "...noch ausgereifter und dürften sich endgültig als eine feste Größe im britischen Prog Metal etablieren. Das Nebeneinander von modernen und traditionellen Elementen funktioniert ganz wunderbar... Eine der positivsten Überraschungen des Prog-Jahres 2025!"
"...even more mature and should finally establish themselves as a permanent fixture in British prog metal. The juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements works wonderfully... One of the most positive surprises of the prog year 2025!"
Metal Hammer 4.5/7: "Insofern gehört auch LEGACY zu den tiefschürfenden Statements einer modernen Band, die voll im Zeitgeist ist."
"In this respect, LEGACY is also one of the profound statements of a modern band that is fully in tune with the zeitgeist."
Legacy 13/15: "Diese Band ist manifestierte Kreativität, die dazu dient, den Geist mit Glück zu erfüllen. So viel Schönheit ist schon bemerkenswert. Dieses Werk ist wahrlich ein Vermächtnis, welches den Prog in ein neues Zeitalter führt und in der Musikwelt seine Spuren hinterlassen wird."
"This band is manifest creativity that serves to fill the spirit with happiness. Such beauty is truly remarkable. This work is truly a legacy that will lead prog metal into a new era and leave its mark on the music world."
eclipsed 8/10 (#2 in eclipsed Radar Top 20): "Die erzeugten Stimmungen - die mit den eine dystopische Zukunft beschreibenden Texten korrelieren - machen „Legacy" vielmehr zu einem Bauch-Album, das mit Atmosphäre punktet und einem bei jedem Durchlauf besser gefällt. ...Durchweg tolle Melodien, starker Gesang und abwechslungsreiche Gestaltung der Songs. ...Es ist ein moderner Kopfhörer-Traum, den Ihlo hier abgeliefert haben."
"The moods created—which correlate with the lyrics describing a dystopian future—make "Legacy" more of a gut-pumping album, one that scores with atmosphere and grows more likable with each listen. ...Consistently great melodies, strong vocals, and varied songwriting. ...It's a modern headphone dream that Ihlo have delivered here."
saitenkult.de 9/10: "Mit ´Legacy´ legen IHLO den Grundstein zu ihrem eigenen Vermächtnis. Ein Werk, das in die Zukunft strahlt und zugleich im Hier und Jetzt überwältigt."
"With 'Legacy,' IHLO lay the foundation for their own legacy. A work that radiates into the future and simultaneously overwhelms the here and now."
theprogspace 10/10: "Ihlo’s growth since their beginnings has been nothing short of spectacular, and to witness how far they’ve come is inspiring. After listening nonstop to ‘Legacy’, it is really hard for me to realize that it is just their second album (!). It is so well produced with its raw energy and depth. It is truly cementing their career, carving out a big bold name within the best of the best in the prog metal universe."
metal-heads.de: "Ein interessantes Prog-Werk haben IHLO da erschaffen."
"IHLO have created an interesting prog work."
moshpitpassion.de: "Manchmal hört man einen Song und weiß sofort: Das hier wird etwas Besonderes. Genau so wirkt „Replica“, die neue Single von IHLO. …macht deutlich, wie weit sich die Band seit ihrem Debüt entwickelt hat. Die Atmosphäre ist dicht, die Dynamikwechsel kommen plötzlich und hart, und der Breakdown bringt eine rohe Härte mit, wie man sie von IHLO in dieser Form noch nicht kannte. Und trotzdem bleibt alles stimmig, melodisch und emotional aufgeladen."
"Sometimes you hear a song and know immediately: This is going to be something special. That's exactly how "Replica," the new single from IHLO, feels. ...makes it clear how far the band has evolved since their debut. The atmosphere is dense, the dynamic shifts are sudden and harsh, and the breakdown brings a raw heaviness never before seen from IHLO. And yet everything remains coherent, melodic, and emotionally charged."
Press Quotes:
Rock Hard 8.5/10: "...noch ausgereifter und dürften sich endgültig als eine feste Größe im britischen Prog Metal etablieren. Das Nebeneinander von modernen und traditionellen Elementen funktioniert ganz wunderbar... Eine der positivsten Überraschungen des Prog-Jahres 2025!"
"...even more mature and should finally establish themselves as a permanent fixture in British prog metal. The juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements works wonderfully... One of the most positive surprises of the prog year 2025!"
Metal Hammer 4.5/7: "Insofern gehört auch LEGACY zu den tiefschürfenden Statements einer modernen Band, die voll im Zeitgeist ist."
"In this respect, LEGACY is also one of the profound statements of a modern band that is fully in tune with the zeitgeist."
Legacy 13/15: "Diese Band ist manifestierte Kreativität, die dazu dient, den Geist mit Glück zu erfüllen. So viel Schönheit ist schon bemerkenswert. Dieses Werk ist wahrlich ein Vermächtnis, welches den Prog in ein neues Zeitalter führt und in der Musikwelt seine Spuren hinterlassen wird."
"This band is manifest creativity that serves to fill the spirit with happiness. Such beauty is truly remarkable. This work is truly a legacy that will lead prog metal into a new era and leave its mark on the music world."
eclipsed 8/10 (#2 in eclipsed Radar Top 20): "Die erzeugten Stimmungen - die mit den eine dystopische Zukunft beschreibenden Texten korrelieren - machen „Legacy" vielmehr zu einem Bauch-Album, das mit Atmosphäre punktet und einem bei jedem Durchlauf besser gefällt. ...Durchweg tolle Melodien, starker Gesang und abwechslungsreiche Gestaltung der Songs. ...Es ist ein moderner Kopfhörer-Traum, den Ihlo hier abgeliefert haben."
"The moods created—which correlate with the lyrics describing a dystopian future—make "Legacy" more of a gut-pumping album, one that scores with atmosphere and grows more likable with each listen. ...Consistently great melodies, strong vocals, and varied songwriting. ...It's a modern headphone dream that Ihlo have delivered here."
saitenkult.de 9/10: "Mit ´Legacy´ legen IHLO den Grundstein zu ihrem eigenen Vermächtnis. Ein Werk, das in die Zukunft strahlt und zugleich im Hier und Jetzt überwältigt."
"With 'Legacy,' IHLO lay the foundation for their own legacy. A work that radiates into the future and simultaneously overwhelms the here and now."
theprogspace 10/10: "Ihlo’s growth since their beginnings has been nothing short of spectacular, and to witness how far they’ve come is inspiring. After listening nonstop to ‘Legacy’, it is really hard for me to realize that it is just their second album (!). It is so well produced with its raw energy and depth. It is truly cementing their career, carving out a big bold name within the best of the best in the prog metal universe."
metal-heads.de: "Ein interessantes Prog-Werk haben IHLO da erschaffen."
"IHLO have created an interesting prog work."
moshpitpassion.de: "Manchmal hört man einen Song und weiß sofort: Das hier wird etwas Besonderes. Genau so wirkt „Replica“, die neue Single von IHLO. …macht deutlich, wie weit sich die Band seit ihrem Debüt entwickelt hat. Die Atmosphäre ist dicht, die Dynamikwechsel kommen plötzlich und hart, und der Breakdown bringt eine rohe Härte mit, wie man sie von IHLO in dieser Form noch nicht kannte. Und trotzdem bleibt alles stimmig, melodisch und emotional aufgeladen."
"Sometimes you hear a song and know immediately: This is going to be something special. That's exactly how "Replica," the new single from IHLO, feels. ...makes it clear how far the band has evolved since their debut. The atmosphere is dense, the dynamic shifts are sudden and harsh, and the breakdown brings a raw heaviness never before seen from IHLO. And yet everything remains coherent, melodic, and emotionally charged.
Black Vinyl[37,40 €]
Press Quotes:
Rock Hard 8.5/10: "...noch ausgereifter und dürften sich endgültig als eine feste Größe im britischen Prog Metal etablieren. Das Nebeneinander von modernen und traditionellen Elementen funktioniert ganz wunderbar... Eine der positivsten Überraschungen des Prog-Jahres 2025!"
"...even more mature and should finally establish themselves as a permanent fixture in British prog metal. The juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements works wonderfully... One of the most positive surprises of the prog year 2025!"
Metal Hammer 4.5/7: "Insofern gehört auch LEGACY zu den tiefschürfenden Statements einer modernen Band, die voll im Zeitgeist ist."
"In this respect, LEGACY is also one of the profound statements of a modern band that is fully in tune with the zeitgeist."
Legacy 13/15: "Diese Band ist manifestierte Kreativität, die dazu dient, den Geist mit Glück zu erfüllen. So viel Schönheit ist schon bemerkenswert. Dieses Werk ist wahrlich ein Vermächtnis, welches den Prog in ein neues Zeitalter führt und in der Musikwelt seine Spuren hinterlassen wird."
"This band is manifest creativity that serves to fill the spirit with happiness. Such beauty is truly remarkable. This work is truly a legacy that will lead prog metal into a new era and leave its mark on the music world."
eclipsed 8/10 (#2 in eclipsed Radar Top 20): "Die erzeugten Stimmungen - die mit den eine dystopische Zukunft beschreibenden Texten korrelieren - machen „Legacy" vielmehr zu einem Bauch-Album, das mit Atmosphäre punktet und einem bei jedem Durchlauf besser gefällt. ...Durchweg tolle Melodien, starker Gesang und abwechslungsreiche Gestaltung der Songs. ...Es ist ein moderner Kopfhörer-Traum, den Ihlo hier abgeliefert haben."
"The moods created—which correlate with the lyrics describing a dystopian future—make "Legacy" more of a gut-pumping album, one that scores with atmosphere and grows more likable with each listen. ...Consistently great melodies, strong vocals, and varied songwriting. ...It's a modern headphone dream that Ihlo have delivered here."
saitenkult.de 9/10: "Mit ´Legacy´ legen IHLO den Grundstein zu ihrem eigenen Vermächtnis. Ein Werk, das in die Zukunft strahlt und zugleich im Hier und Jetzt überwältigt."
"With 'Legacy,' IHLO lay the foundation for their own legacy. A work that radiates into the future and simultaneously overwhelms the here and now."
theprogspace 10/10: "Ihlo’s growth since their beginnings has been nothing short of spectacular, and to witness how far they’ve come is inspiring. After listening nonstop to ‘Legacy’, it is really hard for me to realize that it is just their second album (!). It is so well produced with its raw energy and depth. It is truly cementing their career, carving out a big bold name within the best of the best in the prog metal universe."
metal-heads.de: "Ein interessantes Prog-Werk haben IHLO da erschaffen."
"IHLO have created an interesting prog work."
moshpitpassion.de: "Manchmal hört man einen Song und weiß sofort: Das hier wird etwas Besonderes. Genau so wirkt „Replica“, die neue Single von IHLO. …macht deutlich, wie weit sich die Band seit ihrem Debüt entwickelt hat. Die Atmosphäre ist dicht, die Dynamikwechsel kommen plötzlich und hart, und der Breakdown bringt eine rohe Härte mit, wie man sie von IHLO in dieser Form noch nicht kannte. Und trotzdem bleibt alles stimmig, melodisch und emotional aufgeladen."
"Sometimes you hear a song and know immediately: This is going to be something special. That's exactly how "Replica," the new single from IHLO, feels. ...makes it clear how far the band has evolved since their debut. The atmosphere is dense, the dynamic shifts are sudden and harsh, and the breakdown brings a raw heaviness never before seen from IHLO. And yet everything remains coherent, melodic, and emotionally charged."
Press Quotes:
Rock Hard 8.5/10: "...noch ausgereifter und dürften sich endgültig als eine feste Größe im britischen Prog Metal etablieren. Das Nebeneinander von modernen und traditionellen Elementen funktioniert ganz wunderbar... Eine der positivsten Überraschungen des Prog-Jahres 2025!"
"...even more mature and should finally establish themselves as a permanent fixture in British prog metal. The juxtaposition of modern and traditional elements works wonderfully... One of the most positive surprises of the prog year 2025!"
Metal Hammer 4.5/7: "Insofern gehört auch LEGACY zu den tiefschürfenden Statements einer modernen Band, die voll im Zeitgeist ist."
"In this respect, LEGACY is also one of the profound statements of a modern band that is fully in tune with the zeitgeist."
Legacy 13/15: "Diese Band ist manifestierte Kreativität, die dazu dient, den Geist mit Glück zu erfüllen. So viel Schönheit ist schon bemerkenswert. Dieses Werk ist wahrlich ein Vermächtnis, welches den Prog in ein neues Zeitalter führt und in der Musikwelt seine Spuren hinterlassen wird."
"This band is manifest creativity that serves to fill the spirit with happiness. Such beauty is truly remarkable. This work is truly a legacy that will lead prog metal into a new era and leave its mark on the music world."
eclipsed 8/10 (#2 in eclipsed Radar Top 20): "Die erzeugten Stimmungen - die mit den eine dystopische Zukunft beschreibenden Texten korrelieren - machen „Legacy" vielmehr zu einem Bauch-Album, das mit Atmosphäre punktet und einem bei jedem Durchlauf besser gefällt. ...Durchweg tolle Melodien, starker Gesang und abwechslungsreiche Gestaltung der Songs. ...Es ist ein moderner Kopfhörer-Traum, den Ihlo hier abgeliefert haben."
"The moods created—which correlate with the lyrics describing a dystopian future—make "Legacy" more of a gut-pumping album, one that scores with atmosphere and grows more likable with each listen. ...Consistently great melodies, strong vocals, and varied songwriting. ...It's a modern headphone dream that Ihlo have delivered here."
saitenkult.de 9/10: "Mit ´Legacy´ legen IHLO den Grundstein zu ihrem eigenen Vermächtnis. Ein Werk, das in die Zukunft strahlt und zugleich im Hier und Jetzt überwältigt."
"With 'Legacy,' IHLO lay the foundation for their own legacy. A work that radiates into the future and simultaneously overwhelms the here and now."
theprogspace 10/10: "Ihlo’s growth since their beginnings has been nothing short of spectacular, and to witness how far they’ve come is inspiring. After listening nonstop to ‘Legacy’, it is really hard for me to realize that it is just their second album (!). It is so well produced with its raw energy and depth. It is truly cementing their career, carving out a big bold name within the best of the best in the prog metal universe."
metal-heads.de: "Ein interessantes Prog-Werk haben IHLO da erschaffen."
"IHLO have created an interesting prog work."
moshpitpassion.de: "Manchmal hört man einen Song und weiß sofort: Das hier wird etwas Besonderes. Genau so wirkt „Replica“, die neue Single von IHLO. …macht deutlich, wie weit sich die Band seit ihrem Debüt entwickelt hat. Die Atmosphäre ist dicht, die Dynamikwechsel kommen plötzlich und hart, und der Breakdown bringt eine rohe Härte mit, wie man sie von IHLO in dieser Form noch nicht kannte. Und trotzdem bleibt alles stimmig, melodisch und emotional aufgeladen."
"Sometimes you hear a song and know immediately: This is going to be something special. That's exactly how "Replica," the new single from IHLO, feels. ...makes it clear how far the band has evolved since their debut. The atmosphere is dense, the dynamic shifts are sudden and harsh, and the breakdown brings a raw heaviness never before seen from IHLO. And yet everything remains coherent, melodic, and emotionally charged.
- Not Not Not
- Du Na
- Sayonara
- Ça Commence Par
- Marafon 15
- Tea + Lu Na
- Plans
- Telefon
- If Anyone's Sleepy
- Outro
"Room for the Moon Live" dokumentiert einen ekstatischen Abend, den die facettenreiche Produzentin und Performerin Kate NV ins Leben gerufen hat. Das Album wurde während einer einmaligen Show aufgenommen, die einige Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung von "Room for the Moon" (2020) stattfand. NV malt innerhalb und außerhalb der expressionistischen Linien ihrer Solo-Persönlichkeit und steht an der Spitze einer eklektischen achtköpfigen Band, die Material aus ihrem skurrilen und endlos faszinierenden zweiten Album aufgreift und weiterentwickelt. Für NV ist "Room for the Moon Live" mehr als nur ein Meilenstein, der die fünf Jahre seit der Veröffentlichung ihres zweiten Albums markiert. Die Aufnahme dokumentiert einen wichtigen und seitdem einmaligen Abend, an dem der Sound und die Seele des Albums und ihrer musikalischen Vertrauten einen Raum der Zuflucht in einer besonders schweren und isolierenden Zeit schufen. ,Das wichtigste Thema des Konzerts war, ein Team zu sein - zusammen", sagt NV. ,Musik zu spielen und zu versuchen, in dunklen Zeiten Freude zu verbreiten. Das war für mich sehr wichtig." Die Band wurde von NV aus einer eng verbundenen Gruppe von Musikerfreunden und häufigen Kollaborateuren zusammengestellt, wobei der Kern aus Mitgliedern von Glintshake besteht, der Post-Punk-Band, die sie 2012 mitbegründet hat. Unter NVs leichtfüßiger Leitung begann das Ensemble, die Richtung der Performance zu skizzieren und sich vorzustellen, wie sie einige der synthlastigeren Stücke von Room mit neuen Ideen und akustischen Texturen neu gestalten könnten, unterstützt durch ihre Offenheit für Improvisation, ,Jam"-Ästhetik und vor allem durch ihren freigeistigen Spaß an der Sache. ,Der Ansatz war in etwa: ,Leute, wir spielen Songs, aber hier können wir richtig wild werden`", erinnert sie sich. ,Ich hatte einige ,Musts`, die wir so originalgetreu wie möglich nachbilden mussten, weil sie für die Songs entscheidend waren, aber es war nie eine Priorität, alle in einen Käfig der Originale zu stecken. Die Tracks haben dadurch nur gewonnen und klingen kraftvoller als die Originalversionen." NV hebt ,Marafon 15" und ,Telefon" als besonders eindrucksvolle Beispiele für die tief groovenden, groovigen Art-Rock-Kräfte hervor, die die Originale auf der Bühne belebten. Aber auch über diese beiden Tracks hinaus sind alle Songs weiter ausgelegt und fließen freier, oft eine Minute oder mehrere Minuten länger als die Originale, da die Band einige der eher poporientierten Arrangements von Room aufbricht. NV verweist auch auf die ausgedehnten Solo-Passagen in ,Ça commence par" und die euphorische Coda von ,Lu Na", die während einer Probe der Band entstanden sind und dann für immer Teil des Songs geblieben sind, als einige der verspieltesten Momente des Albums. Live-Alben folgen, sei es aus Notwendigkeit oder aus Gewohnheit, meist einem altbewährten Muster: Sie dokumentieren eine Reihe von Abenden auf Tournee, an denen Künstler vor einem aufgeschlossenen, aber oft verschwommenen Publikum in fremden Städten spielen, die in einem impressionistischen Nebel aus Orten, Räumen, Bildern und Geschmäckern vorbeiziehen. Die Performance auf "Room for the Moon Live" ist etwas ganz anderes. Es ist Musik, die von Freunden für Freunde gemacht wurde, um zu heilen und zu fühlen, voller Freude und grenzenloser Großzügigkeit. Kate NVs "Room for the Moon Live" erscheint fast genau fünf Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung des Originalalbums, als limitierte Doppel-LP und in unbegrenzter digitaler Auflage.
Expansive and ambitious, Tender Revolutions is the latest from Vietnam-born, Portland, Oregon-based multimedia artist Dao Strom. A fluid album, existing between genres—part ambient folk, part sound collage, part spoken word, part post rock—it blurs the line between the work of an experimental composer and the work of an accomplished singer-songwriter. Instruments slip in and out (guitar, piano, synthesizer, strings, drums, percussion) amid field recordings and samples, all anchored by Strom’s singular voice.
The songs of Tender Revolutions reflect on and embody themes of “yellow subjectivities”—the Asian body as perceived; the Asian feminine body as reflection/catalyst/consort—offering their own forms of response to troubling representations of Asian women in popular media in the West. A “re-voicing” of the problematic hit song “China Girl” by David Bowie re-inhabits this song from a discomfiting silence at its center, and serves as a fulcrum point in the album’s sequencing. Other songs utilize voice as both texture and lyric-driven telling to deepen angles of interiority and thematics of voice/silence.
While Tender Revolutions stands alone as its own whole, it also exists as part of a larger multifaceted project, drawing from a four-part song-cycle (Nhạc Vàng 1-4) and accompanying a series of hybrid-genre literary chapbooks (Yellow Songs 1-4). Released in collaboration with The 3rd Thing, an interdisciplinary publisher in Olympia.
[a] tender variation i [what is tender?]
[b] tender variation ii [when was the first time u felt loved?]
[c] tender variation iii [associations of yellow]
[d] tender variation iv [love object treason]
[i] [hailing tender]
On an evening in November 2020, Belgian artist Nicolas Rombouts (Dez Mona, Stef Kamil Carlens…) and American-then-Brussels-based artist Matt Watts (+2024) met at Studio Caporal in Antwerp, behind Central Station. Just a week after the suicide of friend and artist Loloman (aka Ward Zwart), and in the wake of the end of a marriage marred by pain, addiction, and depression. The two had spoken by phone and agreed to a recording session.
That evening, they shared their loss in conversation, on muted piano, contrabass, and electronics. Compositions were shared and improvised, and by the next day, their album Muted Songs For Piano was complete.
It is meant to be listened to in one full trip from beginning to end. You’ve traveled across the galaxy and are looking back through a telescope at this world and its lonesome mausoleum of memory. Sounds you can almost hear, and movements you can almost feel, though you know it has passed in the time its light has taken to reach you.
Muted Songs For Piano is an impressive and extremely intense listening experience, an album that engages in a heroic battle with the personal nocturnal demons of the two composers.




















