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Mysteries Of The World is the stunning final studio album from legendary Philly supergroup MFSB. Expertly co-written and produced with the mighty Dexter Wansel, it features the untouchable, sparkling masterpiece "Mysteries Of The World". The whole album is truly exquisite; a stylish, classy collection of pure Philly soul and orchestral jazz-funk.

MFSB, an acronym for Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, was formed by producers Gamble & Huff of Philadelphia International Records. The band's roots can be traced back to the house band at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios, where they played on numerous hit records by artists like The O'Jays, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and The Stylistics. Mysteries Of The World comprises slick jazz-funk grooves, mostly penned by Wansel, who produced a fair chunk of the album in a similar style to his space-funk records. MFSB's smooth sound is retained but it receives a fresh, elegant and jazzy upgrade. While this album is as mellow as the rest of the latter-period MFSB recordings, it never forgets the group's soul music underpinnings.

Swaggering, well-timed horn blasts, sweeping strings and a percolating, hard thumping slap-bassline combine to devastating effect on amazing opener "Manhattan Skyline". It's a sexy mid-tempo instrumental which sets us up nicely for what follows. Essays could be written analysing the perfection of title track. Arguably the finest jazz-funk instrumental ever made, it's absolutely magnificent. Featuring musicianship of the highest calibre, the band play with their trademark tight discipline, cooking up a syncopating rhythm with an array of exploratory keyboard riffs wrapped around a punchy bassline sent from heaven. It sounds like house music, it's that ahead of its time. The string intro is sumptuous, hypnotic and divine and that's all before the beat hits. The track fuses classical, jazz and funk into a musical journey that you never want to end. Absolutely flawless, it's a dramatic disco dancefloor killer.

Says Dexter Wansel himself: "You know, of all the songs I wrote/produced/arranged for MFSB, this is for me the most different. I think it's an experiment in rhythmic, soft sonic synth and live string and harp combinations. I composed it in an effort to blend a funky groove, along with synthesis, and orchestral sounds. There are 3 synthesizers: Oberheim 4 voice, Polymoog, and of course Arp 2600v. And, as I remember, I recorded the track with the rhythm section, string, harp and flute players first. Then I added synthesis."

The profound elegance remains in abundance on the slinky, harp-laced "Tell Me Why"; Carla Benson's beautiful voice truly shines on this sophisticated cut. The side closes out in dramatic style with the string-drenched "Metamorphosis". It's a staccato, Blaxploitation groove workout featuring wah-wah guitar, creeping basslines, rich horn solos and soulful vocals drifting in and out of the mix. The bouncy, irrepressible "Fortune Teller" opens the B side in the bass-heavy orchestral funk style before the beautiful "Old San Juan" glides in, a Balearic-adjacent track with intricate arrangements, building its mellow soul groove around an atypical flamenco guitar hook. Melancholy, guitar-led instrumental "Thank You Miss Scott" is a real highlight, with gorgeous flute, string and percussive elements whilst closer "In the Shadow" works an otherworldly synth line into its bossa nova groove.

An essential record for fans of Philly soul and groovy jazz-funk, Mysteries Of The World was mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis and cut by Cicely Ralston for Alchemy at AIR Studios. The stunning artwork, the work of renowned illustrator Robert Giusti, was restored at Be With HQ to round out this beautiful reissue.

Water Machine is an office romance between Hando Morice (they/them), Flore de Hoog (she/her), Jimmy Gage (he/him) and Goda Ilgauskaitė (she/her). An unassuming supergroup formed out of Glasgow institutions including Goth GF, Passion Pusher, Brenda and Soursob, their sound careens between punk, country and alt-rock underpinned by the unique quality they call “Raw Liquid Power”.
Following last year’s self-titled demo tape on Gold Mold Records, and fresh off of shows with the likes of Holiday Ghosts, The Cool Greenhouse and The Orielles, as well as a rollicking Viagra Boys afterparty, the four-piece will release their highly-anticipated first studio effort ‘Raw Liquid Power’ on Upset The Rhythm on August 4th.
The EP opens with a menacing, modulating synth melody. Gage’s guitar enters with a mighty bend before breaking into the chugging rhythm of ‘Water Machine Pt. 2’. This timely reminder to refill your water bottle - “don’t be late, hydrate!” less a wellness mantra than a threat - builds to a spacey outro with flashes of the art-punk weirdness of Suburban Lawns. ‘Stilettos’ marches on indignantly with a spiky riff punctuated by Ilgauskaitė’s cowbells. Staccato talk-singing tells a playful tale of stray cats following you home, but belies a darker subtext as the breakdown gives way to paranoid duelling guitars evoking The Fire Engines.


The anti-anthem ‘At the Drive In’ skewers joyless DIY crowds, reminiscent of much-missed Glasgow punks Breakfast Muff. Water Machine’s irrepressible sincerity can’t help but shine through in the final moments though, as jibes about “late night trade potential” give way to plaintive vocal harmonies. Morice tears public transport a new one on closer ‘Bussy’, a First Bus diss track bemoaning precarious employment amidst crumbling infrastructure. “That’s why I’m not on time!” they roar over de Hoog’s frantic, pounding bass, bringing the record to a skidding, screeching halt.

Just in time for the summer R&C Records is back, delivering a new edition of fresh reworks from the Italo and 80s scene.
Logo side sees a cool re-imagination of “Starter” (which never made on a vinyl before); Lucio’s voice gets a Balearic treatment
through Italo synths and space-disco harmonics sounds!
On the flip side an addictive Electro-Boogie retouch of a well-known anthem from the Synth Pop era.
Limited sampler - Vinyl Only !!

Emerging talent Amazingblaze has unveiled his new EP ‘Can’t Stop’, out on 3rd March on Charlotte de Witte’s KNTXT imprint.

A four track release, the EP opens with trance cut ‘Can’t Stop’, an electrifying club record which is reminiscent of the 90s. Next up is ‘Got The Vibe’ following the theme of 90s raving, a pulsating, high energy cut. Combining heavy hitting techno beats, ‘Enter The Rave’ sets the tone of the EP, whilst the emotive ‘On The Grind’ closes off the EP with driving pummeling techno, laced with captivating hip-hop vocals.

“Can't Stop EP has a very individual vibe, this time I decided to go through some classic 90s trance & techno vibes and added some freshness by using hip-hop vocals.” Amazingblaze explains. “Each track has its own story. Here we got massive bangers for big venues and hard hitting tracks for clubs.”

Charlotte de Witte adds: “Amazingblaze is back on KNTXT with some truly magnificent tracks. Can’t Stop EP is filled with masterpieces that always turn out to be one of the highlights of my sets. His very distinctive sound just never disappoints. I’m very happy to have him on board for another massive EP on the label.”

Amazingblaze is a fast-rising newcomer on the scene who caught the attention of Charlotte de Witte with his unique talent and craft. Surrounded by music since childhood, Amazingblaze was intrigued by the mysterious vibrations of sound, which was his initial inspiration to produce electronic music. Arriving in St. Petersburg as a teenager, he met producer BMB Spacekid, who later became his mentor. Amazingblaze went onto releasing on Charlotte de Witte's iconic label KNTXT for the first time in 2022 with his ‘Venture EP’ that turned heads on a worldwide scale.

The ‘Can’t Stop EP’ showcases Amazingblaze’s meticulous craft as a fresh newcomer on the scene.

Superbly multifaceted nocturnal sound journey by prolific Swedish producer Peter Benisch, known under the name “Harmon Eyes”. Beautiful synth melodies, powerful drums: three techno/trance tracks from out of space. All tracks freshly remastered. Powerful, unique and must-have EP!

(Late Nite Tuff Guy & Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk Remixes)

An ‘80s dance classic from the legend John Rocca, gets a fresh new take from Aussie edit king Late Nite Tuff Guy alongside a remastered reissue of Chicago house royalty Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk’s 1987 Hot House Piano Remix.

The main man behind jazz funk favourites, Freeez, John Rocca took to the studio in ’84 and whipped up an electro-fied steamer in the form of ‘I Want It To Be Real’. Tantalizing synthwork, beefed up basslines, gated snares and pure ‘80s vocals, it’s a melting pot of influences with a catchiness that caused a serious stir.

This special double header of remixes kicks off with a brand new mix from Late Nite Tuff Guy. He builds up the brilliance with masterful effect, keeping the vocal in the back pocket till the final frontier whilst adding in some buttery new synth magic and deft filtering to the mix.

On the flip, Chicago house don Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk’s 1987 remix homes in on those blissful piano and vocal stabs for a dubbed out ‘Hot House Piano Mix’. Spiritual keys laid down with passion that will be sure to get any dancefloor hot under the collar.

DJ Feedback:

OPTIMO/ JD TWITCH
Nice! The Farley mix is an all time classic. Lovely version from LNTG.

GERD JANSON
I have love for this.

GRAEME PARK/ THE HACIENDA
I vividly remember playing this record the day it was released while working at Selectadisc in Nottingham like it was yesterday. I played it the same night at The Garage club not long after I started DJing there. It brings back some great memories and this superb remix is just wonderful. Its made me get all bleary eyed and tingly. Absolutely tremendous stuff.

AXEL BOMAN
Love this

KAI ALCE / NDATL
This is a HOT EDIT from Late Nite Tuff Guy!

A LOVE FROM OUTER SPACE/ SEAN JOHNSON
Killer - love it

NORM TALLEY
I love this!

CROSSTOWN REBELS
Nice one!!

JACQUES RENAULT / LETS PLAY HOUSE
LOVE the classic Farley piano mix and the LNTG version is a fun take too!

OSUNLADE/ YORUBA
LOVE THIS!!

DANIELE BALDELLI
Love this classic, and now more love for both new remixes

DANNY TENNAGLIA
I really like this remix

DANNY KRIVIT/ BODY & SOUL
Nice

DJ KEMIT/ ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT
An incredible beefed up edit of an international dance floor classic. 10/10

HELENA STAR / NTS
Amazing record, those chords!!

LOUISE CHEN/ NTS
I’d love to play this.

ERIC DUNCAN/ RUB N TUG
This ones cool.

MAKE A DANCE / BEN
Yes yes yes pease love the original so much.

HOT TODDY/ CRAZY P
The Farley mix is a total winner which is a new one on me, LNTG mix is pretty tasty also

TERRY FARLEY
Yes please. A big early House lesson for me BITD

SUB CLUB HARRI
Realy diigin this.

GROOVE ARMADA / TOM FINDLAY
Love this, production is so good!

Wooohaaa! The figure 8 always meant more to us than just a symbol on your screen. For this very reason on our eighth vinyl release from Minor Notes Recordings we’re featuring non other than the legendary producer BMB SpaceKid. Stemming from St. Petersburg and from an early age, BMB proved himself to be an extraordinary musician. Able produces top quality compositions with ease, and in any style, but all with his unique twist.

To date BMB is best known in hip-hop circles as he made album beats for many key underground rap artists. He also went international and produced joint tracks with Dj Premier, Anderson Paak, Raekwon, GoldLink and many others.
BMB has also performed at the Fabric Club in London, the Outlook Origins festival, live on Boiler Room and BBC Radio 1. He also participated in the Red Bull Bass Camp and the Hip-Hop Academy.

On the record "Taste Booster" BMB SpaceKid showcases his taste and skills in the production of house style dance music. A tribute to the traditions of African-American music, the virtuoso mastery of MPC and sampling techniques, and an outstanding approach to melodic rhythms.
We are convinced that this record will appeal to everyone who loves true house music, acting as a breath of fresh air. To enhance the overall effect we invited one of our favorite French producers Art Of Tones, who for a long time, and just like us, has been promoting the organic sound of electronic music 4x4.

Multicast Dynamics returns to Astral Industries for AI-26, this time collaborating with Sid Hille, the German born, Finland based instrumentalist and composer. ‘Metamorphosis’ transmutes both artists’ unique styles into a synergistic blend of transportive storytelling, a delicate dance of light and dark.

Divided into two parts, ’Metamorphosis’ originates from a live performance recorded at Temppeliaukio church in Helsinki on March 2nd, 2019. The material was then edited, where Hille’s soothing keyboard work and haunting passages on the theremin, combine with processed textures and desolate sonic backdrops from Dijk. In this voyage beyond space and time, the subtle dialogue reveals new and perhaps unexpected dimensions in their creative arsenal, finding fresh new boundaries and enriching the palette of both performers. Encounters of sweet fleeting moments of lyricism emerge amidst the chilling outback, in which we're given some final consolation between the long lines of cavernous rifts and deep space tundra. 

Two contrasting remixes of ‘Space Date’ come courtesy of Pleasurekraft and John Monkman, as the three-way collaboration between Adam Beyer, Layton Giordani and Green Velvet continues to thrill.

Joining the strong reworks is an unexpected treat for fans; a last-minute inclusion of a fresh new original track from the trio.

Drumcode got its first taste of Pleasurekraft’s unique production touch in 2016 when ‘Dopefield’ dropped on ‘A-Sides Vol.5’.

The Swedish/American duo’s exploration of cosmic techno realms made them the ideal candidates to re-work ‘Space Date’.

Their contribution is as visceral as they come; defined by a hypnotic vocal arrangement, a stirring call and response melody and propulsive galloping beats fashioned for peak-time moments.

No surprise it was a highlight of Adam Beyer’s Ultra Resistance sets and gobsmacked Maceo Plex who requested a promo to play at Time Warp a week later.

Meanwhile Drumcode debutant John Monkman steps up with a very different, but not less deadly reinterpretation of ‘Space Date’.

The Brit has impressed in recent times with strong releases on Ellum, Kompakt and his own Beesemyer imprint, and takes this form into DC207.

His is a twisted intergalactic re-rub drenched in warped electro, blistering modular sounds and touches of IDM that manages the difficult task of taking the original to darker, more leftfield realms without ever losing its powerful dancefloor pulse.

From playing chaotic house parties in their home city of Oxford to becoming major festival headliners across Europe, Foals' trajectory has been remarkable. They've earned critical acclaim (NME and Q Award wins, plus Mercury Prize, Ivor Novello and BRIT Award nominations) and fan devotion (1.7 million sales of their four Gold-certified albums) in equal measure. And while the majority of contemporaries have fallen by the wayside, Foals continue to hit new peaks.

After more than a decade in the game, Foals again embrace that love for the unconventional with the bravest and most ambitious project of their career: not one, but two astonishing new albums: 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost'. A pair of releases, separate but related, they share a title, themes and artwork. 'Part 1' will be released on March 8th, with 'Part 2' following later in the year.

'They're two halves of the same locket,' frontman Yannis Philippakis explains. 'They can be listened to and appreciated individually, but fundamentally, they are companion pieces.

Fundamentally tethered but possessing their own personalities, the two bodies capture the most compelling, ambitious and cohesive creations they've ever produced. Eager to break the traditional pop song structure which they felt they were becoming increasingly tapered to, the 20 tracks defy expectation. There are exploratory, progressive-tinged tracks alongside atmospheric segues which make the music an experience rather than a mere collection of songs. Yet the band's renowned ability to wield relentless grooves with striking power and skyscraper hooks also reaches new heights.

The album's lead single 'Exits' is a case in point, featuring Philippakis conjuring the image of a disorienting world via a contagious vocal melody. It's a fresh anthem for Foals' formidable arsenal, but also an ominous forecast.

'There's a definite idea about the world being no longer habitable in the way that it was,' says Yannis. 'A kind of perilousness lack of predictability and a feeling of being overwhelmed by the magnitudes of the problems we face. What's the response And what's the purpose of any response that one individual can have'

'Exits' signposts what to expect thematically from both instalments of 'Everything Not Saved Will Be Lost'. The title is a warning that anything - from the tiniest fleeting moment of inspiration through to the planet's own biological diversity - can be under threat of being irrevocably erased.

It's a theme that permeates throughout the album's material, as Foal mirror the public neuroses that have been provoked by our current cultural climate. Paranoia of state surveillance Fear of environmental collapse Anxiety over Trump's next potentially cataclysmic move It's all there in these apocalyptic songs.

'Lyrically, there are resonances with what's going on in the world at the moment,' summarises Yannis. 'I just feel like, what's the utility of being a musician these days, if you can't engage with at least some of this stuff These songs are white flags, or they're SOSs, or they're cries for help... each in a different way.'

The new albums' journeys began as the 'What Went Down' era ended. Founding bassist Walter Gervers departed on amicable terms after playing the Festival Paredes de Coura in Portugal in August 2017. Foals felt that he couldn't be replaced - a decision that ushered in a period of recalibration, reorganisation and, ultimately, rejuvenation.

After taking a little time out, Foals - completed by Jimmy Smith (guitar), Jack Bevan (drums) and Edwin Congreave (keys) reconvened - with Yannis on production duties, who, together with Edwin, also covered the bass parts. They began by writing in a rehearsal space before exporting those sketches into the recording phase at 123 Studios, Peckham, with the assistance of engineer Brett Shaw. They'd repeat the cycle between the two spaces, effectively creating an ongoing feedback loop as they sought to push every new idea to the finish line.

1 x 12" black vinyl 180gsm
- label 4/c
- discobag on reverse board with matt varnish
- gatefold on reverse board with matt varnish
- shrinkwrap

Australia's Nightime Drama welcome Steven Tang and label associate Trinity for a new collaborative EP that comes with two originals and remixes by Basic Soul Unit and Daniela La Luz.
Tang has long been serving up space age techno sounds on his own Obsolete Music Technology and the likes of Smallville, and Trinity is a DJ, live act and producer from Sydney who plays key clubs around Europe and releases on Counter Pulse and Coincidence as well as this one.
Innermost Search opens the EP with supple and rubbery drums carrying you off into the cosmos as spaced out pads bring real scale and emotional depth. It's a cinematic house track with vivid imagery. Then comes a remix from Dekmantel's Toronto mainstay Basic Soul Unit that is much more busy and robust. A wide lead synth line sprays about above drums which are much bigger and heavier. It's prime warehouse material to get people marching.
Tang & Trinity's Adrifting Voyage then slips back into a deep, cerebral house groove with oodles of reverb and dubby chords cut though by icy hi hats and transcendental pads. Last of all, Berlin's Daniela a La Luz (who has released on the likes of Cocoon and !K7) remixes this one into a lively, nimble house track with curious melodic riffs and tough drums appealing to both head and heel. It rounds out a fresh and powerful EP of futuristic house music.

Australian label Nightime Drama, run by Peter Fincher (aka Vibrio) and Shaun Franklin (aka Trebek) now serves up its second standout release of 2016. This four track affair comes hot on the heels of the last by Yoshihiro Arikawa, and is a second release on the label by Aussie live act, DJ and producer Trinity, with Steven Tang and Italian based Andee on the remix. Trinity has also released on OOC, Coincidence and Android Muziq and regularly performs all round Europe. His sound deep and cosmic, heady and hypnotic, as the fresh tracks here prove. Cascade Drive is seven minutes of direct and elastic house with spacey pads and driving drums carrying you through the cosmos. From the Earthmothern label and one half of RK's, Andee strips it back to a slick rubber kick drum then layers in a forceful acid line and icy hi hats to really get you under its spell. The longform groove is physical and cerebral in equal measure. The next original is Expansion, and again finds Trinity serving up a hi tech and soul infused deep techno sound that is lithe and liquid, smeared with great pads and truly timeless. Emphasis boss Steven Tang is the perfect man to remix given his style, and his version flips the cut into a more heavyweight and banging techno effort, but one that is just as littered with sci fi sounds, spaceship trails and intergalactic energies.

Series-A was the duo of Sam Anderson aka DJ Maestro and Dave Webb aka Kid Fresh. Sam and Dave both grew up listening to the sounds of the Electrifying Mojo on WJLB in Detroit. They met in 1983 at a DJ gig that they were both hired to play. In 1986, they collaborated on the Nu-Sound II Crew project. After developing a friendship with Juan Atkins, they became hip to the emerging new club sounds that were to become electro and techno.Their subsequent project, Series-A, was named after different car model numbers, but also hints at the evolution of humankind into a new species.

In 1987, Series-A recorded the single Evolution 5 Technology' at Spectrum Sounds Studio in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. Their set up was a vocoder, E-mu Emulator III, Roland 909 drum machine, and an Otari 24-Track recorder. They landed a record deal with Satellite Records in Burbank, California, which had been founded by Pete Moore of The Miracles. After pressing 50 promotional copies, the label ran into financial problems, and the record never reached a full release. Taking cues Kraftwerk, Grand Master DST, Grandmaster Flash & Jam Master Jay, Series-A created dark electro beats in an era when sampling appeared to be the future of music. Lyrically the song addresses our species' entry into the technological age. For this EP reissue, the 7' Mix and Dub Mix are included on the A-side. On the flip is a new remix by prolific Ann Arbor producer JTC, an alias of Tadd Mullinix (aka Dabrye, SK-1, & Charles Manier). JTC speeds up and expands the song to seven minutes. Drawing on influences from Ron Hardy to Jeff Mills, he drives around suburban techno landscapes while simultaneously launching the listener into deep space.

All songs have been remastered for vinyl by George Horn at Fantasy Studios in Berkeley. The jacket is specially designed by Eloise Leigh and features a cyborg fossil motif with RGB color band and gradients. Each copy includes a post card with with notes.

Creole Culture is the triumphant return of Dawn Richard’s King Creole era. Steeped in history but with its flag planted firmly in the future, Creole Culture pulls elements from Richard’s heritage as a Black and Native American woman who has spent a lifetime making and engaging with music. Following New Breed (2019) and Second Line (2021), Creole Culture is akin to a panel of a triptych: a fully-realized sonic and narrative universe in which Richard, as King Creole, rebuilds her hometown of New Orleans in her image. She not only honors her city for what it was or what it gave her, but stakes a claim for it as a cradle of global culture now and for all time.


Creole Culture follows two acclaimed avant-garde R&B albums with composer Spencer Zahn — the later of which, 2024’s Quiet in a World Full of Noise, found Richard exorcising the specters of grief and trauma in the wake of her father Frank Richard’s health struggles and the killing of her cousin Cisco. It is a softer take on the brass-soaked swagger of Richard’s previous King Creole efforts, an evolution brought about when she realized she had left a crucial viewpoint out of her exploration of New Orleans: her own. “New Breed was the story of New Orleans through my father’s eyes,” Richard explains. “I used his samples, his music, his cultures, his work with Chocolate Milk, his side of the family. Second Line was my mom — her interludes riddled the album with her depiction of what is meant to be a Creole woman in New Orleans. The masculine and feminine sides of King Creole had expressed themselves through them, but the story felt unfinished, like my version of the story was untold.”
That story is, for lack of a better word, complex: at turns triumphant and tragic, sexy and mournful, braggadocious and contemplative. Creole Culture presents Richard’s New Orleans as a utopian soundscape — an intoxicating blend of R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop, and jazz — that’s survived and thrived despite the dystopian circumstances visited upon it. Richard presents the melange of influence and artifact on Creole Culture with the care of a botanist nurturing new hybrids in a rose garden.


What emerges from that care is at once delightful and unexpected, enlisting a crew of guest stars including Big Freedia, Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, and Durand Bernarr for features that play against type. Tank’s turn at spoken word verse on “l v r” serves to add dimension to King Creole’s New Orleans, as does Joseph’s undeniable voice on “chuuuurch.” “I’m not normally a features girl,” says Richard, ”but King Creole can’t build a world from scratch without help. What’s beautiful about the features here — which is also true of my band and producers — is they come from people who understand the materials of the world they’re from, they’re people I love, and they’re people who are just extraordinary at what they do. They’re part of the atmosphere of this place. You need them for the record to breathe.”
In the end, that’s what King Creole creates: a space where Dawn Richard can breathe, can be at peace with herself, and let loose with others. From finding love in opening single “enough” to relishing in the Afrocaribbean futurism of “fiesta,” Creole Culture is a tremendous, freeing breath of fresh air. It captures the resolve of a woman and a place who’ve survived the unimaginable and sees the future not as something to be endured, but as something to be created. Dawn Richard has been making that future one album at a time over the course of her career. Creole Culture is her most stunning one yet.

Creole Culture is the triumphant return of Dawn Richard’s King Creole era. Steeped in history but with its flag planted firmly in the future, Creole Culture pulls elements from Richard’s heritage as a Black and Native American woman who has spent a lifetime making and engaging with music. Following New Breed (2019) and Second Line (2021), Creole Culture is akin to a panel of a triptych: a fully-realized sonic and narrative universe in which Richard, as King Creole, rebuilds her hometown of New Orleans in her image. She not only honors her city for what it was or what it gave her, but stakes a claim for it as a cradle of global culture now and for all time.


Creole Culture follows two acclaimed avant-garde R&B albums with composer Spencer Zahn — the later of which, 2024’s Quiet in a World Full of Noise, found Richard exorcising the specters of grief and trauma in the wake of her father Frank Richard’s health struggles and the killing of her cousin Cisco. It is a softer take on the brass-soaked swagger of Richard’s previous King Creole efforts, an evolution brought about when she realized she had left a crucial viewpoint out of her exploration of New Orleans: her own. “New Breed was the story of New Orleans through my father’s eyes,” Richard explains. “I used his samples, his music, his cultures, his work with Chocolate Milk, his side of the family. Second Line was my mom — her interludes riddled the album with her depiction of what is meant to be a Creole woman in New Orleans. The masculine and feminine sides of King Creole had expressed themselves through them, but the story felt unfinished, like my version of the story was untold.”
That story is, for lack of a better word, complex: at turns triumphant and tragic, sexy and mournful, braggadocious and contemplative. Creole Culture presents Richard’s New Orleans as a utopian soundscape — an intoxicating blend of R&B, soul, hip-hop, pop, and jazz — that’s survived and thrived despite the dystopian circumstances visited upon it. Richard presents the melange of influence and artifact on Creole Culture with the care of a botanist nurturing new hybrids in a rose garden.


What emerges from that care is at once delightful and unexpected, enlisting a crew of guest stars including Big Freedia, Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Tarriona “Tank” Ball, and Durand Bernarr for features that play against type. Tank’s turn at spoken word verse on “l v r” serves to add dimension to King Creole’s New Orleans, as does Joseph’s undeniable voice on “chuuuurch.” “I’m not normally a features girl,” says Richard, ”but King Creole can’t build a world from scratch without help. What’s beautiful about the features here — which is also true of my band and producers — is they come from people who understand the materials of the world they’re from, they’re people I love, and they’re people who are just extraordinary at what they do. They’re part of the atmosphere of this place. You need them for the record to breathe.”
In the end, that’s what King Creole creates: a space where Dawn Richard can breathe, can be at peace with herself, and let loose with others. From finding love in opening single “enough” to relishing in the Afrocaribbean futurism of “fiesta,” Creole Culture is a tremendous, freeing breath of fresh air. It captures the resolve of a woman and a place who’ve survived the unimaginable and sees the future not as something to be endured, but as something to be created. Dawn Richard has been making that future one album at a time over the course of her career. Creole Culture is her most stunning one yet.

The latest release from Rainbow Disco Club’s label imprint, Beyond Space And Time, is the debut compilation from The Melting Hours, a live project by Wata Igarashi and Kuniyuki. WataIgarashi continues to make his mark on the history of techno, whilst Kuniyuki has long been revered as one of Sapporo’s greatest treasures. The two artists, who have long held mutual respect for one another, met whilst performing at the Draaimolen Festival 2025, and this encounter gave rise to The Melting Hours.

‘Blue Sun’ is imbued with a freshness reminiscent of the ambient jazz masterpieces released by prestigious labels such as ECM and Windham Hill. ‘Liquid Dunes’ sees the organic tones of the flute and percussion melt into over ten minutes of abstract sound textures, whilst the breathtaking ‘Cloud Touch’ awakens amidst a swirling vortex of pulsating downbeats and arpeggios. It is said that ‘Blue Sun’ was created by reconstructing studio rehearsal recordings, whilst ‘Liquid Dunes’ and ‘Cloud Touch’ were crafted from live recordings at Draaimolen 2025. The essence of these works—and indeed of the project The Melting Hours itself—lies at the heart of their improvisational nature.

It brings to mind the Rainbow Disco Club event back in 2026, where they wove their sounds amidst fresh greenery and surrounded by listeners under a clear blue sky. It felt as though the pulsating energy was spreading across the dance floor, guided by a session from The Melting Hours that seemed almost like a living creature. The organic breath one senses in this work not only evokes precisely that scene but also allows us to feel the unique, ephemeral nature inherent in this project—and, consequently, the boundless possibilities that stem from it.

Rainbow Disco Club のレーベル・ライン'Beyond Space And Time'から放たれる最新作は、Wata IgarashiとKuniyukiによるライブ・プロジェクト、The Melting Hoursによる初の音源集だ。テクノ史に残る実績を現在進行形で刻み続けているWata Igarashi、長きに渡り札幌の至宝として尊敬を集めてきたKuniyuki。兼ねてよりリスペクトを送り合ってきた両名がDraaimolen Festival 2025への出演を契機に邂逅し、始動したプロジェクトがThe Melting Hoursである。

ECMやWindham Hillといった名門レーベルのアンビエント・ジャズ傑作群を彷彿とさせる瑞々しさを湛えた"Blue Sun"。10分以上に渡るアブストラクトなサウンド・テクスチャーの中にフルートや鳴り物のオーガニックな音色が溶ける"Liquid Dunes"と、そして鳴動するダウンビートとアルペジオの渦に覚醒する圧巻の"Cloud Touch"。"Blue Sun"はスタジオでのリハーサル音源を、"Liquid Dunes"と"Cloud Touch"はDraaimolen 2025のライヴ音源を、それぞれ再構築し楽曲化したものだという。これらの作品、ひいてはThe Melting Hoursというプロジェクト自体のエッセンスは、その即興性を核としている。

WataとKuniyukiがゼロから音を立ち上げ、お互いのエレクトロニクス/生楽器を操る技術、それぞれエレクトロニック・ミュージック以前にフリージャズやニューウェイヴ/インダストリアル等に傾倒した時期を含む、音楽家としての半生を持ち出し合う感覚。そこに、例えばDraaimolen出演時に降り出した雨や、リハーサル時にスタジオに迷い込んだ蜂のような、外的かつ偶発的な要因、感情やムードの起伏までもが絡み合う様相。互いの予想を越えるスリルの中で曲が形づくられるプロセスこそが、この作品とプロジェクトを特別なものとしているのだという。

快晴の元で新緑とリスナーに囲まれ音を紡いでいった、去る2026年のRainbow Disco Clubを思い出す。まるで、生き物のようなThe Melting Hoursによるセッションに導かれ、脈動するエネルギーがフロアに伝播していたようだった。この作品から感じられる有機的な息遣いは、まさにそんな情景を思い起こすものであると同時に...このプロジェクトが宿すその場/その時限りの唯一無二性と、それ故に広がっていく限りない可能性をも感じさせてくれる。

Quiet Village drop a version of Barry Reynolds' 'Till The Doctor Gets Back' with a remix from Mad Professor. The duo's latest release for their eponymous imprint is a love letter to the early-80s sound of Island Records.

Joel Martin and Matt 'Radio Slave' Edwards' Quiet Village project is back on their The Quiet Village imprint on July 10th with 'Till The Doctor Gets Back', a characteristically spaced-out cover of Barry Reynolds which features their first ever commissioned remix, having tapped Mad Professor.

Recorded in 2024, Quiet Village's 'Till The Doctor Gets Back' evokes the spirit of the 1982 original, a release born out of a period when reggae, dub, pop, rock and dance music were colliding. QV's version is exactly what the duo have been known for since their beginnings in 2005; unhurried, immersive and utterly compelling. With reverb and delays firmly on the 'dub' bus, the track is shot through rich synths, glorious overlapping melodies and a fresh vocal interpretation. Mad Professor's dub slow burns, doubles down on the dub aesthetics and embraces the source material wholly, resulting in a cosseting yet invigorating listen.