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Uno Loop presents the first-ever licensed reissue of Phil Yost's Bent City (1967), a rare Takoma Records title and a landmark of jazz-folk-psych experimentation. Long out of print and previously unavailable digitally, Bent City has gained strong early support with airplay on BBC Radio, Worldwide FM, KCRW, and WFMU, alongside praise from Bandcamp Daily and Aquarium Drunkard. Yost's cult following - particularly within spiritual jazz, American Primitive, and experimental ambient and folk communities -positions this reissue as a high-interest archival title with strong cross-genre appeal.

This edition is fully authorized by the Phil Yost Estate and Concord Records and pressed in a limited run, packaged with an 8-page archival booklet featuring previously unseen photographs, biographical notes, and original research on the enigmatic Bay Area musician. Bent City is the first release in a broader, multi-title restoration of Yost's catalog, with three additional albums to follow (at minimum), including Fog-Hat Ramble (1968), Touchwood's Dream (1970) and Yost's unreleased Sunflower Sojourn - creating a sustained narrative for continued retail engagement. With growing press attention, renewed visibility among collectors, and its unique place in Takoma and outsider jazz-adjacent history, Bent City is a standout catalog builder for stores specializing in jazz, experimental, ambient, and private-press reissues.

Allowing yourself to find meaning or beauty in the mundane is an act of generosity, Whether it’s seeing a smiling face in an electrical outlet socket, or discerning cosmic design amidst the forest floor detritus, it comes from a place of kindness to yourself and senses – and openness to hidden spirit of the world. These tracks came together during a period of intense personal change for adaa, rooted in a fruitful reflection on the connections between spirit and body, “feeling my flesh so I can feel and understand my spirit,” as adaa puts it. The sense of a crossover and clash of multiple connected realities – on-screens, on-line, on-earth, off-world, after-life – unites adaa’s multifaceted productions.

Ostensibly an assemblage of found sounds. scribbled thoughts and poems from diaries, and musial snippets, the album's scattered production reflects adaa’s own many mirror worlds. Field recording sit behind most tracks, alongside VST synths, guitars, and a variety of voices, from adaa’s own mangled vox to EVP samples taken from YouTube (recorded sounds believed to be spirits or paranormal activity), all processed to varying degrees.

While the music was mostly produced either in adaa’s studio in Providence, Rhode Island, or in bed, the field recordings bring the outside world in. The result of walks in the woods, hum of roads and highways, hiss of beaches, warmth of walks with friends and past lovers “around the East Coast”. It sits behind tracks like ‘sight’ where a lilting piano lin bobs atop a pond of rustling and distant whistles. Is that birdsong? Or ghosts? Saccharine hyperpop arpeggiation crossfades sharply into noise guitar squall. Angelic demon voices yawn into a hefty crescendo. Pure drones duet with gales of undefinable field sounds.

“Sometimes I feel like a seed in frosted soil,” says adaa. “If i choose to be optimistic.”

DINTE's partnership with Philadelphia store/distro World Gone Mad yields three more essential cassette-only mixtapes exploring the global proliferation of the punk spirit - this time exploring 1980s French language post-punk and new wave in France, Belgium and Switzerland across the decade. This is part 2 of 3, focusing on 1984 to 1987.

Explicit isolation is the third album by the international collective E/I, led by composer and percussionist Szymon Pimpon Gąsiorek. The group’s seven core members came together while studying at Copenhagen’s Rhythmic Music Conservatory and the Royal Danish Academy of Music. For this latest release, they are joined by Slovenian musicians Samo Kutin (hurdy-gurdy) and Kaja Draksler (organ), alongside Danish tuba player Rasmus Svale.

The three compositions distill sound down to its essential elements, drifting freely through space. The material is minimal, moving in the geological rhythm of endless cycles of tension and release, formation and dissolution, density and lightness. Pimpon acts here more as a guide than a creator with a master plan. He is a navigator, leading us to the most crucial moments where sonic emissions merge into vibrating drones, building to an inevitable leap—an explosion after which the particles rearrange themselves once again. It feels like futuristic temple music infused with intergalactic spiritual jazz, the extensions of drone music, and acoustic ambient textures, all highlighted by the jolly grin of the navigator.

“I wrote the scores and asked each of the musicians to record their parts individually. What’s interesting for me about doing it this way is that it removes the element of immediate interaction and introduces a factor of randomness. I then edited and mixed it myself, also adding my own parts. Previously, it was strictly acoustic music, and the recordings were ‘live,’ meaning they were captured in one room at the same time, with no subsequent edits.” Pimpon has also incorporated electronics, which make the album even more airy and organically complement the sounds of the hurdy-gurdy and organ, recorded in Trboje, the small Slovenian village.

DINTE's partnership with Philadelphia store/distro World Gone Mad yields three more essential cassette-only mixtapes exploring the global proliferation of the punk spirit - this time exploring 1980s French language post-punk and new wave in France, Belgium and Switzerland across the decade. This is part 1 of 3, focusing on 1988 to 1990.

NA ZAROT opens a portal into a universe of darkness, chaos and spiritual upheaval. The sound is raw, jagged like cold iron and radically unpolished-an antithesis to any romanticized or völkisch fantasy, firmly rooted in an anti-fascist stance. NA ZAROT shapes lo-fi black metal infused with traces of punk as a counter-space: a place where archaic directness meets a dense, spiritually charged atmosphere that unfolds a hypnotic pull even within the noise. The production remains deliberately fragmented and unrefined-a kind of emotional excavation protocol that exposes the core of the genre without glorifying it. Lyrically, the tracks revolve around death, decay, isolation, spiritual disintegration and those threshold moments in which the abyss releases a strangely unsettling calm. Musically, sawing guitars, brutal screams, driving drums, sickly strings, ghostly voices and a distorted piano collide. Above it all lies a weight of leaden sorrow, until sudden ruptures drag the pieces without warning into even deeper darkness. Side A presents the tracks from the On Death and Dying tape, where literary spaces intersect with personal experiences. The lyrics brush against literary references such as Mallarmé's death poems, the legend of La Llorona or motifs from Romain Gary's The Dance of Genghis Cohn.Side B offers new, previously unreleased material titled "Alpensterben." The four songs preserve those unheard screams that would otherwise vanish into nothingness. Alpensterben becomes a blood-marked journey through the final hours of an existence scraping against its own ending-an intense, haunting echo of lived despair. Comes with printed 28page 10" magazine!

NA ZAROT opens a portal into a universe of darkness, chaos and spiritual upheaval. The sound is raw, jagged like cold iron and radically unpolished-an antithesis to any romanticized or völkisch fantasy, firmly rooted in an anti-fascist stance. NA ZAROT shapes lo-fi black metal infused with traces of punk as a counter-space: a place where archaic directness meets a dense, spiritually charged atmosphere that unfolds a hypnotic pull even within the noise. The production remains deliberately fragmented and unrefined-a kind of emotional excavation protocol that exposes the core of the genre without glorifying it. Lyrically, the tracks revolve around death, decay, isolation, spiritual disintegration and those threshold moments in which the abyss releases a strangely unsettling calm. Musically, sawing guitars, brutal screams, driving drums, sickly strings, ghostly voices and a distorted piano collide. Above it all lies a weight of leaden sorrow, until sudden ruptures drag the pieces without warning into even deeper darkness. Side A presents the tracks from the On Death and Dying tape, where literary spaces intersect with personal experiences. The lyrics brush against literary references such as Mallarmé's death poems, the legend of La Llorona or motifs from Romain Gary's The Dance of Genghis Cohn.Side B offers new, previously unreleased material titled "Alpensterben." The four songs preserve those unheard screams that would otherwise vanish into nothingness. Alpensterben becomes a blood-marked journey through the final hours of an existence scraping against its own ending-an intense, haunting echo of lived despair. Comes with printed 28page 10" magazine!

Mess Esque are a duo featuring music and instruments by Mick Turner
and words and voice by Helen Franzmann. Their self-titled album is a
beguiling travelogue of restless, somnambulant wanderings.
Perhaps best known as one of the Dirty Three, Mick’s been playing
guitar and making music with many collaborators for forty years. He’s
loved his paintings too but revered especially for his solo music - since
1997, Drag City have released four of his albums, plus an EP and an
album of the Tren Brothers (Mick with percussionist and fellow Dirty
Three-ite, Jim White) and two EPs featuring Mick as the Marquis de Tren
with Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy.
Mick’s last record was 2013’s ‘Don’t Tell the Driver’, a work that found
him departing from his traditional hermetic instrumental template by
employing a rhythm section and brass charts and even collaborating with
a vocalist. After all the purely instrumental music he’s made with Dirty
Three and solo, a singer is now part of the sound he’s hearing in his
head these days; while demoing new material, he realized that he was
again writing music that needed lyrics - and for that matter, someone
other than himself to sing them. But who? In 2019, he was introduced to
Helen through a mutual friend who’d produced her last album. Under the
name Mckisko, Helen has released three albums over the past 12 years,
working and touring with a range of Australian musicians along the way.
Her music has been described as numinous and transformative. Her
most recent album, ‘Southerly’, saw her moving into a more expansive
sound which led to an openness and excitement around further
collaboration.
Helen’s words are carefully observed, her phrasing responding intuitively
to Mick’s looping guitar figures with vocal repetitions of her own. Starting
with a feeling or a voicing, there are often no words - both players are
searching on their own paths. Then suddenly they have arrived and are
passing the emerging meaning back and forth, the rising intensity
forming a kind of undertow that pulls the listener deeper into their world.
Often, Helen would record her vocals in the middle of the night, seeking
that 2am flow, a moment of greatest isolation through which to trace her
melodie with fragility and strength. This crystallizes Mess Esque’s
intention: riding the sleepy drift through the blurred edges of the day…
time-traveling to that moment beyond stasis where sense and no sense
coincide and share space and time and energy. Viewing from afar the
immense peace of this planet when its ghost world of spirits below - the
madness of crowds, people sliding past each other faraway in the night -
are quieted at last.

Crystal Tides’ long-awaited debut album Toothpaste is the sound of a band truly coming into their own. Written and recorded completely independently, the record embodies the spirit of resilience, creativity, and raw honesty that has carried the Portsmouth outfit through their journey so far. “We wanted the focus of this album to showcase our independence as a band. We felt it important, given our journey thus far, that it come from us in as raw form as possible.” The seeds of Toothpaste were planted back in 2022 with rough voice notes on lead singer Billy’s phone, evolving into a collection of songs that capture both the band’s infectious energy and their most personal reflections to date. From collaborative writing sessions in the practice room to late-night home demos, every track carries the DNA of Crystal Tides’ unity and determination. Working with long-time collaborator and producer David Evans, the result is a bold, heartfelt body of work that celebrates their independence while delivering polished, stadium-ready anthems. The album takes its name from one of its most intimate tracks. Toothpaste was born out of Billy’s battle with Ulcerative Colitis, which led to life-changing surgery. A passing joke about naming the album after the song became a moment of clarity. It's unusual, striking title felt like the only choice, a symbol of the band’s authenticity and ability to find meaning even in the unexpected.

David Zé - Mutudi Ua Ufolo / Viúva da Liberdade is a major milestone in Angolan music, intensely blendingsemba, rumba, and bolero, recordedat the height of the country"s liberation struggle. Both soulful and political, the album resonates far beyond Luanda, carrying a universal spirit akin to that of Bob Marley. Originally released on CDA with Conjunto Merengue, it captures David Zé at his creative peak. Sung in Portuguese and local dialects, it combines rhythmic elegance with deep commitment, weaving links between Afro-Brazilian and Latin American traditions. After his assassination in 1977, the album was banned for several years, before being reborn as an essential work of resistance and beauty. In 2008, his legacy found a new echo when Damian Marley and Nas sampled "Undenge Uami" on Distant Relatives.

Das zweite wunderschöne Album vom Duo Jessika Kenney - einer Sängerin, die für ihren eindringlichen Klang und ihre tiefgründige Interpretation persischer Gesangstraditionen bekannt ist - und Eyvind Kang - einem Bratschisten, für den Musik und Lernen eine spirituelle Disziplin sind. ,Ein Werk von zarter Schönheit, so makellos wie die Oberfläche eines Sees im Morgengrauen eines Sommertages." - The Quietus Die Kompositionen auf diesem Album handeln davon, aus dem Einfachen das Doppelte zu ziehen, wie Reflexionen aus einem Spiegel, und dessen Umkehrung, die verborgene Einheit. Zuhörer/Leser, Übersetzung/Komposition, Erinnerung/Vorstellungskraft - sie spiegeln sich gegenseitig wider und eröffnen einen Strom, der in einer plötzlichen Schwingung fließt. Hier sind wir einem geologischen Bild gefolgt; im Ausdruck des Antlitzes der Erde (aus dem Persischen ,rokh-e khåk") offenbart sich ein neues Spektrum von Dualitäten. In den klassischen persischen Traditionen findet sich dies in der dynamischen Vielfalt wieder, die durch den Begriff ,radif" veranschaulicht wird, der sowohl in der Poesie als auch in der Musik verwendet wird, sowohl als Poeme als auch als Matheme. Wir laden den Zuhörer als Leser ein, durch die Erstellung unserer ,Lesekarten" im Einleger an der Schaffung von Bedeutung teilzunehmen, einschließlich Übersetzungsprozessen, die nach entsprechenden musikalischen Atmosphären suchen, zum Beispiel: Das zentraljavanische Wangsalan ist eine Art Rätsel (zwei Zeilen mit jeweils 12 Silben, unterteilt in 4 und 8), das von der Sängerin im Gamelan gesungen wird und oft Bilder von Naturphänomenen neben Beschreibungen menschlicher Eigenschaften verwendet, um Atmosphären von uraltem Wissen, Humor, gesteigerten Empfindungen und Philosophie mit vielen versteckten Wortspielen und Anspielungen heraufzubeschwören.

Epic Anime ist eine außergewöhnliche Sammlung neuer, offiziell von den originalen Studios und Verlagen autorisierter Orchesterarrangements einiger der bekanntesten Anime-Titel. Das Album der NDR Radiophilharmonie unter der Leitung von Dirigent Michael England erscheint als 2×180g-Vinyl in "Oxblood"-Färbung und auf CD. Das Album entstand in Koproduktion mit dem Norddeutschen Rundfunk.
Auf Epic Anime findet sich eine hochkarätige Auswahl an Gast-Solist*Innen, darunter die Geiger*innen Esther Abrami, Andrea Cicalese und Niklas Liepe, die Cellistinnen Mariko Muranaka und Raphaela Gromes, Akkordeonist Martynas sowie die Pianisten Tim Allhoff und Louis Philippson. Auf ausgewählten Titeln ist der Chor Pop-Up zu hören, als auch eine Rockband bestehend aus einigen der besten Sessionmusiker*Innen.
Das Album präsentiert neue sinfonische Interpretationen populärer Anime-Themen aus Demon Slayer, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Naruto, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Bleach, Kikis Delivery Service, Spirited Away und weiteren Produktionen. Sämtliche Arrangements und Aufnahmen entstanden mit ausdrücklicher Zustimmung der jeweiligen Rechteinhaber und gewährleisten damit höchste Authentizität. Das Album würdigt die vielfältige musikalische Tradition des Anime-Genres und verleiht den Originalwerken eine eindrucksvoll cineastische Dimension.
Epic Anime richtet sich an Anime-Fans, Soundtrack-Enthusiasten und Liebhaber orchestraler Musik gleichermaßen.

With their upcoming sixth studio album, “What A Time To Be Alive” , The Lone Bellow embarks on a bold new chapter while honoring the deep bonds that have defined their journey. Written collaboratively for the first time with their full touring band—founding members Zach Williams, Brian Elmquist, and Kanene Pipkin joined by drummer Julian Dorio and multi-instrumentalist Tyler Geertsma—the album channels the raw, ecstatic energy of the band’s live show into a dynamic collection of songs that pulse with warmth, honesty, and human connection. Recorded live in Muscle Shoals, AL, after a writing retreat in a converted Kentucky firehouse, the album is both a celebration and a reckoning: of friendship, loss, love, and resilience. From the gritty, Stones-tinged opener “After The Rain” to the soul-stirring closer “What A Time To Be Alive,” the record captures the joy and vulnerability that have long defined The Lone Bellow’s sound—lush harmonies, heartfelt lyrics, and genre-blurring arrangements steeped in folk, rock, and gospel. The album’s creation was marked by setbacks, including the theft of early recordings, but the outpouring of support from their fanbase reaffirmed what the band has always known: their music is a shared experience. That spirit echoes throughout the album, whether in anthems like “Common Folk” and “I’m Here For You,” or in intimate reflections like “You Were Leaving” and “Night Goes Black.” Since their acclaimed 2013 debut, The Lone Bellow has appeared on The Tonight Show, Austin City Limits, and The Late Show, topped Americana charts, and headlined storied venues from Carnegie Hall to the Ryman Auditorium. But with their next album, they reaffirm their commitment not just to making music, but to building community—on stage, in song, and around the table.

Swedish death metal trio Eye of Purgatory return with Darkborne - a powerful new chapter forged by Rogga Johansson (Paganizer, Ribspreader), Taylor Nordberg (The Absence, Venom Inc.) and Jeramie Kling (Venom Inc., Inhuman Condition). The album captures the spirit of classic Swedish death metal: dark, atmospheric and full of organic weight - yet with a melodic and emotional depth that makes every track feel alive.The cover artwork, once again created by Dan Goldsworthy (Accept, Alestorm, Cradle of Filth), perfectly reflects the album’s mix of melancholy and menace. Darkborne isn’t about nostalgia; it’s a continuation of a sound that values emotion and atmosphere as much as sheer heaviness.

Wigwam's previously unreleased rare live recording from 1976 out in February via Svart Records In the summer of 1976, Wigwam performed not only in Finland but also in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany. However, the pace slowed down afterward. The early autumn tours planned for European countries were cancelled, and even the replacement shows in Finland had to be postponed due to bassist Måns “Måsse” Groundstroem's sick leave. In October 1976 an opening appeared in the schedule for a studio session, during which Jim Pembroke’s third solo album, Corporal Cauliflower’s Mental Function, was recorded. After that, Wigwam played five gigs in Denmark at the end of November, followed by an equal number in Sweden. No exact information has survived about the concert setlists, but the band was in a stable phase, and certain songs had become staples in their live repertoire. Albums from Wigwam's deep-pop era, which began in autumn 1974, as well as Pembroke’s first solo records had already been released, and rehearsals were underway for what would become the Dark Album, released in 1977. It can be said that this concert, recorded for Danish Radio, is a strong representation of the band’s era at the time. The recording took place in northern Denmark, in a district called Lundtofte in Lyngby. Before this, Wigwam had performed in Køge and Århus, and after Lundtofte, gigs in Ballerup and Copenhagen awaited. Lundtofte was home to the Danish Technical University (DTU), where a student venue called “Studenterhuset” (Building 101) hosted a one- to two-day music events known as Polyjoint during the 1970’s. The events typically featured Danish bands, but also visiting acts like Wigwam. Most importantly, Danish Radio was sometimes present at these events. Wigwam had performed a studio concert for Danish Radio the previous year, but this particular recording is considered the more energetic of the two. Details have faded with time — for example, the identity of the second act at the concert is unknown. In any case, both guitarist Pekka “Rekku” Rechardt and keyboardist Pedro Hietanen remember the band being in high spirits, in top form, and highly motivated.

Wigwam's previously unreleased rare live recording from 1976 out in February via Svart Records In the summer of 1976, Wigwam performed not only in Finland but also in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany. However, the pace slowed down afterward. The early autumn tours planned for European countries were cancelled, and even the replacement shows in Finland had to be postponed due to bassist Måns “Måsse” Groundstroem's sick leave. In October 1976 an opening appeared in the schedule for a studio session, during which Jim Pembroke’s third solo album, Corporal Cauliflower’s Mental Function, was recorded. After that, Wigwam played five gigs in Denmark at the end of November, followed by an equal number in Sweden. No exact information has survived about the concert setlists, but the band was in a stable phase, and certain songs had become staples in their live repertoire. Albums from Wigwam's deep-pop era, which began in autumn 1974, as well as Pembroke’s first solo records had already been released, and rehearsals were underway for what would become the Dark Album, released in 1977. It can be said that this concert, recorded for Danish Radio, is a strong representation of the band’s era at the time. The recording took place in northern Denmark, in a district called Lundtofte in Lyngby. Before this, Wigwam had performed in Køge and Århus, and after Lundtofte, gigs in Ballerup and Copenhagen awaited. Lundtofte was home to the Danish Technical University (DTU), where a student venue called “Studenterhuset” (Building 101) hosted a one- to two-day music events known as Polyjoint during the 1970’s. The events typically featured Danish bands, but also visiting acts like Wigwam. Most importantly, Danish Radio was sometimes present at these events. Wigwam had performed a studio concert for Danish Radio the previous year, but this particular recording is considered the more energetic of the two. Details have faded with time — for example, the identity of the second act at the concert is unknown. In any case, both guitarist Pekka “Rekku” Rechardt and keyboardist Pedro Hietanen remember the band being in high spirits, in top form, and highly motivated.

Vijan, originally released in 2003 by I Grade Records, is a seminal release from the “golden era” of St. Croix roots reggae, now available for the first time on 12” vinyl courtesy of Before Zero Records.

Produced by the legendary combination of Vaughn Benjamin and Laurent “Tippy I” Alfred, Vijan balances the raw, spiritual intensity of Vaughn’s songwriting with the sophisticated, melodic arrangements that became the hallmark of the I Grade sound.

This album features an incredible lineup of musicians who helped shape the sound of Virgin Islands reggae. The production credits boast the textured guitar layers of Tuff Lion , the deep, driving bass of Kenyatta Itola , and the rhythmic precision of Dion “Bosie” Hopkins. Uniquely, this album also showcases Vaughn Benjamin’s versatility as a multi-instrumentalist, contributing drums, bass, and keys on standout tracks like “All Ye Naashan” and “Thanks for Life”.

Akae Beka’s inimitable style of rich, deep, multi-layered songwriting and uncompromising devotion to RasTafari is on full display here. At the point of his untimely passing in 2019, Vaughn Benjamin had released over 70 albums, solidifying his place as one of the most prolific reggae artists ever known. Vijan remains
a glowing highlight in this expansive catalogue, capturing a specific moment of creative brilliance in the early 2000s.

The vinyl reissue allows listeners to engage with the album’s analogue richness and features the striking original artwork by Marcus Wilson, presented here as a 12” square masterpiece.

Mit „Filin“ legt Saxofonistin Melissa Aldana ein Balladenalbum mit Liedern aus der kubanischen Musiktradition vor, interpretiert im Quartett mit dem legendären Pianisten Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Bassist Peter
Washington und Schlagzeuger Kush Abadey sowie Gastsängerin Cécile McLorin Salvant.
Seit ihren Anfängen hegt die in Chile geborene Aldana den Wunsch, ein Balladenalbum aufzunehmen.
Nach ihrem GRAMMY-nominierten Blue Note-Debüt „12 Stars“ (2022) und dem Nachfolgealbum „Echoes
Of The Inner Prophet“ (2024), zwei von der Kritik begeistert aufgenommenen spirituellen Modern-JazzWerken, geht sie mit ihrem dritten Blue-Note-Album ihr Traumprojekt jetzt auf ungewöhnliche Weise an.
Pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba, schlug vor, sie solle die Filin-Musik seiner Heimat interpretieren, kunstvoll
arrangierte romantische Lieder, die zwischen den späten 1940er und frühen 1960er Jahren ihre Blütezeit
erlebten. Das Ergebnis ist ein sinnliches Jazz-Werk der Spitzenklasse.

Originally released in 1985, the debut EP by The Mice still stands as one of the finer song-oriented rock records of that era. Drawing inspiration from both mid 1960s British Invasion groups and the energy of punk, For Almost Ever is about as scorching as an essentially pop record can be. Although vocalist / guitarist Bill Fox would go on to release several much-loved mostly acoustic solo records, here he is joined by his younger brother Tommy, a veritable monster on the drum kit, bashing away with both finesse and the manic energy of a high school kid. And let’s talk about the song “Not Proud of the USA.” Conceived as an answer to The Clash’s “I’m So Bored with the USA,” this track is packed with such overwhelming hooks, righteousness, and adrenaline that it’s irresistible. During the war in Iraq, it took on a new life on college radio and online when it was reissued on CD. And with this vinyl reissue, it would seem the timing is sadly spot-on once again. Mastered by John Golden, this new pressing crackles with The Mice’s spirit, reproduced in big 45 rpm sound for deeper low end and greater definition than the original, which has been commanding a steep price for quite a while now. We’ve also been able to restore the colors of the handcolored cover photograph to their original vibrancy.

Born at the turning point between apartheid and democratic South Africa, the Xitsonga bubblegum-disco duo Chibuku embodies the energy of a time of change,as Nelson Mandela was released from prison and kwaito began to emerge. Althoughthey did not achieve the fame of figures such as Paul Ndlovu or Penny Penny, their only album Maxambe (1992) is now considered a precious time capsule, a raw disco treasure rediscovered by lovers of forgotten music. Behind the project is Dr Joe Shirimani, a guitarist, singer, composer and producer of genius from Tzaneen and Soshanguve, recognised as one of the major architects of South African disco and bubblegum. Long overlooked, Maxambe nevertheless bears witnessto an era and a social perspective: migration ("Lekomfere"), debt and economics ("Xikweleti"), and family relationships ("Mhamazala"). The music is festive in appearance, but deeply rooted in the reality of its time. Released on Tusk/Diamond Music, an iconic label of the 1980s and 1990s bought out by Gallo Record Company, Chibuku is now emerging as a diamond rediscovered from the archives of South African disco. Its name, borrowed from a millet beer popular in several southern African countries, sums up the spirit of the group: popular, sincere and deeply rooted in local culture.