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An alto saxophone and acoustic piano engage in an intimate musical dialogue, reflecting on the current state of improvised music. Okuda and Dyberg’s album unites two artists at the peak of their musical collaboration, deconstructing jazz history into shimmering fragments, reassembling them in new forms that deliberately move away from traditional references. The music incorporates diverse influences—glimpses of classical composers like Webern and Prokofiev, abstract electronic elements reimagined acoustically, and a genuine spirit of exploration seeking a unique musical fusion.

Rooted in jazz, the Okuda / Dyberg Duo performs conceptual improvisations that include pulse, durations, interactions, natural/everyday life objects, soundalized: water dropping, light rain comes to a coffee-filter dripping, construction work or glass breaking sounds. Born in 2018. Glasscut is their third release – the first on vinyl – after Nigatsu 二月 (2019) and Naboer (2020).

"Miracle after Miracle after ..." ist im Gegensatz zu Jeff Clarke's (The Black Lips/Demon's Claws) vorherigem Soloalbum "Locust", welches in einer einzigen Session in einem Wald aufgenommen wurde, schöner verziert, aber niemals überladen. Im Kern handelt es sich um Folk-Musik. Clarke könnte in einem Atemzug mit Connie Converse, Daniel Johnston und Atlas Sound genannt werden, obwohl solch traditionell exzellentes Songwriting Vergleiche sowohl leicht macht als auch von Natur aus reduktiv ist.

The Sound Systems of Jamaica were always the people's radio station.
Tunes were tried and tested in the lion's den of the dance to see which songs rose to the top and became the most popular.
This was the litmus test and the first step to a tracks commercial release to capitalise its hotness on the circuit.
Then the Dub/Version hit big in Jamaica in the early to mid 70's this was also the case and many times the version cut of a track would even prove more popular than its vocal counterpart.
We have compiled some great 70's dub plates that rocked the Sound Systems in fine style...
Hope you enjoy the set....

Celebrating 25 years since its original release, The High & Mighty's seminal debut album, "Home Field Advantage", returns in a special anniversary edition vinyl reissue. Originally launched under the iconic Rawkus Records banner, this album became a defining moment in underground hip-hop, showcasing the sharp wit and raw talent of Mr. Eon and DJ Mighty Mi. Now, in collaboration with Eastern Conference Records, RRC Music Co. revives this classic with the care and respect it deserves.

"Home Field Advantage” stands as a testament to the golden era of hip-hop, featuring an all-star lineup of guests who helped cement its legendary status. The album includes unforgettable appearances by Mos Def, Pharoahe Monch, Evidence, Eminem, Defari, Cage, Kool Keith, among others, each bringing their unique flavor to the project and amplifying its impact.

This 25th-anniversary edition is more than just a reissue; it's a revitalization. As a special treat for collectors and die-hard fans, this edition includes six bonus tracks, adding further depth to an already rich collection of tracks. Remastered for vinyl by the renowned Davide "Bassi Maestro" Bassi and packaged in a gatefold jacket with restored original artwork curated by Mr. Krum, this release pays homage to the album's legacy while celebrating its enduring influence.

This 25th anniversary reissue is not just a trip down memory lane — it's a reminder of why this album continues to resonate in the hip-hop community today. Don't miss the chance to own this piece of music history, reborn for a new generation.

Ston Elaióna is John Also Bennett’s first album for Shelter Press since his 2019 solo debut Erg Herbe. The American born, Athens, Greece, based flautist, synthesist, and composer weaves a strikingly singular electroacoustic excursion for bass flute and Yamaha DX7ii, largely recorded in the golden haze of the early morning hours - bending time at the otherworldly juncture of consciousness and place. Translating from Greek as “in the olive grove”, Ston Elaióna is permeated with the ambiences of the ancient and present world, guided into form by a playfully rigorous approach to sound.
Initially emerging during the mid 2000s as part of Columbus, Ohio’s noise scene, before relocating to NYC around 2010, Bennett’s diverse activities picked up an increasing sense of pace over the following decade - performing and recording as a solo artist (JAB), with the trio Forma and with CV &JAB, his prolific duo with his partner Christina Vantzou, as well as playing in Jon Gibson’s ensemble among many other multifaceted collaborations. However, since 2020 the flautist and electroacoustic composer has existed in a semi nomadic state: drifting between Brooklyn, Brussels, extensive tours, and Greece, where he finally came to rest in Athens last year.

Drawing upon a carefully honed attentiveness to the environments and experiences of everyday life, Ston Elaióna is a suite of nine pieces (with an additional track exclusive to physical formats), many of them composed and played live as the early morning sun touched the Parthenon, in full view from Bennett’s studio window in Athens. Bennett’s refinement and restraint, honed over his years adrift, led him to adopt a limited palette focused on his primary instrument, the bass flute, and a Yamaha DX7ii synthesizer tuned to just intonation scales. Alongside a handful of other keyboards, digital oscillators triggered by his flute, and occasional field recordings, this simple palette is reflected by the deeply emotive sense of minimalism that permeates the album’s two sides. Following two solo albums defined by outward facing temperaments - 2022’s Out there in the middle of nowhere (Poole Music), which used a lap steel guitar and generative oscillators to evoke the surreal landscapes of the South Dakota badlands, and the largely synthetic atmospheres of the 2024 anthology Music For Save Rooms 1 & 2 (Editions Basilic) - the shift in Bennett’s worldly circumstances offered an intuitive return to the calm, inward states of creative exploration that have historically defined JAB’s sound. In parallel, context provided clear sources of inspiration for many of the album’s themes, as well as sources for some of its sounds. The aura of Greece, from the ancient to the present, from its stones and olive groves to its traffic, figures heavily across Ston Elaióna’s two sides. John Also Bennett’s Ston Elaióna forms an elegantly rigorous world of electroacoustic sonority, bridging the expanse of time with the immediacies of environment and happening in the here and now: a profound sonic mediation on the countless dimensions unlocked by life in Greece.

Tina Records presents the apocalyptic visions of Nokuit. Constructing a hellish diorama across six tracks of industrial electronics, Gates of Horn and Ivory uses biblical allegory to map out our current End Times. With sleeve notes by Andy Sharp a.k.a The English Heretic.

Eurosleaze film composer by day, Nokuit has developed a distinctive cosmology over a mutating series of releases on underground labels including wannamarchi club and NKT. Alongside Cut Hands (William Bennett of Whitehouse), he remixed Roberto Musci on the inaugural Tina Records release, as well as having been remixed himself by schuttle, Kinn and Sonae. He has performed internationally, including at Cafe OTO alongside Mun Sing as part of a lineup curated by Flora Yin-Wong and has received radio support from Ad93's Nik Tasker and Ana Quiroga of Editions Mego's LCC, amongst others.

English Heretic is an autonomous creative research project helmed by writer, occultist and multimedia artist, Andy Sharp. Having released over a dozen albums and booklets since it's inception in 2003, the project culminated with the publication of The English Heretic Collection in 2020 by Repeater Books. Friend and collaborator of the late Mark Fischer, Andy has talked at academic conferences and counter-cultural events on a wide range of subjects drawn from his research.

This is the second release from Tina Records, following Cargo Cult by Roberto Musci. Featuring remixes from Cut Hands and Nokuit, that record received airplay from the likes of Surgeon and Not Waving on stations such as NTS, Noods, Resonance and Intergalactic FM. It was also named one of the best releases of 2024 by Bleep. Tina Records is based in London and Rome.

Camouflage - Spice Crackers (30th Anniversary Edition) Camouflage zählen zu den wenigen deutschen Bands, die seit Jahrzehnten national wie international erfolgreich sind. Mit Welthits wie "The Great Commandment" (1987) und "Love Is A Shield" (1989) prägten sie den Synthpop der späten 80er. Nach vier Alben wagte die Band einen radikalen Schritt: "Spice Crackers" (1995) entstand erstmals komplett im eigenen Studio - ein kreativer Freiraum, der zu einer experimentellen Klangreise führte. Zum 30. Jubiläum erscheint dieses visionäre Werk nun erstmals auf Vinyl. Die 2LP im hochwertigen Klappcover mit bedruckten Innenhüllen präsentiert Camouflage von einer neuen Seite: hypnotisch, sphärisch, introspektiv. Statt klassischer Songs entstanden Klangskizzen, die sich zwischen Electropop, Ambient und motorischen Rhythmen bewegen. Heiko Maile beschreibt die Entstehung als "schier unendliche Aufnahme-Session", bei der alles aufgenommen wurde, was in den Kopf kam. Das Ergebnis: ein akustisches Labor voller Mut und Tiefe.

When the ghost in the machine meets the breath in the reed, expect sparks. Electronic sound artist Robin Rimbaud – Scanner joins forces with acclaimed British bass clarinetist Gareth Davis to create an album where circuitry hums, wood vibrates, and the air between notes crackles with possibility.

This is no polite meeting of minds — it’s an elegant collision. Scanner’s intricate electronic textures weave around Davis’s deep, resonant tones, blurring the boundary between acoustic breath and digital pulse. The result is a sound world that’s at once intimate and expansive, familiar yet thrillingly unpredictable.

Think late-night conversations in abandoned buildings. Think fog rolling over neon. Think sound that slips through your fingers even as it takes hold of you.

The songlines in question , memories and distorted images of travels across various continents, form an imagined biography of places that might or might not have been but somehow seem to exist . Landscapes of blurred statements , lost words and echoes of meandering structures.

"If Miles Davis had been raised on shortwave radio static and midnight phone calls, it might have sounded like this."

After many years, 3SRecordings returns with a vinyl release: Renaissance EP.

Bringing together four iconic figures of the hardtechno/schranz scene—SlugoS, Scott Kemix, Leo Laker, and Brune—this new physical release redefines the label's foundations with a raw and radical vision of the genre.

Each side of the record is a statement of strength: sharp kicks, abrasive textures, relentless energy. Four tracks, four approaches, a single intensity that affirms 3SR's identity: hard, authentic and uncompromising.

From 1968 through to the mid 1970’s the reggae beat began to slow down,some say due to the extreme heat hitting down onto Kingston Town and its surrounding enclaves. People needed something less strenuous to dance to. The Ska and Rocksteady Sounds (see 101 Orange Street KS007) that rocked Jamaica previously, had now found a slower tempo and become more ‘Dread’ lyrically to suit the times. Reggae music has always moved within the social climate it found itself in and this set here, as we ‘Return To Orange Street’ was ROOTS ROCK REGGAE TIME....

The Rastafarian message that runs through this collection of ‘Reality’, sometimes labelled ‘Sufferers’ music,is strong and works on many levels. It can come across on a heavy rhythm and vocal cut. Its example represented here by Prince Jazzbo’s ‘Dread in a Earth’ and ‘I Roy’s ‘Roots Man Time’, moving through to the popular new sounds of the DJ’s working over an old rhythm and alongside its existing vocal. As with Busty Brown working with Delroy Wilson's ‘Know Your Friend’ and Mr Jah Stitch working over Johnny Clarke’s ‘Roots Natty Roots’ to produce an even more dreader ‘True Born African’. The heartfelt lyric can also convey this message as we can see when Horace Andy laments ‘Where is the Love’ and Delroy Wilson again shows us on his ‘Who Cares’ cut. The great Twinkle Brothers also put the message across on their two cuts we have here, ’Too Late’ one of their lost classics if ever there was one and the thoughtful ‘It’s Not Who You Know’,being another prime example.

Orange Street itself is always at the heart of all reggae's musical changes and some singers also ride these waves as Mr Cornell Campbell shows us here with two cuts. The mournful ‘Too Be Loved’ and his uplifting ‘Girl of My Dreams’, which uses the same rhythm as our previously mentioned Prince Jazzbo’s 'Dread in a Earth’. Showing us that firstly you can’t keep a good rhythm down and secondly that two if not more great songs can work from the same source point. The light hearted ‘Vengeful’ lyric also worked in this period when artists spared off to each other on records to vent their frustrations. As we can hear here with Mr Lee Perry’s ‘You Funny Boy’. The song snipping back at a previous employer over what he felt were his misdoings to an under appreciated Mr Perry. We have culled these tracks together to show that the Dread Roots feel of the 1970’s came across in many guises and even in earlier songs these sentiments were also prevalent. As represented in Slim Smith’s almost bluesy feel in ‘Trying To Find a Home’, never a truer statement in Kingston's ghetto areas.

Well we hope you enjoy this musical journey and make a connection with messages portrayed here, as Mr Monty Morris points out on his contribution to this collection ‘Times Are Dread’.... Dread indeed.....

BBE Music is proud to present the latest J Jazz Masterclass Series reissue, 1978 soul/jazz tour de force album ’Push’ by Noriko Miyamoto. For the first time, this critically acclaimed series that delves deep into the history of Japanese Jazz will be releasing an album by a Japanese female singer, Noriko Miyamoto produced by one of the legendary figures in Japanese Jazz, Isao Suzuki. The release of her incredible debut album, ‘Push’, coincided with a surge in popularity for local female jazz singers such Kimiko Kasai, Yasuko Agawa, etc. that crossed over into the pop market. It was originally released by the now-defunct label, Yupiteru Records in 1978. Since then, it has been reissued a few times in Japan but recently, along with a surge of worldwide interest in old Japanese music, ‘Push’ has been gaining a cult status among foreign music heads, with the price for an original pressing skyrocketing in the second hand record market. This reissue of ‘Push’ will be the first time ever that this album will be officially released worldwide. Long before R&B music went onto enjoy mainstream success in Japan, a soul music and disco loving lady, Noriko Miyamoto who started her music career working as a dancer at the legendary Tokyo disco, ‘Mugen’, was inspired by Tina Turner’s performance there and decided to became a soul singer. It was at a time in the early 1970s when there were only a handful of female songstresses who sang soulfully in Japan. In 1977, Miyamoto was scouted by Isao Suzuki to join his band, Soul Family and subsequently, with their backing, he produced Push, an album that kickstarted her career. It is an album that exquisitely combines her jazzy and soulful vocals with Suzuki’s acoustic bass and precocious playing from his youthful and vibrant group at the time. Along with Sadao Watanabe, Terumasa Hino, Masabumi Kikuchi and George Otsuka, bassist, cellist, multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, producer and band leader, Isao Suzuki was considered to be one of the most influential figures in Japanese jazz history. Beloved by many in the Japanese jazz scene as “Oma-san”- Suzuki was renowned for developing young talent.

The Sha La Das sind Bill Schalda und seine talentierten Söhne Paul, Will und Carmine, die aus Staten Island, New York, stammen. "Your Picture", das zweite Album der Sha La Das und ihre erste Veröffentlichung auf dem Label Diamond West Records des Produzenten Tom Brenneck (Charles Bradley, Menahan Street Band, Lady Wray), ist ein weiteres einzigartiges Zeugnis der mitreißenden Kraft der Harmonie zwischen Blutsverwandten und eine Hommage an die dauerhafte Liebesgeschichte zwischen Bill und der Matriarchin der Familie, Linda. Spuren alter Erinnerungen flimmern durch "Your Picture". Bills klassisches Songwriting und üppige Gesangsarrangements werden in neues Territorium katapultiert und aktualisieren den Doo-Wop mit dem basslastigen Groove und dem wirbelnden Pop von Brennecks schlanker, räumlicher Produktion. "Wir haben einige psychedelische Klänge eingebracht und uns von Deep-Soul-Platten bis hin zu den Beatles und den Beach Boys inspirieren lassen", sagt Brenneck. Liebe strahlt aus "Your Picture" heraus und fließt aus den schimmernden Melodien, die Bill und seine Söhne produzieren, während sie ihren musikalischen Traum leben.

" Originally released in 1995, Jimmy Somerville's Dare To Love stands as a powerful statement of pride, passion, and pop brilliance, carried by one of the most unmistakable voices in modern music.

" Dare To Love embodies Somerville's gift for marrying political conviction with irresistible melodies. Produced by Stephen Hague and other longtime collaborators, the album traverses bass-laden house grooves, slower, dubby reggae numbers and classic pop ballads.

" Featuring the UK Top 30 hits 'Heartbeat' and 'Hurt So Good', along with the poignant 'Safe in These Arms', Dare To Love explores love, loss, and identity, both on and off the dancefloor.

" London Records celebrate 30 years of Dare To Love with a full remaster and expended editions :
1. putting the album on double vinyl for the first time 21 tracks. Features previously unreleased b-sides & rarities. Collector Double LP Crystal Clear Curaçao

Kill Them With Kindness is the 18th album from Beans on Toast, recorded at Greenmount Studios in Leeds with The Beans on Toast Band, a collection of musical friends he handpicked from the UK music scene a few years back.

"We've done a few tours together, but this was our first venture into a studio. Each one of them is amazing, and together... well, I'm proper chuffed with how it sounds. Have a listen for yourself," says Beans.

This album is a bit of a juxtaposition, as is the title. "There are songs that deal with the current state of the world: wars, maniac leaders, the rise of AI and the fall of the establishment. Then there are songs about trees, late nights in music venues, art, love and my new cat. As usual, it's a time stamp of my thoughts and feelings from the past year on planet Earth."

'In collaboration with the children of Nico Kasanda, better known as Docteur Nico, Planet Ilunga proudly presents an anthology dedicated to African Fiesta Sukisa, available as a 3LP set and a digital release with bonus songs. This release is the result of many years of preparations and was realized in close partnership with Liliane Kasanda, Nico’s eldest daughter. Marking forty years since his passing, we felt that the year 2025 was the right time to honor Docteur Nico’s legacy with this original collection.
'Almost all of the African Fiesta Sukisa songs were released on Nico’s Sukisa label which translates in Lingala for “the final accomplishment”. The music on Sukisa, crafted by Nico and legendary vocalists such as Chantal, Sangana, Apôtre, Mizele, Lessa Lassan and Josky, embodies the essence of that powerful phrase with genius, class and depth. The label ran between 1966 and 1975 and released approximately 280 songs. Ngoma also issued the group between 1967 and 1971 and, in addition, reissued material from the Sukisa label. Many of these songs have become part of the collective memory of Congolese society and are still heard, discussed, and analyzed daily across digital platforms worldwide, as well as on numerous Congolese radio and TV stations.
'The album we put together features some of Nico’s signature songs alongside never before reissued tracks from the Sukisa catalog. It furthermore contains a large booklet with song commentary, testimonial interviews from well-known musicians, journalists, fans and Nico’s entourage, besides never before published photography about his personal and musical life.
'Alastair Johnston, author of the book ‘A Discography of Docteur Nico’ and longstanding Planet Ilunga collaborator, designed a stylish booklet and cover using all our collected material. Audifax Bemba, longtime admirer, compiler and connoisseur of Nico’s music, and the author of most of the song commentary in our accompanying booklet, offers his portrait of Docteur Nico:
“After displaying technical virtuosity with African Jazz, expert and accomplished guitar with African Fiesta, which musicologist Sylvain Bemba described as a dream guitar, Nico Kasanda was consecrated ‘dieu de la guitare’ by the public in the late sixties. With his band African Fiesta Sukisa, Docteur Nico displays his wide palette of unusual sounds. While exploring the Hawaiian guitar with its clear, airy, plangent, psychedelic effluvia, he continues to replicate the piano comping technique, and adds two missing strings to his bow: a simulation of the sanza (likembé or thumb piano), whose sounds he reproduces right down to the noisemakers of the tiny tin rings, on the one hand, and the sounds of the Luba balafon on the other. The right note, in the right place, at the right time, is the triptych on which Nico Kasanda’s playing is based, a note dressed in the perfect sound. A guitar of pure emotion. With African Fiesta Sukisa, his playing takes a ‘Chopin-esque’ turn, sending out more notes in a sublime adagio. The true artist is the one who simplifies everything. Docteur Nico is a genius of our time, whose style makes him the supreme exponent of the most important guitar school in Congolese music. He is recognized by his peers as the greatest African solo guitarist of all time. Sculpting sound in a tireless quest for beauty, Nico Kasanda has sublimated the guitar throughout his career.”






























[xd] Kamulangu [Outro] (Dr. Kasanda – Sukisa 135) Folklore Baluba

"We're in the joy business," says frontman Ketch Secor, who launched the Grammywinning band in 1998. "From the very start, a lot of the virtues of Christmas -- the revelry, the singalongs, the happiness -- have been present in our show." Nowhere is that more apparent than OCMS XMAS , the group's first holiday album. Decorated with seasonal spirit and string-band stomp, it's the rare breed of Christmas record that packs a punch all year long, shining new light on the band's chart-topping version of American roots music. Old Crow Medicine Show aren't just reinterpreting their favorite yuletide standards; they're adding new songs to the canon, too, from "Jolly Man" -- a country-blues number inspired by Mississippi John Hurt and laced with harmonica, sleigh bells, and resonator guitar -- to the Zydeco- flavored "All About A Baby." They're telling fresh stories, too. On "Corn Whiskey Christmas," a bootlegger drives his Chevrolet through the snow on Christmas Eve, bringing moonshine to those craving a cup of cheer. On the John Prine-worthy "Bethlehem, PA" -- a sly reimagining of Jesus' birth story, with lyrics that substitute Steel Country for Jerusalem -- the band heads to the Keystone State to witness the Nativity, making stops at Wawa and Motel 6 along the way.

"Grandpa's Gone" grapples with the loss of a family figure during the holiday season, while the wicked "Krampus Night" puts a minor- key spin on the Christmas catalog, paying tribute to a folkloric creature who, according to Secor, "just might leave ya coal and steal your soul." Old Crow have thrived for more than a quarter century. Like many of their heroes, they've become torchbearers of classic folk music, reshaping those sounds for the modern world. They're creators, not replicators, and OCMS XMAS finds them tackling another tradition -- the time- honored Christmas album -- with humor, hillbilly twang, and novel ideas. Supported by the band's first-ever "Holiday Hootenanny" tour, OCMS XMAS just might be the start of a new tradition itself: a celebration of the seasonal sounds, shared joy, and holiday rituals that bring us all together. Christmas just got a new soundtrack.

London-based experimentalist Luke Younger (a.k.a HELM) returns to PAN with ‘Olympic Mess’.
Where his previous effort, 2014’s ‘The Hollow Organ,’ dealt in dense, distressed sonics, ‘Olympic Mess’ is Younger responding to a period spent engaged with loop-based industrial music, dub techno, and balearic disco. These musical references, all of which can induce hypnotic states and feelings of euphoria, inform ten evocative aural landscapes which unfurl over the course of an hour and act almost as a counterpoint to the turmoil that spawned them.
Crafted using an array of heavily processed samples, found sound and electroacoustics, personal conflict manifests in “I Exist In A Fog” and “Outerzone 2015,” where visceral noise disintegrates into veiled, ambient strata. The disquieting crescendos of “The Evening In Reverse” and “Fluid Cloak” offer no such relief, while the title track and “Don’t Lick The Jacket” are mineral, multilayered abstractions twisting around a brittle pulse.

Editors-Frontmann Tom Smith veröffentlicht sein Solo-Debütalbum „There Is Nothing In The Dark Which Isn’t There In The Light“

Nach zwei Jahrzehnten als Frontmann von Editors und zwei Alben mit Smith & Burrows betritt Tom Smith mit „There Is Nothing In The Dark That Isn’t There In The Light“ nun endlich Solo-Territorium. Motiviert durch den Wunsch, zu den rohen, akustischen Anfängen seines Songwritings zurückzukehren, machte sich Smith daran, etwas Intimeres und Persönlicheres zu schaffen, weg vom kollaborativen Charakter seiner Bandprojekte.
Anfangs Stand noch der Gedanke im Raum, diese Songs wieder mit seinem langjährigen Kollaborateur Andy Burrows zu schreiben, entschied sich aber schließlich für einen einsameren Weg und engagierte stattdessen den Produzenten Iain Archer. Gemeinsam schufen sie ein Album, das auf emotionaler Ehrlichkeit, akustischen Texturen und Themen wie Verbundenheit, Erinnerung und Resilienz basiert.
Auf dem gesamten Album balanciert Smith reduzierte Arrangements mit filmischen Schnörkeln und schafft so eine dynamische Bandbreite – vom minimalistischen Schmerz von „Broken Time“ bis zum mitreißenden Drama von „Life Is For Living“.
Obwohl von Melancholie geprägt, schwingt auf dem Album letztlich Hoffnung mit – es unterstreicht Smiths Entwicklung als Songwriter und seinen Wunsch, Musik zu schaffen, die das Wesen seiner Persönlichkeit widerspiegelt.

- Oxblood Single Vinyl

Die Dead Kennedys, eine der einflussreichsten Punkbands aller Zeiten, lieferten 1981 mit „Nazi Punks Fuck Off“ eine ihrer legendärsten Singles ab. Roh, unglaublich schnell und kompromisslos ist diese Platte eine zeitlose Momentaufnahme des rebellischen Geistes und der kompromisslosen Vision der DK.

What if fate had followed a different path? Alex Marker and Ben Reed were childhood friends who made music together before pursuing different careers, with Ben becoming a professional musician while Alex followed a career in stage design.

Originally a drummer, Alex set himself a challenge of writing a song for his wife for their wedding day. One song led to another and collaborating for the first time since they were very young Alex and Ben soon found they had a whole album's worth. Influenced by Alex's career in drama each track on Impostor Syndrome aims to tell a tale or paint a portrait encapsulating a moment of change or release. Ben brings a wider palette of musical styles and arrangements to augment a series of songs which draw from a wide range of musical influences including: singer/ songwriter, British prog, folk and rock. Ben Reed is a multi instrumentalist whose playing credits include bass duties on Frank Ocean's albums Endless and Blond as well as work with David Byrne, Sampha, Mustafa, Frank Dukes, Nilufer Yanya, Hayden Thorpe, FKA Twigs and many others.

He has previously released four full length albums of his own; Tall Story, Who Dreams of Hyssop, Station Masters, Loft, Bandaged and most recently You Do You. Alex Marker is a critically acclaimed theatre set and costume designer who has designed over 150 productions for a wide variety of venues including The West End, tours, regional theatres and the fringe. Further back he used to play drums in pit bands for productions and has occasionally been seen on stage too. The album features guests including: organist Ross Stanley (Steve Howe Trio), flautist R achel Hayter ( Alvorada ), bassoonist Philip Dale ( Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment) and Matt Weeks who plays brass alongside mixing duties.

Following their two previous releases, the group--led by the charismatic vocalist Ms. Kennedy and her brilliant musical partner Ondre J (known as Gregory Porter's longtime Hammond organist) - presents a work that fuses funk, soul, and jazz with gripping pop songs and heartfelt ballads, all driven by groove, depth, and Ms. Kennedy's unmistakable voice. The album will be released on CD and LP via Leopard Records. Born from genuine conversations, spontaneous ideas, and a desire to move people through authenticity, 'Humanity' was recorded in the band's Brooklyn home base. The album tells stories of joy and sorrow, self- doubt and self- love, loneliness and connection.

With 'Humanity', Kennedy Administration deliver a record that feels like a soul party, an embrace, and an existential reflection all at once. It's music for overthinkers, outsiders, smartphone scrollers, dancers, and anyone who wants to feel a little less alone. Highlights include Mark Lettieri's (Snarky Puppy) fiery guitar solo and a moving duet with US gospel singer Doobie Powell. Having herself overcome a period of homelessness during the pandemic and rediscovered her voice through music, Ms. Kennedy turns this album into a profoundly personal yet universal statement.

US Black Friday 2025 Release. There are very few albums in the psych/punk/hard rock/private presses strata that garner the sort of universal awe and accolades that Fraction’s almighty Moonblood LP does, and even fewer records in the world that could be dubbed ‘Christian Rock’ incur such fierce devotion. Indeed some records just meteorically lift themselves out any genre tag with brilliance and sheer defiance--and Moonblood is surely one of them. Based in LA, Fraction was a ragged collection of working-class musicians--the line-up was ringleader Jim Beach--vocals; Don Swanson--lead guitar, Curt Swanson--drums, Victor Hemme--bass, and Robert Meinel--rhythm guitar. Beach himself describes those early days: “The guys met through various acquaintances that we had in LA. All of us had been in bands before, but were seeking something with more teeth. We had a small studio in an industrial complex in North Hollywood and started practicing sometimes as early as 4:30 AM. We all had day jobs, so we did what we could.”

Amazingly the recording sessions for the album were recorded similarly on the fly, as Beach further states: “The Moonblood recording took place at Whitney’s Studio in Glendale, CA, early in 1971. On a strict budget, these songs were recorded in less than three hours—all of them “one takes.” We played, all 5 of us, simultaneously-- there were no studio effects, no overdubbing or any additional sound effects added. Basically what you hear is considered ‘old school’ recording.”

This workmanlike description in no way prepares one for the pure tortured genius the session wrought. Particularly noteworthy is Beach’s vocals—as commonly stated, the spirit of Jim Morrison is conjured in his deep baritone, which gives way to unparalleled pained howls, at times bathed in delay which trails into the abyss. Fascinatingly enough, Beach cites the much punker Love as his fave LA band over the Doors, and also gives influence-nods to proto-everything rockers The Yardbirds and to Dylan, whose dark word tapestries surely inspired Beach’s lyrics (though lines from The Doors’ “L’America” pop up on the LP) Whatever the case, the man clearly has a vision, as even the stark sleeve concept is Beach’s own. Equally as integral to the Fraction sound is lead guitarist Don Swanson—his blown-out fuzz riffs set a template for what is now commonly known as “stoner rock” or “acid punk,” and his solos consist of jagged, wah-wah-ed shards of notes, with his amplifier clearly pushed to the limit.

Beach says: “Don’s guitar was always my driving force and he did everything he could to keep it over the top. You’d never know that (his sound) was coming from an old, broken down Esquire. Don kept it alive!” The other members contributions shouldn’t be underappreciated though-- drummer Curt Swanson keeps things at a constant simmer, and then boils over when the whole band launches into snarling glory. The band and LP as a whole equals something indescribably intense from start to finish—comparisons to the Detroit late 60s high-energy bands like The Stooges and MC5 abound, as well as the sort of late 60s damaged spirit lurking in biker clubs and disgruntled Vietnam vets. The song cycle on side 1 of the LP in particular cuts to the emotional core, with severely charged dark lyrics like “Extend your thumbs and burn the darkness out of her.” Which brings us to the Christian aspect--it often can confuse listeners. The Fraction/Beach world of religion is complex and perhaps a bit pagan/sinister than most---fire and brimstone, temptation, and the truth-seeker being burned by this hell on earth—or perhaps as Beach himself best put it: “Speaking for myself, as a believer, it’s been a progressive experience since my childhood.

I think we’re all basically driven to live more than religion.” The album was pressed in a run of but a few hundred to little attention in the day, but now inferior bootlegs flood the marketplace, and originals of Moonblood command thousands of dollars. So enjoy this all-inclusive reissue, which also features for the first time on vinyl, 3 lost tracks-- like the more acoustic-minded “prisms” and “dawning light,” as well as the proto-metal choogle of “Intercessor’s Blues.”

Colored Vinyl. St. Patrick's Cough" sees the Belfast trio diving deep into psychedelic rock and improvisational soundscapes, recorded near the holy well in Holywell between Counties Fermanagh and Leitrim. The result is a sprawling journey of cosmic jams, swirling instrumentation and a meditative undercurrent _ the album stands as a bold statement of the band's creative evolution.

**Includes double sided insert with liner notes and photos*

Al Mati was the pseudonym of eccentric Portuguese-born, Dutch-based artist Alberto Mesquita. The name translates to ‘Alberto Friend’, with ‘Al’ short for Alberto and ‘Mati’ meaning ‘friend’ in Surinamese.
Alberto’s story comes across like a mythical character from a European Kerouac novel, but instead of writing it down, he poured those adventures and characters into his record. The music and the comic-style artwork, drawn by his friend Bruno Scoriels, work as one, with Alberto himself becoming both the story and the character within it.

Raised under Salazar’s regime in Lisbon, where all men were conscripted to Africa, he refused, a pacifist. This put him at odds with his father, born in Angola and a prominent lawyer tied to the dictatorship. Unable to accept his son’s stance, the rift forced Alberto to flee Portugal as a deserter, leaving everything behind.

He sought a new life in Paris, where he met Bruno Scoriels. The pair busked to get by, and young and broke, set off on adventures across Europe. On one trip to Barcelona, they crossed the Pyrenees on foot through a five-kilometre train tunnel, not knowing if they would make it out alive. The train later featured on the cover of Some Shit, a nod to that hazardous journey and the strange turns of his life.

From there he moved to Belgium, where he met Jolanda, his future wife who also features on the album. They lived in The Netherlands, then back in Belgium where they married, before returning to Portugal under false pretences. The regime promised deserters immunity, but it proved untrue, and Alberto was forced to flee again — this time with a young family, using Bruno’s passport to escape to The Netherlands.

They settled in the Gliphoeve flats in Amsterdam’s Bijlmermeer, a vibrant immigrant community. This melting pot of cultures inspired Alberto musically. He started a studio in their flat where musicians from Suriname, Angola, the Antilles, Brazil, Mozambique and Portugal came and went, jamming, rehearsing, recording and forming bands including Albatros, Comoção and Mati Africa, performing internationally and at iconic Amsterdam venues like De Melkweg and Paradiso.

Being an immigrant was tough. Alberto was stateless for years, drifting across countries. Some songs voiced his frustration with the Portuguese regime, others were playful or simply love notes to his wife and kids. He passed away in the Netherlands in 2021, leaving Some Shit open to interpretation. But when you picture Europe in the 1970s — the politics, the upheaval, and his need to connect people across cultures — you can hear an artist shaped by contrast, who poured his experiences, feelings and love into music.

Acclaimed Scottish composer Craig Armstrong releases his new work Pacific via his own label CMA Records. Written for piano, cello, and electronics, the three-movement piece was originally commissioned in December 2024 by Christian Kellersman, a pioneering figure in contemporary classical and jazz music, for his new live event series Berlin Confidential, co-curated with Alexander Szlovák. The series aims to promote innovative new music projects, with a particular focus on emerging musicians and composers.

Armstrong was among the first artists invited to perform as part of Berlin Confidential, premiering Pacific at Berlin’s historic Meistersaal concert hall in March 2025. The concert featured Armstrong on piano alongside cellist Lena Angelina von Almen and producer and musician Guy Sternberg, combining acoustic instruments with live electro-acoustic treatments to create a rich and atmospheric sound world.

Recorded in May 2025 at Lowswing Studios in Kreuzberg, Pacific continues Armstrong’s ongoing exploration of blending acoustic and electronic sound in a natural, seamless way. Over several days in the studio, Armstrong, von Almen and Sternberg developed the work’s intricate textures and dynamic interplay, resulting in a recording that captures both the intimacy and expansiveness of the original live performance.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the piece, Armstrong says: “I wrote this work during a time of great instability in the world, I wrote “Pacific” as an Elegy dedicated to the many suffering in today’s conflicts and in the hope that peace will prevail.”

Across its three movements, Pacific 1 is elegiac in nature, with the main themes stated and developed throughout the piece, punctuated by recurring piano motifs. The movement is reflective and atmospheric, with subtle electronic interventions. The second movement is arrhythmic in nature, following shifting time signatures that reflect a sense of uncertainty - the music is searching and static, ending without resolution but leaving hope for one to come. Pacific 3 moves towards peace and resolution, bringing the work to a close with quiet strength and emotional release.

When speaking about the creative process and his collaborators, Armstrong said: “Lena’s beautiful playing , tone and expression worked so beautifully on Pacific, Lena was also a great collaborator and was always willing to experiment and try new musical approaches. Lena is such a natural musician and she brought so much emotion and beauty to the piece. I wish her all the best in her future musical journey.”

He continues: Guy is a unique combination of being a brilliant engineer and mixer and a prolific very talented musician/composer. I was very fortunate to spend time with Guy in his studio in Berlin. His sensitivity to the project and his electronic programming made a wonderful contribution to the composition. His collaboration and friendship made the days working in Berlin such a great experience I would like to thank Emma Ford for her dedication, enthusiasm and guidance on Pacific”

For both von Almen and Sternberg, the collaboration was equally meaningful. Von Almen reflects on the experience of recording the piece, saying: “As a musician, it is always a great privilege to work on a piece together with the composer, and of course I felt even luckier to go through the process of creating something new with an artist like Craig Armstrong. Figuratively speaking, it felt like knitting a silk scarf: using the finest materials and taking the utmost care during the recording, we have realised another beautiful and touching work by Craig, which will bring us and certainly many others great joy. I feel very honoured to have been part of this and to have experienced this warm encounter.”

Sternberg adds: “Diving into Armstrong’s music while working on this record felt like examining a diamond under a microscope, discovering endless beauty within simplicity. Perfection and complexity emerging from simplicity, where every note, tone, noise, and gesture has meaning. I’m deeply grateful to have been part of this process, and for the freedom Craig gave me to express myself through his music, to let our sonic visions merge into one. It’s been both a lesson in music-making and in setting the ego aside, if only for a moment.”

Reflecting Armstrong’s belief in the role of music as a force for empathy and reflection, proceeds from Pacific will be donated to charities working towards peace: Médecins Sans Frontières and the Red Cross.

The limited-edition vinyl release has been pressed on Eco Vinyl at SeaBass Vinyl, a sustainable plant near Edinburgh. The record features striking cover art by Dirk Rudolph, who has designed several of Armstrong’s previous releases.

Nebula marks its seventh release and keeps its focus firmly on dancefloor functionality, making its releases primed for unique, overwhelming moments in the club.

Out Friday 14th June, the renowned jazz and funk trumpeter Sefi Zisling presents his third album ‘The Librarian’, blending classic elements with psychedelic funk, soul, and spiritual jazz. ‘The Librarian’ is dedicated to all things close to Sefi’s heart. The album pays homage to his musical inspirations, his wife, friends, and Eyad, a Palestinian whose story moved Sefi.

"This album was made as an ode to the people I love, and I would like to dedicate this album to them." - Sefi Zisling

Sefi Zisling first started playing the trumpet at the mere age of ten, soon after enrolling in the prestigious art school Thelma Yellin. Performing in an array of bands since his early teens, Sefi has performed and recorded sessions with almost every key player of the jazz world in Israel. His debut album ‘Beyond The Thing I Know’, released on Tel Aviv’s leading collective Raw Tapes, propelled the trumpeter onto the world stage. Sefi then found his home on Tru Thoughts for his sophomore record ‘Expanse’, an album that captured the essence of the classic jazz session and transformed his role from instrumentalist to composer.

The cover art is a painting by the late Walid Abu Shakra, a member of the Abu Shakra family who have collectively played a pivotal role in the Palestinian-Israeli art scene and are respected worldwide. Walid aimed to highlight the expropriation of Palestinian land by the Israeli state and centred his artistic career on safeguarding a disappearing landscape through his monochromatic etchings.

Selling Points
Sefi Zisling's sophomore album "Expanse" sold out on vinyl in the first few months
The cover art is a painting by the late Walid Abu Shakra, a member of the Abu Shakra family who have collectively played a pivotal role in the Palestinian-Israeli art scene
Praise from Jazz FM (Playlisting), FIP, Jamie Cullum (BBC Radio 2), Jazz Times, Jazziz, Tom Ravenscroft, Huey Morgan, Cerys Matthews (BBC 6Music), Musica Macondo, Music Is My Sanctuary, Bandcamp Weekly, Wax Poetics and much more.
Recorded intimately and live with a five-piece ensemble
The LP features a spellbinding version of Mall Waldron's jazz standard 'All Alone'
Mixed by renowned engineer George Atkins (80 Hertz Studios)

No Speakers scores a major coup here by signing a Detroit legend from Underground Resistance's Galaxy 2 Galaxy. This guy's shared stages with figureheads like Jeff Mills, Carl Craig and Goldie so his creds cannot be questioned. His signature fusion of jazz and electronic fire burns bright here with A-side bangers 'Layers to This' and 'Bridgehouse' primed for future classic status as well as peak-time destruction. Flip it for South London's L.A. Synthesis remix. No stranger to dropping their own iconic techno, their take twists and turns into otherworldly soundscapes. Label boss El Prevost closes the EP with a savage twist of 'Bridgehouse' that is dark and twisted in all the right ways.

DJ Feedback

Kai Alce:
"Bridgehouse is just that, a bridge to the future."

Chris Udoh:
"Bridgehouse is an exceptional cut! "

Kosh:
"Nice release."

D'Julz:
"Best EP I heard in a long time. Lovely."

Radio Slave:
"So good to see La Synthesis here !!! and another great EP. from Jon. Full support."

ICYKOF:
"This is really fun. Love the first track."

Barbara Preisinger:
"The original tracks are sounding great to me and will go into the box. Thanks a lot!"

Orlando Voorn:
"Dopeness, all killer no filler."

Okain:
"Classy stuff."

Cristi Cons:
"Very nice, thanks."

Ryan Crosson:
"El Prevost remix is great, also enjoying the la synthesis remix."

Harri:
"Nice, will play and support."

Domenic Cappello:
"Jon is Detroit royalty, love this."

DJ Hutch:
"Love this release. Bridgehouse remix is crazy."

Harvey Sutherland:
"Bridgehouse is hot, thanks!"

Colin Dale:
"Excellent EP. All the cuts rock."

Greg Gow:
"Nice soulful tracks full support."

Laurent Garnier:
"Cool deepness."

Aleqs Notal:
"Jon Dixon, always on fire!!!"

Man Power:
"Layers to this is great."

DJ Bone:
"Smooth and funky release. Very nice."

Ground-breaking percussive ambient recordings from Gabrielle Roth & The Mirrors, inducing altered states of consciousness through ecstatic dance. "Selected Works from 1985 to 2005" finally available on Time Capsule

Despite featuring an extraordinary cast of musicians (with credits including Pharoah Sanders, Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Santana and Milton
Nascimento) and selling hundreds of thousands of albums, the music of Gabrielle Roth & The Mirrors remains largely unheard beyond their sphere. Conceived as live, improvised soundtracks to Roth’s transcendental dance workshops, musical acclaim was never on the agenda.Instead, for a passionate dancer and spiritual polyglot like Gabrielle Roth, movement was a means through which to channel a wide spectrum of teaching, from experimental psychology to psychedelic counter-culture. It was from this heady mix that she devised a movement meditation known as 5Rhtyhms, which came to define her life’s work.

As “guide and catalyst”, Roth would dance to inspire the percussion-led instrumentals that would in turn fuel her 5Rhythms workshops, stimulating a secular form of ecstatic dance with roots in Native American shamanic traditions, Afro-Brazilian Candomblé and Yoruba drumming. Using anything from a Sioux pony drum to East African kihembe and Japanese Kabuki drums, Gabrielle’s lawyer-turned-drummer husband Robert Ansell set the foundational rhythms for The Mirrors’ recordings, each of which would then feature a rotating cast of friends and professional musicians.

“The secret of everything we’ve done is that we never told anybody what to play,” Robert shares. “Instead of our albums being a musical vision of one person like me or Gabrielle, they were the musical vision of a whole bunch of people.”At times the recordings have a Middle Eastern flair, at others, West African and spiritual jazz modes come to the fore. Hints of kosmische musik, proto-house and electronic ambience are laced like LSD through the organic rhythmic structures. This was kaleidoscopic ambient music to stir the body and free the mind.

In practice, the task of synthesising these different elements fell to Scott Ansell, Robert’s son and a recording engineer whose credits now include Nile Rogers, Duran Duran, Grace Jones. With meticulous attention to detail he captured and translated the dynamic energy of each drum onto record. Their sessions became legendary, and with access to the best studios in the NYC, The Mirrors sparkled.

Despite being initially overlooked by the burgeoning ‘80s New Age market, which preferred pipes and gongs to The Mirrors’ heavy-grooving drums, Robert Ansell set up Raven Recording to self-release the music, creating a vast sonic archive of sixteen albums over almost forty years. The breadth of Raven’s catalogue is such that curator Pol Valls had to cut an initial selection of sixty-six tracks down to the eleven featured here. What crystallises is a stunning, mind-altering collection which spans, in Pol’s words, “a variety of genres, styles, and vibes within their catalogue, whether it is emotional, esoteric, spiritual, melancholic, hypnotic, dark, or at times a combination of these elements together.”Music for immersive and intimate environments, Gabrielle Roth & The Mirrors were born from the dance. In the hands of the right DJ, at the right time, in the right place, they might just return there.

Status Quo has endured for over 50 years and is known for worldwide hits and tours to millions of fans across the globe. This 12" blue etched single collects together some of the band's rare tracks from the late 1990s and early 2000s, in support of the 14 track CD compilation of the same name. Until now, many of these tracks have only been available on CD singles or editions of albums only available in one country. This mastered for vinyl 12" single is supported by the band and has been overseen by the recordings' original producer, Mike Paxman. Limited Edition Of 1000 Copies.

2025 Repress

"Cake" was a New York band formed in 1973, following a line-up tweak and a change from their previous name "Mixed Company» (referring to the racially mixed personell). At Arabellum Studios in Colony, Albany, NY, the band recorded their only 7-inch single. "Make Up Your Mind" / "Let Your Body Go» was released on Key Records in 1979.



Half a life time later, after appearing in DJ mixes and online auctions in the late 2000s, the single started gaining notoriety among DJs and diggers. Working its way up to "holy grail" status on the modern soul and disco collector scene, original copies of the sought after record would eventually sell for as high as $1000.



In 2012, Hans Jørgen Wærner (Mutual Intentions Co-Founder and notorious disco collector) got in touch with Arabellum studio owner Art Snay who produced the record. This lead him to lead singer Bob Treffiletti who had a cassette tape with unreleased long versions of the songs. The sound quality of the tape was not adequate for what Hans had in mind, and so the hunt for the original master tapes began! Unfortunately, Art Snay later passed away. At one point chances of finding the original recordings seemed so slim, the project was all but abandoned….



Luckily, Bob managed to get hold of the master tapes via Art's wife and they were sent away to legendary disco mixer / remixer John Morales, who transferred the tape to digital format. After several rounds in one of Norway's best mastering studios (Strype Audio), noise reduction and sound surgery were done while retaining the soul of the original recordings. The songs were finally ready to be pressed on the format they have always deserved: the 12-inch disco single!



The 12-inch comes with four 5 min + long songs and can be pre-ordered now. The high-quality lacquer cut pressing is produced at Optimal Media in Germany and limited to 300 copies worldwide.

- Following Record Store 2024 Exclusive numbered yellow LP reissue for the first time since release , the album now back on CD too and as Solid Green Vinyl
- Northside were key players in the 'Madchester' / baggy / indie-rave scene of the early 90s
- Top 20 album produced by The Lightning Seeds' Ian Broudie (Echo & The Bunnymen, Shack, The Coral, Texas)
- Featuring the indie dancefloor fillers 'Take 5', 'Shall We Take A Trip' and 'My Rising Star'
- Vinyl cut from the original Factory Records masters
- Restored artwork by Central Station Design
- Expanded CD edition features 6 bonus tracks : rarities, single edits & 2 remixes by The Reflex & Leo Zero

70er Jahre Mutierte Mistel! Nehmen Sie Schutz vor diesem tödlichen Weihnachts-Funk-Album, aufgenommen von dem grausamen Crooner Jimmy Jules, der verheerenden Diva Jackie Spencer und begleitet vom giftigen Nuclear Soul System. 1977 auf Jules' Label Jim Gem veröffentlicht, verschwand die Platte in der Disco-Wolke, erreichte den Status eines Heiligen Grals und inspirierte im Nachgang ein Weihnachtsalbum von Sharon Jones. Stille Nacht? Seelenvoller Schrecken!

70er Jahre Mutierte Mistel! Nehmen Sie Schutz vor diesem tödlichen Weihnachts-Funk-Album, aufgenommen von dem grausamen Crooner Jimmy Jules, der verheerenden Diva Jackie Spencer und begleitet vom giftigen Nuclear Soul System. 1977 auf Jules' Label Jim Gem veröffentlicht, verschwand die Platte in der Disco-Wolke, erreichte den Status eines Heiligen Grals und inspirierte im Nachgang ein Weihnachtsalbum von Sharon Jones. Stille Nacht? Seelenvoller Schrecken!

A glimpse through the window into the mind of Ox Omni, No Prayers to the Devil is a declaration of war against all things ungodly—an unflinching, uncompromising statement from an artist who refuses to bow. Fully produced by 94Maax and mixed/mastered by Shiggy, the album weaves razor-sharp lyricism through haunting samples, crisp drumwork, and cinematic textures. Ox Omni blends street wisdom with introspective storytelling, delivering a project that is both raw and thought-provoking.

The album features carefully curated guest appearances that enhance its immersive atmosphere. RocxNoir joins on “Paid in Full,” Rome Streetz lends his presence to “Kitchen Counter,” and Daniel Son adds his touch to *“Favorite Episode.” Each collaboration amplifies the album’s dynamic range, seamlessly shifting between moments of darkness and revelation.

The striking album artwork, created by Stab Master Arson, reinterprets Friedrich August Moritz Retzsch’s classic painting Checkmate, reinforcing the album’s core themes of power struggles, fate, and the fight for one’s soul. Just as the painting portrays a man locked in a high-stakes chess match against the devil, No Prayers to the Devil finds Ox Omni navigating the trials of life with unwavering conviction.

With its eerie production, calculated lyricism, and masterful sequencing, No Prayers to the Devil is a gripping body of work that cements Ox Omni’s place in the modern underground scene.

Italian jazz beat maestros Koralle & Yawuh team up for their first collab album, 'Primo Quarto'.

'Primo Quarto' is a record full of late-night tales about beats and jazz (you guessed it) and a musical friendship that manifested itself in an apartment building in Bologna after dark. Thirteen tracks were produced and mixed on the first floor (where Yawuh lives) and on the fourth floor (where Koralle’s studio is located). With the help of an A-list of local musicians (Matteo Magnaterra, Piergiorgio Perrella, Giovanni Tamburini, Gianluca Arcesilai), three MCs from the US (Anti Lilly, Tiff The Gift, Physical Graffiti), and producer friends Saib (Berlin), Phlocalyst (Luz), and Lorenzo Morresi (Milan).
“'Primo Quarto' is an Italian expression that refers to the first quarter of the moon,” Koralle and Yawuh explain. “The lunar phase when the moon is half illuminated and half in shadow. For us, this moment captures the emotional core of the album: a balance between light and dark, the seen and the hidden, clarity and mystery.”
Artwork by Japanese illustrator Tomo Oriyama.

After screaming to the world You Don't Know What Chiptune Is, arottenbit returns with an even more radical and collective statement: You Don't Know What A Rework Is. Ten tracks, completely deconstructed and rebuilt by twenty Italian bands, each in their own sonic language. From drone swallowing the void to the most savage death metal, from visceral punk to a fearless flamenco twist, every track becomes an uncharted territory, a journey where arotttenbit's identity dissolves and multiplies into twenty new forms. Most of the recordings were captured by Otto himself with his mobile studio, during a tour across Italy that took him into basements, rehearsal rooms, and underground spaces, harnessing raw and direct energy from the bands in their natural environment. Mixing and mastering then came to life at Otto Engineering Labs, his personal sound-space where everything was stitched together and transformed into a single living organism.



[a] SPECIMEN 1.1.[FLC:011-015] (FEAT. FULCI)
[b] SPECIMEN 2.1.[ISK:006-008] (FEAT. JASON DAHLKE)
[c] SPECIMEN 3.1.[FSG:005-007] (FEAT. FOSGENE)
[d] SPECIMEN 4.1.[OVO:004-007] (FEAT. OVO)
[e] SPECIMEN 5.1.[UND:008-010] (FEAT. UNDERTAKERS)
[f] SPECIMEN 6.1.[HWF:007-009] (FEAT. HYPERWÜLFF)
[g] SPECIMEN 7.1.[3ST:009-010] (FEAT. THREESTEPSTOTHEOCEAN)
[h] SPECIMEN 8.1.[MBR:006-007] (FEAT. MASTER BOOT RECORD)
[i] SPECIMEN 9.1.[LXN:010-011] (FEAT. LESLIEXNIELSEN)
[j] SPECIMEN 0.1.[8NE:006-008] (FEAT. OTTONE PESANTE)

The story of Suffering began in the UK's West Midlands in 2012 and since those nascent days they have released a nefarious collection of occult black metal offerings, beginning with their debut album, 11, in 2018 and most recently the Symphonies: Diabolis EP in 2024. They have also built a reputation for intense, diabolical live performances, appearing alongside the likes of Esoteric, Ghost Bath, and Mol. The band recently signed with infamous label, Apocalyptic Witchcraft, with label founder Conor Droney describing Suffering's music as "dark, unflinching, and deeply atmospheric, exactly what we stand for." And now the first fruits of that new alliance are about to be unveiled, in the shadowed form of Things Seen But Always Hidden. Things Seen But Always Hidden is an enveloping nightmarish journey through temptation and spiritual destruction, an immersion in contrasting states of terror and ecstasy - it bewilders, consumes and possesses the power to change and scar. Each song seeps into the next, binding them into a grimoire of dehumanising ritual, yet they exist as powerful individual entities. There is 'Enthralled', constructed from classic black metal riffs and raw vocal exhortations_and something more, something imperceptible but profoundly affecting; 'What Once Was Shall Be Again And What Is Shall Be No More', a glimpse beyond the veil, a fall down the endless paths of inherited memory that binds you to this album, this place constructed from arcane sound; the fear filled and imperious 'Hell On Earth New Eden', driven by a ravenous, unholy hunger_each chapter in this tome of unmaking and desecration will burn itself into your mind. A fusion of blackest metal, ritualistic doom and unsettling, distressing atmosphere Things Seen But Always Hidden will never leave you, no matter where you run. The way to Things Seen But Always Hidden will be revealed by Apocalyptic Witchcraft on November 28th. But remember, once you have set foot on this path there is no way back_

DJ Support: Andy Votel, Nemone (BBC Radio 6), Andy Bell, The Quietus and more

The sweet hum from the vampire wood returns as Five Green Moons make another orbit. Ritual incantations and Dubwise vibrations are fused with angular guitars and skittering basement electronics to form a new entity. Moon 2.

Justin Robertson's second outing as Five Green Moons is a fusion of influences. The presence of occult mystery can be felt in the chants and vocal motifs, there lurks a manifestation of elastic post punk in the zigzag echo further enhanced by the appearance of Brix Smith, former high priestess of the Fall on two tracks. One could draw comparisons with P.I.L, Holy Tongue, the hauntological sound of Current 93, the trippy off kilter hypnotism of Brown Rice era Don Cherry, and of course the solid foundations of Dub. The bass is heavy, the sound spacious. This is a new form of pastoral dub!

Pressed on Limited Green Vinyl.