Search:sub love

2026 Repress

Due to high demand, MEU has revisited two of Mr. K’s classics, previously only available as 12-inch extended mixes, and asked the master editor to pare them down to 7-inch size.

A true top-five peak record at the Garage, Thelma Houston’s “I’m Here Again” was “a highlight whenever Larry played it,” Danny Krivit recalls, “and he played it a lot!” Danny’s edit is a homage to Larry and Frankie Knuckles – in particular a similar private edit that Frankie did back in the day and shared with Krivit. “It was on reel to reel and I didn’t copy it correctly and lost it,” Danny remembers. “Reels were problematic! When I tried to get it again from him, unfortunately he had lost it too.” The song (likely an attempt by Motown to capitalize on the previous year’s monster hit “Don’t Leave Me This Way”) is, in its original form, a virtual retake of Thelma Houston’s breakout single, from the subdued, schmaltzy intro to the “oooh BABY!” leading to the chorus. What sets “I’m Here Again” apart though, is the incredible second half of the song. Naturally, it is here that Mr. K’s edit focuses. Over a vicious groove reminiscent of the Originals’ “Down To Love Town” breakdown (Michael Sutton wrote and produced both “Love Town” and “I’m Here Again”) Houston delivers soul-stirring ad libs as the band crackles with electricity behind her, the piano chasing a descending string riff so eagerly. Pure dancefloor peak energy! And the very first time having all these parts on a 7"!

For our flip, Danny has reached deep into the earliest foundations of his voluminous collection, and come out with a psychedelic pop classic rearranged for today’s sound systems and setlists. Recorded in the Beatles’ Abbey Road studio at the height of the Summer Of Love, the Zombies’ “Time Of The Season” is firmly linked in pop culture to the late ‘60s and the Vietnam era, breaking big in the summer of 1969. Krivit’s edit highlights the parade of lush sonic textures that ornament the hip composition, from the iconic, exquisitely echoed bass-clap-exhale riff that opens the song to the cascading Hammond organ solos of Rod Argent. “It’s a song from my childhood that really struck a chord,” Danny says. “Over the years I often played a rough edit which always seemed to go over great. The song seemed to get better and better, and age like fine wine.” We agree!

These two songs have both appeared on previous (separate) MEU 12-inches, but are presented here in custom new edits for the 7-inch format.

"Take Me Up" features rolling chords, pads and uplifting vocals alongside the "Do the Do" break (a break I've always loved). This one came together very nicely, and i often play it in the car while driving down the motorway. Tony and I really enjoying writing this tune. 

"Siren" is a classic Subjects style tune through and through: Stabs, beats, vocals, 808s, and (of course) amen breaks, just how we do it. Nuff said!

Carly Simon’s No. 1 smash “You’re So Vain” lingers as one of the most clever and famous songs ever recorded. The subject of mass speculation ever since its release, soon after which it occupied the top spot on multiple Billboard charts for weeks, the anthem kept a captive public guessing at the identity of its smug subject for decades. The question surrounding the protagonist’s identity remained perhaps the only mystery on the otherwise sexually open and autobiographically daring No Secrets, Simon’s commercial breakthrough and ‘70s singer-songwriter staple.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, and housed in a Stoughton gatefold jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 45RPM 2LP set affords the platinum-certified 1972 effort the finest sonic treatment it’s received on vinyl. Helmed by Richard Perry and recorded at London’s Trident Studios — where Beatles, David Bowie, and Elton John captured landmark LPs — No Secrets touts exceptional production qualities highlighted by this restorative reissue.

Audiophiles and record collectors, take note: This is the first time No Secrets has been available on 45RPM. The wider grooves and dead-quiet surfaces pay instant dividends. Simple, elegant, and disarming, songs seemingly float amid wide, deep soundstages. Simon’s voice takes on a confident, assertive tenor that emerges with accurate imaging, balanced tonality, and palpable presence. String arrangements and backing vocals come through with similar realism.

Enhanced by an all-star cast — Simon’s then-husband James Taylor, Paul and Linda McCartney, Mick Jagger, Lowell George, Klaus Voorman, Bobby Keys, Jim Keltner, Nicky Hopkins, and Bonnie Bramlett are among the renowned musicians who lend a hand — No Secrets advances Simon’s themes of personal introspectiveness, no-holds-barred reflectiveness, and feminist-inspired boldness. She makes every moment of No Secrets worth savoring. Simon invests her all in the songs, handling beautiful ballads, sassy folk-rock numbers, and bluesy fare with calm, composure, and candor.

While acknowledging her own regrets (“You’re So Vain”) and loss (“The Carter Family”), Simon champions the highs (“The Right Thing to Do”) and pains (“His Friends Are More Than Fond of Robin”) of love in a sincere manner indicative of her maturity as both an artist and singer. The New York native distinguishes “When You Close Your Eyes” with deep-rooted spirituality, recalls childhood joys via charming sentimentality on “It Was So Easy,” and and takes ownership of her persona on a cover of Taylor’s “Night Owl.”

“We have no secrets
/We tell each other everything,” Simon sings at the record’s midpoint, encapsulating both the themes and bravura of an effort that was nominated for four Grammy Awards and saw her write or co-write every song but one. Combined with Perry’s savvy instrumental arrangements, her self-assured performances and forthright lyrics grant No Secrets an edginess and relevance immune to the ravages of time.

How enduring is the signature song from Harry Chapin’s Verities & Balderdash? So timeless that it became the subject of a 2025 documentary in which artists from multiple generations weigh in on its impact on their lives and craft. “Cat’s in the Cradle” doubtlessly remains the main event on the singer-songwriter’s 1974 album. The legendary opening track also serves as a guidepost for the bold personal and social material that follows — as well as the gorgeous folk-rock arrangements that underpin the New York native’s most commercially successful work.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, housed in a Stoughton jacket complete with a four-page insert, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM LP of Verities & Balderdash presents Chapin’s fourth full-length in audiophile quality for the first time on vinyl. Captured during a golden era for sonics and production, the Top 5 effort features remarkable tonal balance, instrumental separation, and organic naturalism. Those valued aspects come into supreme focus on this reissue, which plays with dead-quiet surfaces and a low noise floor.

The newfound clarity, openness, and imaging underscore the lasting appeal of Chapin’s tender deliveries, soulful timbre, and careful phrasing. Every word comes across with incredible realism, while his underrated guitar playing occupies its own distinctive space. Also notable: The extension of the tasteful string accents; airiness of the backing vocals; depth and shape of the spare bass lines; and width and depth of the soundstaging. When on “Six String Orchestra” Chapin calls out names of instruments, they appear like magic, the band performing feet from you. Chapin has never sounded so lifelike on record.

Certified double platinum, Verities & Balderdash resonated with the times and public. “Cat’s in the Cradle” reached No. 1 on the chart on its way to being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The romantic ballad “I Wanna Learn a Love Song” flirted with the Top 40 and wrapped listeners in the equivalent of a cozy blanket. The record’s other single, the mini-epic “What Made America Famous?,” helped establish Chapin as one of the country’s most incisive and insightful commentators.

Verities & Balderdash teems with situational devices and topical matters. Chapin observes everything from the polarization of the nation to changes in moral standards and cultural priorities. He investigates pressing themes without ever turning preachy or elevating himself above the matters at hand. On “Halfway to Heaven,” whose coda races to the finish and ranks as the most urgent moment on the record, Chapin inhabits the mind of his frustrated protagonist akin to an eagle-eyed novelist.

Conveying emotions that range from melancholic to carefree, Chapin is as much of a singer as a storyteller. He assumes the voice of multiple characters within a single narrative. During the quirky “30,000 Pounds of Bananas,” a tale based on a delivery-truck accident in 1965, Chapin alters his delivery, pronunciation, and diction to become an old man reflecting on the mishap and mess. The tempo, too, adjusts to match the speed of the vehicle Chapin describes.

Adorned with timely laugh tracks to reinforce the bittersweet humor, the stripped-down “Six String Orchestra” takes everything up another notch, with Chapin intentionally missing guitar notes or playing a broken passage to illustrate the failures of the hopeful protagonist who doesn’t have what’s required to make it as an artist.

Chapin, of course, did not have any such problem. The lynchpin of a career cut short by a tragic traffic incident, Verities & Balderdash is Exhibit A of the savvy craft, feeling, and perspective he lent to American music.

FreedomB Delivers Timeless Groove on 'Essence Of Soul EP'. FreedomB is an artist defined by groove and movement rather than place. Drawing influence from jazz, funk, soul, and the earliest house and electronic rhythms, his sound is rooted in timeless dance music traditions and built for long, immersive nights on the floor. Focused on rhythm, flow, and emotional energy, FreedomB's productions exist to make people dance without compromise. With releases on labels such as Knee Deep In Sound, Roush, Toolroom, Sola, ElRow Music, and Flashmob Records, FreedomB has earned support from leading names including Hot Since 82, Supernova, Hector Couto, Solardo, and Flashmob. Now joining the Definitive Recordings catalogue, FreedomB presents 'Essence Of Soul EP', a two-track release that captures his deep-rooted love for classic house, disco, and soulful dancefloor energy. On 'Mi House Es Tu House', FreedomB delivers pure house nostalgia. A groovy beat and subtle bassline form the foundation, joined by classic piano chords that immediately set the tone. As the track unfolds, disco samples, a 90s-style synth melody, and a soulful female vocal sample build toward a powerful breakdown before dropping back into full groove, introducing a second timeless house synth theme. It's uplifting, energetic, and perfectly designed for any house music dancefloor. The title track 'Essence Of Soul' shifts into a deeper, more disco-infused direction. A straighter, nu-disco- inspired rhythm sets the pace while layered synths evolve throughout the arrangement. An 80s-style bassline anchors the groove, accompanied by filtered vocal chants, disco effects, and a spoken-word vocal reflecting on the meaning of music and the dancefloor. As the track progresses, rich piano chords and classic high house strings lift the energy into an emotional, late-night crescendo. 'Essence Of Soul EP' is a celebration of groove, soul, and timeless house energy. A release that lets the music speak and invites you to dance.

Not long after the well-received 'Bottlemess Brunch' and 'Billa' dropped, the FLDIN2 label is back with another killer drop. This one, we're told, draws on Fold producer Rob's early immersion in pirate radio and record-collecting years in suburban London during the early 2000s. Lovers of Ben UFO, Joy Orbison and Floating Points will all be into the lo-fi designs, not to mention the irresistible garage, tech and dub swagger he packs into these jams. 'Lotion' is a crispy, tightly coiled and skeletal UKG sound underpinned with wobbly low ends and sprinkled with chopped vocal fragments that make for a ghostly groove. 'Soft Launch' is fuller, with a more boring emotional impact from the yearning vocal stabs that are teased and buried throughout the mix.

Welcome back, hope you've had a good trip so far. While we're digging global tunes, let's not forget what's cooking in our own yards. No less then a new dub don has risen from the wastelands of bratwursts, nutcrackers and garden gnomes: Toni Wobble is looking back on over 20 years of roots in punk, free parties and political movements. From anti-nuclear activism to the Gaggeldub performances, Toni's dug deep into the Dub universe: from Dubstation to Rootsbase to Subardo. By 2012, Toni became a respected operator of Leipzig's Plug Dub Soundsystem. Soon after, he didn't hesitate to create the very own solarpowered Sunplugged sound. Toni's live dub sets hit with all depth and energy of low bass sound culture, shaking the foundations with refreshing freakuency adventures. After a guest spot on our 18th release, helping RUZ dubbing out a deep b-side, it's time to unleash the full Wobble fury on 45Seven!
Out In Da Streetz was born in a lockdown, when urban life got stall, opening space for experiments. Inspired by Juke and Footwork at nights such as Bassmæssage, Toni ventured into Jungle production - the genre him love from way back. The result is an opus of subs, breaks, skanks and dubs. Expect 30 Hertz bass, wobbly midranges, halftime snares and Jungle edits sharp like razor. Don't miss the Ini cameo and hand-made skank work straight from the lab. The result ain't just a track, it's a state of inner and outer emergency, a deep dive into groove, texture and creative chaos.
Irie Cruise rolls up like a cloud of green smoke riding through the streets with a sick ride in a surreal vibe. Rootsy rhythms meet subtle Jungle twists inbetween the twinkles of Dub and the flickers of breakbeats. When the hook drops, the impulse fires up, the lowrider bounces through the turns of skanks, throwing dub delays and gliding deep into the night. By the final tone, you didn't just take a ride, you're actually a bit closer to the sun.
Toni Wobble is giving the full hundred. Dub ain't just a genre, it's a portal to infinite spaces of sound. It's a culture, a process and an attitude, all about echo, bass and space. But it's also about experimentation, consciousness and transformation. Each delay loop is reshaping reality, tearing it down and rebuilding it from the ground up. D.U.B. equals to deep universal beats, the universal frequency... Deep, wide and open. Tune in and dub out!

Fantastic Friends Recordings drops a new 12” bringing together long-time label pillars Daniel Meister and Brizman, alongside first-time vinyl appearances on the label from Ilario Liburni (Italy/Belgium) and San Dee (Miami). Moving across deep house, minimal, subtle techno and electro influences, each artist delivers a distinct sonic identity while contributing to a cohesive overall vision. The EP reflects the collaborative and eclectic spirit that has defined Fantastic Friends since its early days, with tracks built around groove, tension and durability on the dancefloor. A timeless vinyl EP for lovers of deep, minimal and forward-thinking club music.

Focus On Egoless returns with a powerful new Various Artists release, bringing together Dutch talents Sosef and Kai Stein with three artists from the Canary Islands: Daniel Rodríguez, Funke, and Moray.

A diverse collection of club focused cuts, this release moves across different shades of energy, from hypnotic, groove driven tracks made to set the tone at the beginning of the night, to powerful and intense weapons designed to take things deep into the dancefloor.

Balancing raw energy with more subtle, rolling warm up grooves, each track brings its own character while staying rooted in the distinctive sound and spirit of Focus On Egoless.

The incredible story that began with The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet (TMMS) now enters an exciting new chapter: Skyscraper, the debut album by FEX.

Skyscraper features ten original tracks recorded in the early to mid-1980s-carefully re-transferred, remastered, and brought back to life. The album cover, designed by Darius S., brings the story full circle. Darius is the very person who preserved the now-iconic track Subways of Your Mind by recording it from NDR radio in the mid-80s. Without him, FEX may never have been discovered.

FEX's debut opens with its namesake, Skyscraper-a brooding, previously unreleased track the band once described as part of their "psychedelic phase." With haunting synth-helicopter textures and deep guitar riffs, it immediately sets the tone and raises tension.

The release flows naturally into the energetic and fully remastered studio version of Subways of Your Mind. This version of the TMMS - re-discovered on the "yellow label tape" by Reddit user Marijn-was long believed to be from a smaller home studio, but was actually recorded in November 1984 at Hawkeye Studios in Ganderkesee, near Hamburg.

Goldrush, first teased in raw form on FEX's YouTube channel, bends toward mechanical rhythm and shimmering synths, a snapshot of the band's experiments with programmed drum machine sound. Rückwardt's lyrics point to greed and criticizes materialism, and while the music leans toward pop sensibilities, it carries a raw, fractured edge.

Heart in Danger and I've Got My Eyes On You offer contrasting experiences-one rooted in classic post-punk tension, the other floating in melodic synth layers. The latter in particular feels like a fragment from a parallel radio history: a precise and one of a kind synth pop love song with a progressive touch.

From a rehearsal tape comes Dirty Slapstick, its urgency intact. Missing keyboard parts were later reconstructed by Michael Hädrich using his original DX7 synthesizer-recovering lost elements without rewriting the past. The lyrics take a wry look at forced optimism. Also included are the songs Talking Hands, Jenny and Strange Feeling, the latter being a slower blues-tinged cut, revealing yet another facet of the band's reach and Rückwardt's songwriting diversity.

The album closes where the legend began-with the original radio recording of Subways of Your Mind from Darius' cassette. This version of The Most Mysterious Song features alternate vocal effects, contributing to the track's enigmatic aura. Digitally transferred using a high-end Revox machine and carefully remastered, it now has its long-deserved official release.

The cover features a photo of the Eichenberg Bunker in Kiel-one of FEX's original rehearsal spaces and a symbolic monument to their sonic legacy.

Odlazak – the third full-length from multidisciplinary artist and musician Ivan Masic as Ex Ponto – takes its name from the Serbian word for departure. It’s a theme that reverberates throughout the release as the motifs of departure, arrival and the journey between the two are woven into an intimate personal narrative from 1980s Yugoslavia to contemporary suburban Coburg and back. Odzalak feels like a bookend to a decade of concerted, illuminating visits to the place of his birth and a countenance to the departure that long defined his youth.

Alongside Ex Ponto’s signature mix of electronic and organic textures, Masic has interspersed moments of exchange from his homeland. The haunting sound of the gusle — a traditional Serbian instrument played by his ancestors — opens the album, alongside 40-year-old VHS recordings of family members reflecting on life and death. The cover was designed by long-time friend Rick Milovanovic (TRiC), whilst photographs from Masic’s visits to Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina by his wife, photographer Sarah Pannell, are featured on the inner sleeve. The release was mastered and partially mixed by Belgrade-based Goran Simonoski (La Plant), a collaboration rooted in shared lineage and a mutual love of the darker edges of the sonic spectrum.

Taking cues from ambient to kosmiche, dub to post punk and everything in between, this is a sonic journey as much as it’s a personal one. Part Balkan Bladerunner soundtrack, part Vini Reilly in wonderland, Odzalak is Ex Ponto’s most pointed and heady release to date, equally at ease in the club and at home.

Sciahri and Sublunar are happy to welcome back Clotur with his new EP, One Touch. A release that highlights Clotur’s ability to blend refined groove structures with a distinctive and instantly recognisable sonic language. The EP opens with One Touch, a deep and seductive cut enriched by Suēno’s distinctive vocal, creating one of those tracks that instantly stays in your head. It then moves into Drummz, driven by dynamic and unpredictable rhythms, refined groove work and a strong sense of movement. On the flip side, Endless Love blends deep, repetitive structures with a balance of modern and old-school influences, before closing the vinyl with Fragments of Us, a track that perfectly captures Clotur’s talent for unique sound exploration, paired with an infectious bassline that lingers long after. With this EP, Clotur further establishes himself as one of the most distinctive and hard-to-replicate artists in the current scene.

ABOUT PHONE ME TONIGHT

Phone Me Tonight was recorded in 1981 at Studio Maïa in Bondy, just outside Paris - a creative hub where many artists of the African diaspora shaped their sound. On this track, Eko Roosevelt collaborates with producer Gabriel Nahas, known for his work with artists such as Pasteur Lappe, Marthe Zambo, Toto Guillaume, and Manu Dibango. The result is a shimmering blend of synth-driven groove and Eko’s signature ‘Funky Disco Music’ sound, capturing a moment where analogue warmth met futuristic ambition.

For this 2026 reissue, Phone Me Tonight has been carefully restored and remastered, breathing new life into Eko’s iconic Yamaha DX7 synth lines. The track has been subtly tightened to the grid, making it perfectly suited for contemporary dancefloors & dj’s while preserving its original spirit and charm.

This EP also offers a glimpse into Eko’s creative world: rare photographs of his home studio in Lobé, featuring the very DX7 synth used during the original recording. In addition, you’ll discover exclusive footage from the Phone Me Tonight video shoot, filmed at the breath-taking Lobé Waterfalls, documented together with Lobé’s community throughout 2025 and 2026.

ABOUT LOBE MON AMI

Lobé Mon Ami was written by Eko Roosevelt in 1981 as a heartfelt tribute to his home community of Lobé in Cameroon. Two versions of the song exist; this EP presents the rare and original version, restored and remastered here for the very first time. Using the download code, listeners can also access an exclusive alternate version of Lobé Mon Ami and the full EP in digital formats.

The song weaves together multiple languages, including Batanga and French, reflecting the rich cultural fabric of the region. Through its lyrics, Eko tells the story of his life - born and raised in Lobé, venturing abroad in pursuit of music, yet always drawn back home. Each return rekindles his deep connection to Lobé. In a poetic gesture, he names surrounding villages in various languages such as Batanga throughout the song, turning it into both a personal memoir and a cultural map.

ABOUT EKO ROOSEVELT

Born on November 13, 1946, to princess Kethy Mbenyo and William Roosevelt, Eko Roosevelt has led a life filled with mythical appeal and musical excellence. Local lore recalls how, at the age of ten, he bravely fought off and killed a serpent near the waterfalls of Lobé. An event that became part of his local legend prior to his enduring legacy as a musician and traditional chief.

Eko Roosevelt discovered his passion for music in church before furthering his studies in Dakar, where he met his wife, Nicole. Together they moved to France, where Eko launched his recording career - first with the Dikalo Group, and later as a solo artist. His discography includes standout releases such as Kilimandjaro My Home, Funky Disco Music, and the hit single Nalandi. In 2020 he renewed his status as hitmaker through his work with Disclosure on the revised version of his single ‘Tondoho Mba’, originally released in 1982. His enduring legacy and pioneership within Makossa and Funky Disco music helped shape the sound of many DJ’s and producers such as Gilles Peterson, Disclosure, Folamour, Diplo, ANOTR, Jax Jones, Sonny Fodera and Daphni.

Over the years, he shared stages and collaborations with renowned artists including Claude François, Nino Ferrer, Manu Dibango, and Miriam Makeba. As a producer and arranger, he became a respected figure across the African diaspora, working with talents such as Toto Guillaume, Marthe Zambo, M'Pongo Love, and experimenting in the studio with visionary artist Francis Bebey.

In 1998, Eko returned to Kribi, where he continues to live, create, and perform. Alongside his musical career, he has composed three albums of Catholic music, still awaiting release, and is currently working on new material. Today, he remains a beloved figure both locally and internationally.

Since 1996, he formally assumed his role as traditional chief of Lobé (usually reffered to as 'Chef Traditionnel'), following in the footsteps of his grandfather; his majesty ‘Bevigna Eko Louis’ - an enduring source of inspiration throughout Eko Roosevelt’s life. Despite his royal duties, he continues to perform regularly across Cameroon. When he takes the stage, entire crowds sing along to Lobé Mon Ami and classics like Nalandi and Attend-Moi, celebrating a legacy that bridges generations.

Balancing tradition and music, his majesty Eko Roosevelt Louis remains deeply committed to both his community and his art. This reissue of Phone Me Tonight / Lobé Mon Ami marks a renewed chapter in sharing his rich musical legacy, and his musical future with the world.

Warehouse Find!

Time to welcome Soul 223 to the label with his debut Delusions EP entitled Fear Of Stopping. Something of a complete legend in our eyes and ears, Steve Pickton has been releasing top drawer tuneage for over two decades both as Stasis on influential labels such as B12 and Peacefrog and more recently as Soul 223 on equally well regarded imprints like Delsin, Soul Jazz and Neroli. Always one to shy away from any limelight or self promotion it's true to say that this underrated British producer remains something of an anomaly, staying true to his underground roots where faceless, shadowy and obscure reigns supreme over the latest over-exposed cover star. This ethos naturally carries through into his music where you will always find both expansive beauty and unrefined rawness in equal measures ensuring his tracks always sound fresh rather than over produced or contrived.

Fear Of Stopping opens the EP with a low-slung disco groove providing the backbone for intermittent pad washes and reversing stabs. The focus here is firmly on the drums and simple conga riff with thankfully very little else to deter you from this sublime slice of abstract dance music.

Next up we have a remix from another ridiculously talented producer who chooses quality over quantity, having only ever had one release under his own name, albeit for one of the most respected labels in the world; Rush Hour. Maxi Mill came to our attention having released one of the tracks of 2011 namely To The Next. On this, his first ever solo remix he brings a brilliant bump to the EP with a raw, warehousey and bass-heavy workout. Just the right amount of strings and pads keep the deep vibe intact but the filtering bass and jacking drums definitely take this one to the floor.

Flipping over we have Walberswick in it's Hoist Covert Mix incarnation. Almost thirteen minutes of spaced out, deep Detroit house music awaits you, ready to lure you in and cocoon you with it's warm and hypnotizing machine funk. Lovely to hear the old Stasis influence working it's way into this one sounding both decidedly old-school and completely futuristic and otherworldly as only the best tracks ever do.

Closing the EP we have Birdbrook Rain dropping the BPM's for a beautifully sparse track that brings with it an almost desolate and disconnected feeling, echoing synths providing a naive melody while a dusty pad shifts simply beneath. A little slice of magic concluding a fresh and interesting EP, we hope you agree.

Returning from an 18-month hiatus, Companion resurfaces with its long-awaited ninth offering – a six-track EP that beautifully distills the label’s devotion to patient tempos and deep immersive moods. The Garden is the result of a remote, cross-border dialogue between London and Belfast: a project born from a seasonal fatigue with the dancefloor and a collective turn towards our most inner states of being. The debut collaboration between Serenity Complex (Wigs) and Aika Mal, the EP is a meticulously detailed exercise in restraint, trading industrial harshness for a lush, subterranean hush.

The production breathes with a tactile, low-slung urgency: gritty, compressed drums and haphazardly recorded beatboxed percussion captured on a patio beneath the Devon sun provide a raw counterpoint to the EP’s cinematic sweep. Steered by narcotic basslines imbued with the brooding, early DNA of Massive Attack, these undulating pulses coil around the listener with a subtle, magnetic pull. They create a state of suspended momentum where tension never fully resolves and instead becomes the point of return. Aika Mal’s voice acts as a spectral anchor – mellifluous and transfixing as it moves in and out of each carefully curated element.

Drawing from the gossamer, reverb-drenched landscapes of Love Spiral Downwards and the gothic opulence of The Golden Palominos, the tracks lean into a slow, deliberate pace. Dub-influenced low end and trip-hop structures form the backbone, while fractured, gritty breakbeats bring a sharper edge. The release traces low-lit excursions into limerence, thriving in the heavy humidity of the afternoon just as easily as in the blue light of the pre-dawn or the apricity of first light.

The Garden celebrates togetherness by blurring two distinct artistic outlines into a single, prismatic whole. It is an invitation to submerge – a descent into the overgrowth.

2026 Repress

Two stone cold classics right here from the Roy Ayers masterminded RAMP, taken from the holy grail album Come Into Knowledge. Sampled the world over, influentially positive and as prized as they get, South Street’s new sub-label South Street Soul couldn’t have picked a more perfect double header to reissue as their inaugural release.

Although the RAMP acronym Roy Ayers Music Productions bared Ayers’ name, he did not perform with the Ohio band instead writing, arranging and producing the tracks alongside Edwin Birdsong and also William Allen. Drafting in some of the best session musicians in the game, from vocalists Sibel Thrasher and Sharon Matthews, The Spinners drummer John Manuel, guitarist Landy Shores and Cincinnati bass maestro Nate White, the result was pure ethereal excellence.

Rare groove at its finest ‘Daylight’ is one of the standout cuts from RAMP’s only album - soulful, sumptuous and laced with a celestial touch that takes this track to another realm of conscious. A track that was famously sampled by A Tribe Called Quest for their hit ‘Bonita Applebum’ and J Dilla’s remix of Common – Come Close.

On the B side, a Roy Ayer’s masterpiece 'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' given the RAMP revamp, an end of the night masterpiece, a hazed-out dreamer - just downright blissful grooves from start to finish. Ready-made to ride out into the sunset with.

Techno House Connoisseurs are back with their 8th release by Bay Area producer Tranquil Elephantizer. This 3 track ep covers all the bases with equal parts tribal and acid culminating into that West coast sound you have come to love and miss. The A side starts off with the Silverwind Mix....deepish house music with flutes and mood for days teasing and drifting with tight percussion keeping the track grounded yet still dreamy. Long winded but in the best way. The 2nd track on side A is the Brother Lee Love mix which has a similar vibe but transitions into layers of crisp and subtle 303 acid lines all throughout. Wonderful end of night or middle of set escapism for side A. Side B has a lone track titled 5 Strobes mix that will get yours and the dance floor's attention. Panning and hypnotic with skipping percussion and spoken word....truly psychedelic west coast vibed out acid house.

Uncompromising Italian DJ/producer The Southern makes his vinyl debut on Mutual Rytm's sub-label, Spectra, with remixes from Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri. An EP marking an impressive label debut, Carmine Portarulo, aka The Southern, lands on Mutual Rytm’s sub- label Spectra with a powerful showcase of his much-loved sound. With the lead track featuring as one of label head SHDW's most requested IDs of the year so far, and packaged alongside outstanding remixes by close label associates Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri, the EP comes having established himself with a sound rooted in old school value and pure techno, favouring energy and authenticity over hype. The track’s backstory comes from the moment Carmine and his partner found out they were expecting a child and went for their first ultrasound appointment. Overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment and the beauty of what nature is capable of, he returned home and poured those feelings into the music. The result, ‘Ultrasound’, is an anthemic, punchy techno cut with euphoric energy rising up through the synths and its catchy lead melody. Joyful melodies sparkle amid vocal groans, adding a raw emotional pull as the warm, driving drums march on. Berlin-based artist Alarico is the first to remix on his return to the label, and his ‘Sad Mix’ has a more melancholic mood, with dark chords and tightly programmed drums that bring lo-key funk. Hayes Collective founder Temudo also returns and flips the vibe on his ‘Neuro Interpretation’ with a more psyched-out, twisted tune featuring trippy synths and booming drums for peak-time impact. Italo-Iranian Sublunar Records head Sciahri then drops his trance- inducing, hypotonic ‘Tunnel Vision Mix’, followed by two digital bonuses: ‘The Stripped Mix’, a bouncy workout with futuristic melodies, and Temudo’s ‘Neuro Interpretation 2’, which is raw, textured, and dark.

Jacksonville returns with Heavy & Gold, a powerful five-track EP rooted in the raw energy of underground house and analog machine funk. Produced by Chris Lyth, the record blends Chicago-influenced drum programming, hypnotic basslines and deep melodic textures into a set of highly functional DJ cuts built for the dancefloor. The EP moves between muscular jack tracks and deeper hypnotic moments, balancing driving groove architecture with subtle emotional tension. Heavy & Gold opens with the title track, a dense and rolling house cut driven by heavy drums and warm synth layers, before Just Another High delivers a tighter, more stripped-down groove with classic underground swing. Rapido pushes the energy further with a direct, rhythmic workout built for peak-time transitions. On the flip side, Parallel Love expands into a deeper and more atmospheric territory with evolving textures and hypnotic momentum, while closing track Miz & Ida delivers a long, hypnotic groove combining analog warmth and late-night dancefloor pressure. True to the Skylax philosophy, this release focuses on timeless groove design rather than trends, offering DJs and collectors a record built to last in the bag for years. Written and produced by Chris Lyth with executive production by Hardrock Striker and artwork by H5 (Simon Renaud), Heavy & Gold continues the Skylax tradition of uncompromising underground house music.

Welcome to THE VAULT for 1985. A collection that digs deeper into the year’s musical landscape – uncovering singles that may not have always reached the highest chart positions but remain essential to the rich and diverse pop story of 1985. Some were overshadowed at the time, some were highlights from albums that had already sold huge amounts, some found greater success internationally – but all deserve their place in this continued celebration of 80s pop.

45 tracks across 3-LPs – pressed in gorgeous green vinyl – NOW Yearbook – The Vault: 1985.

LP1 opens with a trio of tracks from huge-selling albums:- Bruce Springsteen’s ‘My Hometown’, the sixth single in the UK from ‘Born in the U.S.A’ - one of the best-selling albums of the decade, followed by Bryan Ferry with the stunning ‘Windswept’ from ‘Boys And Girls’ and Sting’s ‘Love Is The Seventh Wave’, taken from his solo debut ‘The Dream Of The Blue Turtles’. Next up, Go West with a U.S single release ‘Eye To Eye’, Scritti Politti with ‘Perfect Way’ – their biggest hit in America, and ABC with ‘Be Near Me’. The first side closes with two established bands; Heaven 17 and Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark… Flip the LP over for Adam Ant with ‘Vive Le Rock’, Midge Ure, Blancmange and the second collaboration between Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder with ‘Good-Bye Bad Times’. The Style Council’s ‘Welcome To Milton Keynes’ leads to LP1’s closer’s from Simply Red and Fine Young Cannibals who followed their debut ‘Johnny Come Home’ with ‘Blue’.

LP2 opens with Cocteau Twins and the dream-pop atmospherics of ‘Aikea-Guinea’, ahead of The Jesus And Mary Chain with ‘Just Like Honey’, and The Dream Academy with ‘The Love Parade’.

Brilliant with their cover of James Brown’s ‘It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World’ and jazz-influenced pop from Matt Bianco are up next ahead of the sublime ‘Castles In The Air’ from The Colourfield and Elvis Costello & The Attractions, who released the 1979 track ‘Green Shirt’ to promote their ‘Best Of’ collection … and the side closes with The Clash’s ‘This Is England’ which would become their last originally released hit…whilst on the other side…celebrate the dancefloor, with a vibrant mix of Hi-NRG, soul, electro and club-influenced pop:- Opening with Sheryl Lee Ralph’s ‘In The Evening’ and Barbara Pennington’s equally superb ‘On A Crowded Street’, the hi-energy continues with Miquel Brown and Hazell Dean ahead of a US hit from Laura Branigan (‘Spanish Eddie’) and Divine’s cover of ‘Twistin’ The Night Away’. LP2 finishes with a massive U.S. dancefloor smash for Eddie Murphy with ‘Party All The Time’.

The final LP kicks off with a bunch of singles that achieved bigger hit status in the US than here and opens with Billy Joel’s ‘You’re Only Human (Second Wind)’, a track written exclusively for his ‘Greatest Hits – Volume I & II’ compilation, ahead of pop-rock from John Mellencamp plus an anthemic smash from Bon Jovi. Pat Benatar’s ‘Invincible’ features ahead of The Power Station’s third US Top 40 hit…whilst back in the UK Chris Rea enjoyed his biggest chart hit to date with ‘Stainsby Girls’ and the side is completed by Marillion with ‘Heart Of Lothian’ the third hit from their huge ‘Misplaced Childhood’ album… Flip to the final side for the stellar vocals on ‘Act Of War’, the huge collaboration between Elton John & Millie Jackson ahead of dancefloor smash ‘New Attitude’ from Patti Labelle and ‘Show Some Respect’ a U.S. single from Tina Turner. Sophisticated pop-R&B from Michael McDonald and Daryl Hall & John Oates come ahead of the collection’s closers- and two outstanding vocal performances: Chaka Khan’s ‘Through The Fire’ and the U.S. breakthrough hit from Whitney Houston with ‘You Give Good Love’ – signalling the arrival of one of the decade’s brightest new stars.

NOW Yearbook – The Vault: 1985 – A deeper dive into an unforgettable year in pop.

Daïf presents Prezi, a new alias exploring a bold, uninhibited vision of electro house. Built for the dancefloor, the record unfolds like a transmission from another dimension. Inspired by the 2000s—echoed in its cover—it blends nostalgic energy with a colder, subtly dystopian edge.

The project arrives like a xenomorphic incursion, driven by raw, mechanical textures: sharp square synths, biting saw waves, and stripped, high-impact arrangements engineered for maximum club efficiency.

Seductive, disembodied vocals drift through the tracks, exploring themes of love beyond the human and shaping a vision of Post Human Desire.

Portal Replica welcomes cult Australian duo, B(if)tek, onto the label with a first-time-on-vinyl release of their debut album ‘Sub-vocal Theme Park’ released in 1996 exclusively onto CD. The 2x12” release includes the original album, plus additional never-heard-before 'lost' tracks from the pair. The album has been mastered by Rashad Becker at Clunk Studios (DE) and pressed to 180g heavyweight vinyl.

Kate Crawford and Nicole Skelty’s pioneering electro-femme outfit ‘B(if)tek’ can be traced back to 1994 in Canberra, where lack of blueprint blossomed their playful and bizarre experimentations in techno — ‘feminism with a wink and a bleep’. Thirty years on, the uniqueness and ingenuity of B(if)tek’s deep analogue exploration endures.

“Monstrous clowns dressed as princes whose role is to laugh at themselves and entertain outlandish beings, suffocated by etiquette, conspiracy and lies, bound by confession and remorse … and beyond that, the auto-da-fe and silence.” – Ferdinand (Pierrot), from the film “Pierrot Le Fou” .

Photography by Kate Crawford.
Design by Jesse Sappell.
Mastered by Rashad Becker at Clunk Studios, DE.

Onysia delivers another deeply textured installment of its Split Series, bringing together J Gabriel, Thomas Melchior, and Bruno Pronsato for a record full of subtle detail, groove intelligence, and unmistakable late-night character. Subtle, classy and built with real understanding of space, tension and groove, ONYSIA013 is a refined underground statement for lovers of depth, detail and timeless club music.

Baby T is a space away from her work as B.Traits in which Brianna Price can lean more into the junglist, drum ‘n’ bass and hardcore sounds which she loves so dearly. With BSHEE02, the second drop on Price’s own Banshee label, Baby T delivers a darkside masterclass of an EP. This record is a quartet of system blowers which doesn’t let up for a single second from start to finish.

Opener ‘Times Up’ is urgent from the off - the initial strains of this joint find sirens wailing in the monitors over a twitchy kick/drum/hats combo. From here on it’s distilled raver perfection, the drums taking us on a wild Wipeout-style ride as the subbiest of bass skulks at the bottom of the mix. Imagine a more technoid take on the classic breakbeat freerides of Skanna and you’re not far off the ‘Times Up’ sound.

A remix of ‘Times Up’ from man like Aloka leans with devilish glee into the murky underworld that lurks beneath Baby T’s original. Aloka’s version is extremely eerie in a manner which makes you think of the darkest corners of a DMZ party. When things really kick into gear, driven by an irresistible kick dembow, the effect is hypnotic - think the dubwise junglism of the UVB-76 cohort.

BSHEE02’s B-side kicks off with ‘Coercive Control’. This is a cut which delivers on its title in spades, putting the listener in a trance with an interplay of low-slung bass, whirligig synth tones and more of those perfectly executed broken beats. The acid starts to kick in around the minute mark, and it turns out to herald a total earworm of a lead melody.

There’s plenty of dimly-lit malevolence to BHSEE02 closer ‘Dense Dickwood’s grinding atmospherics and gurgling bass throbs. However, Baby T opting for a half-time drum break here gives the cut a vibe not dissimilar to the weightiest jams of classic Massive Attack - that is, until an absolutely remorseless switch-up occurs halfway through, delivering volley after volley of intense drum hits.

180g 2027 Repress They Say: “Descriptive scores for scenes of visual impact”.

We say: Arguably the single greatest album in KPM history. An ensemble piece of staggeringly heavy works from none other than Brian Bennett, John Scott, Steve Gray, Jim Lawless and Johnny Pearson.

For our immense pleasure, Visual Impact includes the insanely ace “Nuplex” by Brian Bennett, a nagging, sweeping, punchy funk piece that exists in a world of its own. If you don’t know, get to know - the record’s worth getting for this track alone. The same goes for the beautifully paced, string-drenched, horn-fed LP opener “Canaveral Scape”, courtesy of John Scott. Truly sublime. Other highlights on the A-side include Bennett’s easy, bass-heavy jazz groover “Sequence Of Events” and the spare, building, undercover funk of Steve Gray’s aptly-named “Low Profile”.

The B-side is straight-up fantastic. The percussive, vibey exotica of Jim Lawless’s “Keeping Pace” is followed by five tracks of slick, weighty funk breaks from Johnny Pearson. Check the pure groove of “Jaguar” with its head-nod drum break intro, the creeping piano-strings combo and… er… giant neck-snapping breaks of “Giant’s Causeway”, the speaker-smashing progressive bass groove of “Fugitive”, the tense "Rock Climb" and the sheer heft of "Heavy Load". Library largeness. If that isn’t enough, John Scott’s incessant “Flight Of The Phoenix” ends the session, brilliantly pilfered by M.O.P. for their much-loved “We Run New York”.

Originally released in 1976 but wonderfully timeless, Visual Impact is a rare example of a library record that’s genuinely great listen from start to finish. Just too good…

As with all of our KPM re-issues, the audio for Visual Impact comes from the original analogue tapes and has been remastered for vinyl by Be With regular Simon Francis. We’ve taken the same care with the sleeves, handing the reproduction duties over to Richard Robinson, the current custodian of KPM’s brand identity.

And don’t worry! Those KPM stickers aren’t stuck directly on the sleeves!

2026 Repress

Mermaids is many things at once: The debut single by Fila Brazillia (named after the mishearing of a Brazilian mastiff breed mentioned on the radio), the second release on Pork Recordings, a deep house master piece, the brainchild of the summer of love, a pen friend to A Man Called Adam’s Barefoot in the Head and most of all pure balearic bliss. Originally released in 1991 and subsequently featured on Old Codes, New Chaos, which according to Frank Tope at Mixmag, is "the Best Dance LP ever made”, it marked the beginning of a long and illustrious partnership for Hull natives Steve Cobby and David (Man) McSherry.
Mermaids still sounds as good and as addictive on any kind of beach or natural environment as it supposedly did on Boris Dlugosch’s Front dance floor or any other basement suffused with strobe lights at the time (or any hedonistic place for that matter). Having been already part of the latter’s and Klaus Stockhausen’s Mastermix Front Compilation, it has now been dusted off and remastered for an individual performance. Added for the first first time though is the original demo version that makes use of a different yet not less enchanting bass line.
Also included is Fila’s 1994 trippy, dare we say progressive, UK house blueprint Slacker. A seismic shift from the traditional tropes of house, it set an example for what should rock the dance music boat just a few years later. Delivered in a previously unreleased extended version for your utmost enjoyment.
Artwork note: The sleeve photograph is a proto-selfie taken by Steve in 1983 (the year the two first met). Man still has those braces.

Cromby delivers a four-track EP built for the dancefloor, each cut hitting a different shade of club energy. On the A-side, Love on Tenderhooks kicks things off with a high-octane bassline, euphoric builds, driving organ and haunting vocal hook. It's followed by All Night, a deeper, darker roller driven by sub bass, dubby textures and a relentless groove. Flip it over and On Target takes a more trippy turn, riding a warm, bumping bassline with swirling, psychedelic vocals drifting across the mix. Closing things out is The Beat, a percussion-led groover that locks into a hypnotic rhythm and keeps the floor moving.

Jazz-fusion, disco-funk, Latin jazz and batucada rhythms get the Filipino treatment onAfter Midnight, the sublime second album from keyboardist Boy Katindig. Originally released in 1980, After Midnight draws heavy influence from soul and funk contemporaries in the US as well as Latin America, in particular the famed Brazilian percussionist Paulinho da Costa.

It’s a testament to his musical prowess that Katindig weaves effortlessly between styles and tempos. His reverence for Paulinho da Costa extends far, with covers of several songs from the latter’s 1979 Happy People album. This includes slow-burner ‘Déjà Vu’ written by Isaac Hayes originally for Dionne Warwick; on the Filipino instrumental version, local legends Jun Regalado and Roger Herrera (from Regalado’s ‘Pinoy Funk’ single) are reunited on drums and bass respectively.

But Katindig’s original compositions hold just as much weight and unique personality: title track ‘After Midnight’ opens with a sultry funk serenade reminiscent of The Isley Brothers, and quickly transforms into a catchy, blistering, saxophone chorus that brims with swagger. Hidden B-side gem ‘Got The Need’ is an uptempo tribute to batucada that would not be out of place in a jazzy house set, and boasts increasingly elaborate and psychedelic solos from Katindig on keys and Ben Concepcion on soprano sax.

Meanwhile, ‘Love Till the End of Time’ is a masterclass in instrumental disco funk, penned by the prolific Greg Phillanganes who at that same time was writing for many of the greats including Chaka Khan, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, The Jacksons and Cheryl Lynn.

This album is lovingly reissued by Sama Sama Records, a boutique label from DJ and collector Norsicaa, who ran the esteemed Soundway Records for 8 years and released the compilation Ayo Ke Disco in late 2024.

Long-time house architect Louie Vega dropped his comprehensive last album, ‘Expansions In The NYC’, as another homage to New York City's 50-year history with dance music. It was full of vocal collaborations and spanned disco, boogie and all forms of house.

'Touch The Sky' feat Tony Momrelle is the latest track from it to get full remix treatment, following on from 'All My Love' late last year.

First to offer his own perspective is Japan's Masaki Morii, a regular on the likes of King Street and Shelter, as well as the founder of his own M2SOUL MUSIC & NU ONE. He bridges soul, deep and Afro house, always with plenty of emotion. His first remix is a lush layering of feathery drums and skyward melodies with the original vocal bringing plenty of heart-aching soul. It's a life-giving work for a moment of pure celebration and release, and shows how musical and artful house can be in the right hands. Extended dub and instrumental remixes all bring out subtly different facets of the original without losing its uplifting essence.

Brandon Weems and Craig Handfield are Musclecars, a duo with a community-first approach to music. From high-profile magazine front covers to gigs at Panoramabar and their residency at Nowadays in New York, they have a fresh and authentic sound that pulls from soul, jazz and disco on labels like BBE, Rhythm Section and their own Coloring Lessons. Their majestic, 10-minute remix is a soulful deep house odyssey designed to nourish and enrich. The soaring vocals come from a place of love, and there is freedom to the jazzy melodies and lavish percussion that warms the heart while pianos and synths are locked in a joyous tussle. The dub shifts things back to chunkier, more bouncy drums, with slightly pared-back, more late-night melodies, while the instrumental is all about giving everything room to breathe.

Tom Sharkett has been one to watch in the last year via his remix work for DFA, Sub Pop and more plus his edits that are quietly out there doing damage with those that know. Here he arrives on Test Pressing Recordings with ’25’. Hot on the heels of his remix of LCD Soundsystem’s ‘Home’ – ‘Easily one of the biggest records of the Summer’ (Phonica Records) – here is his first solo EP for the label. ‘Painting On Glass’ arrives and sets the mood. Heavy synths and breaks. ’25’ features the vocals of mui zyu and pulls from the likes of New Order but takes them somewhere new. The third track, 'Sleepwalk', sees mui zyu return — a love song that sets a mood then drops into a vocoder loop midway before a fitting finale. ‘I’ll Call If I Want You’ closes the EP with a vocal from Tom himself. It’s a perfect closer. This isn’t a straight up dance record. It’s an artist showing they’ve got big ideas and a home for them.

"Over the past three decades, Philipp Lauer has produced an incredible body of work, deploying a myriad of aliases, both as a solo artist and as a part of collaborative projects. From his hardware-steeped Frankfurt studio Pyramide 2, he has built this catalogue through original material and remix commissions, taking on the full spectrum of electronic music while retaining an unmistakable signature. He combines a hands-on approach to rhythm and composition with a DIY MO and a love of big hooks. The level of expertise at hand seems to facilitate a playfulness that subtly permeates all layers of his work. He's a pop melody natural who just so happens to love fiddling with synthesizers, drum machines, and effects an equal amount. All of these qualities are exemplified on "Embalmed In Martino": Lauer's four-track ode to the Belgian Martino sauce, a spicy tomato-based condiment, and arguably the essential ingredient to top off the namesake raw meat sandwich. On "Embalmed", which makes use of instrumentation that would fit right in on an early eighties Manchester cut, and "Martino", where a sturdy, electroclash flavored arp bass provides the stamina, a slew of big and small riffs easily work their way in, thirsting for our ears. On the other side, "Transactional" combines Miami basslines and similarly electro-fundamental twinkling synth work with a flanger-laced 4/4 beat, while "Don't You Know" features soaring synthwave patterns and the only vocal samples on the EP. Both sport rich arrangements as well, right down to the cowbell overdubs. Lauer's often lauded for his "summery sound". In this light ALT026 lands right on time - yet we might disagree here, as it's suited for all seasons, and all terrains, both the shiny festival grounds and the dim-lit club floors."

What began as a career in DIY bands has since evolved into a wholly solo endeavour, with her recent work in particular showcasing her prowess as both songwriter and performer. Through this, she defines a distinctly personal vision of pop creativity -- a "perishable good," as she calls it, meant to be shared when the moment calls for it.Limbo, her most personal and fully realised body of work yet, will be released this year on YEAR0001. A cathartic explosion of emotion through sound and substance alike, it's a record that finds Namasenda at her rawest, most vulnerable state. Limbo has blossomed from a relentless artistry that has been waiting to be unleashed for years.

Five years after their radiant debut Ufo Bar, Italian cinematic funksters Banda Maje are back with Costa Sud to take us deeper into their land of ‘Salifornia’—a Southern province of sun-drenched coastlines and decaying buildings where dreams of exotic escapism sprout and bloom.

Once again, behind the eight tracks in the album—and behind the wheel of the fiery red Alfasud on the cover—is composer and keyboardist Peppe Maiellano. He has meticulously tailored each piece to his virtuoso partners in crime: a 'family' of exuberant musicians spread between Salerno and Naples, all bound by deep-rooted ties to the region and a shared belief in the grit of independent artistry.

The Costa Sud (South Coast) imagined by Banda Maje is a shimmering ribbon of sun-baked asphalt stretched between the sea and the ancient pine forests of the Gulf of Salerno. It is a land of enchanting but wounded places, where the grace of Ancient Greek civilization sits in a restless silence alongside the scars of rampant building and neglect. “But if truth is beauty and beauty is truth,” Maiellano explains, inverting Keats’s famous line, “with the right eyes, you can find beauty and poetry even under a layer of moral and material filth."

Conceived and recorded entirely in the South, the album nevertheless looks beyond the horizon. While Neapolitan funk and golden-age Italian soundtracks remain the double helix of the band's DNA, this album welcomes new influences from across the ocean, weaving Italy, Brazil, Africa, and contemporary sounds into its unique vision of the 'global South.'

Side A is an immersion into Salifornian territory and its myths: from the carefree instrumental disco-funk of the title track, which sublimates local contradictions into enveloping cinematic atmospheres, to the mellow groove of “Baia”—a fusion of Neapolitan funk, afrobeat, and disco that pays homage to Salerno’s famous beach, squeezed between millennia-old sea rocks and mountains of shipping containers. The band’s heartfelt sense of belonging shines in their fresh soul-disco version of “Mo…” (a 1981 cult classic by Neapolitan legend Peppino di Capri) featuring Maiellano’s own vocals, while the reimagining of Tonico 70's “Jet Lag” celebrates a fraternal partnership with the Salerno-based rapper/producer, charting a musical itinerary that unites Brazil, the States, and Salifornia through evocative grooves, sharp synths, and Gianfranco Campagnoli’s exquisite trumpet.

On Side B, the sound becomes even more eclectic with the samba-funk warmth of “Samba Maje”, where Mediterranean melodies and lush vocal harmonies marry jazz-funk arrangements and disco-inflected Brazilian rhythms. The next track, “Africana”, is dedicated to a legendary dolce vita nightclub on the Amalfi Coast (and its founder Luca Milano); here, a rhythmic mantra incorporating tribal African elements blends with synths that evoke RAI television themes of the late 70s. The journey concludes under the sign of the silver screen: the disco-funk elegance of “Black Glamour Girl” (from the early-80s road-trip comedy In viaggio con papà), a tribute to the compositional genius of Piero Piccioni, and “Lovebossa”—an easy-listening homage to the "Cine Bossa" atmospheres that characterized so many Italian soundtracks of the 60s and 70s, finally carrying the listener ‘ncopp’ ‘e nuvole (above the clouds—which is basically Salifornian for "somewhere over the rainbow").

Available on LP and Digital from 15 May 2026.

Nightcode EP finds UK deep-house craftsman Jacksonville in full control, lacing warm chords, swinging drums and basslines built for red-lit basements. Across “Nightcode”, “Ecstasy in Starlight”, “Octobers in Love” and “Blind Spot”, he fuses classic Detroit/UK house textures with his own emotional, story-telling touch—timeless deep house for DJs who play past sunrise.

Feedbacks:


Laurent Garnier : Octobers in Love <3 <3 <3
Nick Holder : dope
Gina Breeze (Classic / Get Up / Homoelectric) : Feeling the deepness! Look forward to playing.
Nightmares On Wax (Warp Records) : Ecstasy in starl;ight and Blind spot are my jams !
Josh Wink (Ovum) : Deep, old old school flavored with new school production.
Alexkid (Rawax / FUSE / NG Trax) : Lovely
Lauren Lo Sung (LOLiFE records, e1even records) : Octobers in love is nice!
Dj Hutch (Ambers / Rinse FM) : grooves
Louise Chen (NTS) : This is so so sooo good! Can't wait to play on the radio!
Rob Pearson (Evasive Records / Sine 102.6fm) : Nightcode is the standout for me, will play tonight on Evasive
Eviltron / Paul Donton (Bombis / Triangle) : Blind Spot and Ecstasy in Starlight are the ones on the
D'Julz (Bass Culture) : feeling night code and blind spot . merci!
Junior Sanchez (Strictly Rhythm / Cube Recordings) : Really Cool EP!
DJ Three : this is all very high quality house that feels very much a
nd_baumecker (Ostgut Ton) : Nightcode and Octobers In Love for me. Quality as usual.
Sasha (Last Night On Earth) : Downloading for Sasha
William Kiss (Rekids) : very nice!
Monty Luke (Rekids / Black Catalogue) : thx for this...
Mystic Bill (Classic / Trax / Relief) : Will try some of these out, thanks!
Carista : beautiful
Crackazat (Freerange / Local Talk) : Sick sick sick
Jhobei (Bizarre Trax / FUSE / Felon 5) : Nice smooth deep
Khadija (Rek'd / Rafiki Collective) : Danke
Ben Sims : Now downloading - will check asap!
DJ Bone (FURTHER) : Very nice tunes here, thanks
Bake (All Caps/Rinse FM) : thank you!
Dj Deep (Deeply Rooted) : very nice tracks!
Oliver $ (Classic Music Company / Play It Down) : nice one!
Tripmastaz (Plant 74) : Nightcode is tight
Harvey Sutherland (MCDE / PPU / Voltaire Records) : couple of nice tunes here!
Anthony Collins (Frank & Tony / Scissor & Thread) : super nice deep tunes
Marcel Dettmann : thx
Voigtmann (Subsequent) : Ecstacy in Starlight is the one!
Gerd (4Lux / Clone) : dope house trax from the phonogramme crew once again!
Groove Armada : Great EP - Love Nightcode, Ocotber is love so good too±
Harri (Sub Club) : nice, will play and support
Jorkes (Freeride Millenium) : ecstasy in starlight..yes yes yes yes
DJ Minx (Women On Wax Recordings) : Every one of these...top tier! I'm on 'em!
DJ Rocca (Nang Records, Mantra Vibes) : Great EP. Nightcode is great, super bassline indeed
Jacques Renault : Ectasy In Starlight for me here!
Geir Aspenes (G-Ha (Sunkissed)) : Thank u
Mark Farina : dig it
Âme (Innervisions) : thanks
Djebali ( ( djebali ) / INFUSE / Freak n Chic) : Love it ! thanks for sharing. Blind Spot is my fav
Jaye Ward (Dalston Super Store / Netil Radio) : wicked release!! night code is a belter!!! thx
Iron Curtis (Mule Musiq, Morris Audio) : thank you!

Die renommierte Electronic Music Anthology-Reihe von Wagram kehrt mit einem neuen Kapitel zurück - diesmal voll und ganz gewidmet den feinsten Perlen des Deep House. Kuratiert vom französischen Electronic-Aushängeschild FG Radio, präsentiert The Deep House Session eine sorgfältige Auswahl zeitloser Tracks, die die stilistische Breite und emotionale Tiefe dieses Genres perfekt einfangen. Die Compilation vereint international gefeierte Künstler wie Ben Böhmer, nTO, Bonobo, Solomun, Fritz Kalkbrenner, Kaytranada, Masters at Work, Dennis Ferrer, DJ Deep, St Germain, Môme und Soha - Namen, die sowohl im Club-Kontext als auch über Genregrenzen hinweg einen exzellenten Ruf genießen. Ob atmosphärische Synth-Texturen, organische Grooves, warme Basslinien oder hypnotische Melodien: Diese Edition destilliert alles, was Deep House seit Jahrzehnten zu einer der elegantesten und gefühlvollsten Spielarten elektronischer Musik macht. The Deep House Session ist eine hochwertige Sammlung für Liebhaber, DJs, Sammler und alle, die elektronische Musik zwischen Wärme, Groove und subtiler Eleganz schätzen.

We are pleased to announce the first FEX live album, Don't Look Back. The release features selected recordings from two concerts in Paderborn and Uelzen, both captured in 1985. All tracks on the album are previously unissued, including entirely unheard songs such as It's a Hard Life, Just Get Back, Legend, and Waiting Song, alongside a previously unreleased version of Subways of Your Mind, widely known as "The Most Mysterious Song on the Internet."
One of the most striking aspects of the album is the remarkable sound quality of the live recordings, as well as the strength of the performances themselves - particularly given that FEX were still considered a newcomer band at the time. The four-piece lineup consisted of singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter Ture Rückwardt, Michael Hädrich on keyboards and occasional second guitar, Norbert Ziermann on bass, and Hans-Reimer Sievers on drums. In 1985, the band was preparing for broader exposure through a nationwide tour organized by the small promotion company HBM-Musikbüro.
The album opens with the psychedelic Skyscraper, a track Rückwardt reportedly regarded as a personal favorite to perform. Hädrich contributes dynamic synthesizer layers, while Ziermann underpins the track with a distinctive slap bass groove. This is followed by the energetic rock number It's a Hard Life, which once again demonstrates that the band possessed multiple songs capable of matching the impact of their best known track Subways of Your Mind.
After this energetic opening, the album shifts into a more restrained mood with the synth-pop ballad I Got My Eyes On You. It is followed by Strange Feeling, presented here in a particularly compelling live version that arguably surpasses the previously released studio demo featured on the Skyscraper LP, with Rückwardt delivering one of his most expressive vocal performances. On Goldrush, another fan favorite, it is Hädrich's DX7 synthesizer work that stands out.
Don't Look Back continues to flow seamlessly, moving between styles such as new wave, synth pop, and a blues-influenced form of classic rock. On It's Good To Know, a song addressing the theme of stardom, the band returns to a heavier rock sound. In contrast, the synth-driven Just Get Back reflects on the conflict in Northern Ireland, then ongoing at the time. Lines such as "It's the money, it's the money why they come along" are directed at mercenary soldiers, while "even Sunday's a killing time" directly references Sunday Bloody Sunday by U2.
Previously known songs such as Dirty Slapstick and Heart in Danger lead into We Don't Want It No More, perhaps the band's most striking pop ballad. It is easy to imagine that the track had the potential to achieve radio success in the 1980s. The following piece, the epic Legend, explores themes of loneliness and love simultaneously. With poetic and abstract lines such as "some isolate in the falling rain" and "that's why I count all the reasons they call out for living, sadness is falling inside," it builds an almost eerie atmosphere.
One of the final highlights of the album is Subways of Your Mind, recorded in Uelzen. In this version, Rückwardt's vocal performance is even more on point than on the previously issued recording from Paderborn. Another notable moment is the driving, 1970s-inspired rock 'n' roll track Waiting Song. Both the composition and its live performance carry an energy that could easily stand alongside the repertoire of bands such as AC/DC. It was usually the track that FEX ended their concerts with, calling out each band member at the end of the song.
This leads to a broader reflection: it is striking that FEX did not achieve a wider breakthrough at the time. The performances captured here suggest a band capable of delivering consistently, song by song, note by note. It is not difficult to imagine FEX performing in large venues and engaging sizeable audiences. In reality, however, most performances in 1985 took place in front of relatively small crowds. The recordings featured on this album originate from the Roxy club in Paderborn and a small, unknown venue in Uelzen, likely in front of fewer than fifty attendees.
An essential figure behind these recordings is the engineer known only under his nickname Hase (German for "rabbit"), who was responsible for capturing not only these concerts but many other surviving FEX recordings. Bringing his own mixing desk to performances, he developed a deep familiarity with the band's material and was able to shape the live sound with precision, including the timely use of vocal effects. The original recordings existed only on cassette and required careful and extensive restoration work. Zoey Cairs was finally responsible for bringing them to their present quality.
This album marks the beginning of the Live Waves series, following the rediscovery of additional recordings that have gained international attention since November 2024, when they surfaced through what has been described as the largest "lost wave" music search to date. The title of this first live LP Don't Look Back carries a certain paradox. While the album invites listeners to revisit recordings from forty years ago, FEX themselves were always oriented toward the future. In that spirit, further releases of brand new material are already planned.
The cover artwork is once again based on an image by Magnussen from the Kiel archive, depicting the Prinz-Heinrich-Brücke. The bridge, once located in the northern part of the city, no longer exists. As a symbol, however, it remains fitting: a bridge stands for movement and connection - qualities that FEX sought to embody on tour, bringing their music to different places and audiences.

DJ Support: Louie Vega, Kenny Dope, Dave Lee, Dj Spen, Terry Hunter, Jimpster, Kevin Yost, Brian Tappert and more.

For the true listeners who still value the art of the record.

This project pays homage to the funk-disco aesthetic that defined the 70s and 80s crime-thriller genre. Paolo Fedreghini’s personal, cinematic journey through the American cityscape: an atmospheric landscape of high-speed chases, corrupt lawmen, and V8-powered escapes. The narrative weaves through gritty criminal underworlds and shady dealings, always balanced by the allure of the disco era. Rather than a mere imitation, the album distills the essential Blaxploitation sound for a modern audience, blending jazz-funk and disco with subtle, sophisticated electronic layers.

The title track, Let It Be, is a true dancefloor weapon. Driven by a dynamic pulse and rich melodic layers, it unfolds as a breathtaking journey where evolving chord progressions create moments of pure magic. Each transition feels alive, pulling the listener deeper into an immersive and uplifting experience.

On the flip side, Aurora offers a more introspective yet equally powerful voyage. Slowly building with elegance and grace, the track rises with a majestic progression, blending subtle textures and emotive harmonies into a captivating sonic landscape.

Français

AMAND – Let It Be – Diki Records

Après avoir marqué l’histoire avec le mythique The Age Of Love et son remix acclamé par Charlotte de Witte & Enrico Sangiuliano, Diki Records a signé un retour remarqué l’an dernier avec Mentalis de Kayinda et son puissant remix par Pig&Dan.

Le label poursuit aujourd’hui sur sa lancée avec une nouvelle sortie marquante signée AMAND.

Reconnu pour sa signature melodic house raffinée et ses sorties acclamées sur All Day I Dream, ainsi que pour ses collaborations avec Lost Desert et Capoon, AMAND livre ici un EP deux titres qui capture parfaitement son univers : profondeur émotionnelle, grooves hypnotiques et progression cinématographique.

Le titre principal, Let It Be, est une véritable arme pour le dancefloor. Porté par une énergie dynamique et des nappes mélodiques riches, il se déploie comme un voyage saisissant où les évolutions d’accords créent des instants de pure magie. Chaque transition semble vivante, entraînant l’auditeur dans une expérience immersive et exaltante.

A deeply hypnotic and beautifully crafted statement from one of the true masters of subtle groove and atmosphere. Playedby‘s label boss himself, returns to his very own imprint Tripsi Records with a stunning new vinyl release. Pure hypnotic brilliance, essential for selectors, collectors, and lovers of deeply crafted electronic music.
Tripsi Records is more than just a label. It is an audio-visual world created by Cristi Klebleev, where sound and image come from the same hand. Every release features only his own music, accompanied by original artworks painted by Cristi himself on canvas, making each record a fully personal expression, both sonically and visually. A perfect example of why Tripsi Records continues to stand out in a crowded world. Finest mastering and Cut, 180g Vinyl!

Fides Records proudly presents the second last chapter of its 10-year anniversary series: X6. Here, the narrative pivots toward groove and immersion between Detroit-rooted sounds, jazz-infused flair, glitchy futurism, and deep dub meditation. This chapter highlight the label’s love for movement, texture, and long-form atmosphere.

Side A opens with Fireground’s “Aquaria”, a sexy, bouncing techno cut carrying old-school Detroit spirit and harmonic fluidity: funky yet refined, shaped by the Italian duo’s live-set mentality, live improvisation and vintage synthesisers. Human Safari’s “Havanas” follows, merging jazz and techno through a standout trumpet solo and lush groove work, carving out a vibrant, genre-crossing mood that feels both bold and effortless. Closing the side, 1morning’s “You Heard Me The First Time” delivers early-2000s techno DNA with a modern edge: glitchy rhythms, unpredictable sequencing, and a playful sense of tension-and-release.

Flipping to Side B, Macedonian master Stojche leads with “Perpetual Sin”, a dub techno lesson in restraint: evolving through spacious layering and emotional subtlety until it fully envelops the room. The record closes with Z.I.P.P.O & Mareena’s “Moonchild”, a tribal, dub-infused deep techno immersion where percussive drive meets meditative energy—an internal journey built for big systems and late hours.