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As every year anniversary, Bonkers has the tradition of the special annual compilation, bringing a bunch of new extraordinary artists to the label. This VA is the sound that Bonkers represents, a sound to trip, to listen, to dance and to enjoy, now for year IV we have on board: Sobek, Colossio Feat Animales Nocturnos, Ludviq & Radial Gaze, Moisees & ZEA, ID_UA and Oblako Maranta.

For the first track of the VA, debuting on the label, the Hungarian producer Sobek ,named after the Egyptian crocodile god, resident of Aether club, with releases on TAU, Get Physical, Borders of Light, and owner of Complaint Kulture.“Conscious Raveness” is a harsh and enjoyable journey, with a rough bass and drilling mind synths, his sound simple has no boundaries.

Talking about sick collabs, “Retaliation” definitely is one of them, also is the first collab between the head of the label, Luis(Ludviq) and Andrey (Radial Gaze), this track has a great power in it, with a lot of trippy Fx, home-made recorded percs, mind-blowing leads and a massive bass line. Just listen and enjoy the ride.

Igor Dyeyev mostly known as ID_UA, is an Ukrainian producer, with releases on labels like Calypso and Duro, now debuting on the label with “Crucial Moment”.

This track was made during the escalation of tension on the borders of Ukraine, what happened next is known to the whole world.

With releases on Exit Strategy, Duro and Scatcity Fernando Luna aka Colossio, presents his track “Reflejos” featuring Animales Nocturnos, is inspired by the Spanish electro-trash scene where the beat and the lyrics evoke the most hidden and dark feelings that spring up at night, inviting you to enter the trance that provokes the dance.

For the first time have the pleasure to have one of the Duro Label bosses Moisees, joining forces with ZEA with “Recuerdo Futuro” is a flash of the forgotten rave parties of the nineties, the nostalgia of a past that was not lived.

To close this VA we have the honor to have, a new fresh and visionary project called Oblako Maranta, is the fusion project between the Italian Producer A-Tweed and the Russian producer Radial Gaze. “Viper Attack” is special track ,weird, slow and raver, with psychedelic nuances, definitely a trippy journey.

German musician Mary Yalex debuts on A Strangely Isolated Place depicting a storied transition from our recognizable surroundings, into a vision of the future.

With releases and music styles across a variety of labels over the years, it has been Yalex’s more experimental ambient work that has stood out amongst her catalog, and in Fantasy Zone, we find Mary fine-tuning this sound to reflect the work of a true architect of storytelling, mood and atmosphere.

Drawing influences from her day-to-day surroundings, Fantasy Zone begins with more vivid pieces; softer melodies and clearer instrumentation, represented as much in song titles such as Air, After Rain Comes Sun, and Half Light of Dawn. The second half of the album transitions into a future state, as Yalex draws on darker manifestations - perhaps intrinsically influenced by the state of the world, and in particular her love of nature, we play witness to more storied, haunting atmospheres, distant voices and slowly shifting gravitational chord movements. Dystopian-bound or pure fantasy, Yalex depicts a future that mirrors some of the more poignant, thought-provoking work of great synthesizer soundtracks of the past.

Ben Sterling joins Damian Lazarus’ renowned Crosstown Rebels imprint, partnering with Caitlyn Scarlett for ‘Don’t Truss’.

Building on the release of arguably one of the tracks of 2022 with his remix of Tiga’s iconic ‘Mind Dimension 2’, UK hotshot and Planet X boss Ben Sterling has made 2023 another year of raising the levels, with his debut on Solomon’s Diynamic becoming an instant summer anthem in the midst of his busiest summer to date. Adding yet another huge label debut to the mix, he continues to showcase his range across house music as Damian Lazarus invites him to Crosstown Rebels for the first time, partnering with singer/songwriter Caitlyn Scarlett for ‘Don’t Truss’ on the revered imprint.

A rolling and crisp production with Scarlett’s alluring and hooky vocals at its core, it’s easy to see why ‘Don’t Truss’ has become a stand-out track from Sterling’s own sets across the globe over the past 12 months. Fusing tightly programmed percussion, warped murmurs, and a slinking, snaking groove, it’s a track crafted for the dancefloor, moving crowds unison and leaving a lasting impact. On the flip, ‘Bring Me To The Surface’ is a groove-led and bubbling cut that keeps the energy levels with skittering drums, acid-dipped basslines, resonant synths and yet more vibrant vocals.

Roy Davis Jr. & Byron The Aquarius and Jamie 3:26 & Danou P remix Radio Slave’s Wildlife.

‘Wildlife’, released a few months back, found Radio Slave tapping into his house and disco roots. It proved a dancefloor smash that got support from a wide array of artists, from DJ Bone and Tim Sweeney to Roman Flugel and Axel Boman. As such, the artists chosen to remix come from similar backgrounds and bring all new perspectives to this irresistible gem.

First up are Chicago house legend Roy Davis Jr. and keys playing maestro Byron The Aquarius. Both make the sort of dusty, feel-good deep house that will never grow old and have done so on the scene's best labels. Their sizzling seven-minute rework of 'Wildlife' has jazzy, life-affirming keys and smeared synths that bring the warmth. The drums are rubbery and inviting, and the whole thing brings real musicality to the floor.

The second remix is from original Chicago innovator, deep digger and edit king Jamie 3:26 and a young Dutch artist he has long since mentored, Danou P. Between them, they have cooked up gems like 'What It Is' together on Shake Records and remixed for Defected, all with a healthy respect for disco, funk and soul from the 80s onwards. Their take on 'Wildlife' is a piano-laced and upbeat party starter. Noodling bass riffs,zippy synth details and lavish chords make for a sophisticated sound that will swell the heart.

TPG long term friend and homeboy Ben Oyefeso pulls out a trio of double-jointed cuts for the club and not, the German producer's debut EP ‘Lagerfeuer’ packs that left-of-centre house punch that’s come to define the label throughout the previous ten releases and certainly more than just that. Cutting his lane at the junction of oddball party music and deconstructionist boogie, Oyefeso’s maiden sortie floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee. A weird, buzzing slab of body-jacking electronics that doesn’t play by the book.

An off-road bouncer of a track, the opening number ‘Matt’ has us nodding our heads to a high-in-vitamin mix of jacking house programming and erratic acid patterns gone astray. Knee deep in 303-marinated puddles of psychedelic squelch, Oyefeso keeps swinging the pendulum between a proper syncopated 4x4 motif’d framework and frantic digressions into an abstract-leaning headspace.

A2 ‘Kool’ opts for a further sliced-and-diced rhythmic line of action, generously infused with twisted Rephlexian phrases and sustained waves of micro-house clicking. Topping off that strange journey, the title-track ‘Lagerfeuer’ merges polyrhythmic intricacies with a forward-moving, earwormy kind of linear groove, all laced with a spooky baseline that stretches out into a purgatory of frankly eerie dissonances. Enough with the words, just jump on board Ben Oyefeso’s ghost train for a seriously tortuous, nonconformist ride across dance music’s jagged ridges and most secret crevasses.

Accomplished duo Paradigm Shift debuts on Lone Romantic with a powerful new single that comes remixed by cult electronic hero Nathan Fake.

Paradigm Shift is a dynamic duo pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration with a mix of ethereal melodies and pulsating beats. The Dallas, Texas pair of Coy Wright and Trent
Pawley make everything from ambient downtempo to high-energy electro and have since their early days in the mid-90s. They show here that they are still very much at the forefront with a sound as fresh as ever.

The cinematic 'Force One' is a smooth electronic cruise on snappy drums and languid synths. It's a carefully layered track with cosmic drama coming from the evolving leads and scattered hits and one that will sweep up the dance floor and take it to all new levels.

Border Community, Ninja Tune, and Cambria Instruments associate Nathan Fake has been crafting leftfield sounds for 20 years. He is a true innovator who paints with his synths and crafts some of dance music's most immersive sounds. He flips 'Force One' into a more kinetic cut that is dense with scintillating synth craft, oversized hi hats and melancholic leads. It makes for an epic journey that never stops shifting and seducing.

This is another adventurous package from the always forward thinking Lone Romantic.

‘Force One’ (incl. Nathan Fake Remix) by Paradigm Shift is available on Lone Romantic from 29th September 2023.

Lady Tazz’s Mind Medizin imprint drops its third release this April with Linear System’s ‘Simian’ EP.

Hot on the heels of no.name’s recent ‘Unseen’ release, catching the attention of Luke Slater, Ben Sims, Truncate, Shlomi Aber and B.Traits, Mind Medizin continues its upward trajectory with a groovy third instalment. Here, Italian DJ and producer Linear System (Symbolism/Edit Select/Planet Rhythm) takes the reins with his warehouse-ready ‘Simian’ EP.

Sinister pads creep over chugging percussion, alarming bleeps and moody basslines in the loopy ‘Simian’, before rolling low-ends meet eerie analog synths in ‘Unknown Object’ as heavy claps complement crashing cymbals in this other-worldly cut.

If the name of this collection of traxxx offends you, move on — there’s no hope for you here. If, on the other hand, Toribio’s salacious fun-pun cracked your cool exterior, here’s an introduction to a set of bangers that helps exemplify New York’s increasingly exuberant dancefloor, and what producer/DJ Cesar Toribio brings to it. His is a ribald, rhythmic take on dance music, neither for the weak of musical character (purists need not apply) nor for the weak of ass (-shaking). In fact, the proof is right there, in Toribio’s label’s and monthly party’s name: Bring Dat Ass. This command is not optional, but *the* key ingredient for a good time.

The five songs Toribio has created for “Tongue In Cheeks,” BDA’s first release, comprise a horny melting pot of tribal house and Linn-drum plug-ins, minimalist synth textures and basslines, hi-hats reminiscent of electro and freestyle classics, some of which are infused with New York’s Latin club history and futures. The lead-off track, “No Pare,” is based on the producer’s 808-driven reinvention of the call-and-response hook from Proyecto Uno’s 1993 merengue-house smash “El Tiburón,” marking the first time the group has ever cleared a sample of this Nuyodominican classic. We predict that “No Pare” will be a Fall 2023 monster.

Guest vocal appearances by The Illustrious Blacks and Maluca, cornerstones of different dance-floor scenes in a city currently hitting peak-energy levels, show the breadth of Toribio’s regard for community: There is a lot of crossover to how the punky Dominicana MC from Washington Heights chooses to slang-tastically “Werk It Out,” and how the Neo-Afro-Futuristic-Psychedelic-Surrealistic-Hippys Monstah Black and Manchildblack infuse a dollop of booty into “Work Dat Shit.” And the two different metallic beats point at seemingly separate parts of Toribio’s musical heritage uniting. There’s no formula, but if there was, it would be: Make it sexy. Make it (consensually) grindy. Make it funny to the point of ridiculous but so funky that the laughter becomes more fuel to the joyous momentum propelling the movement. Then make it home — or try to.

Cesar Toribio’s home is, originally Tampa — and the DR, where he’d spend summers with family. He was a drum-corps prodigy who went to Berklee to become a jazz drummer and be like Gil Evans. He idolized Miles’ orchestral arranger’s work as much as Dilla’s beats, but then discovered house music, so it was a wrap. The 2021 band album Toribio made under the name Conclave — which included his sister Sharin and musicians from such great projects as Standing On the Corner, No Regular Play and Irreversible Entanglements — unearthed the work of a singer-songwriter-arranger-producer of immeasurably nuanced, soulful jazz-house music. But when Toribio started DJing more and more, he decided to listen to the devil on his shoulder who told him to Bring Dat Ass. As Cesar damn-well knows, it’s the devil who has the better jokes and holds the better parties, so his ears perked up. “Tongue in Cheeks” is the music Toribio says he made to play at these parties, because he can’t find it anywhere else. It’s hard to disagree.

Reach for the geiger counter - Park End comes shelling in the direction of Sneaker Social Club with some plutonium-plated, 2-stepping swelterweight gear for the grubbiest of dancehalls. All we can ascertain about the shadowy figure on the buttons for this latest release is that they’re clearly schooled in the lineage of UK hardcore, pirate radio culture and the sympathetic tenets of UKG, jungle and dubstep.

Opening up the A side, ’Same Dream’ is a claustrophobic, gnarly creeper with razor-sharp snares, growling low end and enough heads-down malaise to turn the most blissful sunrise set ice-cold. ‘The Immortality Of The Crab’ pays tribute to the fine tradition of illegal radio broadcasting and its importance for the development of rave, leaning on a staggered, mucky garage beat that smacks hard just how we like it.

On the flip, Park End turns attention to the synergy between RnB and garage with a refix of BBL Sound’s ‘BBS’, pairing the sweetest vocal chops with plenty of bitter b-line pressure, while ‘Rekt’ draws on an unnamed voice for another fission between human sensitivity and mechanised intensity. This parting shot borders on anti-anthemic by the time it reaches its peak while holding true to the pitch-black vibe creeping out around the edges of this rough diamond of an EP.

UK drummer and sound artist Cameron Graham dances between EDM, joyous calypso colour, cellular Glassian minimalism, and hyperrealist AI on debut album Becoming a Beach Angel, evoking a SNES world of blissful vibrancy.

Creating his dizzying, dayglo MIDI explorations with drumkit triggers, UK musician Cameron Graham conjures a multitude of soundworlds from dense compositional structures. The music of debut album Becoming a Beach Angel touches on neon, videogame digitisation, the finessed, mechanical precision of IDM, even the rhythmic intensity of gamelan, whilst retaining a thrilling and wholly singular energy. The record is an electrifying experience, full of colour.

Becoming a Beach Angel flips and trips through headspinning, hyperspeed effervescence, like an entire rave condensed into a moment. Instantly joyful, its textures - formed in wavetable synthesis triggered by live-performed percussion pads - thread and bob through hyperreal abstract space, millisecond snippets of organ chords and steel pans zooming like stars in a galaxy rocketed past at

lightspeed. “It’s about grabbing and holding a close person going through depression or self-doubt, taking them out the door,” Cameron explains. “Dance music for that moment you need only to find a way to move forward.”

McKowski is pleased to confirm details of his debut solo album: ‘Notes From The Boneyard’, a new release that arrives courtesy of the Deltasonic label.

In anticipation of the record, the Irish songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has unveiled the single “Return of Pygmy Pony”.

“Return of Pygmy Pony” is one of 10 cinematic tracks, alongside previous single “Lake”, that comprise upcoming album ‘Notes From The Boneyard’. Envisioning a fictional world known as ‘The Boneyard’, McKowski’s debut will promise a purely instrumental album of atmospheric folk and otherworldly soundscapes to capture your imagination and seep into your soul.

Utilising a unique blend of acoustic guitars, strings, analog synths, and electronic toys, Mckowski creates a haunting and evocative journey across its transient 35 minutes. Gifted with the talents of some old allies, ‘Notes From The Boneyard’ sees guest musicianship from the likes of Steve Wickham (viola), Howe Gelb (guitar), Laura Mcafadden (cello), Dave Murphy (pedal steel), with St Francis Hotel also adding further elements of atmosphere and production.

With one foot rooted in a dark woodland and the other foot stepping into unknown territory, the end result is a must-listen for fans of soundtracks, the surreal, or simply those searching for the unexpected. Like the wooden beauty of Angelo Badalementi’s ‘Straight Story’ mixed with the dark synth undertones such as Carpenter-esque Moog; it’s the ideal companion for those pensive days and long nocturnal hours.

A pungent ooze emanates from the subway. As a sticky drum machine sequence rolls out like thick dark fog, ice cold synth swirls rise from the depths.

Since the debut album Europe By Night, one of the main references associated with Henrik Stelzer and his Metro Riders project has been that of cinema, and particularly the European genre films of the 1980s. With its seedy subject matters manifesting both in visual style and music, the vibe of that era has crystallized over time. Passed down to us from deteriorating video cassettes, it became an invaluable key to decoding our present day reality.

And this is true for this album as well; Stelzer does not hide the fact that he builds heavily on that vibe; referencing it through track titles and utilizing a particular recording setup consisting of a Fostex and a reel to reel in order to achieve and recreate the feeling of those soundtracks — as heard on magnetic tape rather than vinyl.

The motion picture soundtrack as an arbitrary genre definition becomes, in the hands of Stelzer, a pair of X-ray specs for him to envision a kind of music that deals in grains and contrasts rath- er than hooks and choruses. And like Roddy Piper in John Carpenter's 1988 film They Live, he hands those glasses over for us to see the true face of our times.

On Lost In Reality Metro Riders maps out an emotional geography of the cities at night, wherein the cinematic haze becomes a tool by which we can view the cities with new eyes. Not steering away from the darker alleys nor the harsh realities of modern day politics masquerading as progress. Yet escapism, in the end, seems the only viable option. But not as an endgame, but rather a stepping stone for building a new vocabulary for an utopian language.

Soul Dynamite is back to celebrate the 10th release with Berlin's finest duo Marc Hype & Jim Dunloop.

On side A you will find their seminal classic, a stunning cover version of Babe Ruth’s B-Boy essential „The Mexican“, which was dubbed by UK’s Jazzman Gerald as ”THE“ version to have, soundtrack of international "Battle Of The Year" 2006, the year when it was originally released, now for the first time on a 45!

On side B you can enjoy "Oh Really?" which was available only on their debut album "Stamp Out Reality". Marc and Jim teamed up with NYC‘s own Mr. Complex over rare syncopated drum breaks, tweaking a late 90s feel.

Here's a brand-new record of straight-ahead hairy, lairy surf, punk, garage, rock n roll party music from Sir Bald/Hipbone Slim and pals! Fun all the way!!! But beware these guys just ESCAPED FROM THE ZOO!!!! Well, it certainly sounds like it! Los Hairies are led by Hipbone Slim aka Sir Bald Diddley (more info below). In Los Hairies he is joined Galicia's foremost coffee liquor and pork fuelled rock n roll rhythm section, Jorge and Martin, the infamous Lorre brothers, of Wavy Gravies, Bo Dereks, Limboos and All Night Workers infamy! Fourteen dancing party hits to rattle your braincells and blow away the proverbial cobwebs! Everyone, a hairy dance hit! From the beach party 'Twist In The Sand' through to the 'Rock n Roll' death finale, you are invited to 'Shake Your Bacon', do the 'Diddley Conga' and 'Shake It Off' with the delectable but somewhat elusive 'Ramona'. Get down with the 'Little Green Man' and his rock n roll band! Go 'Bananas with Tarzan, duel with the 'Ratfink' and the 'Hairy Surfer! Los Hairies currently remain on the run from police, animal welfare services and a growing number of angry bar owners. Beware! They are dangerous! European tour planned for Oct/Nov 2023. Recorded on tape at Bronca Studio, Porto, Portugal by Nuno Riviera (T.T. Syndicate) More Hipbone Slim aka Sir Bald Diddley info: Hipbone Slim aka Sir Bald has released over 40 albums with his various bands including Hipbone Slim and the Kneetremblers, Sir Bald Diddley, The Snags and Nine Ton Peanut Smugglers. He has worked and recorded with members of Milkshakes, 5678s, Mummies, Phantom Surfers, Big Boss Man, Holly Golightly, Ike Turner’s Kings of Rhythm and Supergrass! Shared a stage/played shows with Dick Dale, Skatalites, Toots and the Maytals, Desmond Dekker, Edwin Starr, The Trashmen, PJ Harvey, US Bonds and Richard 'Louie Louie' Berry. Championed by the likes of John Peel, Mark Lamar, Mark Radcliffe and many others he has played a number of BBC radio sessions

Repress!

1981 SYNTH CLASSIC BY JAPANESE KEYBOARD WIZARD AND YMO PROGRAMMER HIDEKI MATSUTAKE REISSUED OUTSIDE OF JAPAN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS. REMASTERED FROM THE ORIGINAL TAPES WITH STRIKING ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY LEGENDARY ILLUSTRATOR PATER SATO INCLUDING ITS STUNNING FULLY ILLUSTRATED
8-PAGE BOOKLET

His name may not be instantly familiar, but Hideki Matsutake has had a huge influence over Electronic music. Starting his career as the assistant of Japanese Electronic Music master Isao Tomita in the early 70s, he went on to work with Ryuichi Sakamoto and then Yellow Magic Orchestra as their keyboard programmer and unofficial fourth member. In 1981 he started his own Logic System project recording "Venus" that year in Los Angeles with Don Grusin, Nathan East and Michael Boddicker, brilliantly mixing Synth Funk, Ambient and Boogie with a touch of Fusion Jazz predating Vaporwave by a mere 30 years. Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue this visionary album, which
comes remastered from the original tapes and features Pater Sato stunning artwork including the rare beautiful 8-page insert with an exclusive interview of Hideki Matsutake by Hashim Kotaro Bharoocha.
The early 80s were prolific for Hideki Matsutake. As the go-to keyboard programmer for the tokyo music scene, he worked on Akiko Yano's "Gohan Ga Dekitayo", YMO's "BGM", Ryuichi Sakamoto's "B-2 Unit", Mkwaju Ensemble's "Mkwaju" and found time to record two Logic System albums in 1981. While the first album, "Logic" had a harder techno feel, the second one "Venus" was different affair. Recorded in Los Angeles at the new state of the art Yamaha Studio, it was loosely themed on the Greek goddess Venus and had a funkier more organic sound. For the album Matsutake had asked a handful of American musicians to provide songs he would then add his synth magic touch to. Michael Boddicker, Don Grusin, Nathan East and Roger Powell duly complied and also played on the album.

The updated sound was achieved by switching from the Moog III to the E-mu modular System (which Matsutake brought over to LA) and other synths like the Prophet 5, the Roland MC-8 and TR 808 and the Yamaha GS-1, a forerunner of the DX7.

The result is an amazing futuristic mix of electronic music and early 80s funk, announcing many genres to come, from techno and house to French electro and Vaporwave. From the breezy ambient synth of "I Love You" to the city pop edge of "Be Yourself" (originally written by Nathan East for Debra Laws) and the vocoder-led Daft Punk-ish "Take A Chance", Venus is a fascinating album that both pushes the boundaries of electronic music and is yet strangely accessible and beautiful.

The other key elements of Venus is the artwork designed by Japanese legendary illustrator Pater Sato. Sato had started in Japan in the early 70s doing many album covers for Japanese artists including Tatsuro Yamashita's cult Spacy LP before moving to New York in 1979 to pursue a career in fashion and advertising. His airbrush style became hugely influential over the years and in 2018, Stella McCartney dedicated a whole Men’s collection based on his Venus. Star make up artist Pat McGrath also regularly posts his artwork to her 3 million fans on her instagram.

The original album came with a beautiful 8-panel insert illustrated by Sato which Wewantsounds has reproduced on this deluxe reissue also featuring remastered sound, OBI strip and a second insert featuring credits and line up plus liner notes by Hashim Bharoocha. The notes will feature an exclusive interview with Hideki Matsutake reminiscing about the making of this visionary album which Wewantsounds is delighted to reissue.

Zakmina presents a commanding dark disco release for Minimood with two spellbinding originals filled with unique and captivating sounds. The EP is complemented by compelling remixes from Curses and Rude 66. “Makam” comprises of an alluring array of instruments that create a mesmerizing atmosphere with an oriential mood to it. Curses retains this atmosphere in his remix, albeit with a deeper and darker tone. Unfolding a massive EBM vibe, “Mental Syndicate” forms a dancefloor destroyer that is driven by a vigorous kick and snare. The reimagining from Rude 66 features intergalactic vocals, raw electro sounds, as well as a truly addictive hookline.

"The Flying Guillotine 2" is the bloody sequel to Serenace's first appearance on Shaw Cuts in 2019, continuing the head-lopping violence with a group of freedom fighters lead by the heroic Ma Teng battling against the evil despot Emperor Yung and his reign of terror.

Teng has developed a protective device, similar to a spiky metal umbrella, that allows him to defend against the deadly flying guillotine attacks of the violent regime. "Current", its bombastic drum patterns, razor-sharp synth waves and vicious vibe strengthens the rebels to resist the brutal assaults.

But the Emperor immediately reacts, creating a double flying guillotine to counter Ma Teng's iron umbrella and the rebel union is left defenseless again. "Aiming From A Distance", a vivid breakbeat cut combining rolling percussion, arpeggiated synth chords and sirens from hell, raises the rebels' hopes to give them another answer.

Secret insurgent Na Lan infiltrates the Emperor's inner circle by gaining his trust with a group of female warriors whom he allows to train with the flying guillotine palace guards. However, Na Lan only wants to steal the plans of the improved weapon and deliver it to the rebel squad, in order to devise another counteracting force. With the crisp bassline and the energy-filled breaks of "Test 21", the rebels can gain an insight into the elaborated guillotine and find a possible way to defeat it.

Farron's profound techno version of "Current" brings in the necessary tension for the final showdown. The improved double flying guillotine VS a new secret defensive system. Will the rebels be able to team up and defeat the tyrant once and for all? No matter what happens, the saga continues.

Hailing from Wellington, Aotearoa, the land of the long white cloud, Scent is a newcomer to the scene but long time GC of Modern Hypnosis. His first sighting featured a track 'Devils Dread' on Indigo Movement's 5-year digital compilation December 2017.

Heaving at 140 beats per minute, 'Trax' creates a certain energy similar to early jungle riddims. Chopped percussion, giant synth stabs, weighty driving kicks with underlining sub bass and the odd flute build the track to a halt before commencing it's minimal technoesq break down.

'Just a Dream' a rooted scentimental dub which takes you deep into a place amongst your rem sleep with sparse whaling strings and swinging percs.
Scent debut solo release. One to watch.

Rory McPike is an artist who holds a special place in the core of Melbourne’s musical heart. His primary alias for the past 5 years, Rings Around Saturn, has been releasing sub loaded technotic synthesis with hints and glimpses of a 140 bpm’d dubstep track on the horizon — The horizon is here — Welcome.

Goose Step pays homage to the UKs 06-07 dubstep powerhouses with undeniable sound system power itself. Minimalistic on first listen, rude tune on the fourth. Goose Step is a piece we have been looking forward to pressing for a long time here on Modern Hypnosis. All this talk about dubstep, we almost forgot about the A side!!?!!

THX Assassin has more character than Mary and Pippin in LOTR. A hot piece of dub garage combining ultra pleasing sonics with clean percussion, articulated wubs and a halfway vibe check.

Both tracks mastered and cut by Beau Thomas @ Ten Eight Seven Mastering. 180g black 12” vinyl.

Balmat is a new label with a cloudy outline.

Jointly shepherded by Philip Sherburne and Albert Salinas, two friends living in Cardedeu, Catalonia, and on the Balearic island of Menorca, Balmat grew out of Lapsus Radio, a weekly show on Spain’s Radio 3. Balmat’s mission is simple: to foster new ideas, expand upon personal obsessions, and put enveloping sounds out into the world.

“Balmat” means “empty” or “void” in Catalan. But quite apart from any negative connotations, we prefer to think of it in terms of possibility: a space waiting to be filled.

Balmat’s first release comes from Luke Sanger, a Norwich, UK-based artist whose two decades of electronic music making have encompassed a range of tools and techniques, from MaxMSP to modular synthesis. Along the way he has built an extensive catalog encompassing ambient atmospheres, abstract soundscaping, and more. With Languid Gongue, he puts multiple approaches into play. Experiments in microtonal composition balance out pieces in standard tunings, while esoteric electronic machines merge with familiar acoustic treatments and microphone techniques.

The result is a constellation of his signature sounds: freeform new-age fantasia; spring-loaded toytronic arpeggios; quartz-driven braindance clockworks. Drifting between consonant, almost lyrical compositions and shape-shifting textural sketches, the album drifts with the nonchalance of a sky-high cirrus cloud, and it glows as if illuminated from within. When we heard the material, we knew that it was the perfect choice to launch the label. To us, it sounds like a roadmap for points unknown.

Für das Prequel 'Gears Of War: Judgement' (2013) schufen die Komponisten Steve Jablonsky und Jacob Shea eine brodelnde, industrielle Klanglandschaft aus gewaltig klingenden Synthesizern, knackigen Gitarrensounds und sparsamen orchestralen Elementen. Streng strukturierte, emotional angespannte Cues untermalen die Geschichte um Damon Baird und das Militärtribunal von Kilo Squad. Deluxe-Ausgabe auf dunkelrot und dunkelblauem 180g Doppelvinyl mit 30 remastered Tracks im Gatefold-Sleeve.

LILA mainstay Ayaavaaki and ambient veteran Purl speak different languages but used a translator to convey ideas to one another as they made this record. And they very much foment their own unique musical language on Ancient Skies, an album that blends ambient, drone and space music into richly layered soundscapes that are constantly on the move. Each piece is meticulously crafted and suspense you up amongst the clouds, hazing on at the smeared pads and swirling solar winds that prop you up. It's a record that would work as well in the depths of winter as a bright spring day such is the cathartic effect of the sounds. Beautiful, thought-provoking and innovative, this is as good an ambient record as we have heard all year.





e C1 Gateway Realm (Spiral I) Outer Helix (Spiral I)





e C1 Gateway Realm (Spiral I) Outer Helix (Spiral I)

Der OST von Howie Lee zum Kung-Fu-Brawler 'Sifu' (2022), mit 30 pulsierenden, speziell für Vinyl gemasterten Beat-Tracks. Als experimenteller Clubmusikproduzent und DJ lässt Lee traditionelle chinesische Instrumentalpaletten mit elektronischen Synths und Samples verschmelzen. Gongs, Gamelan, Bambusflöte und chinesische Percussionsets verflechten sich mit Klängen von Dub, Techno und Drum&Bass zu einem Soundtrack, der vor Spannung und Rache strotzt. Rotes und schwarzes 180g Doppelvinyl im Gatefold-Sleeve.

Ahora, die neue Platte von Melenas, ist das genaue Gegenteil von "dem schwierigen dritten Album". Während andere Bands unter einem Mangel an Inspiration leiden, der typisch für diesen heiklen kreativen Moment ist, erscheint unser spanisches Quartett unbesiegbarer denn je, mit einer Sammlung umwerfender Songs und revitalisiert mit einer herrlichen neuen Klangpalette, die folgende Frage aufwirft: Kann man Jangle Pop und Garage Rock mit Synthesizern machen? Wenn man sich Songs wie 'K2' oder 'Bang' anhört, ist die Antwort ein klares Ja, denn das herrliche Pochen der analogen Keyboards, die Ahora dominieren, verrät nicht den Sound von Melenas, diese brodelnde Vibration, die bisher die Gitarren lieferten und ihre Songs in den Pop-Himmel trieben.

Die neuen Texturen, die Vintage-Synthesizer wie der Korg Delta oder der Yamaha PSR-36 liefern, bewahren diese Unmittelbarkeit und prägen faszinierende neue Farbschattierungen, indem sie die klangliche Identität der Band ausdehnen und mit neuen Nuancen versehen, vom kristallinen Pop von '1986' bis zu den düsteren, aber bewegenden Untertönen von 'Flor de la Frontera'. Dieser neue Reichtum an Klangfarben steht im Übrigen im Einklang mit einem Album, auf dem Melenas viel zu sagen haben: Sein Titel (übersetzt "Now") will, so die Band, "die Bedeutung der Zeit rechtfertigen, um darüber nachzudenken, wie wir unseren Alltag leben, mit wem wir unsere Momente teilen und wie wir es tun (oder nicht tun) wollen". Eine Erkundung ihrer eigenen Identität, ihrer Beziehungen zu anderen und der Bedeutung von "Zusammengehörigkeit, geteilten Gefühlen und gemeinsamen Aktionen". Gleichzeitig vertiefen die neuen Klänge symbolisch diese Themen: Das Konzept der Zusammengehörigkeit wird in den Gesangsharmonien vermittelt, die reichhaltiger und ausgefeilter sind.

Das Konzept der Zeit wird mit Hilfe einiger verblüffender Sequenzer, Arpeggiatoren und mechanischer Rhythmen vermittelt. Kombiniert mit Melenas' Gespür für Pop machen diese Elemente viele dieser Songs zu einer aufregenden Mischung aus dunkleren, maschinenartigen Tönen (die Cold-Wave-Echos von 'Flor de la Frontera', der Kraut-Rhythmus von 'Bang') und himmlischen Melodien. All dies wird mit einer Fülle von schillernden elektronischen Arrangements verwoben, die handwerklich perfekt gemacht sind, aber mit der Energie einer Live-Band gespielt werden, in einer sehr post-punkigen Verbindung von Synthesizern mit echtem Bass und Schlagzeug.

Das Ergebnis sind solche Wunder wie "Dos pasajeros", "Tú y yo", "1986" oder das wunderschöne "Promesas", letzteres ein wahrer Neo-Synth-Pop-Klassiker. Melenas sind mehr denn je im Besitz ihrer kreativen Kräfte. Nicht so sehr, um ihrer Musik - die im Wesentlichen immer noch in der Liebe zum Pop verwurzelt ist - eine neue Wendung zu geben, sondern um ihre Songs mit einer neuen elektronischen Energie und einem neuen Vibe zu versehen.

Ahora, die neue Platte von Melenas, ist das genaue Gegenteil von "dem schwierigen dritten Album". Während andere Bands unter einem Mangel an Inspiration leiden, der typisch für diesen heiklen kreativen Moment ist, erscheint unser spanisches Quartett unbesiegbarer denn je, mit einer Sammlung umwerfender Songs und revitalisiert mit einer herrlichen neuen Klangpalette, die folgende Frage aufwirft: Kann man Jangle Pop und Garage Rock mit Synthesizern machen? Wenn man sich Songs wie 'K2' oder 'Bang' anhört, ist die Antwort ein klares Ja, denn das herrliche Pochen der analogen Keyboards, die Ahora dominieren, verrät nicht den Sound von Melenas, diese brodelnde Vibration, die bisher die Gitarren lieferten und ihre Songs in den Pop-Himmel trieben.

Die neuen Texturen, die Vintage-Synthesizer wie der Korg Delta oder der Yamaha PSR-36 liefern, bewahren diese Unmittelbarkeit und prägen faszinierende neue Farbschattierungen, indem sie die klangliche Identität der Band ausdehnen und mit neuen Nuancen versehen, vom kristallinen Pop von '1986' bis zu den düsteren, aber bewegenden Untertönen von 'Flor de la Frontera'. Dieser neue Reichtum an Klangfarben steht im Übrigen im Einklang mit einem Album, auf dem Melenas viel zu sagen haben: Sein Titel (übersetzt "Now") will, so die Band, "die Bedeutung der Zeit rechtfertigen, um darüber nachzudenken, wie wir unseren Alltag leben, mit wem wir unsere Momente teilen und wie wir es tun (oder nicht tun) wollen". Eine Erkundung ihrer eigenen Identität, ihrer Beziehungen zu anderen und der Bedeutung von "Zusammengehörigkeit, geteilten Gefühlen und gemeinsamen Aktionen". Gleichzeitig vertiefen die neuen Klänge symbolisch diese Themen: Das Konzept der Zusammengehörigkeit wird in den Gesangsharmonien vermittelt, die reichhaltiger und ausgefeilter sind.

Das Konzept der Zeit wird mit Hilfe einiger verblüffender Sequenzer, Arpeggiatoren und mechanischer Rhythmen vermittelt. Kombiniert mit Melenas' Gespür für Pop machen diese Elemente viele dieser Songs zu einer aufregenden Mischung aus dunkleren, maschinenartigen Tönen (die Cold-Wave-Echos von 'Flor de la Frontera', der Kraut-Rhythmus von 'Bang') und himmlischen Melodien. All dies wird mit einer Fülle von schillernden elektronischen Arrangements verwoben, die handwerklich perfekt gemacht sind, aber mit der Energie einer Live-Band gespielt werden, in einer sehr post-punkigen Verbindung von Synthesizern mit echtem Bass und Schlagzeug.

Das Ergebnis sind solche Wunder wie "Dos pasajeros", "Tú y yo", "1986" oder das wunderschöne "Promesas", letzteres ein wahrer Neo-Synth-Pop-Klassiker. Melenas sind mehr denn je im Besitz ihrer kreativen Kräfte. Nicht so sehr, um ihrer Musik - die im Wesentlichen immer noch in der Liebe zum Pop verwurzelt ist - eine neue Wendung zu geben, sondern um ihre Songs mit einer neuen elektronischen Energie und einem neuen Vibe zu versehen.

Celebrated composer, performer, saxophonist, soloist, band leader, educator, activist, and mixed-media artist Matana Roberts returns with a new installment of their acclaimed Coin Coin series. For over a decade, Coin Coin has been the central artistic project for Roberts, a remarkable exploration of American ancestry and the nature of memory through "sound quilting": modern composition that draws on a wide range of musical sources and traditions, along with research-driven historical and genealogical narratives that yield prose and poetry both spoken and sung, field recordings, and graphic scores. The Quietus declares "when the 12-album cycle is complete, it will be regarded as a singular masterpiece of 21st century sonic and narrative art" and Pitchfork calls it "one of the most provocative ongoing bodies of work by any American musician." Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden... is the first new recorded audio chapter since 2019 and centers upon reproductive rights, summoning the story of a family ancestor who died in early adulthood, from a cause kept obfuscated and hushed, shrouded in disinformation and shame. Roberts reimagines diaristic and oral narratives, delivered in strident streams of spoken word that punctuate the hour-long work, with recurring musical themes frequently accompanied by the declarative refrain "my name is your name / our name is their name / we are named / we remember / they forget." As Roberts writes in the accompanying liner notes essay: I find it absolutely disgusting that the same trauma my grand ancestor, whose story we are telling in this chapter, is closely mirroring the experiences of some poor soul today as I write this... Our aforementioned grand, who perished at a young age, leaving her growing children motherless, did not have to die. The negative consequences of her death have reverberated down through generations in my family line, in the same way that a similar resounding might happen for someone else's ancestral line generations from today. While often jazz-adjacent, and with Matana's inimitable saxophone and indomitable voice at the core, Roberts situates Coin Coin outside the Jazz genre and within heterodox pathways of post-modern composition, electroacoustic music, sound collage, experimental voice, and sound art. In the garden... undeniably continues to express and expand upon the project's magnificent iconoclasm, nonetheless being the most jazz-inflected chapter since Coin Coin Chapter Two: Mississippi Moonchile(2013). Recorded in Brooklyn with a stellar acoustic ensemble that includes Stuart Bogie, Gitanjali Jain, Darius Jones, Matt Lavelle, Mike Pride, Ryan Sawyer, Corey Smythe, and Mazz Swift, abetted by some sparkling pieces featuring modular synthesis courtesy of album producer Kyp Malone (Bent Arcana, TV On The Radio), In the garden... traverses a vivid stylistic array of thematic overtures, excursions and set pieces, ranging from spacious textural invocations to gorgeously tempered horn-led compositions to driving free jazz and exhilarating through composed bursts of cacophony. With storytelling spoken-word lead vocals by Roberts channeled recurringly throughout, alongside various other deployments of layered and group voices, the album is alternately a meditation and fever dream of narrative potency. This is some of the most intense and intensive music Roberts has composed and captured to date, richly conceived and deeply felt, restless yet focused, unflinchingly substantive and unique. Coin Coin Chapter Five: In the garden... channels epigenetic trauma and tragedy with teeming complexity and fierce beauty _ a eulogy, testimony, and celebration, melding music and language in a stunning polychromatic flow of vernaculars and poetics. A powerful work of subjective commemoration and historical-cultural communion that speaks indelibly to the present moment.



2x10” in 350 gsm widespine jacket w/interior colour flood + 300 gsm printed inners + 20”x 10” fold-out insert + DL card

Bertram debuts on Dutch cult label Pinkman Records.

Fueled by nostalgia, 'Lights Out' aims to execute industrial old school dancehall and dub within a raw electronics framework. It combines old drum machines, vintage synths, acid bass lines, Sherman-laced vocals by Bertram and the people in his life, and clever approaches to the creative process and production.

He believes in a ''it takes a village" approach and worked closely with label head Marsman to iterate the project. The release is blessed by remixes courtesy of C.L.A.W.S. and Chris Mitchell.

SoHaSo keeps finding lost gems in the rich soil of the Dutch electronic underground. You might know P.A. Presents from his epic Entangled EP (1995) or his many releases on U-Trax. When SoHaSo informed if he had any dusty DAT tapes laying around from that particular period in the 90s, Peter Aarsman started digging. And found plenty of goodies. Here's six tracks which will beam you right back the last century, when names like Carl Craig, Drexciya and Bola were household names among the lovers of funky, melancholic electronica. Whether it's moody strings, otherworldly melodies or syncopated break beats, P.A. delivers on his Lost Voices EP. Like on the 4Hero-esque Drum 'n Tech or the mysterious and jumpy electro vibes on Vice. On Drop It and closing track Lost Voices the Dutch producer goes into full club modus. This is techno that used to fill up warehouses in windy harbor neighborhoods. Be sure to check the Drexiyan remix by Proxyan, who masters the art of deduction on his skeleton-like remix of Vice.

'Imagination Is A Weapon' lautet der Slogan des neuen GUNSHIP Albums. Diese Aussage fasst das Kernthema ihrer dritten Platte zusammen. GUNSHIP lädt seine Zuhörer ein, die Macht der Vorstellungskraft zu feiern und sich auf die Suche nach dem Einhorn in ihrem eigenen Leben zu begeben. Taucht schwelgend ein in die Fantasie – findet Euer Einhorn. Die entschlossenen Träumer werden die Welt verändern, wenn ihre Visionen in die Realität umgesetzt werden. Mit ihrem dritten Album UNICORN sprengen GUNSHIP weiterhin die Grenzen des Synthwave-Genres. Zu den besonderen Gästen zählen: John Carpenter, Gavin Rossdale (Bush), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Carpenter Brut, Timmy Cappello (Lost Boys), Health, Tyler Bates (John Wick, Guardians Of The Galaxy), Lights, Power Glove, Charlie Simpson, Britta Phillips (Jem) und Milkie Way (Wargasm).

'Imagination Is A Weapon' lautet der Slogan des neuen GUNSHIP Albums. Diese Aussage fasst das Kernthema ihrer dritten Platte zusammen. GUNSHIP lädt seine Zuhörer ein, die Macht der Vorstellungskraft zu feiern und sich auf die Suche nach dem Einhorn in ihrem eigenen Leben zu begeben. Taucht schwelgend ein in die Fantasie – findet Euer Einhorn. Die entschlossenen Träumer werden die Welt verändern, wenn ihre Visionen in die Realität umgesetzt werden. Mit ihrem dritten Album UNICORN sprengen GUNSHIP weiterhin die Grenzen des Synthwave-Genres. Zu den besonderen Gästen zählen: John Carpenter, Gavin Rossdale (Bush), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), Carpenter Brut, Timmy Cappello (Lost Boys), Health, Tyler Bates (John Wick, Guardians Of The Galaxy), Lights, Power Glove, Charlie Simpson, Britta Phillips (Jem) und Milkie Way (Wargasm).

Ltd Edition!

Crash und Automation demonstrieren Mullers Beherrschung strenger, industrieller Klangwelten. Muller geht jedoch noch einen Schritt weiter, indem er Club-Elemente wie Nu-Disco-Tendenzen und Vocal-Samples einführt. Auf diese Weise greift er das Thema Körper und Maschine auf, das auch in den visuellen Inhalten der Filme behandelt wird. Crash ist eine Hommage an David Cronenbergs gleichnamigen Film von 1996. Sowohl Ashley als auch Cronenberg erforschen die Erotik von Autounfällen, ein Fetisch, der sowohl mechanisch als auch blutig wirkt. Diese gewalttätige Gegenüberstellung ist die eigentliche Inspiration für Muller. Body and Machine" aus Crash ist eine pulsierende Synthie-Hymne, die sowohl synthetische Echos als auch verspielte Highlights enthält. "Perverse Technology" ist eine groovige und disharmonische Nummer, während "Sharing a Smoke" eine düstere Strenge hat, man kann fast sehen, wie die Hände über Ledersitze gleiten, Glasscherben auf verschwitzte Körper prallen und Küsse mit offenem Mund im Scheinwerferlicht.

* In 1993, Andy C & Ant Miles set out about creating a fourth release for the newly established Ram Records, now just a year old. With Hardcore still prominent in the clubs around the world, The Touch features rollercoaster bass swoops against energetic breaks flowing around the main sung vocal "c'mon and touch me".

An early sign of the precision arrangements that became synonymous of Ram's early sound that followed over for many years. Whilst going through the remaining samples in the sampler that had not been used on the A side, the pair suddenly went on a tangent with one of the drum breaks.

Experimenting with the new time stretch function in the Akai sampler, they soon had a shuffle groove layered and moving. With Ant Miles' sculpted and edited arpeggio bell line sample, a new overall sound and vibe was beginning to emerge out of their studio Atari ST computer.

Utilising an original organic analogue string pad, the haunting sinister vibe became complete. With the vocal from the BBC QED documentary 'Glimpses of Death' - "I felt, like I was in a long dark tunnel" all that remained was one of the most memorable pounding bass lines to sit underneath it all.

The result was an instant impact on the scene, heralded as one of the first anthems of the Jungle genre. Multi award winning and the track that cemented Andy & Ant and their label Ram Records within the scene.

Daptone bzw Soul/R&B/Reggae Fans dürfen sich freuen! Victor Axelrod, legendärer Produzent, Arrangeur, Aufnahme- und Mischtechniker, sowohl als auch Keyboarder hat bereits über mehr als zwei Jahrzehnte diverse Veröffentlichungen des New Yorker Labels veredelt.

Mit 'If You Ask Me To...' erscheint nun die erste LP unter seinem Namen für das Label - eine exzellente Sammlung an Singles, die zwischen 2007 und 2023 veröffentlicht wurden, sowie unveröffentlichten Tracks von Sugar Minott und Binky Griptite. Der Ursprung des Albums liegt in einer Anfrage von Daptone nach einem Sharon Jones-Remix (2007), aus dem die Reggae-Version von 'How Long Do I Have To Wait For You?' hervorging. Dies öffnete die Tür zu weiteren Erkundungen von Reggae/Soul-Synergien innerhalb des Katalogs und bestätigte die musikalische und kulturelle Verbindung zwischen Daptones 'Kern-Soul-Sound' und Axelrods Leidenschaft für jamaikanische Musik. Dank Axelrods außergewöhnlichem Geschmack und den bemerkenswerten Beiträgen des Gitarristen Tom Brenneck, Originalbändern aus Bob & Genes MoDo-Diskografie, Mitgliedern von The Frightnrs u.a. aus der New Yorker Reggae-Community wird das Vermächtnis bahnbrechender jamaikanischer Künstler wie Alton Ellis, Tony Gregory und Ken Parker weiterleben und eine ganz neue Generation von Reggae- und Soul-Fans inspirieren.

It’s been a few years since Captain Mustache took a ride with Kompakt – 2021, to be exact, when he released the “Everything” single, and subsequently made an appearance on that year’s entry in the Total series. But this visionary French producer has been busy, indeed fiercely productive, ever since, appearing on Helena Hauff’s Return To Disorder and John Digweed’s Bedrock, collaborating with Dave Clarke, Popof, The Advent, Paris The Black Fu, Keith Tucker from AUX88... and two beautifully eloquent albums, Tourbillon Nocturne and Indigo Memories. But with The Super Album, Captain Mustache returns to Kompakt with his most sublime collection yet. On The Super Album, the Captain soundtracks an imagined “whole day for party people.” He welcomes friends old and new on board: opening with the poetic club banger of “About Love”, with guest appearance from Speakwave (aka dynArec), The Super Album shifts gears into the lush, sunny “Shifting Basslines”, where Captain Mustache’s pulsing electro-disco is the perfect fit for a third collaboration with electroclash pioneers Chicks on Speed. After the deep techno pulsations of “Laser Me” and the glitzy pop shine of “Gimme Ya Mustache”, more guests arrive: Arnaud Rebotini of Black Strobe on the slinky “I Love Watching U”, and then a spoken cameo from the truly legendary French disco diva Amanda Lear on “Mustache Of The Universe”, a glitzy glitterball of a song that’s shrouded in ghostly synths. All those tracks appear on the 12” version of The Super Album – download the digital version and you get six more slices of Mustache magic. Here, the narrative turns more insular, more dancefloor focused – the party people have moved through the daytime and they’re in their element, diving deep into the night-time economy. The album spirals, beautifully, into stark electro, driving techno, with great moments of beauty and melancholy – see the pointillist arpeggios of “Everything” (which features Play Paul), the disco stomp of “Acapulco Citron”, and a breath-taking double-bill of stripped back psychedelic electro on “Pulsions Organiques”, and the layered, luscious, swooning “Clair-Obscur”. From there, it’s an astral glide into the Dopplereffekt-ish “Galaxian Symbiosis” before Foremost Poets join Captain Mustache to wave the night goodbye with the brittle, brilliant “Floorwax”. It’s a day in the life, but all in service to the pleasures of nightlife; the dancefloor is The Super Album’s beacon, your body the pliable material moulded into evocative new shapes by this dense, hypnotic, brilliantly pop album.

Black Truffle is pleased to announce Tender Membranes, the label’s first release from Swedish-Finnish sound artist and electro-acoustic composer Marja Ahti. Active for a decade in the Finnish underground music scene, in recent years Ahti has developed a distinctive approach to patiently unfolding electro-acoustic constructions, documented on a string of solo releases and collaborative projects with Judith Hamann and her husband Niko-Matti Ahti. Working with concrete and instrumental sounds, field recordings, and electronics, Ahti favours neither disjunctive collage nor monolithic consistency; rather, her work is composed of organically unfolding sequences of details and textures, which, as she says, ‘can stretch out or cut fast as long as they have a sense of inner stillness’, a sense that she connects to moments of heightened attention in everyday life. Tender Membranes consists of four lengthy pieces, partly inspired by the image of the senses and mind as membranes allowing for the passage between inner and outer spaces, sensation and its causes, creating a world. Ahti’s unhurried pacing encourages this sense of listening as an opening or surrender to sound, which can often create the impression that the listener is moving through a space zooming in on details. The opening Shrine (Aether) exemplifies this aspect of Ahti’s approach: a bell clears the air with a single long tone, followed by the ambience of outdoor spaces, crackling electronics, an archival recording of a horsefly on a windowpane. Dozens of these moments, varying in length, density, and intensity, move past the listener’s attention, momentarily brought into focus then slipping away. Like those of the masters of the French musique concrète tradition, Ahti’s sounds are not often recognisable, though they might suggest proximity or distance, open environments or closed spaces, the urban or rural, day or night. In Ahti’s work, we do not encounter spectacular metamorphoses à la Parmegiani but rather a state of ambiguity where the listener is often unsure what is organic and what is inorganic, where the careful productions of the synthesizer might end and sounds discovered in the environment begin. What Ahti calls her ‘poetic way of experiencing and organising the familiar and the unfamiliar’ is sustained throughout Tender Membranes, but each piece has its own character. On Dust / Light, human presence is more overt, as what appear to be whispers, singing, and distant speech thread between high frequencies, untraceable drips and pops, and metallic shimmers. In all this there is a melody that you can sing and to which you may dance makes more prominent use of musical instruments, gaining a sombre beauty from half-buried piano chords and organ tones. On the closing Oh Fragrant Witness, a delicate cloud of subtly bending pitches is repeatedly disrupted by a resounding, almost ominous mass of low tones, at once a strange detour from much of what has gone before and an almost classical finale. Arriving in a sleeve reproducing contemporary Finnish photographer Sini Pelkki’s fragmented visions of the everyday, Tender Membranes is a balm to reawaken tired ears.

Theo Kottis embarks on his Space Dust odyssey with a 3 track EP that provides perfect peak-time dancefloor moments. This debut collection of tracks for the label draws on 90s prog house & features 303 acid toplines. 'Solar' & 'Dreamscape' deliver euphoric breakdowns surrounded by stabbing synths, while 'Cosmic Drift' is a slower burn, building through its chuggy baseline. With Theo onboard, we look forward to exploring more of this musical direction through future releases on Space Dust.

Originally released on Polydor Records in August 1981, it remains a very special and discrete record and has gone on to achieve a cult status separate from the rest of their august catalogue.

Formed at London's Guildhall School of Music and Drama by way of Paris and the Isle Of Wight, Level 42 marked the union of four talented friends – Mark King, Mike Lindup, and brothers Phil and Roland 'Boon' Gould – complete with Wally Badarou, their very own studio-based synthesiser whizz-kid. From building a fervent following through the nascent Britfunk scene, they signed to Polydor and went on to make a series of fascinating albums.

The sheer invention, melody and imagination of this four-piece was astounding, aided by their secret weapon, French-Belizean Badarou, whom the band had met playing sessions for M, Robin Scott's art-disco ensemble. Although Level 42 had recorded – and made waves – for indie label Elite, they signed to Polydor and released this album, with three of their original calling cards, Starchild, Turn It On and the mighty, UK Top 40 breaching Love Games.

By the mid 80s Level 42 had become arena-filling superstars, with their commercial pop-funk with everyman lyrics that delighted fans not just in Europe, but also in America, too. Hear the roots of that on this frequently surprising, always entertaining debut album. Think of this album as the missing link between Talking Heads and Herbie Hancock.

Out of print on LP for a number of years, this re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1981 Polydor UK release with insert and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl.

Chuwanaga proudly presents Jasual Cazz's inaugural album "Memory Guard". Delving into the heart of jazz fusion, the French trio bridges the nostalgia of bygone years and the avant-garde essence of tomorrow.

Memory Guard surely brings some flavours of the seventies and eighties era with their vintage synthesizers. "Better Before", the joyful "Double Comète" or even "Tell Tale" re-enact this legacy while keeping it always groovy and thoughtful.
But, as if plucked from the ethereal realm of dreams, "Tell Tale", "Mèches" or "Libellule" sound like hidden places, mysterious pieces of music and time where the memory moves forwards.
In the meantime, "Temple", "Jungle Meat" or "L'Arche" venture into modern sonic realms, embracing post-jungle influences that propel jazz into uncharted territories. Body and mind can now synchronize.

Painting an auditory landscape that unfolds in a myriad of hues and forms, Memory Guard really follows the inventiveness of the actual jazz scene but with the emotional intelligence of the French jazz-funk heritage.

Jasual Cazz is the brainchild of Theo Boero on bass, Pierre-Louis Vanier on keys, and Japhet Boristhene on drums, hailing from the vibrant city of Lyon, France.

GER JUNG IN WIEN - NEUE JANGLE-POP GRUPPE MIT 80ER INDIE WAVY VIBE. IHRE ERSTEN BEIDEN MINI-ALBEN "TROUBLE" & "LIGHTNING TRAILS" JETZT AUF EINER LP. "Der gerade erst volljährig gewordene Tobias Hammermüller steht für weichgespülten Bedroom-Wave und formte für sein Debütalbum auf Siluh Records die Band Laundromat Chicks." (THE GAP) - Hinter dem Namen LAUNDROMAT CHICKS verbirgt sich das Musikprojekt von TOBIAS HAMMERMÜLLER, der gerade 19 Jahre alt geworden ist. Nach dem selbstproduzierten Debüt "Trouble" haben die LAUNDROMAT CHICKS ein neues Album vorgelegt, das deutlich ruhigere Töne anschlägt. "Lightning Trails", das Band-Mastermind Tobias Hammermüller zusammen mit Martin Rupp (Jansky) produziert hat, ist ein folkiges Manifest für die leisen Töne geworden, die wir dringend brauchen. Beide Alben sind jetzt auf einer LP verewigt. Seite A mit dem eher ruppigeren "TROUBLE", auf der B-Seite das folk-inspirierte Kleinod "LIGHNTING TRAILS" "Lightning Trails" ist ein Meisterwerk an Musikalität und Zurückhaltung zugleich, eine Ode an die Verträumtheit und Nachdenklichkeit in Zeiten des Aufruhrs und der aufeinanderprallenden Ideologien. Es ist eine Einladung, aus dem Fenster zu klettern und eine aus den Fugen geratene Welt von einem versteckten Sims aus zu betrachten. Wie das Nachglühen eines Blitzes auf der Netzhaut, in der nahen Ferne." (Paul Buschnegg) Für Freunde von PASTELS, THE RADIO FIELD, THROW THAT BEAT, COMET GAIN, UK-Indie, Teen Angst, Twee-Pop...



[ENG] BEING YOUNG IN VIENNA - NEW JANGLE-POP GROUP WITH SOME 80S INDIE WAVY VIBE. THEIR FIRST TWO ALBUMS "TROUBLE" & "LIGHTNING TRAILS" ON ONE LP "Conversational lyrics depict a night on the phone amid claustrophobic misgivings and obsessive mental wanderings. Energetic, bittersweet sentiments ignite wandering clusters of shimmering strumming riffs and jangly wistful guitar melodies to weave swaying paths of vibrant nostalgia through low pulsing bass lines, skipping drumbeats, and pinpoint synth stabs to accompany heartfelt yet angsty vocal harmonies, haloed in distant echoes of doubt, through a sad discomforting timeline of uncertainty and dread." (WHITE LIGHT / WHITE HEAT) Behind the name LAUNDROMAT CHICKS is the music project of TOBIAS HAMMERMÜLLER, who just turned 19. After their selfproducued debut "Trouble", LAUNDROMAT CHICKS has presented a new album that touches on much quieter tones. "Lightning Trails", which band mastermind Tobias Hammermüller produced with Martin Rupp (Jansky), has become a folky manifesto for the quiet nuances that we desperately need. Both albums are now immortalised on one LP. Side A with the rather rough "TROUBLE", on the B-side the folk-inspired gem "LIGHNTING TRAILS". "Lightning Trails is a masterpiece of musicality and restraint at the same time, an ode to dreaminess and thoughtfulness in times of turmoil and clashing ideologies. It is somehow an invitation to climb out the window to view an unhinged world from a hidden ledge. Similar to the afterglow of a flash on the retina, in the near distance." (Paul Buschnegg) RIYL Pastels, The Radio Field, Throw That Beat, Comet Gain, UK-Indie, Teen Angst, Twee-Pop...

Twenty-two rare and unreleased vintage tracks from the secret vaults of one of the most enigmatic composers in 60s/70s/80s European cinema. Originally recorded in the best studios in Poland, Italy and France for experimental film, political allegories, lost television shows, sound libraries and radio – these tracks have been hidden behind the Iron Curtain on lost master tapes and film reels until now! »Secret Enigma«, the first ever dedicated anthology of this great composer’s work, is now back in print.

Originally released exactly 30 years ag In artistic cinema Andrzej Korzyński’s unique experiments with jazz, pop, rock, orchestral and electronic music make his name synonymous with the most praised (Andrzej Wajda) and the most provocative (Andrzej Żuławski) Polish filmmakers (counting many more in between). As an early patron of the Polish New Wave and a key exponent of the development of conceptual Polish pop music his expansive portfolio has remained commercially unreleased and untravelled (like many of the original socialist era Polish made films) and has yet to find its deserved place next to the work of Ennio Morricone, François de Roubaix and John Barry. Now enhanced by a renewed interest in vintage art house film and a subculture of open minded music collectors many Easter European artists, such as Krzysztof Komeda (Poland), Zdeněk Liška (Czechoslovakia) and now Andrzej Korzynski,have finally begun to earn their place alongside their Central European peers.

For lovers of film music and experimental pop this debut anthology and appraisal of Andrzej Korzyński.