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Erweiterte Deluxe-Jubiläumsausgabe von "The Fallen By Watch Bird", das neben dem Originalalbum auch das Kompendium "The Watchbird Alluminate" enthält, alternative Versionen und Neuinterpretationen von u.a. Demdike Stare, The Focus Group, Anworth Kirk und Emma Tricca. Seit der ursprünglichen Veröffentlichung vor 15 Jahren hat sich Jane Weaver zu einer der markantesten und experimentierfreudigsten Stimmen aus UK entwickelt und eine Reihe von gefeierten Alben veröffentlicht, darunter "The Silver Globe", "Modern Kosmology", "Flock" und "Love In Constant Spectacle". Es ist ein psychedelischer Femme-Folk-Rock-Teppich, der Einflüsse aus dem osteuropäischen Kinderkino, deutschen Kunstmärchen, der TV-Musik der 70er Jahre und elektronischen Soundtracks der 80er Jahre aufgreift. Dieses konzeptionelle Album, das von Synths und Mystik durchdrungen ist, verwebt Bilder von abwesenden Seeleuten, Telekinese, Tierbotschaften und weißer Magie mit heidnischen Themen wie Tod und Wiedergeburt. Ein prägendes Meisterwerk aus ihrer ständig wachsenden Diskografie, das ihre Reise von ihren folkloristischen und poporientierten Anfängen bis hin zu den psychedelischen Synth-Pop-Experimenten von heute dokumentiert. Das Album umfasst sieben Kapitel und enthält Beiträge von Septième Soeur Wendy Flower vom Folk-Pop-Duo Wendy & Bonnie, das 1969 das Album Genesis veröffentlichte, Lisa Jen, der walisischen Sängerin auf Gruff Rhys' Candylion, der verstorbenen amerikanischen Folk-Pop-Sängerin Susan Christie und dem bosnischen Folk-Musiker und Violinisten Behar. Als Extra setzt "The Watchbird Alluminate" die Reise fort, indem es in Drone, Psychedelia, Folk und weitere Klanglandschaften eintaucht. Einzel-CD oder limitierte 2LP-Edition in Marineblau und Cremefarbenem Vinyl, Gatefold-Sleeve + Obi-Streifen & DL-Karte.

A new release from the back alleys of Tokyo

"Prior to the vinyl release of the debut work “Vapor Curve”, which suffered a one-year delay due to manufacturing errors, the release of the mini-album “grainy film” has been confirmed."

Following the artist's previous release, this album completely eschews the use of computer-based DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) software. By relying exclusively on a strictly limited setup of hardware—synthesizers, samplers, and delay units—the artist pursues a meticulously woven, highly original take on minimal harmony.

At the core of this record lie exquisite ambient textures and beautifully shimmering synthesizer arpeggios. These are layered with the organic warmth of the sampler, vividly sketching out the contemporary "sound of Tokyo." As the album title suggests, the gritty, Lo-Fi texture of the sampler evokes the imagery of a vintage, low-fidelity film reel in the listener's mind. Pushing further than the predecessor, this approach embraces a more abstract, dubby, and deep soundscape aesthetic, elevating the album's artistry to new depths.

Describing this stoically refined electronic music, Maruyama reveals that it is "music for a cigar." It is not an assertive sound that demands to be the center of attention in the room. Instead, the moment the needle drops, it possesses an overwhelming power to transform the very particles of the room's air. The nostalgic and melancholic melodies, much like the shifting and fading trails of cigar smoke, embody the aesthetic of shogyo mujo (the impermanence of all things). Amidst a constantly changing world, it offers a desire to simply drift away in the slumber of sound—a supreme deep-listening experience guaranteed to transport you.

Forgotten electronic treasures by composer Ton de Leeuw rediscovered: first release in the Dutch Oscillation Series

Dutch Oscillation Series (DOS) proudly announces the release of a box set featuring the complete electronic works of Ton de Leeuw (1926–1996). This publication marks the first instalment in a new series that brings the history of Dutch electronic music to life for a broad audience. The official presentation will take place on Saturday, 12 September, during the Gaudeamus Festival for contemporary music in Utrecht.

Unique discoveries from the archive. For far too long, twentieth-century Dutch electronic music has remained hidden away in dim archives, only occasionally accessible under optimal conditions. Many compositions have not been heard for decades, perhaps after being presented to an audience only once. For this project, the original tapes were carefully traced in basements and archives, including the mysterious work Chronos, which was rediscovered in the collection of the Netherlands Music Institute (NMI). Even close collaborators of De Leeuw were unaware of the existence of Chronos. Another highlight of this release is the radiophonic oratorio Job (1956), which was awarded the Prix Italia radio prize by broadcaster Rai.

The recordings were digitised by experts at the Institute of Sonology and the Instituut voor Beeld en Geluid (Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision). The music was then meticulously restored and mastered in the studio of Jos Smolders (EARLabs), in accordance with modern standards, while strictly adhering to the composer’s original artistic intentions.

The edition includes eight works composed between 1956 and 1982. The collection is released as a deluxe LP and CD box set and is also available via streaming and as high-resolution downloads. For an optimal listening experience, originally four-channel works such as Elektronische Studie (Electronic Study) and Antiphonie (Antiphony) are available as special Dolby Atmos downloads, allowing listeners to experience at home the unique spatial sound world envisioned by Ton de Leeuw.

About Ton de LeeuwTon de Leeuw was one of the most influential Dutch composers of the twentieth century. A thinker with a distinctly cosmopolitan outlook, he immersed himself deeply in musical cultures from India, Japan, and Indonesia, among others. His work consistently sought to bridge Eastern and Western musical traditions and concepts.

In addition, De Leeuw enjoyed a distinguished academic career. He served for many years as senior lecturer and director at the Amsterdam Conservatory and was affiliated as a senior research fellow with the University of Amsterdam. His book Muziek van de twintigste eeuw (Music of the Twentieth Century) remains a standard reference work.

Mainrecords shop is becoming 25 years, therefore we requested tracks from befriended artists and longtime fellows. The Recordshop started in 2001 when 2 record shops from Offenbach combined their power. In the same year Matthias and Christian started working in the shop and soon took it over, the rest is history. 25 years and countless releases later we are happy to celebrate it with some parties and this dedicated release which will be released on multicoloured recycled vinyl .

A1:Memphis Stomp
Super rusty sounding House touched Breakbeat Track!
The Bassline-Drop and Live mixing is hot!

A2:Come on Cum
Oldschool House Track without Bassline to be able to concentrate you on the "Dobble Match of two Drums Machines"!
The sequenced VOX Sample comes from a classic CS2X Synthesizer and is added to the Space Echo to bring a special Magic inside. DJ TOOL!

B1:Demon Area
Welcome to the TECHNO HELL!
Pure Darkness and a bright expressive Flow come together.
A Fat Bassdrum is hammering your head and the ultra effected Synthesizer Line will destroy your Brain.

B2:Furore Move
More an experimental Splitt Track...
The beginning of this track is a presentation of the CS15 Synthesizer with a Bassdrum.
The Break is coming... A synth-vox-line is coming... A 4 to the floor run is coming..
all things are going well.. Than a little chaos breaks out... and in the end, all is good again.

French composer, artist and co-founder of Transversales Disques, Jonathan Fitoussi has developed a distinctive body of
work over the past two decades, blending analog synthesis, minimalism and electronic music.

Inspired by the mineral landscapes and luminous atmosphere of southeastern France, DELTAS is his fifth solo studio album.
Combining hypnotic drum patterns, flowing pulses, shimmering electronic textures and contemplative movements, it unfolds as a deeply immersive journey through space, light and motion.
A rich and evocative work from one of the most singular voices in contemporary electronic music.

Pleasurewood return with 'Electric Telepathy', their second full-length LP offering Simla Space Funk, Psych-Library and Vintage-Cinematic Raga-Rock grooves.

This new offering from the band embraces more of their vintage Hindi Cinema soundtrack influences — "Chump Change", "The Hoverfly" and "RAMMM" could easily fit into the middle of an R.D. Burman score, each with their incongruous synthesis of different genres, infectious percussion, classical modes and funk chops.

There is also a slight sweep across a too-slow-to-disco tempo and feel with the moody Johnny Guitar Watson-esque slow burn of "Good Falcon" up to the nonchalant four-to-the-floor of "Last Dance Saloon" with its lyrical warning of digital over-saturation in our social-media saturated world and a foreboding of the mini-monoliths sat in the palms of our hands that in a Kubrickian way threaten to cosmically absorb us all as a species into their individual jet-black abysses.

And then, coming into focus like a sweet slice of disjointed, lo-fi, 8 bit space disco, "Mojave Desert" is a slacker-strut with telephone vocals dub guitars, dry cosmic synths and futurist Farfisa organ driven by an almost Acid-Jazz meets Post-Punk Bass line. The song is autobiographical in its account of an excursion along the 29 Palms Highway reflecting on an escape from the City of Angels not so far away, up into the stark psychedelic desert realm.

There is a lot to unpack in this record and yet more to discover so it will be best to allocate 40 minutes in a comfortable dimly-lit room with eyes closed and maybe a cognac in hand, to have a deep-dive into its well-travelled and esoterically funky grooves.

Die Synthesizer-Künstlerin und Komponistin Emily A. Sprague verbindet intuitive Klangstrukturen mit ausdrucksstarkem Songwriting und schafft so weitläufige Klangwelten, die unmittelbar und mitreißend sind. Nach ersten Experimenten mit Gitarre und Keyboard als Teenager gründete Sprague Anfang der 2010er Jahre die Indie-Band Florist und gewann damit ein treues Publikum. Nach einer Reihe gefeierter EPs nahmen Florist fünf Studioalben auf, die sich durch ihre intime Weltgestaltung und durch Spragues gefühlvollen Gesang auszeichnen. Den Soloalben "Hill, Flower, Fog" aus dem Jahr 2020 und "Cloud Time" aus dem Jahr 2025 - einem Album mit modularen Synthesizern, das live in Japan aufgenommen wurde - nachfolgend, ist "Cyano" ist ihr erstes Soloalbum, das Spragues intuitive Synthesizer-Musik mit dem Songwriting verbindet, für das sie mit ihrer Band Florist bekannt ist, und führt Gesang in ihr bisher rein instrumentales Schaffen ein. Absichtlich minimalistisch gehalten, ist Spragues Gesang wie eine rauschbehaftete Übertragung, die einen technischen und symbolischen Wendepunkt markiert - mit experimenteller, formloser Musik, die die eher konventionellen Songstile von Florist dekonstruiert. Emotional verankert und von Vergänglichkeit getrieben, spiegelt das Album sowohl Spragues inneren Raum als auch den konzeptionellen Planeten "Cyano" wider und setzt sich mit dem Selbst, dem Anderen, der Ökologie und dem Leben in einer fernen Welt auseinander. Spragues musikalischer Ansatz ist geprägt von einer zutiefst persönlichen Atmosphäre, die darin wurzelt, Geschichten über sich selbst und andere - Formen der innerpersönlichen und zwischenmenschlichen Verbindung - sowie die Unbeständigkeit dieser Versuche zu ergründen. Durch intime phänomenologische Erkundungen bietet "Cyano" subtile und eindrucksvolle Klangtexturen, die Verletzlichkeit einbeziehen. Emily A. Sprague erschafft eine komplexe Welt und erweitert dabei ein Klangspektrum, das zugleich vertraut und zutiefst neu ist - ein Spiegelbild ihres inneren Spektrums, das in andere Welten blickt.

Wishys ,Nature's Pill" fängt eine Welt ein, in der sich das Leben unvorhersehbar und überwältigend anfühlt, aber dennoch voller Möglichkeiten ist. Auf ihrem pulsierenden zweiten Album gibt sich Wishy dem Wahnsinn hin - und fängt romantische Frustration, neurotisches Verlangen und das Melodram ein, das sich daraus ergibt, einfach nur Mensch zu sein, in einem ausgelassenen Remix der Vergangenheit. ,Nature's Pill" trägt alle Markenzeichen von Wishy: schräge Texte, die Melancholie in Freiheit verwandeln, Refrains, die sofort zu Klassikern werden, und eine unheilige Fusion aus zuckersüßem Grunge, Indie-Rock und Dream-Pop. Wishys Entstehungsgeschichte war ein produktiver Ausbruch, angetrieben von der musikalischen Synergie der Band: die EPs ,Mana" und ,Paradise" im Jahr 2023, das Debütalbum ,Triple Seven" im Jahr 2024 und die Folge-EP ,Planet Popstar" im Jahr 2025. Nachdem diese Veröffentlichungen Beifall fanden und das Ansehen der Band wuchs, war die Konzeption von ,Nature's Pill" grundlegend anders. Das Album entstand in engerer Zusammenarbeit als frühere Veröffentlichungen, und die Gruppe traf sich erneut mit dem ,Triple Seven"-Co-Produzenten Ben Lumsdaine in Los Angeles, wo sich das Quintett in ein winziges Studio quetschte und die Hälfte der Songs live im Raum aufnahm, wodurch das Album die unmittelbare Energie einer Band erhielt, die nach intensiven Tourneen perfekt aufeinander eingespielt ist. Das gab ihnen diesmal die Möglichkeit, eine noch größere Bandbreite an Einflüssen zu vereinen, wobei sich der 90er-Jahre-Dream-Pop und Alternative-Rock von ,Triple Seven" mit dem College-Rock der 80er und dem Indie der 00er vermischte.

Wishys ,Nature's Pill" fängt eine Welt ein, in der sich das Leben unvorhersehbar und überwältigend anfühlt, aber dennoch voller Möglichkeiten ist. Auf ihrem pulsierenden zweiten Album gibt sich Wishy dem Wahnsinn hin - und fängt romantische Frustration, neurotisches Verlangen und das Melodram ein, das sich daraus ergibt, einfach nur Mensch zu sein, in einem ausgelassenen Remix der Vergangenheit. ,Nature's Pill" trägt alle Markenzeichen von Wishy: schräge Texte, die Melancholie in Freiheit verwandeln, Refrains, die sofort zu Klassikern werden, und eine unheilige Fusion aus zuckersüßem Grunge, Indie-Rock und Dream-Pop. Wishys Entstehungsgeschichte war ein produktiver Ausbruch, angetrieben von der musikalischen Synergie der Band: die EPs ,Mana" und ,Paradise" im Jahr 2023, das Debütalbum ,Triple Seven" im Jahr 2024 und die Folge-EP ,Planet Popstar" im Jahr 2025. Nachdem diese Veröffentlichungen Beifall fanden und das Ansehen der Band wuchs, war die Konzeption von ,Nature's Pill" grundlegend anders. Das Album entstand in engerer Zusammenarbeit als frühere Veröffentlichungen, und die Gruppe traf sich erneut mit dem ,Triple Seven"-Co-Produzenten Ben Lumsdaine in Los Angeles, wo sich das Quintett in ein winziges Studio quetschte und die Hälfte der Songs live im Raum aufnahm, wodurch das Album die unmittelbare Energie einer Band erhielt, die nach intensiven Tourneen perfekt aufeinander eingespielt ist. Das gab ihnen diesmal die Möglichkeit, eine noch größere Bandbreite an Einflüssen zu vereinen, wobei sich der 90er-Jahre-Dream-Pop und Alternative-Rock von ,Triple Seven" mit dem College-Rock der 80er und dem Indie der 00er vermischte.

Wishys ,Nature's Pill" fängt eine Welt ein, in der sich das Leben unvorhersehbar und überwältigend anfühlt, aber dennoch voller Möglichkeiten ist. Auf ihrem pulsierenden zweiten Album gibt sich Wishy dem Wahnsinn hin - und fängt romantische Frustration, neurotisches Verlangen und das Melodram ein, das sich daraus ergibt, einfach nur Mensch zu sein, in einem ausgelassenen Remix der Vergangenheit. ,Nature's Pill" trägt alle Markenzeichen von Wishy: schräge Texte, die Melancholie in Freiheit verwandeln, Refrains, die sofort zu Klassikern werden, und eine unheilige Fusion aus zuckersüßem Grunge, Indie-Rock und Dream-Pop. Wishys Entstehungsgeschichte war ein produktiver Ausbruch, angetrieben von der musikalischen Synergie der Band: die EPs ,Mana" und ,Paradise" im Jahr 2023, das Debütalbum ,Triple Seven" im Jahr 2024 und die Folge-EP ,Planet Popstar" im Jahr 2025. Nachdem diese Veröffentlichungen Beifall fanden und das Ansehen der Band wuchs, war die Konzeption von ,Nature's Pill" grundlegend anders. Das Album entstand in engerer Zusammenarbeit als frühere Veröffentlichungen, und die Gruppe traf sich erneut mit dem ,Triple Seven"-Co-Produzenten Ben Lumsdaine in Los Angeles, wo sich das Quintett in ein winziges Studio quetschte und die Hälfte der Songs live im Raum aufnahm, wodurch das Album die unmittelbare Energie einer Band erhielt, die nach intensiven Tourneen perfekt aufeinander eingespielt ist. Das gab ihnen diesmal die Möglichkeit, eine noch größere Bandbreite an Einflüssen zu vereinen, wobei sich der 90er-Jahre-Dream-Pop und Alternative-Rock von ,Triple Seven" mit dem College-Rock der 80er und dem Indie der 00er vermischte.

The Unwound album that ended all Unwound albums. Recorded in a moldering farmhouse basement at the crest of the new century, Leaves Turn Inside You is the no-wave response to Spector’s wall of noise call. Infinite layers of choppy guitar stabs and bridge scrapes, guttural bass thronk, thrift store synths, and monotone chanting wash over suffocating rhythms to deliver the world’s only choral grunge LP. This 25th anniversary edition has been remastered from the original analog tapes and is housed in a glorious silver foil jacket with added emboss, deboss, spot varnish, and a replica 12x24” poster . Reinvented for you.

Das Unwound-Album, das allen Unwound-Alben ein Ende setzte. Aufgenommen im Keller eines verfallenen Bauernhauses zu Beginn des neuen Jahrhunderts, ist ,Leaves Turn Inside You" die No-Wave-Antwort auf Spectors Aufruf zur ,Wall of Sound". Unendliche Schichten aus abgehackten Gitarrenstichen und Kratzgeräuschen, kehliger Bass-Dröhn, Secondhand-Synthesizer und monotones Singen überlagern erstickende Rhythmen und liefern so die weltweit einzige Chor-Grunge-LP. Diese Ausgabe zum 25-jährigen Jubiläum wurde anhand der originalen Analogbänder neu gemastert und präsentiert sich in einer prächtigen Hülle mit Silberfolie, Prägung, Vertiefungen, Spotlackierung sowie einer Nachbildung des 12x24-Zoll-Posters. Neu aufgelegt - nur für dich.

Garefowl is a project connected to the archipelago of St Kilda, Scotland. Ewan Macdonald and his father Murdo, relatives of one of the men who killed the last Great Auk (Garefowl), conceived the project to reflect on and mark this family history. Garefowl is an international collective of musicians combining strings and electronics: Nathan Bontrager (viola da gamba/harmonium/banjo), Stuart Graham (bouzouki/harmonica/harmonium), Chris Jones (concertina/mandolin), Ewan Macdonald (fiddle/smallpipe drone), Richard O’Flynn (island sounds/percussion/XRD drones), Jess Whelligan (cello).

Things That Vanish was recorded on Hirta, the main island of St Kilda, at night. The soundscapes of Hirta breathe across the record: a quiet rolling swell of winds, waves, birds, and the otherworldly thrum of the snipe. Taking influence from the traditional folk music of St Kilda, the tunes on the record are inspired by the threatened seabirds of the islands. The band were intrigued by the folk stories around these birds, and how they often are depicted to imbue a primal, dark and haunting nature. In such tales, the birds retain a quality akin to a sea monster: preying upon calves and sheep, and believed to be the pelagic souls of drowned sailors or the cursed spirits of cruel captains.

No synthesizers were used on the recording. Instead, the production draws entirely on sampled and processed field and hydrophone recordings collected on St Kilda. Additionally, drones were created through a process pioneered by Richard O’Flynn and Joe Gardner. Rock or bone samples are analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), which creates a spectrum with peaks corresponding to the sample’s chemical composition; this spectrum can then be mapped to sine waves, forming a drone.

BIT30-2 THE CROWDPLEASERS "I Want You To Know 30th Anniversary E.P." The first B.I.T Productions 12" was released on single sided white label on 11th December 1995 and became a rather big track across the country with its big synths, catchy vocal hook and a massive break in the middle that lead to a dirty, well-known synth melody that created a huge hands in the air moment, as well as the "Make some f**king noise" vocal. Now 30 years later, we have the “I Want You To Know 30th Anniversary E.P.” that features new remixes by The Crowdpleasers and Pianohead, as well as including the Original 1995 Mix. Also included is the NEW TRACK “I Know” which features the Original Mix with uplifting Piano and catchy vocals and the Stu Chapman Remix with dirty synths, banging breakbeat and a top piano riff. To finish off this 6 Track E.P., the previously unreleased Original Mix from 2000 of “Celestial”, a pumping house track with atmospheric melody.

Allison de Groot ist eine Clawhammer-Banjo-Spielerin aus Winnipeg, Kanada, deren Schaffen die Old-Time-, Bluegrass- und Folk-Traditionen umfasst. Als Preisträgerin des Steve-Martin-Preises für herausragende Leistungen im Bereich Banjo und als Nominierte für die Auszeichnung ,Instrumentalistin des Jahres" der Americana Music Association ist sie wohl vor allem für ihr Duo mit der Geigerin Tatiana Hargreaves bekannt, dessen Alben ,Hurricane Clarice" und ihr selbstbetiteltes Debütalbum Anerkennung seitens der IBMA, der Canadian Folk Music Awards und der JUNOs fanden. Rich Ruth ist ein in Nashville ansässiger Multi-Instrumentalist (geb. Michael Ruth), der bei Third Man Records aufnimmt. Seine Soloalben schöpfen aus Ambient, Spiritual Jazz, Minimalismus und synthgetriebenem Post-Rock - Kompositionen, die mit sich wiederholenden Drones und Synthesizern beginnen und sich durch Zusammenarbeit weiter entfalten. Er ist zudem ein Drittel von ,Shrunken Elvis", einem Trio aus Nashville, das aus langen Autofahrten durch Europa und winterlichen Jam-Sessions hervorgegangen ist und Ruth mit dem Pedal-Steel-Gitarristen Spencer Cullum sowie dem Gitarristen Sean Thompson in einem gemeinsamen kreativen Raum vereint, in dem Intuition Vorrang vor Ehrgeiz hat. Ihr vielbeachtetes, selbstbetiteltes Debüt erschien im Jahr 2025. Die beiden kamen zusammen, als Ruth im Begriff war, ein Soloalbum für de Groot zu produzieren. Im Laufe von etwa einem Jahr in Ruths Studio in Nashville veränderte sich das Projekt still und leise: Die beiden begannen gemeinsam zu komponieren, und das Ergebnis ist ebenso sehr von Raum und Prozess geprägt wie von der Melodie. De Groots Clawhammer-Banjo durchläuft Loops und Delays und wird dabei mit Ruths Synthesizer- Arrangements so kombiniert, dass die haptische Unmittelbarkeit akustischer Instrumente mit den umhüllenden Eigenschaften der Elektronik in Einklang gebracht wird. Patrick M'Gonigle steuerte durchgehend Violinen- und Streicharrangements bei, während Shrunken-Elvis-Bandkollege Spencer Cullum bei mehreren Titeln seine Pedal-Steel-Gitarre einbringt und der Klangpalette des Albums eine weitere Ebene atmosphärischer Tiefe verleiht. Kurz nach Fertigstellung des Albums präsentierte die Gruppe das Material erstmals live beim Big Ears Festival als einen der Überraschungsauftritte der Veranstaltung - ein reduziertes, minimalistisches Set, das den Geist der Aufnahmen widerspiegelte. Das Album fängt zwei unterschiedliche musikalische Stimmen ein, die weniger einen gemeinsamen Nenner als vielmehr eine neue, gemeinsame Sprache finden.

Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Now It’s Overhead is the acclaimed indie rock band fronted by Andy LeMaster. Emerging in the early 2000s alongside the era-defining Saddle Creek scene, LeMaster collaborated with artists including Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Orenda Fink (Azure Ray), and Maria Taylor (Azure Ray).

During this period, Now It’s Overhead released three acclaimed full-length albums: Now It’s Overhead (2001), Fall Back Open (2004), and Dark Light Daybreak (2006). Available on vinyl for the first time, these long-awaited editions are essential for listeners and collectors exploring the indie rock landscape of the early 2000s. All three albums have been newly remastered by Andy LeMaster—musician, songwriter, engineer, producer, and visual artist.

The Associated Press described Now It’s Overhead as “a unique brand of organic and synthetic dark pop—made possible by LeMaster’s studio prowess—that remains distinctive even when Conor Oberst and Michael Stipe briefly stop by.”

Accompanying these reissues, Now It’s Overhead is also releasing new music for the first time in nearly twenty years. The five-song EP, in the beginning, arrives digitally on September 18, 2026.

Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Now It’s Overhead is the acclaimed indie rock band fronted by Andy LeMaster. Emerging in the early 2000s alongside the era-defining Saddle Creek scene, LeMaster collaborated with artists including Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), Orenda Fink (Azure Ray), and Maria Taylor (Azure Ray).

During this period, Now It’s Overhead released three acclaimed full-length albums: Now It’s Overhead (2001), Fall Back Open (2004), and Dark Light Daybreak (2006). Available on vinyl for the first time, these long-awaited editions are essential for listeners and collectors exploring the indie rock landscape of the early 2000s. All three albums have been newly remastered by Andy LeMaster—musician, songwriter, engineer, producer, and visual artist.

The Associated Press described Now It’s Overhead as “a unique brand of organic and synthetic dark pop—made possible by LeMaster’s studio prowess—that remains distinctive even when Conor Oberst and Michael Stipe briefly stop by.”

Accompanying these reissues, Now It’s Overhead is also releasing new music for the first time in nearly twenty years. The five-song EP, in the beginning, arrives digitally on September 18, 2026.

Lone Ark and The 18th Parallel join forces again! Five years after the critically acclaimed debut ‘Showcase Vol. 1’ (2021), the two spearheads of the European roots reggae scene return with the second volume of this showcase series. Recorded on 2” tape between Geneva, Switzerland and Cueto, Spain, this new project is another masterpiece of production. It dives deep into the roots sound and playing of the 70s and 80s Jamaican reggae with heavyweight drums and bass, razor-sharp rhythm section, and sophisticated horns, flute, synth and vocals arrangements. Roberto Sánchez, the voice behind Lone Ark, sings about themes more relevant than ever such as activism through music (Ammunition), the absurdity of ongoing wars in the world justified by religious beliefs (Man Kill Man), anti-capitalism (Money) and the appreciation of life’s blessings (Morning Blessing). The six songs of this ‘Showcase Vol. 2’ are followed by their dub counterparts expertly mixed by Roberto Sánchez himself. In the age of AI, this album takes the opposite direction. It is all about the human touch and the analogue warmth. No trick here, this is 100% real organic roots music!

XKatedral ist stolz darauf, ein neues Album in voller Länge von Label-Mitbegründerin Maria W. Horn zu präsentieren. ,Melting Pillars of Snow" ist eine Sammlung neuer Kompositionen der renommierten schwedischen Komponistin, geschrieben für Kontrabassblockflöte, Sho, Percussion, E-Gitarre, Gesang und Elektronik, gespielt von Horn zusammen mit einem Kammerensemble bestehend aus Anna Petrini, Mattias Hallsten, Magdalena Meitzner und Mats Erlandsson. Das Album enthält außerdem eine Erzählung von Horn sowie einen Gastauftritt von Michael Gira auf der ersten Single ,Scythe of Saturn". Für ,Melting Pillars of Snow" ließ sich Maria von W. G. Sebalds Roman ,Die Ringe des Saturn" inspirieren, einer poetischen Reflexion, die einem namenlosen Erzähler folgt, der an der Küste von Suffolk in England umherwandert. Während sich die Landschaft allmählich verändert, thematisiert der Text auf vielfältige Weise den Lauf der Zeit und die Distanz zwischen Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft und spiegelt dabei sowohl weitreichende zeitliche Maßstäbe wie die Zyklen der Jahreszeiten und die tiefe historische Zeit als auch mikroskopisch kleine Momente und Fragmente wider. Mit den Kompositionen auf dieser Veröffentlichung beschwört Maria ein ähnliches Gefühl der Stille herauf - eine Umgebung, in der die Bewegung der Zeit selbst beleuchtet und beobachtet werden kann. Das Instrumentarium auf diesem Album ist Horns bislang ambitioniertestes: Sie ergänzt ihre gewohnte Palette aus maßgeschneiderter algorithmischer Synthese und elektronischer Bearbeitung um eine komplexe Auswahl an Perkussionsinstrumenten, Blasinstrumente, die an beiden Enden des musikalischen Spektrums spielen, sowie E-Gitarre, um so einen spiralförmigen, spektralen Klangteppich durch den gesamten Frequenzbereich zu weben. Die Perkussionistin Magdalena Meizner spielt spezielle Techniken auf dem Obertondreieck, dem Dubachi, den Pauken und dem Tam-Tam sowie auf gestimmten Weingläsern und gestrichenen Crotales. Die von Anna Petrini gespielte tieftönige Kontrabassblockflöte und das von Mattias Hallsten gespielte hochfrequente Sho fügen kontrastierende Akkordarrangements hinzu, die in strengen metrischen Strukturen eingebettet sind. Das Ensemble wird durch Mats Erlandsson vervollständigt, der auf E- und Akustikgitarren spielt und dabei von sanften Arpeggio-Figuren zu düsteren Drones und Feedback-Heulern wechselt.

glass beach's debut album the first glass beach album is the first album from glass beach. That's a good place to start, but the album's plain & descriptive title does little to explain exactly what goes on in the hour-long adventure contained therein. the first glass beach album was initially self-released by the band in Spring 2019, but it's roots date back to as early as 2015 - songwriter & band leader j mclendon started demoing songs for the album when they first moved to Los Angeles & spent three years polishing those first demos into these songs with bassist Jonas Newhouse & drummer William White. On their Bandcamp page, the band describes their sound as the accumulation of jazz, new wave, synth music, and emo distorted through the lens of punk. The songs that make up the first glass beach album are ambitious, theatrical and chaotic. Abandoning genre limitations makes glass beach's talent for songwriting all the more apparent - mathy guitar leads, catchy drum grooves and the constant interplay of horns, synths, and even the intermittent theremin set the perfect scene for j's stunning vocal performance, which can shift from a charming falsetto to the lead of a sing-a-long in an instant.

The single is the latest collaboration from the pioneering electronic artist and follows “Intertwine,” which featured TT, aka Theresa Wayman of Warpaint. Other collaborations on A Body Of Voices include “Turns,” featuring the ethereal vocals of Nicole Miglis (Hundred Waters), and “True Love, Don’t Be Afraid” featuring Stephen McBean (Black Mountain & Pink Mountaintops), “Fight or Flight” ft. Aisha Badru, “Falling” ft. Maiah Manser and multi-instrumentalist Aaron Shaw, “Floating” ft. multi-instrumentalist and composer Spencer Zahn, and the unreleased track, “Take Me” ft. Raphaelle Standell-Preston (Braids, Blue Hawaii). A Body of Voices delivers the most collective and melodically driven project of his acclaimed quarter-century. Having spent decades mastering his natural instincts for space, tempo, and timing, LaValle set a deliberate goal to break beyond his usual parameters by inviting an expansive community of vocalists and marquee indie players into his realm. The resulting record pushes his sonic map entirely, seamlessly blending his signature, textural synthesis with a vibrant tapestry of voices spanning dream-pop, alternative, and R&B. Nearly thirty years into the project, A Body of Voices proves that while The Album Leaf remains unmistakably his, it is a pioneering musical universe he is never afraid to redefine.

This songwriting-focused approach on A Body of Voices marks a natural evolution for an artist who has been steadily making his mark as a soft-spoken innovator since 1999. Now based in Los Angeles, LaValle started out in the San Diego music scene, creating vivid, rhythmic, soaring instrumentals centered around the Rhodes piano. Over more than two decades of acclaimed releases on seminal labels like Sub Pop, City Slang, and others, he has become a definitive touchstone for meditative electro-organic music. While earlier milestones like 2023’s Future Falling and 2024's Blast EP found him increasingly renewed by outside perspectives, A Body of Voices brings that collaborative spirit to its full, unbridled potential.

At this point, the vast swathes of unreleased Muslimgauze material Bryn Jones left behind when he passed away over 25 years ago are as legendary as any of his work. And sure enough, there's still some being unearthed today.

The fourth entry in a 7" single series is taken from one of Jones' customary completely unlabelled DATs, which he sent to labels seemingly as fast as he finished them.

A new series of singles collecting one of Bryn Jones’ innumerable DAT tapes that would show up at the labels he worked with sans any identifying marks.

Side A layers multiple voices (a background, faraway wail that either is or is akin to a muezzin, and a flatly declaimed two-word phrase that periodically halts proceedings) over his classic, slightly brick-walled hand percussion for a strangely meditative experience, as Jones phases elements in and out, more or less prominently in the mix. Side B however, open in a surprisingly dreamy place for Muslimgauze, with a looped ascending synth pad and beautiful sampled singing only gradually acquiring percussive accompaniment. As with the other side, Jones is content to let these elements interact and swap spaces in the mix for the duration, trusting in the sturdiness of his chosen components to carry the listener through.

Originally released by Umor Rex on cassette in 2015, NK012 documents the first-ever musical meeting of Berlin-based musicians Aidan Baker (Nadja, Canada), Andrea Belfi (Italy), and Erik Skodvin (Svarte Greiner / Deaf Center, Norway). Now, more than a decade later, the album is available on vinyl for the first time, newly remastered for the format by Rafael Anton Irisarri. This marks the third release in a series of four special, limited reissues to be released in 2026 to mark the 20th anniversary of Umor Rex.

Recorded with nothing more than a stereo microphone placed in the middle of the room, NK012 captures the trio in their first session together, with the simple intention of improvising. Instrumentation builds in gradual crescendos, shifting textures between passages as looped incarnations of earlier motifs accumulate into all-consuming drones. The five pieces that make up NK012 already set the foundations for the trio’s subsequent work. Across the album, guitars, an array of effects pedals, percussion, and synthesizers merge into a raw and highly intuitive sound world. Vibrant and intense, the pieces move freely between forms and genres, driven by the immediacy of live performance and spontaneous composition.

The Unwound album that ended all Unwound albums. Recorded in a moldering farmhouse basement at the crest of the new century, Leaves Turn Inside You is the no-wave response to Spector’s wall of noise call. Infinite layers of choppy guitar stabs and bridge scrapes, guttural bass thronk, thrift store synths, and monotone chanting wash over suffocating rhythms to deliver the world’s only choral grunge LP. This 25th anniversary edition has been remastered from the original analog tapes and is housed in a glorious silver foil jacket with added emboss, deboss, spot varnish, and a replica 12x24” poster . Reinvented for you.

2026 Repress

'Quiet Pieces' initiates Abul Mogard’s personal imprint Soft Echoes with a definitive self-portrait of calm, contemplative, and discreet inner landscapes made audible. It is the first solo album on vinyl in four years. RIYL Alessandro Cortini, William Basinski, The Caretaker.

While sifting through archived material left idle from earlier projects, a chance encounter with a late uncle’s trove of beloved 78rpm classical and opera records prompted the reworking and completion of what would eventually become the album. Spinning dusty records at 33 and 45rpm, Abul Mogard recombined their enduring spectres with unfinished sketches from his archive. The resulting soundscape blurs distinctions between his memories and those of another, exquisitely short-circuiting the senses with its waking, dream-like lucidity.

This was a process I hadn’t explored in my earlier works. I began sampling brief moments from these records, altering them with studio effects and playing them at slower speeds. In many cases, I wasn’t entirely sure how the original music sounded. These fragments, once further processed, became a source of inspiration for my new compositions. Over time, I realised that the old pieces from the archive and the new material derived from the samples naturally complemented each other.”

The resulting pieces hover over a threshold, a liminal space that harmonises the old and older material. Voluminous waves of quiet and loud undulate between consonance and dissonance, conjuring imagery of a decaying grandeur that humanity’s decadence has surrendered to the elements. Abul Mogard’s seemingly abandoned yet vast landscapes are nevertheless intimate with timbral frissons of red-lined distortion. Elusive, yet as tangible as sea spray or smog, they affect the olfactory senses with a rarified, synesthetic quality that modestly engages one’s emotional register – a hypnotic, distinguishing feature long hailed as one of the hallmarks of his work. A fidelity to memory and dream recall is sensitively probed in the journey from the stately symphonic stasis of 'Following a dream' to the almost industrial, untethered brutality evoked by a looming silhouette that’s never fully visible in 'Constantly slipping away', culminating in the foreboding coda of 'Like a bird'. Those pieces appear to shield the album’s sentimental core, where the tempestuous play of light and shadow of 'In a studded procession' escalates to breathtaking, panoramic climax, while 'Through whispers' evokes an out-of-body-like experience encountered with visceral poignancy.

Looking back, Mogard notes an unexpected influence: “I realise being inspired by Phill Niblock, whose work I had barely known at the time but explored after his passing in 2024. His album 'Boston Tenor Index' changed the way I approached dissonance. It encouraged me to push my sound further, to the edge of a space where I began to feel uncomfortable.”

The album artwork, created by longtime collaborator Marja de Sanctis, features a photograph taken at the Temple of Jupiter Anxur, an archaeological site overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Captured with an iPhone, the image traces the residual presence of construction techniques and architectural forms of the Romans, where material history is transcribed through contemporary tools. The convergence of ancient and modern technology aims to reverberate the site’s lasting spiritual presence – an echo persisting in what is now perceived as a quiet, emptied space. The spiral gestures towards infinity and light. Past and present dissolve into one another, reflecting 'Quiet Pieces' meditation on sound, memory, and time.

RIYL Alessandro Cortini, William Basinski, The Caretaker

Meshell Ndegeocello war schon immer für Überraschungen gut – jetzt erfindet die Bassistin, Sängerin und
Produzentin, die im Soul, Jazz und Funk immer wieder Zeichen gesetzt hat, einige der größten Popklassiker
als Duette neu neu!
Diese Coverversionen sind für Meshell Ndegeocello weit mehr als bloße Hommagen. Sie nimmt bekannte
Songs auseinander, legt ihre emotionale Substanz frei und setzt sie mit ihrer unverwechselbaren Handschrift
neu zusammen. Songs wie “Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)”, “Guilty” oder “Islands In The Stream”
hat man selten so cool und emotional packend gehört wie hier.
Das Repertoire reicht von den 1960er- bis in die 1990er-Jahre und verbindet Soul, Pop, Rock, Country
und R&B. Jeder der fünfzehn Songs entstand als Duett. Dafür versammelte Ndegeocello eine beeindruckende Riege prominenter Gäste, darunter Cynthia Erivo, Chaka Khan, Cat Power, Madison Cunningham,
Emily King, Lizz Wright, Lianne La Havas, Moses Sumney, Brandi Carlile, WILLOW, ANOHNI und Robert
Glasper.

LUMINA marks a new chapter in C"mon Tigre"s evolution, where electronic music moves from the background to the core of the band"s sound. Across thirteen interconnected tracks, synthesizers, arpeggiators and club-inspired rhythms merge seamlessly with acoustic instruments such as oud, cello,vibraphone and percussion, creating an immersive, continuous listening experience. Rather than opposing tradition and innovation, LUMINA embraces their constant coexistence. The album explores how technology is reshaping not only the way music is created, but also how we experience sound, time and physical presence. Inspired by the rave as a space of collective ritual and temporary freedom, it treats repetition and rhythm as tools for communion rather than escapism, turning listening into a deeply physical experience. The music was first developed and tested live at Robot Festival (Bologna) and JazzMi (Milan) in late 2025. Those performances became a laboratory where the interaction between the music and the audienceultimately shaped the final record.

Possibilities Vol. 1 is a transatlantic collaboration between legendary Brooklyn MC Finsta (of the iconic 90s duo Finsta Bundy) and Finnish boom bap production collective Recluse Crew. This powerful joint effort blends gritty New York lyricism with soulful, sample-heavy beats rooted in classic hip hop tradition. Finsta, known for his sharp delivery and timeless voice, brings raw energy and wisdom earned through decades in the game. Recluse Crew complements his bars with expertly crafted instrumentals that honor the golden era while keeping things fresh for today’s underground heads. Released by the new Finnish record label Mood Monarch, Possibilities Vol. 1 is a must-listen for fans of true school hip hop, offering head-nodding beats, reflective rhymes and a rare synergy between two scenes, New York and Finland, connected through a deep love for the culture.

yeule ist das Soloprojekt von Nat Cmiel, deren Musik elektronische Klänge mit atmosphärischem Pop und experimentellen Elementen verbindet. Geprägt von einer nomadischen Kindheit und ihrer Arbeit als bildende Künstlerin entstehen persönliche, vielschichtige Kompositionen zwischen Intimität und digitaler Klangwelt. Ihr Debütalbum ,Serotonin II" vereint Synthesizer, elektronische Texturen und emotionale Songwriting-Ansätze zu einem verträumten, melancholischen Sound, der yeules charakteristischen Stil prägt.

Originally released in 1992, FM by Freddie McGregor brings together recordings made between 1977 and 1982 for Earl "Chinna" Smith"s High Times label. The album features backing from the Soul Syndicate and includes the tracks "Natural Collie," "Revolutionist," "Mission Impossible," "Strange Things," "Mark Of The Beast," "Sergeant Brown," "Leave Yah" and "Love Ballad." This reissue is presented in the original artwork, remastered for vinyl, and is available on cyan vinyl LP and CD formats.

When The Rain Stops is the forthcoming indie pop LP from LA duo CD Ghost and marks the band’s most mature work to date. Balancing two sonic palettes — in-your-face dance beats and glossy synths alongside warm, dreamy guitars and laid-back acoustic drums — the album explores themes of fate, love, and disaster while grasping for something to hold onto as everything falls apart. Ethereal and cinematic yet vulnerable and grounded, When The Rain Stops finds CD Ghost with their head in the clouds but feet still firmly planted on the ground. For Fans of Toro Y Moi / Washed Out / Neon Indian / Beach House Nation Of Language

XKatedral ist stolz darauf, ein neues Album in voller Länge von Label-Mitbegründerin Maria W. Horn zu präsentieren. ,Melting Pillars of Snow" ist eine Sammlung neuer Kompositionen der renommierten schwedischen Komponistin, geschrieben für Kontrabassblockflöte, Sho, Percussion, E-Gitarre, Gesang und Elektronik, gespielt von Horn zusammen mit einem Kammerensemble bestehend aus Anna Petrini, Mattias Hallsten, Magdalena Meitzner und Mats Erlandsson. Das Album enthält außerdem eine Erzählung von Horn sowie einen Gastauftritt von Michael Gira auf der ersten Single ,Scythe of Saturn". Für ,Melting Pillars of Snow" ließ sich Maria von W. G. Sebalds Roman ,Die Ringe des Saturn" inspirieren, einer poetischen Reflexion, die einem namenlosen Erzähler folgt, der an der Küste von Suffolk in England umherwandert. Während sich die Landschaft allmählich verändert, thematisiert der Text auf vielfältige Weise den Lauf der Zeit und die Distanz zwischen Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft und spiegelt dabei sowohl weitreichende zeitliche Maßstäbe wie die Zyklen der Jahreszeiten und die tiefe historische Zeit als auch mikroskopisch kleine Momente und Fragmente wider. Mit den Kompositionen auf dieser Veröffentlichung beschwört Maria ein ähnliches Gefühl der Stille herauf - eine Umgebung, in der die Bewegung der Zeit selbst beleuchtet und beobachtet werden kann. Das Instrumentarium auf diesem Album ist Horns bislang ambitioniertestes: Sie ergänzt ihre gewohnte Palette aus maßgeschneiderter algorithmischer Synthese und elektronischer Bearbeitung um eine komplexe Auswahl an Perkussionsinstrumenten, Blasinstrumente, die an beiden Enden des musikalischen Spektrums spielen, sowie E-Gitarre, um so einen spiralförmigen, spektralen Klangteppich durch den gesamten Frequenzbereich zu weben. Die Perkussionistin Magdalena Meizner spielt spezielle Techniken auf dem Obertondreieck, dem Dubachi, den Pauken und dem Tam-Tam sowie auf gestimmten Weingläsern und gestrichenen Crotales. Die von Anna Petrini gespielte tieftönige Kontrabassblockflöte und das von Mattias Hallsten gespielte hochfrequente Sho fügen kontrastierende Akkordarrangements hinzu, die in strengen metrischen Strukturen eingebettet sind. Das Ensemble wird durch Mats Erlandsson vervollständigt, der auf E- und Akustikgitarren spielt und dabei von sanften Arpeggio-Figuren zu düsteren Drones und Feedback-Heulern wechselt.

A.M.Q.N debuts on Italo Moderni with Barna Beat, a masterful new‑beat/trance EP that channels the raw spirit of the Raval streets of Barcelona, through its distinctive vocals and razor‑sharp synth work. Ahora Más Que Nunca stands as a synonym for his strongest record to date, marking a creative peak in his trajectory. The release also brings back to vinyl his cult hit “Es Martes y Te Vas a Liar”, a true anthem across dancefloors.

SPF 50 returns to Bliss Point with Ett Inre Rum, a collection of pulsing, immersive techno, rounded out with a remix from renowned club synthesist Erik Luebs.

Recently enamored with the psychoacoustic power of drone, Ett Inre Rum finds SPF 50 pushing his sound deeper, heavier, and more psychedelic. With Ett Inre Rum, he explores sonics that connect internal states to the external spaces we inhabit, patiently building energy until the walls are stretching, the room is heaving, and the lines between inner and outer are thoroughly blurred.

Drawing inspiration from the natural world and culled from over a year of peak time live sets, Ett Inre Rum eschews dance floor tropes for a refreshing minimalism: club tracks as enveloping sonic environments, breathing deep as they propel forward through atmospheric washes, layered and manipulated to achieve peak emotional resonance.

Fall Collection pulls from the vaults. Four tracks, some long out of print, one never
before pressed, all of them worth the dig.

The A-side opens with Ty Tek’s Dirty Fusion, originally released on Gourmet Recordings
in 2005 alongside the Audio Soul Project remix two years later. Both have been
fetching serious money on the secondary market for a reason. This is tech house from
when that phrase still meant something, the walloping cadence, the sci-fi pads, the
seismic synths rolling underneath. You hear it once and it stays with you.

Departed by Wasted Chicago Youth follows. Justin Aulis Long and Mazi Namvar
started from a remix brief and promptly ignored it, building something new from scratch
in a single session. Organs, wailing lead, disco break, 808 subs, a plastic bass line
threading through all of it. Somewhere between an angry Metro Area and a more
psychedelic Jitwam, but really it’s just WCY doing what they do.

Love Thy Enemy by Wasted Chicago Youth appeared on the Chase The Devil EP back
in 2009. The bubbles, shuffles, and wobbling chords hold up, and the vocal samples hit
differently now than they did then.

ASP’s Cloud Dub closes the record. It appeared on Dubs Vol. 2 as a digital release in
2022 and has never been on vinyl, and that’s where the subsonic acid bass line and
the layered string, piano, pad, and organ groove finally get room to breathe. Deep
house the way Chicago made it in the early nineties. Bare, musical, and raw.

Track A1 written by Ty Tek. Remixed by Audio Soul Project
Track A2 written by Justin Aulis Long and Maziar Namvar
Track B1 written by Justin Aulis Long and Mazi Namvar
Track B2 written by Audio Soul Project.
Copyright Control
Fresh Meat Records 2026

Per Hammar returns to his own Dirty Hands imprint with the four-track ‘Ontario EP’, once again showcasing his raw, robust and groove-led style.

Swedish producer and DJ Per Hammar has steadily carved out a reputation as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary underground electronic music. As the founder of the acclaimed Dirty Hands imprint, Hammar has built a platform synonymous with deep, groove-led and uncompromising club music, while other productions have found homes on some of the scene's most respected labels including Sushitech, Kalahari Oyster Cult and Craigie Knowes. Here we see him returning to his own home and delivering stripped-back late-night tools, psychedelic excursions and deep, hypnotic dancefloor journeys. Hammar consistently balances functionality with personality, a quality that has established him as one of Europe's most respected underground talents.

Title cut ‘Ontario’ leads with Per laying down crisp, crunchy drums alongside dubby bass tones, fluttering stab sequences and intricate modulations, all delicately ebbing and flowing throughout the composition. ‘Off Disk’ follows, fusing organic percussive elements with weighty sub-bass, shifting synth flourishes and bubbling, delayed melodies that steadily unfold across the groove.

On the flip side, ‘Oops All Sixes’ shifts into more acid-tinged House territory, built around a squelchy acid bass hook and saturated drums, while sporadic, expansive delays and hypnotic reverberations drift atop the track’s raw, loopy foundation. ‘Airex’ concludes the release by diving deeper, stripping things back to oscillating percussion, a snaking low-end pulse and airy chords.

2026 repress :)

The long-awaited repress of "Baby EP" - Ricardo Villalobos's first solo single on raum...musik under the Villalobos moniker - is finally here. Featuring two tonally and energetically distinct cuts of dancefloor minimalism that are undoubtedly Ricardo. "Baby EP" sounds as cutting-edge as when it was initially released 12 years ago.

From the slightly euphoric and light-hearted atmosphere of 'hansup' (A) to the emotionally charged groove of 'Baby' (B), "Baby EP" travels through a world of intricately layered micro/macro percussions, eloquently programmed synths, and Ricardo's own vocals spread across the frequency spectrum - an added human touch to his usual machine funk. And while rhythm seems to be at centre stage here, in usual Villalobos fashion, both tracks resolve into pure jazzy melancholy. After dragging the listener into a world of (very) human feelings so uncommon in electronic dance music, "Baby EP" makes it very clear you are listening to Villalobos.

Roughly two years after the release of their initial statement of intent, debut single “Toutpartout PT2” with its hypnotic ripples, Andi Haberl and Florian Zimmer aka Bella Wakame have successfully channeled the magic of a 2024 live recording (captured at Berlin’s Donau115 & Silent Green) into their first proper studio offering. You can hear inspirations ranging from Bitchin Bajas, Jeremiah Chiu to Groupshow (Jelinek, Leichtmann, Pekler), the hypnotic, intricate battle between form and freedom (the fun of momentary formlessness) continues to unfold over the course of 10 new tracks, featuring album guest Indra Dunis (Peaking Lights). Their first single "Shades of Nambei" was very much inspired by the wonderful band Spirit Fest and their song "Nambei".

You can either shorten the reins, or you can loosen them – and give things more slack. With Bella Wakame, it’s definitely the latter. Constantly challenging each other, they’re tapping a whole new energy. Tons of different energies.

Based on the impulsive, propulsive interplay between drums/sensory percussion (Andi Haberl) and modular synthesizer (Florian Zimmer), the frenzied, free-form results take listeners into completely new dimensions – sonic worlds that don’t really sound anything like their other musical outlets (The Notwist, SUN, Saroos, Driftmachine etc.).

Whereas most bands tend to notoriously overthink names/monikers, these guys obviously only care about the ecstatic push-and-pull that occurs once their instruments meet and overlap: it’s wildly explosive textures with a booming heart. Moving restlessly between motorik club, electro-acoustic jazz experiments, ambient excursions, and fast-paced instrumental anthems that seem to explode at the seams, one can immediately tell how much they enjoy the newfound freedom, the turbulent encounters born on the spur of the moment.

It’s all about a quick-paced exchange of friendly blows, a chasing of tails into ever-new musical terrains. Relying on just enough form for that wildness to blossom within, their just-in-time dashes continually unfold, refold, return, grow bigger – and leave you startled.

Ecstatic’s dreamiest cadets bliss out on a new album of acoustic and electric guitar, harmonium and synth tapestries, notably nestling a Romance cameo within a genteel toggle of atmospheric pressure.

Back on (side) road after releasing quietly acclaimed kosmische gem ‘I Had too Much to Dream Last Night’ back in 2021 and the lysergic lushness of ‘Listen to the Sky’ a couple of years later, Celestial suggest a more sublime return to earth with the shine-eyed wonders of ‘I Can Hear the Grass Grow’, an album that soothes to the supine in eight shimmering parts of pearlescent melodic motifs marbling harmonious backdrops intended to tenderly comb nerves straight.

The duo take their role as seductive sandmen with a curious melodic wit that leaves something to the imagination whilst nudging it along the album’s narrative thread. A courtly flamenco lick flickers in opener ‘The Endless Stair’, one of the most restrained recordings we've heard from the childhood friends; blessed with just a little reverb and echo, as if a mic's been lowered into some dimly lit basement while Celestial puzzle out mystifying, interlocking harmonies. It hits a mid-point between John Fahey's raga-inspired Americana and Vini Reilly's rain-soaked Northern blues - the emotion throbs from every note.

Celestial's music is never too polished, giving it the fuzzy, uninhibited flair of a long-lost mail order private press and instilling it with a level of humanity that's rare to discover in the new-new age. Even when mysterious labelmate Romance turns up to ornament 'Mermaid Boulevard' with backmasked electronics, it's their low-slung Ry Cooder-esque guitar/bass that provides the narrative anchor, while the title track and spongiform analog textures of ‘Song For The rainy Season’ dial it right down to a Harmonia-via-BoC pastoral sublime. Vini Reilly and Eno’s influence is most surely felt on the swaying elegance of ‘Sweet Sleep, Angel Mild’, with a central motif that lingers on the mind long after it’s stopped playing, whilst their closing couplet perfectly resolves the cycle with a melancholic kiss-off for the ages.