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Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders return with their best album yet, and a UK tour this August. Press by Silver PR
‘’On the alternate timeline where the Meat Puppets inherited the bulk of the Grateful Dead’s tourheads when Jerry Garcia died in 1995, none of this would be necessary, because Jeffrey Alexander and the Heavy Lidders are a household name for evolving their own musical space that overlays dusty folk, cosmic jazz, deep psych, free improv, and even (gasp!) indie rock, building an audience that ranges from open-eared curiosity seekers to deep committed music weirdos that’s also yielded the Heavy Lidders, an infamous sub-cult of concert tapers that you’re already sick of hearing about. A lot of other things are better over on that timeline, too.
But in this consensus reality (and probably the other one, too), Liquid Donnon catches the Lidders at their heaviest, “heavy” in the Lidderverse being far from a monolithic musical idea. There’s heavy like the album-opening “From Loch Raven to Fells Point,” one of several tracks with elegant and gnarled conversational jams featuring the core Lidders lineup of Alexander alongside guitarist Drew Gardner and bassist Jesse Sheppard (both of Elkhorn) and drummer Scott Verrastro. But there’s heavy, too, like “Calliope Walker” and “Tightroping,” featuring Gardner shifted to dream-space vibraphone, the former with saxophonist Tacuma Bradley, the latter with Christina Carter of Texas noise-psych legends Charalambides on veil-crossing wordless vocals, her first collaboration with Alexander in some 20 years.
But then there’s also heavy like the cover photo of Alexander’s late friend and album namesake Donnon, taken at a Dead show at Rich Stadium in Buffalo in 1989, a spirit threading through the songs and weaving unexpectedly into Alexander’s life decades later, emerging especially when Alexander passed through a near-death experience of his own. But, taken together, the different heavies of Liquid Donnon add up into a state of musical grace, where all the Heavy Lidders from all the universes come together as one. Just, like, imagine.
Convened in 2019 on Alexander’s relocation back to his native east coast, the Heavy Lidders are the latest hard-touring expression for the guitarist’s music, joining a vast and tangled discography (and tape list) that includes the beloved long-running west coast Dire Wolves Just Exactly Perfect Sisters Band and, before them, the Iditarod and Black Forest/Black Sea, as well as a bushel of solo play-all-the-instruments projects, a stint with Jackie-O Motherfucker, sessions with Kemialliset Ystävät and Avarus and others, and you’ll have to keep digging for the rest.
And while it’s not hard to find tapers at Lidders gigs (and they encourage you to be one), or to track themes and songs over Alexander’s many live releases, Liquid Donnon makes a new primary text, the original versions of six new pieces for the repertoire. The album closes with a devastating pairing of “Reservoir Drop” into “The Summer Song,” floating into a duo between Alexander’s guitar and Carter’s voice. Catch a half-dozen Lidders shows this summer, and you might not ever catch them playing it like that again, but you just might open the doorway back to that better place." - Jesse Jarnow (writer, WFMU DJ, producer and host of The Good Ol’ Grateful Deadcast)

In Lande’s words: “It’s a daydreaming song about wanting a life of excitement and adventure rather than a dull and ordinary life - one where people underestimate you and belittle you. And where you’re forced to buy into capitalism and become a pathetic, losing player in a game that you hate. I’d rather escape and live in a queer space fantasy and be brave.”

Available on limited turquoise vinyl and digipack CD

It is with both pride and excitement that we announce the reissue of ‘House Without A View’, the out-of-print second album by singer-songwriter Lande Hekt – the first of a three-part reissue series on Circuitry, with ‘Going To Hell’ and ‘Gigantic Disappointment’ (first time physically) to follow in the coming months.

With a new album ‘Lucky Now’ released on Tapete in January, supported by an extensive spring UK tour (dates below), Lande’s contemporary twist on the classic C86 indie sound - with a queer feminist punk identity lyrically explicit throughout – is drawing in an ever-growing audience of devotees, such is the consistent quality of her songwriting, and the personality within.

The opening track of the album is ‘Half With You’ which “is about growing into yourself as a queer person, and enjoying who you are after not enjoying it for so long,” says Lande. ‘Cut My Hair’ is about how her relationship with her gender has changed over the last few years, becoming more comfortable in herself and understanding more about what makes her happy. “It’s also about how easy it is to not talk to people when you’re struggling, which is something I did for a long time,” admits Lande.

The title track of ‘House Without a View’ deals with childhood trauma and how events of our formative years “affect us so much into our adult lives and are intrinsic to our personalities and the way we cope (or don’t) with life and relationships,” says Lande. Although there’s darkness and sadness within the record, there’s also some shining beacons of positivity and a light-hearted side, albeit with a side of frustration. ‘Lola’ was written about Lande’s cat shortly after she came to live with her and her girlfriend. “She’s the first pet I’ve ever had and I wasn’t quite ready for how hard it would be to not be able to verbally communicate with her. I worried constantly that she was depressed because all she did was sleep, but my girlfriend assured me that that was regular cat behaviour.”


APRIL 2026 DATES: 4th Cardiff/5th Trowbridge/6th Penryn/7th Portsmouth/9th Ramsgate/10th Cambridge/11th Norwich/12th Nottingham/13th York/19th London/20th Brighton/21st Bristol/22nd Exeter/23rd Manchester/24th Sheffield/25th Oxford

You can't put Bebe Rexha in a box. From her Grammy-winning songwriting roots on Eminem's "The Monster" to global chart-toppers with David Guetta and Florida Georgia Line, Rexha has established herself as a premier musical chameleon. With her latest project, Dirty Blonde, she officially enters a new era as an independent powerhouse. Now signed to EMPIRE, the Brooklyn-born star has crafted a 13-song "genre kaleidoscope" that serves as her first-ever visual album, representing a total creative rebirth and a departure from the major-label system she's known since she was a teenager.

Recorded across London, Tokyo, and Europe, Dirty Blonde captures the energy of Rexha's global travels. The project seamlessly blends heavy-hitting dance floor anthems with deep, personal storytelling. With the lead single "New Religion" she takes us straight to the club by reimagining the iconic dance record "Insomnia" by Faithless. On "Tokyo," she explores a drum & bass pulse inspired by a late-night rendezvous in Japan, while "Cike Cike" (produced by long-time collaborator DJ Snake) sees Rexha embracing her Albanian heritage by mixing traditional linguistic roots with modern 808 basslines.

At the emotional core of the album is the lead single, "I Like You Better Than Me." The track strips away the pop-star veneer to tackle themes of insecurity and self-scrutiny, blending raw lyrics with a pop-rock edge. From the Jersey-bounce-meets-country vibes of "Drink and a Little Love" to her vulnerable reflections on fame, Dirty Blonde is a celebration of an artist who is finally playing by her own rules. As Rexha firmly asserts, "The old Bebe is dead," leaving behind a focused, stronger creator who is making the music she truly loves.

Der New Yorker Jazzmusiker Bill Buchen verbrachte zwei Jahre seines Lebens in Indien, spricht fließend Hindi und hat eine tiefe Verbindung zur dortigen Musikszene. Die Dichotomie dieser beiden Welten manifestiert sich auf beiden Seiten des Debütalbums seines Electric Village-Projekts. Aufgebaut auf unerbittlichen rhythmischen Mustern und sinnlichen Höhenflügen und getragen vom Flötenspiel des bemerkenswert vielseitigen Jose James, präsentiert sich die gleichnamige LP auf der A-Seite als pulsierende Energie, die auf der B-Seite in einen kathartischen, vom Latin-Jazz inspirierten Tanz mündet. Deluxe Edition auf schwarzem 180g Vinyl mit Glanzlaminierung in PVC-Außenhülle samt 30×60 cm Einleger inkl. Interview mit Tony Higgins und exklusiven Bildern, gedruckt auf 300g Soporset "EU Ecolabel" Premium-Papier.

The second in a series of releases from Digi Dub’s archives, this 10” serves, as the title suggests, as a tribute to the late, great Julian Fairshare.

On the A-side, Julian vocalises, in his unique style, his crazy finger flicking lyrics over a slinky Digidub riddim that was always a favourite on his sound system. Repent, the (only) slightly more traditional flipside, finds him commenting on the politricks and lies of those in charge, asking them to change their ways, with backing vocals by Helen Macdonald.

A true rasta with firm principles and a heart of gold, Julian was brought up by his Windrush generation parents in a Brixton house that hosted blues parties, and as a result became deeply involved in sound system culture from an early age. For years he ran the Fairshare Unity Sound, working with people from all cultures and walks of life, always maintaining an inclusive attitude while also favouring the more experimental side of dub. In later years he used the name ‘Unruly Julian’, which suited him somehow.

He toured widely around Europe and was one of the first to take a roots and culture sound system to the USSR. Nearer to home he played regularly on the London underground scene, which is where Lee Digidub and Julian first met, leading to a steady supply of dubplates for his sound. On a memorable visit to the studio, Julian announced that he wanted to voice a dub that Lee was working on, which led to them releasing I Scream and No Way on David Records.

“Sadly missed, it’s such a shame that the great man isn’t here to enjoy this release in person, but it’s wonderful that people get a chance to listen to Julian Fairshare: a unique vocalist, soundman and mentor to so many” Lee Digidub Berwick

In celebration of the Persianate new year usually taking place on March 21st Afghan-German producer artist Farhot announces his follow up project "Nowroz 1401" which translates into "New Year 1401" - the number marking the year according to the solar calendar which is used in countries like Afghanistan and Iran. While Nowroz is being celebrated in several additional regions like Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan or Kirgizstan and partly also in Pakistan, Syria, Tajikistan, Georgia and Turkey - this 4-Track EP pays tribute to Afghan contemporary artists like singer-songwriter Calid, London based Elaha Saroor and rapper Khan all while referencing the golden era of Afghan psychedelic pop most prominently represented by Ahmad Zahir samples - and with that marking this special release as a contribution to preserving Afghan culture and tradition while Afghanistan"s recent brutal occupation by the Taliban continue to threaten and erase Afghan artistic tradition. Further "Nowroz 1401" was born out of the urgent feeling to uphold and celebrate an essential tradition of Persianate cultures so that the following generations of diaspora children don"t lose access to their cultural heritage while not being able to live or visit their countries of origin, where such holidays are institutionalized and therefore experienced as a community festivity.

Qadir Bijoux has been honing his craft for years, cooking up something deeply soulful, made of organic ingredients and infused with oriental spices. The Dilla-inspired producer/rapper is set to give you a first taste of his debut MEWE - an album with a jazzy, Madlib-esque sound. For the most part it"s an instrumental, sample-based project. Let the filter bass massage you and be mesmerized by Qadir"s and his partner in crime Ninja Kidsoul"s soothing backing vocals.

Like a thief in the night, and almost 4 for years after his critically acclaimed full-length album Kabul Fire Vol 2, beat virtuoso Farhot has returned to the (crime) scene with his latest all-instrumental record "stealing from cats". While on his last LP, he took listeners on a journey to the dusty streets of his birthplace Kabul, he is now taking them along as he goes out stealing sounds from dusty Jazz archives. Reminiscent of that time when Blue Note invited Madlib into their catacombs to create the seminal "Shades of Blue" LP, this slow-paced record sees Farhot eclectically fusing Jazz samples with downtempo, instrumental hip-hop art. From the hazy, chopped vocal samples of the intro tune "selfish" to the dreamy closer "they need me", this 12-song masterpiece is as much an homage to the virtuosity of Jazz cats as it is to the fine art of sampling that Farhot cheekily calls stealing.

Koaraktor is a magic nobody from the end of the street - as per his words. We know that he"s a versatile beatmaker who only produces tasteful hiphop instrumentals in lo-fi fashion. With his debut album "Hikikomori" he pays tribute to the reclused life style he chose over participating in any form of society - leaving no traces or clues about who he really is. So this hiphop instrumental album is the only way you can catch a glimpse into an hikokomori"s creative genius.

After two EP releases and a few millions streams later, Hamburg based songwriter, producer and visual artist KUOKO is about to drop her debut self-titled album. Released via Kabul Fire Records this album is brimming with energy and purpose, the singles such as Perfect Girl and Strong Girls Don"t Cry see KUOKO channeling her frustrations with society"s demands of women, and the impact that it can have on them. As a Vietnamese-German woman KUOKO is claiming her own place in an industry that often doesn"t represent women in the complex and fluid ways in which they actually exist and create music - self-taught, conceptual, ambitious.

On her second EP "Reality Check", Kuoko continues to make her way and search for her own answers. On the follow-up to her debut "Lost Woods", her electro-pop sound remains mystical and spherical, but, as the title implies, this project sees the Hamburg-based music producer deal with a number of quite tangible, personal and social topics. On songs like "Floating" or "Hiding in the Dark" she reminds us to follow our guts despite the ever- increasing pressures of society and technology . Despite the heavy undertone, the atmosphere remains positive all throughout the EP as Kuoko"s crystal-clear voice floats through the elaborate, ethereal soundscapes that she created. After putting out her debut EP in 2018, playing several live shows - three of them at the Reeperbahnfestival - and winning a local award for emerging artists (Krach + Getöse), the young multi- talented artist now invites us to check out her latest work. Accept this invitation and give it a listen. It"s definitely worth it.

After releasing his first beat & instrumental album "Alltimers" in 2020, Berlin based multi-talent V.Raeter is back and kicking off the champagne for his upcoming sophomore LP "Sunday on a Monday" - this time released via Kabul Fire Records, also known as the nourishing home of high class instrumental releases in proud HipHop fashion. Sunday on a Monday is a sample based instrumental gem that pays tribute to the laid-back atmosphere of late summer days.

Recently awarded with the Hamburg Jazz Award Strauss finally takes the step towards releasing his very own solo-project "Facing" - it"s title paying tribute to the extraordinary mimics that many drummers share. Curated alongside Kabul Fire Records founder Farhot this instrumental album in hiphop/urban jazz fashion complements KFR-Releases in a very special way as Strauss represents the organic and analogue side of beatmaking.

Producer, Drummer und Hamburger Jazzpreisträger Silvan Strauss war bereits eine feste Größe der Szene, als er 2021 sein Debüt "FACING" veröffentlichte - eine Mischung aus Madlib-inspirierten Beats und atmosphärischem Jazz. Seitdem erreichte er internationale Bühnen wie das Montreux Jazz Festival und begeisterte mit viralen Drum-Videos Musikgrößen wie Pete Rock und Queen Latifah.Für sein zweites Album "FLUKIN"" kehrte Strauss zurück zum Ursprung: Drei Tage intensive Live-Sessions in den Hamburger Clouds Hill Studios mit hochkarätigen Gästen. Im Gegensatz zum loop-orientierten Vorgänger setzt "FLUKIN"" auf echte Interaktion, Improvisation und organische Kommunikation in Echtzeit. Das Ergebnis ist ein unkomplizierter, lebendiger Sound, der die Magie des gemeinsamen Spielens einfängt.Unterstützt wurde er dabei von Künstlern wie Farhot, SALOMEA, Oscar #Worldpeace, Joe Armon-Jones und Mehdi Qamoum. Der Titel leitet sich vom Begriff "Fluke" (Zufallsglück) ab und beschreibt Strauss" Ansatz, bewusste Räume für glückliche, unvorhersehbare Momente in der Musik zu schaffen. Mit diesen 10 Tracks reiht sich Silvan Strauss in die klangliche Welt von Terrace Martin oder Hiatus Kaiyote ein.

After releasing his first beat & instrumental album "Alltimers" in 2020, Berlin based multi-talent V.Raeter is back and kicking off the champagne for his upcoming sophomore LP "Sunday on a Monday" - this time released via Kabul Fire Records, also known as the nourishing home of high class instrumental releases in proud HipHop fashion. Sunday on a Monday is a sample based instrumental gem that pays tribute to the laid-back atmosphere of late summer days.

Wacho is Kabul Fire Records" newest of talented beat makers who"ll be sure to serve all lovers of instrumental hiphop productions more than well. With his debut album "Simplicies" he offers his very own synth heavy take on lo-fi & boombap instrumentals and creating atmospheric sounds that will always have you trip in between earth and the moon.

Colemine ist stolz darauf, die neueste 45er von Aaron Frazer zu präsentieren. Diese hier ist etwas ganz Besonderes. Zwei Tracks mit der Rhythmusgruppe der legendären Cold Diamond & Mink, dem Rückgrat des finnischen Soul-Labels Timmion. Die A-Seite ist ein neuer Track: ,It's A Shame". Und es ist vielleicht wirklich schade, dass dieser Titel es nicht auf die "Into The Blue" LP geschafft hat, denn er ist ein echter Knaller. Meisterhaft von Aaron und Produzent Alex Goose zusammengestellt und arrangiert, besticht der Track durch knackige Drums, Aarons charakteristisches, seidiges Falsett und wunderschöne Streicharrangements. Du wirst den Refrain noch tagelang vor dich hin summen. Die B-Seite ist der Album-Closer auf ,Into The Blue" - und das aus gutem Grund. Es fühlt sich wirklich wie ein süßer und gefühlvoller Abgesang am Ende eines Films an. Ein Klagelied über die Höhen und Tiefen der Liebe, das Gefühl, angesichts des Scheiterns dumm dazustehen, aber trotzdem weiterzumachen. Es fühlt sich an wie ein verlorenes Sample, das von Aaron und Goose gekonnt ins Hier und Jetzt geholt wurde. Für Fans von Durand Jones & The Indications, Pale Jay, Jason Ngonda, Thee Sacred Souls, Neil Frances, Khruangbin.

Newly signed to Heist or Hit (Westside Cowboy, Her’s, Nature TV), Georgian's forthcoming debut EP 'Crackled Grounds' reads like an anthology in the vein of The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. These aren’t just songs, but scenes, self-contained worlds that glimmer with strange detail before dissolving into mirage. “We recorded on a farm just north of Amsterdam” states James. “It gave us space and focus and helped us channel the Western feel we wanted to impress upon the tracks. Arno gave us lots of pedal board options and guitar choices. Those things in particular helped us fine-tune the sound we were chasing.” The resulting collection chronicles the ups and downs of existence and blooms with natural imagery. ‘Strike a Wound’ seethes with revenge. The slow attack on the guitars has the onomatopoeic effect of enacting each blow. ‘Crackled Grounds’ conjures an apocalyptic wilderness that wouldn’t be out of place on the ‘Kill Bill’ soundtrack. ‘Medusa’ is a parable of strong women overcoming obstacles and jolts with the energy of those early Johnny Cash Sun recordings. ‘Gardens’ lingers on the awkward tenderness of running into a long-lost lover; while ‘Californian Jeans’ pays homage to denim as talisman, armour, and second skin.

The Mamas & The Papas were formed by husband and wife John and Michelle Phillips, formerly of The New Journeymen, and Denny Doherty, formerly of The Mugwumps. The last member to join was Cass Elliot, Doherty's bandmate in The Mugwumps. The group considered calling itself The Magic Cyrcle before switching to The Mamas and the Papas as apparently inspired by the Hells Angels, whose female associates were called "mamas".

They released a total of five studio albums and seventeen singles over a four-year period, six of which made the Billboard top ten, and sold close to 40 million records worldwide. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 for their contributions to the music industry.

The band’s first single, “Go Where You Wanna Go”, was released in 1965. The second single, “California Dreamin’”, was released later in 1965 and quickly peaked in the charts. The band’s album, If You Can Believe Your Eyes And Ears, was released in March 1966 and became the band’s only number 1 album on the Billboard 200. The third and final single from their debut was “Monday, Monday”, which became the band’s only US number 1 hit. The song brought the band international success.

Collected is a perfect overview of the multiple classic hits and tracks throughout the career of The Mamas & The Papas and complimented with several popular tracks by Mama Cass Elliot.

Music On Vinyl proudly presents a special edition of The Mamas & The Papas Collected compilation, which is available as a limited edition of 5.000 individually numbered copies on blue vinyl, and includes a booklet with liner notes.

n a career spanning over 50 years James Brown became known as a progenitor of funk music and influencing the development of many other genres. All his hit songs, hidden gems and collaborations are now bundled on Collected. It contains 29 songs, including music from his early days with the Famous Flames, the J.B.’s and a wide collection of tracks from his solo career.

Brown began his career as a gospel singer and joined a rhythm and blues vocal group, the Famous Flames, as the lead singer in the 1950s. Later on he formed his own band and released successful singles as "Papa's Got a Brand New Bag", "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "It's a Man's Man's Man's World". While developing the funk to a new level he created the J.B.’s, with which he scored hits like "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine" and "The Payback". Brown was inducted into 1st class of the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. During the years he gained different honorific nicknames including "Godfather of Soul", "Mr. Dynamite", "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" and "Soul Brother No. 1".

Music On Vinyl proudly presents a special coloured edition of the James Brown Collected compilation, which is available as a limited edition of 7.500 individually numbered copies on gold vinyl, and includes an insert with liner notes.

The second OM album, Conference of the Birds, also features Al Cisneros and Chris Hakius, with production by OM, originally released in 2006 on Holy Mountain. With Billy Anderson (of the Melvins, among others), they deliver an intelligent, hypnotic doom drone album featuring elements of dub and psychedelia, alongside monotonous vocals. Two tracks: minimalist and a logical continuation of Sleep"s sound.

The first OM album, Variations on a Theme, features Al Cisneros bass, vocals and Chris Hakius drums. It was produced by OM and originally released in 2005 on Holy Mountain. Variations on a Theme is comprised of three long songs employing a series of rhythmic chants whose cadence-like textural drive conveys flight. Recorded with Billy Anderson.

Irgendwann um das Jahr 2024 tauchte Vorhex Angel scheinbar aus dem Nichts auf: keine Social-Media-Präsenz, keine Identitäten, lediglich ihr Name tauchte hier und da auf einem Flyer in Nashville oder New Orleans auf. Wer neugierig genug war, um ihre Live-Show zu besuchen, konnte mit einer Vielzahl unerwarteter Dinge konfrontiert werden, die die Sinne anregten: aufwendige Bühnenbilder, Stroboskoplichter (oder alternativ völlige Dunkelheit), brennende Gegenstände, vor dem Auftritt eingenommene Rauschmittel. Die Musik bei diesen Auftritten passte zu dem Mysterium. Sie war laut, unberechenbar und verdammt viszeral. Wenn die beiden Live-Veröffentlichungen der Gruppe und ihr Debüt ,Heavenly" tatsächlich viszeral sind (Raven Sings the Blues nannte sie ja ,Erben des Strudels von High Rise"), dann ist der Nachfolger ,Drain" sicherlich ihr intellektuelles Werk. Seine sieben Tracks führen den Hörer vom Morgen bis zur Nacht, ein weitläufiges experimentelles Doppelalbum mit überlebensgroßen Gitarrensoli, spacigen Drone-Exkursionen und Momenten von kraftvoller Intensität durch das gesamte Werk. Zum ersten Mal sehen wir, wie Vorhex Angel ihren hämmernden Klangangriff gegen stimmungsvolle und dramatischere Gefilde eintauschen. Die Band - bestehend aus den Brüdern Jake und Jamin Orrall von JEFF the Brotherhood und Kunal Prakash von Silver Synthetic - erweitert die Grenzen des Vorhex-Angel-Konzepts, lädt neue Musiker in ihren Kreis ein, geht mehr Risiken ein und erntet dafür umso mehr. ,Drain ist keine Musik, die man im Hintergrund beim Kochen laufen lässt", warnt Kunal, bevor er zwinkert: ,Vielleicht ist sie etwas für besonders abenteuerlustige Köche." Vorhex Angel verspricht, dass noch mehr kommen wird. Mehr Jams, mehr unerwartete Wendungen - allein in diesem Jahr können wir mindestens eine Tour und mindestens zwei (!) weitere Alben erwarten. Vorerst gibt es ,Drain" zu feiern, sich damit auseinanderzusetzen, damit der Hörer wie die Musik selbst ein- und ausatmen kann, mit reichlich Raum für gedankliche Kontemplation. SPA Sometime around 2024, Vorhex Angel emerged seemingly out of the ether: no social media presence, no identities, simply their name popping up in Nashville or New Orleans on a flyer here and there. Those with enough curiosity to attend their live show could be met with any number of unexpected things to spike the senses: elaborate stage dressing, strobe lights (alternatively, complete darkness), burning things, pre-performance ingestibles. The music at those functions matched the mystery. They were loud, unhinged, and visceral as all hell. If the group's two live releases and debut Heavenly are indeed visceral (Raven Sings the Blues did name them "heirs to the maelstrom of High Rise"), then followup Drain is surely their cerebral offering. Its seven tracks guide the listener from morning to night, a sprawling experimental double album with larger than life guitar solos, spaced-out drone excursions, and moments of potent intensity throughout. For the first time, we see Vorhex Angel trade their pummeling sonic onslaught for moody and more dramatic pastures. The band-revealed to be brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall of JEFF the Brotherhood and Silver Synthetic's Kunal Prakash-push the parameters of the Vorhex Angel concept outward, inviting new players into their circle, adding more risk and generating more reward. "Drain is not in-the-background cooking-type music," warns Kunal, before winking: "Maybe it is for particularly adventurous chefs." Vorhex Angel promises there will be more. More jams, more left turns-just this year, we can expect at least one tour and at least two (!) more albums. For now, there is Drain to celebrate, to sit and chew on, to allow the listener to breathe out and in like the music does, with ample room for cerebral contemplation.

Dieses Album braucht keinen Anlauf und keine Vorrede. Von Sekunde eins an ist es da. Es türmt sich auf, überlebensgroß und mit einer nahezu existenziellen Dringlichkeit. "Einmal mehr mit Dir gegen die Furcht" ist das sechste Studiowerk der Berliner Band Klez.e. Es ist von der düsteren Ahnung getrieben, dass da draußen gerade etwas kippt, und es setzt dieser Bedrohungslage etwas entgegen. Klez.e, das sind fast 25 Jahre nach der Bandgründung: Tobias Siebert (Gesang, Gitarre), Daniel Moheit (Synthesizer, Bass) und Filip Pampuch (Schlagzeug, Percussion). Waren die Vorgänger "Erregung" (2023) und "Desintegration" (2017) von einer grimmigen Düsterheit geprägt, ist diese Trostlosigkeit einer bislang ungehörten musikalischen Luftigkeit gewichen. Und es ist, als habe sich die Band beim Schreiben der Songs auch erstmals bewusst gegen die Furcht vor dem Erzählen gestemmt. An die Stelle früherer Verklausulierung ist eine neue textliche Klarheit getreten. Musikalisch ist "Einmal mehr mit Dir gegen die Furcht" eine Kathedrale von einem Album: akustisch weit, mit glatten, kühlen Oberflächen, atmosphärisch dicht und verhallt. Das Licht, das durch die Fenster hereinfällt, verdrängt die Dunkelheit und malt hier und da tanzende Flecken auf den Boden und an die Wände. Klez.e den schmerzhaften persönlichen Erfahrungen in einer sich verdüsternden Welt ein drängendes und bestürzend schönes Album abgetrotzt. Eines, das die Antwort auf die bange Frage gibt: "Was tun, wenn alles zusammenbricht?" Sie lautet: näher zusammenrücken. Gemeinsam gegen die Furcht. CD, LP klassisch schwarz sowie LP farbig.

Ghost Funk Orchestra are a mystery. Plain and simple. Dirty, soulful production, verbed and fuzzed out guitars, mysterious vocals that feel like a lost score to a Quentin Tarantino film. The brainchild of one-man producer/musician/arranger Seth Applebaum, GFO is forging new territory and blurring the line between soul and psychedelic.

Für Ihre politischen und gesellschaftlichen Entscheidungen von gestern, heute und morgen gibt es nun einen neuen, verlässlichen Anbieter. Wir kündigen zum nächstmöglichen Zeitpunkt den Wechsel zu der FLINTA-geführten Institution DIE BEHÖRDE aus Bremen an. Als erster amtlicher Schritt wird die Musikproduktion mit dem Titel DER LETZTE ARBEITGEBER erscheinen. Darin enthalten: acht exklusive Stücke mit einer flüchtigen Spielzeit von knapp 20 Minuten. Düster, punkig, relevant und mit dem nötigen Bremer Ernst vorgetragen. Textlich wird der sich erhärtende Verdacht, im falschen Leben zu sein, mit wütender Ehrlichkeit von der Straße gesammelt. Unbewältigt stehen Themen wie Diskriminierung, patriarchale Dominanz und Migrationsfeindlichkeit auf der Tagesordnung. Eiskalte, angriffslustige und hallende Gitarren prallen auf mäandernde Basslinien und pointiert-scharfes Drumming, während der Gesang in aller Dringlichkeit verwüstet, zerstört und wieder heilt. Die Anmut der hier vorgetragenen dienstlichen Beschwerde liegt in der Hoffnung, dass die Lösung nur ein paar Straßenbahnhaltestellen entfernt liegt. Ausführung und Qualität erinnern an Musikgruppen wie Berlin 2.0, Rauchen, Pogendroblem oder Frustwut. Damit ist DIE BEHÖRDE unabdingbarer Bestandteil des derzeit verfügbaren, hochwertigen und notwendigen Bildungsangebots. Ausrufezeichen!

Der mehrfach preisgekrönte Londoner Jazz-Saxofonist startet mit seinerm neuen Soloalbum sein eigenes Label.

Multiinstrumentalist, Produzent und Künstler Shabaka (Hutchings) veröffentlicht mit "Of The Earth" sein drittes Soloalbum, das gleichzeitig das erste ist, das über sein eigenes Label Shabaka Records erscheint und komplett von ihm selbst geschrieben und produziert wurde. Auf "Of The Earth" kehrt Shabaka zu seinem charakteristischen Saxophonklang zurück, ergänzt durch ausgefeilte Elektronik und Produktion sowie traditionelle Holzblasinstrumente und Perkussion aus aller Welt. Diese Kombination unterstreicht sein vielseitiges Talent und prägt den Gesamtklang des Albums. Hutchings genießt hohes Ansehen für seine Arbeit mit The Comet Is Coming, Sons Of Kemet, Shabaka And The Ancestors sowie für die beiden jüngsten Soloprojekte "Perceive Its Beauty, Acknowledge Its Grace" (2024) und "Afrikan Culture" (2023). Als Musiker arbeitete er bereits mit einer Vielzahl namhafter Künstler zusammen, darunter Andre 3000, Floating Points, Mulatu Astatke, The Sun Ra Arkestra, Lianne La Havas, Saul Williams und viele mehr. "Of The Earth" erscheint als schwarze Vinyl-LP, als limitierte kornblumenblaue Vinyl-Edition und als CD. Beide Vinyl-Formate enthalten ein Booklet mit Hutchings' eigenem Artwork.

Soul Jazz Records’ ‘Calypso – Musical Poetry in the Caribbean’ was first issued in 2014 and has been out of print for nearly 10 years. On its release ‘Calypso’ was voted one of the year’s best 50 reissues in Rolling Stone magazine and received glowing reviews in Pitchfork, The Guardian, Songlines and many more. This new edition has been fully remastered and comes as a one-off limited-edition double vinyl pressing on translucent green vinyl, complete with bespoke inners featuring extensive sleevenotes, notes on all the artists and songs featured, and original artwork and photography. The album is also available in a new card-edition CD package, also with complete notes and text.

Featuring Lord Kitchener, The Mighty Viper, Count Zebra, Lord Flea, Lord Hummingbird, King Fighter, Lord Growler, Lord Byron, Lord Ivanhoe and other members of Calypso’s aristocracy and aristocrats, the album features the music of Calypso in its many styles. Calypso is one of the most exciting and enduring forms of musical expression that first emerged at the beginning of the 20th century – swinging, persuasive rhythms, brilliantly expressive melodies, and lyrics of great humour, wisdom and wit. Here you will find music from Trinidad, birthplace of Calypso, other Caribbean islands including Jamaica and the Bahamas, as well as sounds from the style’s subsequent onwards journey including Britain, Panama and the United States. Calypsonian songs play out a role in society similar to the storytelling Griots of West Africa (and the corresponding music of Kaiso); with their own tales about popular and incredible news items, modern life, local politics all mixed up with sexual innuendo, one-upmanship, comedy and more. At its source, Calypso is intricately and inextricably bound to the social history of Trinidad and its myriad of traditions, beliefs, folklore and fables. As the music spread around the world, both from the diaspora of many of its performers as well as its commercial success, the subjects of songs similarly took on local topics.The most notable singer of Calypso in England was the Trinidadian Lord Kitchener, who came to Britain in 1948 on HMS Empire Windrush, along with fellow Calypsonians Lord Beginner and Lord Woodbine.

Following the fast-selling debut of Legend Has It… #1—the first collaboration between Mass Appeal Records and Marvel Comics—Mass Appeal expands the series with a special set of Marvel variant vinyl releases. This collection brings seven iconic LPs to life in vinyl form, each featuring original artwork by acclaimed artists Sanford Greene, Mike Del Mundo, Taurin Clarke, Ariel Olivetti, Edwin Galmon, Greg Land, Salvador Larroca, and Kagen McLeod.

With their fourth full-length album Signal Fire, GENGHIS TRON awaken us from the post-apocalyptic daydreams of their previous work with a violent—and most welcome—shove. This time, the distant-future reveries we first heard on Board Up The House give way to an unsettling awareness of the present we’re actually living, as our circumstances grow too pressing to try and escape. “Signal Fire envisions a Kojima-esque dystopia of endless proxy warfare,” says vocalist and lyricist Tony Wolski (The Armed), “where the deluge of available information has outmoded the human ability to parse it. A world where those amoral, shameless and cunning enough can literally reshape reality at their whim through sheer insistence." Having roared onto the scene in 2004 with a uniquely demented blend of extreme metal, synthesizer textures, and drum-machine madness, GENGHIS TRON are no strangers to making a forceful impression. But Signal Fire marks the first time bandleaders Michael Sochynsky and Hamilton Jordan –joined again by Wolski and Nick Yacyshyn (SUMAC) on drums, plus newcomer Kenny Szymanski (The Armed) on bass–has captured this level of urgency with such visceral precision. “This album is very much rooted in the now,” confirms Jordan. Album opener “I Am All” sets the table with a chest-throbbing synth pulse as Wolski declares “I’m on a tear, I’m on a tear,” over swirling industrial rhythms and creeping synthlines. “Nothing Blooms in the Hollow” grafts desert-rock swagger onto interlocking layers of dizzying riffs and chants before Wolski steers the band into full-on sonic burnout, like a spaceship careening into the sun. “Born Prey” navigates deftly through Genghis Tron’s classic sonic touchpoints: furious blastbeats, electronic breaks, haunting vocal earworms, and a towering synth-pop crescendo. Meditative interludes like “Like Fotocrom” and “Without Form” deliver shimmering, ominous beauty. And “New Gods” invokes Rabies-era Skinny Puppy to bring the album to a bludgeoning, anthemic finale, as Wolski screams on repeat: “New gods to bleed me out / No new peace / Bleed me out / I love it.” Twenty years into their career, having proven their ability to forge common ground between Ministry and Aphex Twin, between Brutal Truth and Boards Of Canada, between Cluster and Converge, ugly-beautiful new genre hybrids from GENGHIS TRON no longer come as a surprise. What’s remarkable, however, is how Sochynsky and Jordan have taken a project that started in 2004 as a dorm-room genre-pastiche experiment —”a chaotic, wild amalgamation of all our favorite stuff, literally slammed together,” says Jordan—and refined their songwriting craft to deliver a sound that is unmistakably their own.

Featuring members from King Diamond, Motörhead, Scorpions, Don Dokken Lex Legion is a brand-new band comprised of old friends with incredible heavy metal pedigree. Comprising four-fifths of the classic late 80s King Diamond lineup featuring Mikkey Dee (Drums), Pete Blakk (Guitars), Andy La Rocque (Guitars) and Hal Patino (Bass) infused with the jaw-dropping vocals of Nils K. Rue (Pagan’s Mind), it also boasts Motörhead, Scorpions, and Death on its collective resume. Lex Legion’s eponymous debut album is a single-minded, future-facing throwback of world class hard rock/metal distinguished by tasteful, less-is-more arrangements, virtuoso musicianship, and relentless melody and harmony.

Featuring members from King Diamond, Motörhead, Scorpions, Don Dokken Lex Legion is a brand-new band comprised of old friends with incredible heavy metal pedigree. Comprising four-fifths of the classic late 80s King Diamond lineup featuring Mikkey Dee (Drums), Pete Blakk (Guitars), Andy La Rocque (Guitars) and Hal Patino (Bass) infused with the jaw-dropping vocals of Nils K. Rue (Pagan’s Mind), it also boasts Motörhead, Scorpions, and Death on its collective resume. Lex Legion’s eponymous debut album is a single-minded, future-facing throwback of world class hard rock/metal distinguished by tasteful, less-is-more arrangements, virtuoso musicianship, and relentless melody and harmony.

Mission of Mercy, the fourth full length album from celebrated guitarist and songwriter Mike Campbell (Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, Fleetwood Mac) and his band The Dirty Knobs, is due June 12 via Soundly Music/Thirty Tigers. The album features appearances from the B-52s’ Kate Pierson and Morgane Stapleton alongside the Dirty Knobs’ Chris Holt (guitars, keys), Lance Morrison (bass) and Campbell’s fellow Heartbreaker Steve Ferrone (drums, percussion). Mission of Mercy displays Campbell’s full songwriting range, with tracks ranging from the unbridled rock & roll of “I Remember” to the Americana ballad “More Than Gold” and even the Brian Wilson-inspired psychedelia of the title track. Campbell states that “Mission Of Mercy is an action-packed collection of tunes that continue the vibe we established as well as some new directions in the songwriting. It’s full-throttle Knobs from start to finish and we look forward to playing these live this year.” Last year saw the release of Campbell’s New York Times Best Selling memoir Heartbreaker, which Rolling Stone hailed as “essential…a vividly told new autobiography,” while the Los Angeles Times praised its “tale of endurance and patience rewarded” and No Depression proclaimed it “does what the best music memoirs do: encourage readers to listen once again, or for the first time, to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers and to Campbell’s solo works.” The Dirty Knobs (named after tech slang for a broken amp dial) were founded in 2000 by Campbell as a writing and club-date project outside the Heartbreakers. The group finally got on record with 2020's Wreckless Abandon and 2022's External Combustion. Those LPs, Campbell says, were the Knobs “trying to find our way as a rock & roll band.” “Now it’s down to great songs,” adds Campbell, “the depth in the lyrics and chords.” He recalls something Petty once told him: “Tom said, ‘I love the English language. There’s so much you can do with it.’ I'm discovering that, too. Looking for rhyme schemes, the right word. At first it was a struggle. Now that door has opened,” Campbell says. “I’ve turned a corner.” The Dirty Knobs are “still a rock band but growing into different feels.”

Mit Ombrelloni & Gru legt die Crucchi Gang ihr drittes Album vor – und bleibt ihrer Idee treu: große
deutschsprachige Songs in ein italienisches Licht zu tauchen, bis man sich fragt, welche Version eigentlich
das Original ist. Der Titel sagt schon alles: Sonnenschirme und Kräne, Ferien und Arbeit, Leichtigkeit und
Industrie. Genau in diesem Spannungsfeld bewegt sich auch das Album.
Inspiriert von Italien als Sehnsuchtsort, Alltagskulisse und Erinnerungsraum versammelt die Platte Künstlerinnen und Künstler aus Deutschland und Österreich, die Italien auf ganz eigene Weise in sich tragen –
biografisch, musikalisch oder emotional. Zu hören gibt es italienische Versionen von Songs unter anderem
von Buntspecht, Fettes Brot, Dilla, SALÒ, Ideal, Hildegard Knef, Hannes Wader, Blumengarten und sogar
David Bowie. Ombrelloni & Gru ist eine Platte über Italien – und über das, was zwischen Deutschland und
Italien entsteht: mit Charme, Melancholie, Witz und sehr viel Amore.

LP aus der ”Luminessence” Serie.
“Eine subtile Tour de Force“ – so lautete 1978 das Urteil des amerikanischen Billboard Magazins in
Bezug auf Bill Connors‘ Of Mist And Melting. Und Jahrzehnte später bestätigt eine wiederholte Auseinandersetzung mit dieser Musik nur, dass hier tatsächlich besondere Geister am Werk waren, als die
von Manfred Eicher produzierte Session mit Jan Garbarek, Gary Peacock, Jack DeJohnette und Connors
im Dezember 1977 im Talent Studio in Oslo stattfand. Nach einer Phase elektrischer Fusion-Eskapaden
in den frühen 70ern, stellte Connors’ Zeit bei ECM eine Rückbesinnung auf den akustischen Kern seines
Spiels dar: Der Gitarrist reduzierte seine Musik auf das Wesentliche im kammermusikalischen Gestus, getragen von nuanciertem Fingerspritzengefühl an Nylon-Saiten. Im reflektiert-fesselnden Zusammenspiel mit
Improvisations-Speerspitzen ihrer Zeit, präsentiert der Gitarrist sechs Eigenkompositionen, die das LyrischKonkrete mit weitläufigen, s pontan u nd o ffenen St rukturen ve rbinden – od er, wi e es da s en glische Jazz
Journal einige Jahre später formulierte: „Selten haben sich Elemente von ‚Hot‘ und ‚Cool‘ Jazz so eindrucksvoll kombiniert.“ Connors selbst wirkte beim Hören des Albums im Jahr 2025 erstaunt darüber, wie
sehr er sich während seiner fünfjährigen Zusammenarbeit mit Manfred Eicher für ECM in die klassische
Gitarre vertieft hatte. „Es machte mich nostalgisch für diese Periode. Ich hatte ganz vergessen, wie viel
Zeit ich dieser Gitarrenspielart gewidmet hatte“, erinnerte sich Bill, fast überrascht von dem, was er auf
seiner eigenen Aufnahme hört. „Obwohl es möglicherweise nicht das war, was sich Manfred erwartet hatte,
ist es genau das Album geworden, das wir beide wollten.“
Neu aufgelegt im Rahmen von ECM’s Luminessence-Reihe, erscheint Of Mist And Melting in einer Tip-onGatefold-Hülle mit neuen Linernotes und Fotos aus dem Archiv.

Roland Kirk was an extremely talented multi-instrumentalist, who lost his sight at a very early age, and played unconventional jazz, which was not entirely free but in which melodic and very beautiful phases alternated with moments of complete dissonance and conjured up his urban background, especially reflecting his view of the world as a handicapped man. Kirk was not only famous for his unique sound achieved through his playing several instruments simultaneously and his innovative approach to music but also for his dynamic live performances.

In November 1967 Kirk left EmArcy for Atlantic Records, leading his quartet through a highly introspective, somewhat melancholy programme, which was based in the blues and groove traditions of the mid-60s. Kirk himself played flutes, the stritch, manzello and tenor saxophones, the whistle, clarinet and more – precisely those instruments that had created his unique sound, particularly when some of these instruments were played simultaneously by him. Jazz critics who had previously criticised Kirk’s sound now praised him once they had heard the restrained and elegantly layered "Black And Crazy Blues", the breathtakingly executed Creole "Love Call", the razor-sharp soul in "The Inflated Tear" and the gyrating lyricism of the winds in "Fly By Night" – and quite rightly so.

Roland Kirk convinced his listenership anyway and sold over 10,000 copies of the present LP in the very first year of its release. This is Roland Kirk in his most competent and visionary form; his reading of jazz harmony and capricious sonances is virtually incomparable.

Words have never been my strongest point. I have many ideas in my head, often too many. I can talk a lot about them, but putting them on paper is not really me. I rather just work on my ideas. ‘cause whatever your thoughts are, as soon as it is out there and people start to listen it becomes theirs. What I might have thought up before, and have as concept behind the music, might not be how someone else listens to it. And that’s okay.
If we keep in mind that my music is time focused, and I love it when it isn’t polished too much, so small errors become part of it, the music should speak enough for itself.
“Continuation” is my first studio album since “En de stilstaande tijd” (2019), and shows a rougher sound staying closer to my live sound. I see this as a continuation of my live performances, though this time with various multi-track recordings brought together as a whole, all done in my home studio “Studio De Baviaan” over the course of 8 months.
--- Sietse van Erve / Orphax, Janauary 2026