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Texas drone pioneers Stars of the Lid take stock of a landmark career with this 30th anniversary edition of their debut LP Music For Nitrous Oxide on their own Artificial Pinearch Manufacturing imprint. Long before the brittle-yet-warm racket Adam Wiltzie and Brian McBride kick up became synonymous with the achingly beautiful decay of America they were two audio geeks in Austin with almost no connection to the city’s vibrant, but rock and roll focused music scene. Finding brotherhood in mangled tape collages and engulfing fuzz, Stars of the Lid was born out of their mutual abstraction from what surrounded them. While to its creators, Music For Nitrous Oxide may have simply been a (slight) refinement from the drones Wiltzie and McBride were unleashing on unsuspecting college radio listeners at UT Austin, the rest of the world was slowly catching up to the duo’s noise-addled magic.

London-based producer Tar Blanche, also known as a member of the dreampop band Yumi Zouma, unveils How to Dance Freely Without Social Anxiety, a 7-track journey through jazz-house, deep house, and chill-out lounge.



With a sound that resonates alongside artists like dublon, Table, and Berlioz, the English producer blends ambient textures, refined guitar riffs, and emotive productions, crafting an intimate yet hypnotic atmosphere. Signed to Délicieuse Records, Tar Blanche continues to push boundaries, cementing his place as one of the most exciting producers in modern electronic music.

Australia's powerhouse Hammond Organ trio Cookin' On 3 Burners serve up a heavy double-sider, offering DJs and collectors a taste of what's to come from their first studio LP in six years, due October 2025. With a 27-year legacy in the global funk and soul scene, CO3B have earned praise from the likes of Dusty Groove, Wax Poetics, and Rolling Stone Australia, and boast over 2 billion streams worldwide — thanks in part to their breakout hit "This Girl" (Kungs remix).

Side A – Cookin' The Books
A gritty, upbeat Hammond-led instrumental cooked low and slow in the heart of Melbourne's funk scene. It's all business up front — deep pocket drums, greasy organ licks, and guitar work that snaps and struts. No vocals, no fat — just a raw funk workout that's ready for the crates.

Side B – Give a Little Bit More (feat. Stella Angelico)

A classic-feeling, mid-tempo soul joint with a message that cuts deep. Longtime collaborator Stella Angelico delivers a powerful vocal performance about generosity, empathy, and turning things around when it matters. With uplifting lyrics, smooth horns, and a groove that nods to vintage 45s, this one lands straight in the heart — timeless, spiritual, and soul-drenched.

Captured live to tape at Soul Messin' Studios using vintage gear, the record oozes warmth and authenticity. Supported with airplay from Craig Charles (BBC6) and limited to just 500 copies on black vinyl in a Soul Messin' Records disco sleeve, this 45 is a must-stock item for funk, soul, and groove-focused retailers.

FFO: The Meters, El Michels Affair, Menahan Street Band, Quantic, Daptone Records

Everything Is Recorded, ist das musikalische Kollaborationsprojekt von XL-Recordings Chef Richard Russell. Auf dem Album "Temporary" sind zu hören u.a. Sampha, Bill Callahan, Noah Cyrus, Florence Welch, Maddy Prior, Berwyn, Alabaster Deplume, Jah Wobble, Yazz Ahmed, Laura Groves, Kamasi Washington, Ricky Washington, Roses Gabor, Jack Penate, Samantha Morton, Clari Freeman-Taylor und Nourished By Time. "Temporary" entstand im Verlauf von vier Jahren in Russells Londoner Copper House Studio und während einiger zusätzlicher Sessions in Tottenham, Cumbria, Dorset, Los Angeles und Las Vegas Es schließt an die vorangegangenen Releases wie das 2018 für den Mercury Prize nominierte Debüt an. Auf dem neuen Album erfährt Russells musikalische DNA allerdings ein Reboot: Sein Cut & Paste Approach reicht in die Zeit vor Sampling-Helden wie The Bomb Squad und Prince Paul zurück bis hin zu Innovatoren wie Steve Reich, Robert Rauschenberg und William S. Burroughs. Während Russells Musik bislang geprägt war von Rhythmus, Worten und Melodie - in ebendieser Reihenfolge - tauschen zwei Aspekte diesmal ihre Rollen. Der Rhythmus tritt zugunsten der Melodie in den Hintergrund. Musikalisch ist "Temporary" vom Gedankenexperiment "what if folk music had "gone digital" in the 80s, just as reggae had?" geleitet, während sich in spiritueller und lyrischer Hinsicht vieles um Trauer und den Verlust von Freunden, Familienmitgliedern und Kollegen dreht. Im Ergebnis stehen leuchtende und gelassene Kompositionen, auch dank der faszinierenden und vielfältigen Gästeliste, die "Temporary" mitbringt. Die fragilen, zärtlichen und stillen Tracks liefern vielleicht eines der sanftesten Alben, die je über den Tod geschrieben wurden. "Das Album zu machen, war erfüllend, eine Art, das Leben zu heiligen", so Russell. "Temporary" ist die erste reguläre Veröffentlichung von Everything Is Recorded nach über vier Jahren. In der Zwischenzeit war Russell allerdings nicht untätig. Via Soundcloud und Bandcamp erschienen zuletzt "Summer Solstice", "Autumn Equinox", "Winter Solstice" und "Spring Equinox", die alle mit einer Reihe von Gastmusikerinnen und -.musikern im Rahmen ausgiebiger Jams an jeweils nur einem Tag entstanden. Mit der Schauspielerin und Regisseurin Samantha Morton tat er sich zum Duo Sam Morton zusammen, welches sein Debüt "Daffodils und Dirt" veröffentlichte. Für Peter Gabriels Comeback-Album "i/o" produzierte Russell den Song "Four Kinds of Horses".

Leon Michels ist still und leise zu einem der gefragtesten Produzenten der Musikszene geworden.Sein unverwechselbarer Sound hat die Aufmerksamkeit des Mainstreams auf sich gezogen und inspiriert gleichzeitig weiterhin die Underground-Szene. Seit dem 2023 erschienenen Album Glorious Game von El Michels Affair & Black Thought war Michels als Produzent für andere Künstler aktiv - darunter Norah Jones' Grammy-prämiertes Visions, Clairos Grammy-nominiertes Charm, Kali Uchis' ,Moonlight" sowie Alben für seine Labelkollegen Brainstory, Derya Yildirim & Grup Simsek, Thee Heart Tones und Liam Bailey. Sein neues Album 24 Hr Sports markiert die langersehnte Rückkehr unter seinem eigenen Namen: El Michels Affair.24 Hr Sports wurde inspiriert von Mode und Grafikdesign der Sports-Illustrated-Magazine der 80er- und 90er-Jahre, MF DOOMs Special Herbs-Alben, den dort verwendeten Sample-Quellen und Gospelmusik à la Pastor T.L. Barrett. Die Summe dieser Einflüsse, gepaart mit Michels' unfehlbarem kreativen Gespür, ergibt ein Rezept für einen Instant-Klassiker - ein Werk, das zweifellos zu den meistgefeierten Veröffentlichungen des Jahres 2025 zählen wird.Der Album-Opener ,Drum Line" ist ein hymnischer, mitreißender Track mit Marschband-Schlagzeug und donnernden Bläserarrangements, die sofort alle Aufmerksamkeit auf sich ziehen und den Ton für das folgende Album setzen. 24 Hr Sports bedeutet eine deutliche Abkehr von der bisher überwiegend instrumentalen Musik im Katalog von El Michels Affair. Mit einer Vielzahl von Gesangsfeatures spiegelt das Album das schwer einzuordnende Genre seiner Musik wider.Das erste dieser Features ist ,Mágica" mit dem brasilianischen Künstler Rogê, der die ohnehin energiegeladene Nummer mit seinen fußballinspirierten Lyrics auf ein neues Level hebt. Weiter geht es von Brasilien nach Ghana: In ,Say Goodbye" feiert Florence Adooni ihre Individualität mit lässigem Selbstbewusstsein und wechselt mühelos zwischen Frafra und Englisch, besonders eingängig im Refrain: ,never gonna find a girl like me_".Labelkollege und weltbekannter Trompeter von The Roots, Dave Guy, veredelt den 70er-Jahre-Groove von ,Oakley's Car Wash" mit seinen charakteristischen Bläserlinien, bevor der Track in ein Dub-artiges Outro übergeht. Vom wilden zum sanften Klang: ,Anticipate" mit Clairo knüpft an die musikalische Chemie an, die das 2024er-Album Charm hervorgebracht hat. Clairo gleitet über die typischen EMA-Arrangements, während sie sich nach unerreichbarer Liebe sehnt - getragen von einer perfekt eingespielten Band.,Eastside" ist ein Stück, das einen Sonnenaufgang am Meer vertonen könnte - Leon Michels' Sinn für Raum und Arrangement wird hier besonders deutlich. Aus Japan ist der Suginami Children's Choir auf dem üppigen Track ,Clean The Line" zu hören - sie singen ein Lied über den Mond, die Sonne und Vögel. Danach reißt ,Cortex" mit verzerrten Gitarren und donnernden Drums die Tür auf - ein Moment purer, filmreifer Intensität in der Mitte des Albums.Leon Michels übernimmt selbst den Lead-Gesang auf ,Shining", einem Song über die Suche nach einem Freund, mit dem man die Freude eines sonnigen Tages teilen kann. Der international gefeierte Shintaro Sakamoto ist auf ,Indifference" zu hören - ein lässiger Song mit federnden Basslinien und gefühlvollen Flöten, in dem Sakamoto zwischen Gesang und gesprochener Poesie über eine vergängliche Liebe reflektiert.Das Grammy-prämierte Duo Norah Jones und Michels kommt auf ,Carry Me Away" erneut zusammen: Jones' honigsüße Stimme schwebt über einem schwer einzuordnenden, aber sofort liebenswerten Track. Michels lehnt sich hier wieder mehr in Richtung El Michels Affair-Stil, der sich klar von seinen bisherigen Produktionen für Norah Jones abhebt. ,Take My Hand" stellt den Gospel-Einfluss in den Vordergrund - mit dem Fabulous Rainbow Singers Choir im Refrain und einem Saxophon-Solo der verstorbenen Jazzlegende Rahsaan Roland Kirk.,Open Season", ein Piano-getriebener Midtempo-Track mit Gruppenrufen wie ,we want the gold, we want the gold_", könnte den perfekten Soundtrack für eine Slow-Motion-Highlight-Reel liefern. Der treffend betitelte Albumabschluss ,Victory Lap" schließlich ist ein traumhafter, euphorischer Ausklang, der dem gesamten Werk würdig ist.Am Ende spricht die Trophäe auf dem Albumcover Bände: El Michels Affair ist Champion Sound - und 24 Hr Sports macht das unmissverständlich klar.

Dies ist deine Einladung zur besten Party überhaupt! Mit A Piece Of The Action erscheint eine längst überfällige Retrospektive des Hamburger Duos Egoexpress - ein wilder, tanzbarer Ritt durch ein Jahrzehnt elektronischer Subkultur. Zwischen 1995 und 2005 erschufen Mense Reents und Berndt "Jimi" Siebels einen Sound, der sich jeder Schublade entzog: roh, verspielt, hypnotisch. Aus dem Punk- und Rock-Umfeld kommend, schmuggelten sie ein störrisches Selbstverständnis und ansteckenden Humor in den Club. Statt verkopfter Coolness setzten sie auf Körperlichkeit und Bauchgefühl - und landeten damit direkte, tanzbare House-Hits mit Eigensinn. Ihre Musik war nie glatt, nie angepasst - sondern ein lebendiger Gegenpol zur Ästhetik ihrer Zeitgenossen. Die 2LP-Compilation versammelt 16 remasterte Tracks - darunter Klassiker wie We Are Here, Knartz IV oder Telefunken - und dokumentiert eindrucksvoll die Entwicklung von minimalistischen Loops hin zu psychedelischen Clubtracks. Egoexpress waren nie Teil eines Trends - sie waren ihr eigener.

In Guadeloupe, many people think that jazz and ka music are like a ring and a finger. To some extent, the same could be said about so called Latin music and the music played in the French West Indies.

Both aesthetics were born in the Caribbean and bear so many connections that they can easily be considered cousins. In constant dialogue, there are lots of examples of their fruitful alliance and have been for a while. The English country dance that used to be practiced in European lounges came to be called kadrille in Martinique and contradanza in Cuba. They both featured additional percussion instruments inherited from the transatlantic deportation. Drawing from shared feelings about the same traumatized identity – later to be creolized – it would be hard not to assume that they were meant to inspire each other. The golden age of the orchestras that graced the Pigalle nights during the interwar period further proves the point. As soon as the 1930s, Havana-born Don Barreto naturally mixed danzón and biguine music in a combo based at Melody's Bar. In the following decade, Félix Valvert, a conductor who was born and raised in Basse-Terre in Guadelupe, also worked wonders in Montparnasse with La Coupole, which was an orchestra made up of eclectic musicians. Afro- Caribbean performers of various origins were often hired on rhythm and brass sections in jazz bands, which used to enliven the typical French balls of the capital. In the 1930s and onwards, Rico’s Creole Band was one of them.



Martinican violinist-clarinettist Ernest Léardée, who would become the king of biguine music as well as the main figure of French Uncle Ben's TV commercials (a dark stigma of post-colonial stereotypes), had musicians from the whole Caribbean sphere play at his Bal Blomet – and they all enchanted "ces Zazous-là" (according the words of Léardée's biguine-calypso piece). In les Antilles (French for French West Indies), music history started to speed up in the 1950s, when trade expanded and radio stations grew bigger. The Guadelupean and Martiniquais youth tuned in their old galena radio sets to South American and Caribbean music. As for the women traders, les pacotilleuses, they bought and sold goods across different islands (the "passing of items through various hands" was thought to be most pleasurable) and brought back countless sounds in their luggage. Such was the case of Madame Balthazar, who once returned from Puerto Rico with the first 45rpm and 33rpm to ever enter Martinique.

Out of this adventure was created the famous Martinican label La Maison des Merengues, a music business she opened and undertook with her husband and which proved to be a major landmark. At the end of the 1950s, in Puerto Rico, Marius Cultier competed in the Piano International Contest playing a version of Monk's Round 'Midnight. He won the first prize and this distinction foreshadowed everything that was to come. Cultier, the heretic Monk of jazz, was quickly praised for writing superb melodies, always tinged with a twist that conferred a unique sound to his music. It didn't take long for the gifted self-taught musician to get to play with Los Cubanos, making a name for himself thanks to his impressive maestria on merengues.

The rest is history. Besides, in the late 1950s, Frantz Charles-Denis, born into the upper middle class in Saint-Pierre and better known by his first name Francisco, went back home after working at La Cabane Cubaine – a club located rue Fontaine where he had caught the Latin fever. Francisco's music was therefore heavily marked by his Cuban cousins' influence, which gave the combos he led a specific style and also led to renewal. Things were swinging hard in La Savane, located in the main square in Fort-de-France. He set up the Shango club close by and tested out the biguine lélé there, a new music formula spiced up with Latin rhythms. Soon afterwards, fate had him fly to Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

As for percussionist Henri Guédon (percussions were only a part of his many talents), he was born in Fort-de-France in May 22nd 1944, the day marking the celebration of the abolition of slavery. As an old man, he could remember that in " his father's Teppaz, a lot of hectic 6/8 music was constantly playing...". In the opening lines of his Lettre à Dizzy, a small illustrated collection of writings published by Del Arco, he highlighted the huge impact that cubop had on him as a teenage boy, around 1960. He eventually turned out to be the lider maximo in La Contesta, a big band steeped in Latin jazz. He was also the one who originated the word zouk to describe music which brought the sound of the New York barrio to Paris. It was the culmination of a journey that started in Sainte-Marie: "a mythical place for bélé, the equivalent of Cuban guaguancó". In the early 1960s, the tertiary economy developed to the detriment of agriculture. Yet rural life was where roots music emerged in Martinique and in Guadeloupe.

Record companies played a major part in the process of Latin versions sweeping across the islands – before reaching everywhere else. Producer Célini, boss of the great Aux Ondes label, and Marcel Mavounzy, both the head of Émeraude records - a firm which was founded in 1953 - as well as the brother of famous saxophonist Robert Mavounzy, were big names to bear in mind. Although there were many of them - all of whom are featured on this record - Henri Debs was definitely the major figure in the recording adventure. He proved to be so influential that he even got compared to Berry Gordy. In the mid 1950s, when he acquired his first Teppaz, he worked on his first compositions: a bolero and a chachacha. Then, he became the one man who made people discover Caribbean music, from calypso to merengue. He was among the first ones to rush out to San Juan, Puerto Rico, to buy records and distribute them through a store run by one of his brothers in Fort-de-France. He had members of the Fania All Star come and perform there, which he was madly proud about. He was also the first one to pay attention to Haitian music, such as compas direct and various other rhythms which would soon flood the market. As a result, many of the combos hitting his legendary studio would end up boosted by widespread "Afro-Latin" rhythms. However, he never denied his identity: gwo ka drums were given a major role, although they were instruments which had long been banned from the "official" music spheres. The present selection bears witness to such a creative swarming. Here are fourteen tracks of untimely yet unprecedented cross-fertilization: all types of music rooted in the Creole archipelago have found their way, whatsoever, to the tracklisting. Whether originating from the city or being more rural, they all go back to what Edouard Glissant, in an interview about the place of West Indian music in the Afro-American scope, called "the trace of singing, the one which got erased by slavery." "It is so in jazz, but also in reggae, calypso, biguine, salsa... This trace also manifests through the drums, whether Guadelupean, Dominican, Jamaican or Cuban... None of them being quite the same. They all point to the idea of a trace, seeking it out and connecting to each other through it. This is the hallmark of the African diaspora: its ability to create something new, in relation to itself, out of a trace. It may be the memory of a rhythm, the crafting of a drum, a means of expression which doesn't resort to an old language but to the modalities of it." The opening track features one of the emblematic orchestras of this aesthetic identity, criscrossing many music types from the archipelago. The 1974 Ray Barretto guajira – Ray Barretto was a major New York drummer influenced by Charlie Parker and Chano Pozzo – is magnificently performed by Malavoi, a legendary Fayolais group (i.e from Fort-de-France). Additionally, the compilation ends on a piece by Los Martiniqueños de Francisco. It symbolically closes the circle as it is a genuine potomitan of Martinique culture which also functions as a tireless campaigner for Afro-Caribbean music. Practicing the danmyé rounds (a kind of capoeiria) to the rhythm of the bèlè drum, it delivers a terrific Caterete, a kind of champeta of Afro- Colombian obedience which was originally composed by Colombian Fabián Ramón Veloz Fernández for the group Wgenda Kenya. The icing on the cake is Brazilian Marku Ribas, who found refuge in Martinique in the early 1970s, bringing his singing to the last trance-inducing track. These two "versions" convey the whole tone of a selection composed of rarities and classics of the tropicalized genre, swarming with tonic accents and convoluted rhythms. It is the sort of cocktail that the West Indians never failed to spice up with their own ingredients. For instance, the Los Caraïbes cover of Dónde, a famous Cuban theme composed by producer Ernesto Duarte Brito, has a typical violin and features renowned Martinique singer Joby Valente and his piquant voice.



The track used to be – or so we think – their only existing 45rpm. The meaningful Amor en chachachá by L'Ensemble Tropicana, a band which included Haitian musicians among whom was composer and leader Michel Desgrotte, also recalls how Latin music was pervasive in the tropics in the mid-1960s. They were the ones keeping people dancing at Le Cocoteraie in Guadelupe and La Bananeraie in Martinique. Around the same time, another "foreign" band, Congolese Freddy Mars N'Kounkou's Ryco Jazz, achieved some success on both islands by covering Latin jazz classics – such as their adaptation of Wachi Wara, a "soul sauce" by Dizzy Gillespie and Chano Pozo whose interweaving of strings and percussions can have anyone hit the dancefloor. How can you resist Dap Pinian indeed, a powerful guaguancó by Eugene Balthazar, performed by the Tropicana Orchestra and published by the Martinique-founded La Maison des Merengues? It also acts as a symbol of the maelstrom at work. Going by the name Paco et L'orchestre Cachunga, Roger Jaffory used to play guaguancó too: his Fania-inspired Oye mi consejo is one example of his style. Baila!!!!! Dancing was also one of the Kings' focus points. Oriza is a Puerto Rican bomba and a "classic" originally composed by Nuevayorquino trumpeter Ernie Agosto, which reserves major space for brasses, giving it a special sheen.

Emerging from the New York barrios crucible was also La Perfecta, a Martinique group originating from Trinidad, whose name directly references the totemic Eddie Palmieri figure as well as his own band, also called La Perfecta. Here they borrow Toumbadora from Colombian producer and composer Efraín Lancheros and interpret it by emphasizing percussions, which set fire to the track even more than the wind instruments. The same goes for Martinique's Super Jaguars, who use Tatalibaba – a composition by Cuban guitarist Florencio "Picolo" Santana which was made famous by Celia Cruz & La Sonora Matencera – as a pretext for sending their cadences into a frenzy. In a more typically salsa vein, the Super Combo, a famous Guadelupean orchestra from Pointe-Noire that was formed around the Desplan family and had Roger Plonquitte and Elie Bianay on board, adapt Serana, a theme by Roberto Angleró Pepín, a Puerto Rican composer, singer and musician also known for his song Soy Boricua. Here again, their vision comes close to surpassing the original. In the 1970s, L'Ensemble Abricot provided a handful of tracks of different syles, hence reaching the pinnacle of the art of achieving variety and giving pleasure. They played boleros, biguines, compas direct, guaguancó and even a good old boogaloo - the type they wanted to keep close to their hearts for ever, "pour toujours", as they sang along together in one of their songs. Léon Bertide's Martinican ensemble excelled at the boogaloo which had been composed by Puerto Rican saxophonist Hector Santos for the legendary El Gran Combo.



Three years later, in 1972, Henri Guédon, with the help of Paul Rosine on the vibraphone, tackled the Bilongo made famous by Eddie Palmieri. Such a classic!!!!! And so were the Aiglons, the band from Guadelupe: choosing to execute Pensando en tí, a composition by Dominican Aniceto Batista, on a cooler tempo than the original, they noticeably used a wonderfully (un)tuned keyboard in place of the accordion. On the high-value collectible single – the first one released by Les Aiglons under the Duli Disc label – there is a sticker classifying the track under the generic name "Afro". Now that is what we call a symbol. Jacques Denis

Balearic sounds and Mediterranean warmth are the inspirations for Bruno Belissimo’s Bordello A Parigi debut. Drawing on disco, house and funk, Ottimo! is a four tracker of electronic exuberance with Belissimo’s musical ability and range immediately spilling from the speakers. Guitar strings curve around synthlines in the title piece, percussive textures giving way to the mantra-like refrain of “Ottimo!” Thick bass echoes into beaming keys for “Meduse.” Bright notes cascade, grooves melting with vocoder lyrics as classic disco tones are reimagined in this modern mirrorball medley. Organic rhythms introduce the flip. “Mirage” opens to ripples of bongos and toms as a loose structure takes hold. Hedonistic chants rise to a shimmering chord, kicks and snares funnelling the building energy as bold blasts and samples shriek with delight. “Las Piramides De Ibiza” brings the quartet to a close. Clean drum patterns support joyous notes, a machine dipped voice calling time.

Seeking overlooked beauty and prizing reflection in a distracted world, Hammock creates cinematic music for the road less traveled. In stirring works of shimmering post-rock ambience that swell with hope and melancholic nostalgia, the Nashville-based duo of Marc Byrd and Andrew Thompson immerse listeners in living visions of moments long past, animating life's fond remembrances and scarring losses with gentle lens-flare harmonics, heart-surging neoclassical drama, and pensive silence. A direct challenge to the passive existence of modern life, where everything can be experienced but precious little is felt, Hammock demands, and richly rewards, patience and contemplation. One of Hammock's career defining works, the Mysterium, Universalis, and Silencia trilogy came to a close in 2019. The first chapter, Mysterium, was written following the death of Byrd's 20-year-old nephew and dealt with incomprehensible, shattering loss. Difficult understanding came on Universalis, and an altered reality understood through quiet reflection took hold on Silencia. Emerging from the silence, a period that brought with it the global pandemic of Covid-19 that has kept loved ones apart, conscripted months upon months of isolation, and roused directionless longing for escape, Hammock presents Elsewhere. Recorded by Byrd and Thompson at their homes, apart and with minimal equipment, Elsewhere serves as a gateway to another place, materializes feelings of separation and loss without closure, and calls listeners back to live their lives - not spend them longing to be something or somewhere else. - Wyatt Marshal

Occasionally, one experiences serendipitous events in life. On the 13th of July this year, I received a message from Tim Trapnell, who had discovered an unknown 60’s track on YouTube and expressed his admiration for its exceptional quality. Intrigued by the message, I clicked on the link and was immediately captivated by the musical composition. Within minutes, I embarked on a quest to uncover more information about the band and the particular track. On the 16th of July, only three days after, I’ve received a message from Jim Bojorquez (aka JC), the lead vocalist of the Baron of Soul, “Hello Yann, I was delighted to hear that you have discovered and enjoyed my original composition, ‘Time or vs Tide.’ It was written by myself and Clark Baldwin. that the recording was performed live and this song was never released in any format back in the day. I have reached out to Jim Bojorquez the next day and we spent a considerable amount of time conversing via video chat about his illustrious 60-year music career as an artist in San Jose, California.

I proposed to Jim that I could release two songs from The Barons of Soul through Epsilon Record Co. I re-mastered both songs and made a deal with Jimmie that same day. So today, I am so pleased to present these two previously unissued tracks. "Time or Tide" is a powerful uptempo piece featuring an exceptional brass section and a Hammond B3. The vocals are exceptionally punchy and catchy, ensuring an unforgettable listening experience. "I Loved and I Lost” is a remarkable take of the Impressions classic written by Curtis Mayfield’s If you are an enthusiast of 60s uptempo music like Tim and myself, then this new and exceptional 45 is an absolute must-listen and must have!

• We launch our Soul Harmony label with a fabulous tape discovery from Golden State Recorders. At the time of recording, 87th Off Broadway lived in the small town of Seaside, California and were based in Monterey. They wrote their own songs, four of which were recorded at an April 1972 session, arranged by Los Angeles Rene Hall. The tape lay dormant for decades. ‘Instant Replay’ is the final of the four to belatedly be issued; the others being funk released on Ace’s BGP label. The group morphed into another outfit called Welfare who had ‘What About The Child’ released (with a name change to Gold) in 1977 on the MRC label. This song is of the highest quality as are the intricate harmony vocals. Advance plays on the Lowrider scene have been very well received.

I was aware of Submerse from a long time ago, mainly for when he was making hip-hop & footwork tunes but I had noticed that a few years ago, on his SoundCloud page, he was uploading jungle tunes that he had started making, which got me interested in keeping tabs on what he was doing.

But it wasn't until I met him in Tokyo where he's based, when I played after him at an event at Circus (venue in Osaka & Tokyo) and then met up with him again later on that week that I realised how much he had been making.

He sent me some of the stuff he'd been doing that wasn't available publicly yet and I was really impressed by how strong the melodies were and how much influence from video game soundtracks he had in his tunes, I knew I had to get him on Future Retro London for a release.

Big up to Submerse for allowing me to put out this EP of his on Future Retro London, look out for more music from him to come on Future Retro London and other labels!

Phantasy are delighted to introduce Greek duo Boys' Shorts for their debut EP on the label, ‘Athena’. The project of music obsessives Vangelis and Tareq, the Boys’ Shorts sound has helped redefine timeless strains of disco, house and Italo for Europe’s queer club underground, with similar charisma spilling into their collaborative productions on labels including Live at Robert Johnson, Permanent Vacation and Polari.

Boys' Shorts appearance on Phantasy is coupled with their most ambitious and fulfilling songwriting to date. Featuring a rare vocal performance from beloved selector and cosmic disco expert Budino, appearing alongside Elisa Paradiso, the instantaneous lead cut ‘Summer’s Here and Summer’s Missing’ recounts a sun-drenched romance cut short. The duo’s soft, bittersweet synthesis mingles with Budino’s Italian-language lyrics, gently pulsing to find closure, or at least further pleasure, while up late in a Balearic discoteque.

Under those same hot lights, Boys' Shorts go deeper still with the leading oscillations of ‘Stereo on Acid’, in which classic, wobbly-hearted 808 sounds flirt playfully with a bassline that bumps like downtown traffic on a sweltering Athens afternoon. Reflecting the hidden pleasures and true underground culture of the city after nightfall, title track ‘Athena’ is a sensual and sophisticated groove with an epic yet understated touch, that one can imagine soundtracking a future soiree or centuries of ancient history alike.

Raw voices / iron chords / sub-heavy drift. Cut, resample, re-solder: tape hiss → grit → glow. Detroit pulse, UKG swing — still cruising, now voiced. Bass below sea level; chords flare like warning lights!!! Intimate. Industrial. Intent. press // drop // disappear into the tunnel… The Cruiser 003 — built at night, for nights

Neo funk rising star Buscrates aims high with Blasting Off, his first full-length album. The Pittsburgh-based keyboard cosmonaut has been grabbing ears since his days hooking up beats with the hip hop crew East Liberty Quarters, but after slinging spicy one-offs to a slew of hot labels like Omega Supreme, Voyage Funktastique and Razor N Tape (as well as contributing production to Wiz Khalifa and Curren$y's 2009 project), the time has come for a full-length featuring his growing modern funk repertoire.

"I'm a '90s hip hop dude, but I grew up on that '80s funk stuff," Buscrates acknowledges. DJ gigs provided a working knowledge of the jams that moved a contemporary crowd, and as his collection of keyboards and drum machines grew he began blending the best of both decades with his personal futuristic edge. "I was nice on the MPC but I wanted to have a little more dynamic range with what I was doing," he notes. The self-described "certified synth geek" was soon branching into sounds that recalled '80s legend Kashif crossed with the hip hop bounce of DJ Spinna, and the modern funk community took notice.

For his first full-length, Buscrates has crewed up with an ace team of collaborators, featuring vocalist Sally Green on the bouncy lead single "Lost And Found" and "Eight Nine." Kate Moe Dee takes over mic duties for the second single, "How Ya Gonna Do It," a slinky groove that slides in place alongside groups like the Sunburst Band and Rene & Angela as an exemplar of sophisticated R&B. Adding to those credentials are the sultry vocals of Anda on "Believe," but of course, it wouldn't be a Buscrates set without some stank, neck-snapping instrumentals. "Five Days" and "Sure Shot," both collabos with the drum technician DJ Epik, will rattle speakers and have already been lighting up message boards on recent Buscrates DJ sets. Round things out with some easy gliding, jazzy funk ("Turn It Out" with Brothermartino on flute and "Evergreen" featuring Tony Ozier) and you've got all the ingredients for a high-flying cosmic ride with Buscrates at the controls.

DARK BALADA is a nocturnal journey through hypnotic synths, blending melancholic darkwave with shimmering italo disco influences. An emotional tale suspended between desire, memory, and mystery.

Die aus Marokko stammende und in L.A. lebende Singer-Songwriterin, Ami Taf Ra veröffentlicht ihr Debütalbum „The Prophet And The Madman“ Ende August auf Brainfeeder!

Inspiriert von Khalil Gibrans bahnbrechendem Werk, „Der Prophet“, wurde das Album von Ami Taf Ra vom legendären Saxophonisten und Komponisten Kamasi Washington produziert, mit dem sie häufig zusammenarbeitet. „The Prophet And The Madman“ ist eine zu eine Reise über elf Tracks, an denen unter anderem Ryan Porter, Miles Mosley, Brandon Coleman, Tony Austin, Taylor Graves, Cameron Graves, Ronald Bruner Jr., Allakoi Peete, Kahlil Cummings und Kamasi Washington beteiligt sind. Die LP ist ein kühnes Statement einer Sängerin, die in den Traditionen arabischer Größen wie Fairuz, Umm Kulthum und Warda verwurzelt ist und sich dennoch furchtlos auf neues klangliches Terrain begibt. Es ist ein Album, das nicht nach Antworten, sondern nach Präsenz sucht - eine Hingabe an die Reise, nicht an das Ziel.

Im Laufe ihrer Karriere hat Ami Taf Ra auf Bühnen in aller Welt gestanden und das Publikum in Dänemark, der Türkei, Marokko, Belgien, Israel, dem Libanon und Jordanien begeistert. Sie ist auf angesehenen Festivals wie dem South East Jazz Festival und dem Haarlem Jazz Festival in den Niederlanden aufgetreten, ebenso wie mit dem niederländischen Royal Metropole Orchestra in der königlichen Konzerthalle der Niederlande, dem weltbekannten Concertgebouw, und dem Dutch Blazers Ensemble. Ami Taf Ra war mit Kamasi Washington auf ausgedehnten Tourneen unterwegs und trat gemeinsam an namhaften Orten und auf Festivals in den Vereinigten Staaten auf, darunter City Winery in Boston, das Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival und die Just Jazz Concert Series in der Mr. Musichead Gallery in Los Angeles. Darüber hinaus ist sie mit einer Vielzahl von Musiker:innen aufgetreten, darunter Posaunist Ryan Porter, Saxophonist Rickey Washington, Perkussionist Kahlil Cummings, Bassist Ben Williams, Schlagzeuger Jonathan Pinson und Pianist Jamael Dean.

Limited Edition Three Blind Mice Premium Re-issue Collection
180g vinyl LP with obi and insert
Remastered and cut by Bernie Grundman
Pressed and printed in Japan
Orig. Rel.:1970

This is the first album by Takao Uematsu, who played in the George Otsuka Group.
His blackness of blowing, spirit and technique, which are directly descended from Joe Henderson, set him apart from other Japanese players.

"Double Infinity" folgt auf das Grammy-nominierte Album "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You" und wurde im letzten Winter in der New Yorker Power Station aufgenommen. Drei Wochen lang pendelte die Band mit ihren Rädern auf vereisten Wegen zwischen Brooklyn und dem Studio in Manhattan hin und her, um dort Tag für Tag zusammen zu spielen, zu improvisieren und zu arrangieren. Daran war neben der Kernbesetzung Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek und James Krivchenia eine Community von zehn Musikerinnen und Musikern beteiligt. "Double Infinity" wurde so live mit minimalen Overdubs vom langjährigen Band-Partner Dom Monks aufgenommen, der auch Engineering und Mix übernahm.

"Double Infinity" folgt auf das Grammy-nominierte Album "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You" und wurde im letzten Winter in der New Yorker Power Station aufgenommen. Drei Wochen lang pendelte die Band mit ihren Rädern auf vereisten Wegen zwischen Brooklyn und dem Studio in Manhattan hin und her, um dort Tag für Tag zusammen zu spielen, zu improvisieren und zu arrangieren. Daran war neben der Kernbesetzung Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek und James Krivchenia eine Community von zehn Musikerinnen und Musikern beteiligt. "Double Infinity" wurde so live mit minimalen Overdubs vom langjährigen Band-Partner Dom Monks aufgenommen, der auch Engineering und Mix übernahm.

"Double Infinity" folgt auf das Grammy-nominierte Album "Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You" und wurde im letzten Winter in der New Yorker Power Station aufgenommen. Drei Wochen lang pendelte die Band mit ihren Rädern auf vereisten Wegen zwischen Brooklyn und dem Studio in Manhattan hin und her, um dort Tag für Tag zusammen zu spielen, zu improvisieren und zu arrangieren. Daran war neben der Kernbesetzung Adrianne Lenker, Buck Meek und James Krivchenia eine Community von zehn Musikerinnen und Musikern beteiligt. "Double Infinity" wurde so live mit minimalen Overdubs vom langjährigen Band-Partner Dom Monks aufgenommen, der auch Engineering und Mix übernahm.

The "THEE 30TH" project, launched to commemorate the 30th anniversary of THEE MICHELLE GUN ELEPHANT's debut, is re-releasing the vinyl version
of their 6th album "Rodeo Tandem Beat Specter."
Released as a 2-disc set on 180g heavyweight vinyl cut from the latest remaster.

LTD Clear Vinyl
Nach der limitierten EP "The Grand Designer" im Juni 2025, präsentiert Adrian Sherwood nun mit "The Collapse Of Everything" sein brandneues Werk, gleichzeitig sein erstes Soloalbum seit 13 Jahren und das vierte seiner langen Karriere. Auf diesem sorgfältig konzipierten Album lotet der Meisterproduzent und Mixologe mit seinem stets experimentierfreudigen Sound neue Grenzen aus. Obwohl die Musik auf "The Collapse Of Everything" von einem natürlichen Gespür für Dub geprägt ist, überschreitet sie fliessend Genregrenzen und vereint nahtlos verschiedenste Einflüsse, die Sherword in seinem Leben gehört und produziert hat. An den Aufnahmen beteiligt waren einige seiner langjährigen Mitstreiter wie Doug Wimbish (Living Color, The Sugar Hill Gang, Tackhead), Mark Bandola (The Lucy Show), Ivan "Celloman" Hussey, Alex White (Primal Scream, Fat White Family) und Chris Joyce (The Mothmen). Desweiteren flossen Beiträge der jüngst verstorbenen On-U-Legenden Keith LeBlanc (Sugarhill Gang, Tackhead) und Mark Stewart (Pop Group) ein.

Adrian Sherwood war in den letzten Jahren sehr beschäftigt mit Kollaborationen mit anderen Künstlern, von Remixarbeiten für Popkünstler wie Halsey, über von der Kritik gefeierten Full-Length-Dub-Rekonstruktionen für die Indierock-Titanen Spoon und Panda Bear & Sonic Boom, bis zur Produktion gefeierter Alben für die Reggae-Ikonen Lee "Scratch" Perry und Horace Andy am Ende ihrer Karriere ("Midnight Rocker" wurde vom Guardian zum weltweiten Album Nr. 1 des Jahres 2022 gekürt). Was bedeutet, dass Sherwood seit "Survival & Resistance", das fast auf den Tag genau vor 13 Jahren erschien, kein Album mehr als Solokünstler herausgebracht hat.

Joy In Repetition ist die erste Anthologie mit einigen der besten Songs von Hot Chip. Sie umfasst das gesamte Schaffen der Band, angefangen bei ihrem bahnbrechenden EMI/DFA-Debütalbum The Warning, und zeichnet ihre künstlerische Entwicklung bis zum heutigen Tag nach.

Joy In Repetition ist die erste Anthologie mit einigen der besten Songs von Hot Chip. Sie umfasst das gesamte Schaffen der Band, angefangen bei ihrem bahnbrechenden EMI/DFA-Debütalbum The Warning, und zeichnet ihre künstlerische Entwicklung bis zum heutigen Tag nach. Das Album ist vollgepackt mit absoluten Hits aus ihrer gesamten Karriere, darunter Ready for the Floor, I Feel Better und Flutes, um nur einige zu nennen. Daneben gibt es mit Devotion einen neuen Track, auf dem die Band ihre ganze Stimmgewalt entfaltet und Pop-Hooks mit ihrer einzigartigen Dancefloor-Mentalität verbindet.

Joy In Repetition ist die erste Anthologie mit einigen der besten Songs von Hot Chip. Sie umfasst das gesamte Schaffen der Band, angefangen bei ihrem bahnbrechenden EMI/DFA-Debütalbum The Warning, und zeichnet ihre künstlerische Entwicklung bis zum heutigen Tag nach.

Joy In Repetition ist die erste Anthologie mit einigen der besten Songs von Hot Chip. Sie umfasst das gesamte Schaffen der Band, angefangen bei ihrem bahnbrechenden EMI/DFA-Debütalbum The Warning, und zeichnet ihre künstlerische Entwicklung bis zum heutigen Tag nach. Das Album ist vollgepackt mit absoluten Hits aus ihrer gesamten Karriere, darunter Ready for the Floor, I Feel Better und Flutes, um nur einige zu nennen. Daneben gibt es mit Devotion einen neuen Track, auf dem die Band ihre ganze Stimmgewalt entfaltet und Pop-Hooks mit ihrer einzigartigen Dancefloor-Mentalität verbindet.

Two years after Jazz N Palms served up his sumptuous Ses Rodes album, the Ibiza-based Italian is back with a series of 'Revisades', which means reviews in local language. Each track on this double 12" takes the original instrumentals into fresh realms with new mixes, new drum arrangements and the recovery of old takes not used on the original album.

The Jazz N Palms label and producer is Riccio, an artist who makes lush jazz-fusion, jazz dance, Balearic and downtempo instrumental music. Ses Rodes was inspired by the quiet, organic, slower side of Ibiza. It was written with young, talented local musicians, Riccio met at a jazz night at the famous Pikes hotel, and the record harks back to the island's beautiful natural charms that have been captivating visitors for hundreds of years. ‘They didn't ask me, but I did it anyway,’ he says of these magical new Revisades.

The reworks kick off with a smooth but busy broken beat rework of 'Manana', which is doused in romantic chords. 'Mediodia' becomes a jazz-funk gem, 'Tarde' picks up the pace with silky disco licks and 'Noche' glows warm with dreamy pads and soft focus vibraphone. The gentle grooves of 'Mar' are led by a sexy sax line and intimate interplay between funky bass and jazzy keys, 'Playa' is loved-up, sun-down bliss, 'Bosque' is an irresistible invitation to dance and 'Cielo' is a rich tapestry of horns, keys and percussive patter to soothe the soul.

With its deeper textures and looser grooves, Ses Rodes (Revisades) is a love letter to Ibiza’s slower side and healing spirits.

"Paloma mensajera" (featuring members of New Juggler Sound / Laghonia) shows the shift that was taking place within Peruvian rock away from psych and hard rock which had predominated during the early 70s. The style adopted by Grupo Amigos (and other bands and artists during this period) highlights the influence of soft rock, UK, US and Latin American folk rock and, above all, the desire to keep the melodic greatness of The Beatles alive. This reissue includes bonus tracks and extensive liner notes. DESCRIPTION "Paloma mensajera" (featuring members of New Juggler Sound / Laghonia) shows the shift that was taking place within Peruvian rock away from psych and hard rock which had predominated during the early 70s. The style adopted by Grupo Amigos (and other bands and artists during this period) highlights the influence of soft rock, UK, US and Latin American folk rock and, above all, the desire to keep the melodic greatness of The Beatles alive. The positive reception albums by artists such as We All Together, Telegraph Avenue and Zulu garnered between 1972 and 1975, marked a change of paradigm and in preferences within the Peruvian rock scene. Eclecticism gained new ground, to the detriment of the sectarian and orthodox, while melody grew more present and visible, moving away from the progressive experimentation that typified underground Peruvian rock up to the beginning of the 70s. For their first single on MAG, included on this reissue, the band adopted a formula in which Beatles harmonies converged symmetrically with folk motifs. 'Dirty Girl' was a hit on the radio. A full album followed but only a fairly small number of copies of the album were pressed, which seems to have been the main reason for omitting it from the historical accounts of Peruvian rock music from the late 90s onwards. In "Paloma mensajera" all compositions were penned by the group, after several years during which cover versions were a staple. Some of the musical resources that the band had at their disposal in terms of composition and arrangements are striking and even surprising, considering that they were a debut band, whose members were under the age of 20. The arrangements included the clever use of a Moog synthesizer which had just arrived at the MAG studio. The success achieved by the Beatles tribute performances played by the members of Grupo Amigos for decades have eclipsed the songs that Edmundo, Andrés Da Ros and Simón Ames composed with youthful enthusiasm and energy between 1972 and 1973 to the point where they have almost been forgotten. This re-release of "Paloma mensajera" should help rectify this major injustice. It includes bonus tracks and extensive liner notes.