quête:te

Saxophonist Walter Smith III pays homage to his hometown of Houston, Texas on his sophomore Blue Note album, three of us are from Houston and Reuben is not, the follow-up to 2023’s return to casual. The album’s wry title signifies the lineup, which includes fellow Houston natives – pianist Jason Moran and drummer Eric Harland – while bassist Reuben Rogers, who hails from the Virgin Islands, rounds out the quartet. Together they enliven 10 compelling Smith originals and an imaginative rendering of a Sam Rivers composition – all of which speaks to Smith’s ascending status as one of modern jazz’s most engaging talents of his generation.

With a Yamaha organ and a dream, South African artist Pops Mohamed started his musical journey in the mid-1970s as the bandleader and composer of Black Disco, creating a hip melange of chill-out jazz with futuristic drum machine sounds and spiritual overtones. His cosmic organ transmissions were accompanied by two of the most sought-after session players on the South African scene, the sax and flute wizard Basil Coetzee, who had risen to fame in 1974 as one of the soloists on the hit "Mannenberg," and Sipho Gumede, the young bass prodigy who was already rubbing shoulders with the old guard at the outset of his career. Backed at first with polyphonic beats from Mohamed's electric organ and later taking on a drummer, Black Disco created a signature sound and a trilogy of innovative albums in a burst of studio creativity between 1975 and 1976.

This is the first full reissue of their 3rd album, from the original masters. Limited Edition

Two seminal 12" mixes of a pair of enormous tracks from Surface. Housed in the super-rare and - until now - French-only picture sleeve of the eternal "Falling In Love", we've backed that classic with Be With's favourite deconstructed mix of the swirling electronic soul / synth-driven slow jam "Happy". These sought-after versions have never been paired on the same record before. This fresh Be With edition ensures these legendary tracks now sound, looks and feel as sensational as they deserve to. You know what to do...

American post-disco/R&B trio Surface were a New Jersey vocal group made up of Bernard Jackson, David Townsend and David Conley. The majesty of boogie ballad "Falling In Love" was their first single, released in 1983 on Salsoul Records. The mellow magic of this track is loved the world over; it's a feel-good smooth boogie jam that's forever coveted. The slick, crystal clear beat, the legendary minimoog bassline, the melody, Karen Copeland's superb vocal, the great flute solo (referenced on the cover) all of it is literally perfect and beautifully encapsulates that mid 80s international club vibe. This here is the original Shep Pettibone mix in its entirety - it's the only one you really need.

Flip for the legendary "Love Mix" of 1987 hit single “Happy". You all know the original. At least, you *should* all know it. But the "Love Mix" is a deconstructed, boldly produced mix which is the one the heads have turned to for so long. Yet, in our opinion, its hypnotic groove has flown under the radar for too many years. This killer remix begins with Jackson's spine-tingling isolated vocal, cleverly subverting expectations by actually delivering the first words of the original's second verse "You must be Heaven sent...Sent into my life...And I compliment you baby...Baby" before a heavy 808 drum kicks hard with echoey handclaps. It's super sparse and a dubbed out slow-mo boogie banger like no other. The synth bass, atmospheric synth pads and synthesized flute glide in and out with effortless style and the whole thing is a wonder to behold.

It's a slow jam, for sure, but crafted in the straight up funk tradition, using the digital tools of the day and this sparser than sparse version almost sounds like a precursor to UK Street Soul. A unique combination of undeniable funk, electro beats and an earnest, youthful tenor; it should be slamming out of every jeep forevermore.

Simon Francis remastered the original audio for both tracks and Cicely Balston's precise cut for Alchemy at AIR Studios ensures this 12" well and truly slaps. The immaculate Record Industry pressing will ensure this incredibly sought-after treasure finds a home in many more collections, this and every year. Simply flawless.

Mortal Sin tauchten nach ihrer Gründung aus dem australischen Metal-Underground auf und erlangten schnell weltweiten Ruhm, als ihr selbstveröffentlichtes Debütalbum 1987 vom Majorlabel Vertigo weltweit neu aufgelegt wurde. Das Folgealbum 'Face Of Despair' wurde von Randy Burns (Megadeth, Possessed, Death, Nuclear Assault) produziert und erhielt weltweit positive Kritiken. Die Band tourte mit Metallica auf ihrer '…And Justice For All'-Tour durch Australien, supportete Testament in Europa und unterstützte Faith No More auf ihrer 'The Real Thing'-Tour. Die Single 'I Am Immortal' und das Live-Video 'Face Of Mayhem' verhalfen der Band zu größerer Anerkennung. 'Face Of Despair' wird nun als Dark Red Vinyl-Edition von Dissonance neu aufgelegt.

Das neue Album des Danish String Quartets ist eine ”musikalische Spurensuche über die Nordsee, eine
Reise durch die Klänge der traditionellen Musik Nordeuropas, die uns von Dänemark und Norwegen zu den
Färöer-Inseln und nach Irland und England führt.” Keel Road folgt auf Last Leaf, das gefeierte Danish-StringQuartet-Album aus dem Jahr 2017, das von NPR zum ”Classical Album of the Year” und von Publikationen
wie der New York Times und dem Gramophone Magazin zum ”Best of the Year” gewählt wurde. Keel Road
unterstreicht die Auffassung der Gruppe, dass ”Volksweisen nicht nur ein Teil unseres Repertoires, sondern
ein wichtiges Element unserer Identität als Musiker sind.” Subtil in den Fluss der Einspielung integriert sind
neben traditionellen Stücken auch Eigenkompositionen von Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen und Fredrik Schøyen
Sjölin sowie bestechende Arrangements der Musiker von vier Kompositionen Turlough O’Carolans, dem
legendären Harfenisten aus dem irischen County Meath. Das Programm beleuchtet sowohl musikalische
Verwandtschaften als auch deren subtile Unterschiede, denn obgleich Folkmusik ”lokale Traditionen und
lokale Geschichten repräsentiert, ist sie gleichzeitig auch die Musik von überall und jedem”. Keel Road
wurde im November 2022 im Village Recording Studio in Kopenhagen aufgenommen und im März 2024 in
den Bavaria Musikstudios in München gemischt.

Bringing a dance floor sensibility to the deeper end of the electronic spectrum, the Dutch duo Jordi van Achthoven and Micha Heyboer a.k.a. Tinlicker have courted the attention of global labels and tastemakers since breaking out in 2013. Prolific musicians with backgrounds in dubstep and pop production, their journey so far has seen them release on the likes of Mau5trap, Armada, Sotto Voce and Anjunadeep - with an a eclectic array of DJ support from Above & Beyond to Oliver Heldens, Tiësto to Yotto. Able to turn their hand to deep house, techno and electro, the pair have reworked the likes of Lane 8 and Deadmau5; their stunning update of Reflekt ‘Need To Feel Loved’ becoming a sought after mix among fellow DJs over the last 12 months. A showcase for their dynamic songwriting and forward thinking sound design, Tinlicker’s debut artist album ‘This Is Not Our Universe’ will be released on Anjunabeats this September.

New Milestone AOR Album Release by Joseph Williams, Bill Champlin, and Peter Friestedt!

Exciting Collaboration: TOTO singer Joseph Williams teams up with former Chicago singer Bill Champlin and Swedish guitarist/producer Peter Friestedt for an exhilarating new milestone AOR release! This collaboration follows the immense success of their album "CWF II" and the "Live In Concert" DVD, which soared to the top of the Swedish charts.

Continuing his fruitful relationship with Discrepant after the third volume of his ongoing Organic Music Tape Series on Sucata Tapes, Tiago Sousa returns with two longform pieces for organ with 'A Thousand Strings'. A self-explanatory title in itself, 'A Thousand Strings' drifts fluidly into a celestial realm of cascading melodies and cycling patterns that never feel forced or strict throughout its two hypnotic tracks. Pulsating with life and ecstatic abandon.

Taking cues from the tradition of American minimalists like Steve Reich and, particularly, Terry Riley, the Portuguese composer's work flows with a life of his own, that, while acknowledging those influences, transcends them into his own signature. On the A side, 'A Thousand Strings' goes seamlessly from intertwining crepuscular harmonies to ascending keyboard runs in the manner of 'Persian Surgery Dervishes' finishing with a coda of rhythmic marimba-like pulses. On the flipside, 'The Things Passed' creates this maze-like tapestry of melodies that seem to drift apart only to converge back again into its internal process before setting on sustained tones infused with a sense of longing. For all things passed. For what is yet to come.

Everything Around You is a co-release presented by K and Perennial.The second LP from Feeling Figures was in fact recorded before their first. Amongst the stuttered starts and stops of the pandemic, a window opened for `The Figs' to commit 11 songs to tape. After gradually preparing new and resurrected material, they gathered in drummer T's basement in the omicron winter of early 2022 to document their strongest songs on his recently acquired reel-to-reel. Compared to `Migration Magic', `Everything Around You' is a considerably deeper dive into the Figs universe, a more deliberate collection that includes compositions which push into the expanse, drawing from a broader palette of art rock influences. The songs on this album navigate tensions between the personal and political, encompassing inner turmoil and deep-seated desires for change at the entangled axis of individual and social transformation. `Everything Around You' is their most fully-realized accomplishment to date; the best recorded representation of their boundless, idiosyncratic approach to guitar-based music. A summation years in the making, years in waiting, finally set free.

Deluxe Anniversary Edition. Jade Green Swirl Vinyl. LP+7". - Deluxe Anniversary Edition of LP celebratiing 10 years since it's initial release - Enclosed in hardcover photobook with 96 pages of photos from the era with liner notes from each member of Modern Baseball - Includes exclusive 7" with. It's been ten whole years of us listening to Modern Baseballl's iconic record You're Gonna Miss It All, and to celebrate Run For Cover has teamed with the band to deliver a deluxe anniversary edition worthy of it's legacy. This version of the band's second album is a collector's delight - two discs enclosed in a heavyweight, hardcover 12" x 12" book with 96 pages of photos from longtime collaborator Jess Flynn. Each member of Modern Baseball also contributed notes to provide context to the countless photos taken while touring, recording, skateboarding, napping, swimming and a whole lot more. This deluxe edition also includes two never-before released demos of "Rock Bottom" and "Pothole" pressed on an exclusive 7". These early, intimate versions show how the ideas behind these two favorite tracks progressed into the final takes that made it onto You're Gonna Miss It All. Modern Baseball was formed in 2011 by friends and guitarists Jacob Ewald and Brendan Lukens, who were soon joined by Ian Farmer on bass and Sean Huber on drums.The band self-released their first EP The Nameless Ranger in 2011 while still in high school. Shortly after the members relocated to Philadelphia to attend college and quickly gained a strong following in the Philadelphia music community, teaming up with locals Marietta to release the Couples Therapy split in the spring of 2012. Modern Baseball released their debut full-length Sports later that year on Lame-O Records, which they self-recorded and produced. After spending the summer of 2013 touring heavily across the US, the band headed into Studio A in Philadelphia to self-record You're Going to Miss It All. Mixed by Jonathan Low at Minor Street Recordings and mastered by Will Yip, You're Going to Miss It All features 12 tracks that showcase the band's signature witty indie-pop.

Into the Burning Blue, the fifth studio album from Trace Mountains, begins underwater. Songwriter Dave Benton was too. And though the songs were derived from a place of pain and heartbreak, Into the Burning Blue is an adventurous, bold, and groovy album about movement. Benton is at his most declarative, depicting his constant tread of water to stay afloat, and the occasional triumph that comes as reward. Pain often brings a new perspective on pleasure, and without the blues, joy wouldn't be as bright and elusive as it is. But excavation is essential to the new perspective, and you often need new tools to break out of the monochromatic mold. Into the Burning Blue is a testament to looking inward, embracing new methods, and accepting the help of your friends - no matter how hard they are to find.

Ursprünglich im Jahr 2020 veröffentlicht, ist some kind of peace ein persönlicheres und introspektiveres
Album, als Ólafur es je zuvor veröffentlicht hatte.
some kind of peace handelt davon, was es bedeutet, lebendig zu sein, sich zu trauen und verletzlich zu
sein. Es ist eine persönliche Reise, die Ólafur mit seiner bisher introspektivsten Musik vor dem Hintergrund
einer ins Chaos gestürzten Welt erzählt. Auf dem Album verarbeitet er reale Teile seiner Lebensgeschichte,
wobei er meisterhafte Sampling-Techniken einsetzt, um dem Hörer ein Fenster in seine Erfahrungen zu
öffnen.
Neben Ólafur Arnalds selbst sind auch befreundete Musiker auf dem Album vertreten, wie der britische
Musiker Bonobo, der isländische Sänger und Multiinstrumentalist JFDR und die deutsche Sängerin und
Komponistin Josin. ”All diese Menschen waren zu diesem Zeitpunkt Teil meines Lebens oder haben mit
mir die Erfahrungen gemacht, die das Album beeinflusst haben”, erklärt er. ”Es wäre seltsam, ein so
persönliches Album zu schreiben und meine Freunde nicht einzubeziehen.”
Mit einer Art Stück fordert Ólafur Arnalds das Leben mit all seinen Facetten heraus, zu akzeptieren, wie
es ist, loszulassen und vor allem zu reagieren und darüber nachzudenken, um unseren persönlichen inneren
Frieden zu finden. Sein atemberaubendes Album wäre definitiv der richtige Ort, um damit zu beginnen.

Off the back of ""electrifying"" (Rolling Stone) performances across Australia's premier festivals throughout summer, proud Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Kalkadoon and Yirendali woman & multi-award-winning Naarm/Melbourne-via-lutriwita/Tasmania artist MISS KANINNA is thrilled to announce her internationally-anticipated debut EP KANINNA, out 20 September via Soul Has No Tempo.

Spanning hip-hop, rap, R&B and pop with touches of Amapiano, Afrobeats and Middle Eastern influences, the EP features her latest single 'Push Up', plus ""the left-right goodnight"" (triple j) combo of her debut 2023 singles 'Blak Britney' & 'Pinnacle Bitch' which spurred her meteoric rise with far-ranging support from Apple Radio 1, BBC Radio 6, KEXP, KCRW and triple j, who crowned her with the J Award for Unearthed Artist of the Year 2023.

On March 24, 2023 Rob Mazurek assembled his endlessly psychedelic and explorative large ensemble Exploding Star Orchestra under the dome of Chicago’s Adler Planetarium to perform material from their recently released album Lightning Dreamers along with a number of new pieces.

A digital projection flashed an ever-changing stream of vividly colored, abstract shapes derived from Mazurek’s paintings and animations over the audience’s heads, while the Orchestra, which on this night numbered eight musicians besides its leader, transformed the stylistically disparate pieces from Lightning Dreamers into an enveloping maelstrom. Electric pianists Angelica Sanchez and Craig Taborn pushed layers of plush texture back and forth over the intricate, tripartite grooves of bassist Ingebrigt Håker Flaten and two drummers, Chad Taylor and Gerald Cleaver. Mazurek’s trumpets and wordless cries, Tomeka Reid’s cello and Nicole Mitchell’s flute and voice periodically surfaced out of the flow, issuing sharp, energetic statements, while Damon Locks’ proclamations flickered in and out of the mix like an erratic signal from some interstellar radio announcer. Together, they reimagined the brooding sound of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew as a force for transcendent uplift.

At one point, Mitchell put down her flute, spoke into Mazurek’s ear and pointed up to toward the dome. As he looked up, his own horn came down, and for a moment, the two of them gazed with undisguised awe at the spectacle that the Orchestra had unleashed. In a time when so many forces conspire to bring people down, this concert was an invitation to look up and out past the horizon.

France-based, prog-rock power trio LIZZARD are out to reclaim the creative, collaborative energy that has fueled them for over a decade. On `Mesh', the band's fifth full length album, LIZZARD capture the energetic, lightning-in-a-bottle optimism of the late `90s post-punk/art-rock scene and reinvigorate it as something empowering, inspiring and simmering with potential. Recorded by the band in the abandoned factory they use as their creative base and produced again by now long-time friend and collaborator Peter Junge, `Mesh' is LIZZARD unleashing the raw, spontaneous might of their pent up live sound through the production precision of their studio experience. As such, themes of duality and control, whether it's regaining it or letting it go, run right through the album. Resounding with Elwell's inimitable, thundering drums and a barrage of colossal riffs, `Black Sheep' explores the dichotomy of body and mind, of black and white, that we all wrestle with on a daily basis whilst the mellow polyrhythms and plaintive melodies of `Mad Hatters' ask pressing questions of the people who are supposedly in charge of society. Epic album closer `The Beholder' captures the reinvigorated LIZZARD at their bracing best; bittersweet guitar refrains are bolstered by Will Knox's signature driving basslines and crashing half-time grooves as frontman Ricou considers the great cycle of life from his own perspective. Testament to the band's formidable compositional prowess, `The Beholder' ends as it starts, a closed loop. With only Ricou's playful, pithy refrain of "What goes around, comes around" left ringing in our ears, LIZZARD masterfully frame `Mesh' as both a poignant conclusion to the last chapter and as a bright new beginning.

Die britisch-bengalische Musikerin Tara Lily aus Südlondon verbindet auf ihrem Debütalbum "Speak In The Dark" Alternative-R&B, Jazz, Electronica und traditionelle indische Klänge zu einer einzigartigen Fusion. Produziert von Dom Valentino, sind ferner US-Jazz-Trompeter Theo Croker, UK-Rapper Surya Sen und Archy Marshall (aka King Krule), mit dem sie schon die Bühne teilte, beteiligt. Erste EPs erschienen bei Motown UK, der Musikexpress zählte sie zu den hochgehandelten internationalen Newcomer*innen 2023".

- "Spellbinding" - The Guardian

- "Beautiful, melancholic" - Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2

- "One to watch!" - Jamz Supernova, BBC 6Music

- "An all-star jazz collaboration." - Clash

- "One to watch for 2024" - Simon Phillips, Jazz FM

- "Soulful and heartfelt" - Jack Saunders, BBC Radio 1

Brand new remastered version of PENTAGRAM legendary album Review Your Choices in new coloured vinyl and with a brand new cover desgined by Mirkow Gastow. PENTAGRAM's fourth studio album "Review Your Choices" marked the band's sixth comeback after several changes of line-up and label. These acclaimed protagonists of Doom Metal proved once more indestructible by drug addiction, break ups, bad deals, jail terms, chronic illness, satanic blood sacrifices and various acts of self destruction. Main-man and singer Bobby Liebling has kept his band alive for over 35 years now and might easily be awarded the title of "longest serving cult band" - highly acclaimed by fans, press and fellow musicians alike. "Review Your Choices" marked the return of multi-instrumentalist Joe Hasselvander to join Bobby Liebling in his eternal quest of creating the heaviest sound possible. The album features a mix of re-recorded lost Liebling tracks from the 70's and stellar new numbers penned by Hasselvander, which gave "Review Your Choices" an extra heavy feeling. PENTAGRAM once again set a standard to be followed by such illustrious followers as Cathedral, Spirit Caravan, Goatsnake, St. Vitus, Trouble or High On Fire among many others. Dive down deep into gloom and despair with this classic Doom recording.

Neon Green Vinyl, limited to 400 copies. Brand new remastered version of PENTAGRAM legendary album Review Your Choices in new coloured vinyl and with a brand new cover desgined by Mirkow Gastow. PENTAGRAM's fourth studio album "Review Your Choices" marked the band's sixth comeback after several changes of line-up and label. These acclaimed protagonists of Doom Metal proved once more indestructible by drug addiction, break ups, bad deals, jail terms, chronic illness, satanic blood sacrifices and various acts of self destruction. Main-man and singer Bobby Liebling has kept his band alive for over 35 years now and might easily be awarded the title of "longest serving cult band" - highly acclaimed by fans, press and fellow musicians alike. "Review Your Choices" marked the return of multi-instrumentalist Joe Hasselvander to join Bobby Liebling in his eternal quest of creating the heaviest sound possible. The album features a mix of re-recorded lost Liebling tracks from the 70's and stellar new numbers penned by Hasselvander, which gave "Review Your Choices" an extra heavy feeling. PENTAGRAM once again set a standard to be followed by such illustrious followers as Cathedral, Spirit Caravan, Goatsnake, St. Vitus, Trouble or High On Fire among many others. Dive down deep into gloom and despair with this classic Doom recording.

Oxblood & Gold Vinyl. Light In The Attic präsentiert in Zusammenarbeit mit Laurie Anderson und dem Lou Reed Archive die erste offizielle Anthologie von Lou Reeds Arbeiten für Pickwick Records 1964-1965. "Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed At Pickwick Records 1964-65"enthält Raritäten, Kultklassiker (The Primitives' "The Ostrich") und bisher unveröffentlichtes Material (The Beachnuts' "Sad, Lonely Orphan Boy") und ist eine Zusammenstellung von Popsongs aus Reeds Feder, die er Mitte der 60er Jahre als angestellter Songwriter für das längst untergegangene Label Pickwick Records schrieb. Die Zusammenstellung ist der neueste Teil der Lou Reed Archive Serie und folgt auf Lou Reeds "Words & Music, May 1965" (2022) und die Wiederveröffentlichung von "Hudson River Wind Meditations" (2023). Als eine der originellsten und innovativsten Persönlichkeiten der Musikgeschichte erlangte Reed (1942-2013) zunächst als Mitbegründer und Frontmann der einflussreichen Band Velvet Underground Anerkennung. Im Laufe seiner fünf Jahrzehnte währenden Karriere brachte der zweifache Rock & Roll Hall of Famer seine einzigartige Vision in eine eklektische Bandbreite musikalischer Unternehmungen ein, darunter epochale Alben wie "Transformer" (1972) und wild experimentelle Werke wie der avantgardistische Noise-Klassiker "Metal Machine Music" (1975). Doch bevor er sich als Sänger, Songschreiber, Musiker und Dichter etablierte, begann Reed als interner Songschreiber (und gelegentlicher Session-Gitarrist/Sänger) bei Pickwick Records, einem Label, das sich auf Sound-ähnliche Aufnahmen spezialisierte, die die großen Pop-Hits der damaligen Zeit nachahmten. Von Garage-Rock und Girl-Group-Pop bis hin zu Blue-Eyed-Soul und Teenie-Idol-Balladen bietet Reeds Schaffen für Pickwick einen faszinierenden frühen Einblick in sein sich ständig weiterentwickelndes und wahrhaft grenzenloses künstlerisches Schaffen, das vom GRAMMYr-nominierten Mastering-Ingenieur John Baldwin restauriert und remastered wurde. Sowohl die 2xLP- als auch die CD-Editionen enthalten ausführliche Booklets mit ungesehenen Fotos, Linernotes von Richie Unterberger (renommierter Musikjournalist und Autor von "White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground day-by-day") und ein Essay von Lenny Kaye (dem legendären Gitarristen, Mitbegründer der Patti Smith Group, Autor, Produzent und Kurator der bahnbrechenden Garage-Rock-Anthologie "Nuggets"). Die Doppel-LP-Verpackung wurde von dem mehrfach mit dem GRAMMYr ausgezeichneten Künstler Masaki Koike gestaltet. Eine spezielle farbige Vinyl-Edition wird auf "Oxblood"-Wachs (A/B-Seite) und "Gold"-Wachs (C/D-Seite) gepresst.

Light In The Attic präsentiert in Zusammenarbeit mit Laurie Anderson und dem Lou Reed Archive die erste offizielle Anthologie von Lou Reeds Arbeiten für Pickwick Records 1964-1965. "Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed At Pickwick Records 1964-65"enthält Raritäten, Kultklassiker (The Primitives' "The Ostrich") und bisher unveröffentlichtes Material (The Beachnuts' "Sad, Lonely Orphan Boy") und ist eine Zusammenstellung von Popsongs aus Reeds Feder, die er Mitte der 60er Jahre als angestellter Songwriter für das längst untergegangene Label Pickwick Records schrieb. Die Zusammenstellung ist der neueste Teil der Lou Reed Archive Serie und folgt auf Lou Reeds "Words & Music, May 1965" (2022) und die Wiederveröffentlichung von "Hudson River Wind Meditations" (2023). Als eine der originellsten und innovativsten Persönlichkeiten der Musikgeschichte erlangte Reed (1942-2013) zunächst als Mitbegründer und Frontmann der einflussreichen Band Velvet Underground Anerkennung. Im Laufe seiner fünf Jahrzehnte währenden Karriere brachte der zweifache Rock & Roll Hall of Famer seine einzigartige Vision in eine eklektische Bandbreite musikalischer Unternehmungen ein, darunter epochale Alben wie "Transformer" (1972) und wild experimentelle Werke wie der avantgardistische Noise-Klassiker "Metal Machine Music" (1975). Doch bevor er sich als Sänger, Songschreiber, Musiker und Dichter etablierte, begann Reed als interner Songschreiber (und gelegentlicher Session-Gitarrist/Sänger) bei Pickwick Records, einem Label, das sich auf Sound-ähnliche Aufnahmen spezialisierte, die die großen Pop-Hits der damaligen Zeit nachahmten. Von Garage-Rock und Girl-Group-Pop bis hin zu Blue-Eyed-Soul und Teenie-Idol-Balladen bietet Reeds Schaffen für Pickwick einen faszinierenden frühen Einblick in sein sich ständig weiterentwickelndes und wahrhaft grenzenloses künstlerisches Schaffen, das vom GRAMMYr-nominierten Mastering-Ingenieur John Baldwin restauriert und remastered wurde. Sowohl die 2xLP- als auch die CD-Editionen enthalten ausführliche Booklets mit ungesehenen Fotos, Linernotes von Richie Unterberger (renommierter Musikjournalist und Autor von "White Light/White Heat: The Velvet Underground day-by-day") und ein Essay von Lenny Kaye (dem legendären Gitarristen, Mitbegründer der Patti Smith Group, Autor, Produzent und Kurator der bahnbrechenden Garage-Rock-Anthologie "Nuggets"). Die Doppel-LP-Verpackung wurde von dem mehrfach mit dem GRAMMYr ausgezeichneten Künstler Masaki Koike gestaltet.

• The mysterious and oddly named Soul Interiors recorded two terrific sides for Mickey Stevenson in 1972, ‘The Inside Guys’ - a sublime dancer and the deep soul harmony of ‘My Friend Heartaches’.

France-based, prog-rock power trio LIZZARD are out to reclaim the creative, collaborative energy that has fueled them for over a decade. On `Mesh', the band's fifth full length album, LIZZARD capture the energetic, lightning-in-a-bottle optimism of the late `90s post-punk/art-rock scene and reinvigorate it as something empowering, inspiring and simmering with potential. Recorded by the band in the abandoned factory they use as their creative base and produced again by now long-time friend and collaborator Peter Junge, `Mesh' is LIZZARD unleashing the raw, spontaneous might of their pent up live sound through the production precision of their studio experience. As such, themes of duality and control, whether it's regaining it or letting it go, run right through the album. Resounding with Elwell's inimitable, thundering drums and a barrage of colossal riffs, `Black Sheep' explores the dichotomy of body and mind, of black and white, that we all wrestle with on a daily basis whilst the mellow polyrhythms and plaintive melodies of `Mad Hatters' ask pressing questions of the people who are supposedly in charge of society. Epic album closer `The Beholder' captures the reinvigorated LIZZARD at their bracing best; bittersweet guitar refrains are bolstered by Will Knox's signature driving basslines and crashing half-time grooves as frontman Ricou considers the great cycle of life from his own perspective. Testament to the band's formidable compositional prowess, `The Beholder' ends as it starts, a closed loop. With only Ricou's playful, pithy refrain of "What goes around, comes around" left ringing in our ears, LIZZARD masterfully frame `Mesh' as both a poignant conclusion to the last chapter and as a bright new beginning.

Blonde Redhead melden sich mit 'Sit Down for Dinner' zurück, ihrem ersten Album seit sieben Jahren und Debüt bei section1. Der Titel ist eine Anspielung auf das oft zelebrierte kollektive Ritual, eine Mahlzeit mit den Menschen zu teilen, die man liebt. Dieses fesselnde, minutiös ausgearbeitete Album ist Ausdruck eines beständigen Miteinanders und ein Zeugnis der einzigartigen inneren Logik, die Blonde Redhead in den letzten drei Jahrzehnten verfeinert haben. Zurückhaltende, aber dennoch eindringliche Melodien tragen jeden Song und schaffen eine Kulisse für Texte über die unausweichlichen Kämpfe des Erwachsenseins: Kommunikationsprobleme in andauernden Beziehungen, die Frage, wohin man sich wenden soll, das Festhalten an Träumen. Letztendlich ist 'Sit Down for Dinner' das vielleicht stärkste Album in einem ebenso illustren wie abwechslungsreichen Katalog.

Der Nachfolger des selbstbetitelten Snakeskin-Debüts aus 2022, Tilo Wolffs (Lacrimosa) Seitenprojekt, ist eine Kollaboration der Singer/Songwriterin Julia Sabra mit dem Produzenten/Multiinstrumentalisten Fadi Tabbal. Die anhaltende Freundschaft des Paares führt zu einer seltenen Art von Synergie, die an Arbeiten von Virginia Astley mit Ryuichi Sakamoto, Trish Keenan und James Cargill (Broadcast) oder von Angelo Baladamenti und Julee Cruise bei Twin Peaks erinnert. Während Julia textlich ihr bisher lebendigstes und eindringlichstes Werk vorlegt, fügt Fadi der Industrial-Drone-Ambient-Palette des Duos Exkursionen in Hyperpop und Electronica hinzu.

"Justin Townes Earle released Kids In The Street, his first record on New West Records, in May of 2017. The album received critical acclaim and further cemented Justin’s legacy as one of the best active songwriters in music. Songs like, “Champagne Corolla” showcased his wry sense of humor as well as his deft ability to build upon the music that came before him while at the same time creating something unique and new. Familiar, inventive, creative, and clever.

Justin would release his second album with New West Records in May of 2019. The Saint of Lost Causes was hailed as one of the best albums of 2019 by Rolling Stone Magazine with “half a dozen or so career classics.” “I was trying to look through the eyes of America,” Earle says. “Because I believe in the idea of America - that everybody’s welcome here and has a right to be here.” Earle tells these American stories in detail and without judgement. While some songs cite historic events like “Flint City Shake It,” and “Don’t Drink The Water,"" other tracks present fictionalized narratives that are no less harrowing, or true-to-life , as heard in ""Appalachian Nightmare,” “The Saint Of Lost Causes,” and “Over Alameda.""

Justin Townes Earle was always a champion of the underdog and All In features in depth looks at the hopeful, and the hopeless. Fueled by empathy, baked in the blues, Justin was never without something poignant or humorous to say. Sadly, Justin passed away in 2020 at the age of 38. ALL IN: Unreleased & Rarities (The New West Years) is a fitting tribute to Justin’s legacy. The collection features many never heard before songs, demos, and cover tunes, spanning his time as a New West Records recording artist."

"Mountain Music is Nina Nesbitt as fans have never heard her before. Having risen to fame at a young age with her disarming, candid pop – the Scottish musician is now found in an entirely new realm. It is inspired in part by the two years she spent touring the States in support of her second studio album: the critically acclaimed Top 40, The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change, which has now accrued over a billion streams. These songs are permeated with gorgeous nods to US folk and Americana. It’s made all the more extraordinary by the face that, not long ago, Nesbitt was considering quitting music altogether. Produced by Peter Miles and Nesbitt, mixed and mastered by Miles at his stunning studio MiddleFarm in south Devon, and released via her own label, Apple Tree Records. A playful nod to her 2012 debut EP, TheApple Tree, this marks the start of an exciting new era for Nina Nesbitt. While it might sound strange that Nesbitt was drawn to the music of Appalachia, heard echoing through the vast, verdant mountain ranges of the eastern United States, it makes more sense when you consider how traditional Scottish ballads and hymns are threads in that rich tapestry.

Empathy is one of Nesbitt’s greatest strengths. We hear it on “Painkiller”, a Joni Mitchell-indebted ballad on which her heart breaks for the men who believe they have to suppress their own feelings. One of the album’s standout qualities is, perhaps, the dynamic that Nesbitt creates from one song to the next. Where many folk artists might lean into quiet introspection, she craves the full spectrum of emotion – so ensconced around “Painkiller” you have the tender “On the Run’, with its distant shivers of percussion and crystalline piano, but also “Anger”. She’s in a nostalgic mood on the rousing “Coming Home”, a Springsteen-inspired, driving-with-the-top-down journey back to the places and people she loves. We all lose ourselves sometimes. The trick is learning how to find our way back, pushing those clouds away to see the blue skies beyond. For artist Nina Nesbitt, hard-hitting truths and revelations take precedent on her remarkable, career-best album, Mountain Music. Nesbitt knows exactly who she is, and now, she’s ready to tell the world."

"Auto-Reverse" is a compilation of the greatest hits of Guillaume Fédou, a pioneer of French independent pop since 2003, the year of his first single "Garçon Moderne" released by Village Vert. Presented as a best-of and not an anthology, this project of 12 hand-picked tracks tells the sentimental and offbeat story of a "singer since 1974" who is both vintage and furiously contemporary.

Coming from collaborations with Arnaud Fleurent-Didier, Plaisir de France, Benjamin Diamond, Jérôme Plasseraud or les Soucis (his group composed of Victor le Masne, Pierre Leroux, Philippe Monthaye, Judah Warsky and Mattias Mimoun), these 12 songs are as many chapters of a melodic novel that defies the laws and especially the spirit of the times.

No need to rewind, Auto-Reverse does it for you.

While Chicha Libre's second album, Canibalismo was inspired by the Peruvian Chicha explosion of the 70's, it also looked back to the cultural Cannibalism dear to Os Mutantes and other Brazilian tropicalists, as well as the production values of late 1960’s rock bands.

The group still pays homage to amazonian legends Los Wembler's de Iquitos, Los Mirlos and Manzanita, but mixes it up even more by combining mellotron and vintage synths with West African guitars, treated percussion, fuzztone and some R.D Burman-inspired arrangements. Originally released in 2012, this the first european re-release on vinyl.

20 year anniversary pressing, remastered for vinyl !

Limited edition of 1000 copies on devil red vinyl / Includes the original 12x18 promo poster

"Zach Hill (Death Grips) and Spencer Seim (The Advantage) “‘The Devil Isn't Red’ systematically shakes down like it was the rocker's score to upper- level Tetris – no matter how swiftly the pieces descend, Hella manage to drop them in place.” – Pitchfork-

The Ruins' eponymous EP (also known as the “gray record”) was originally released in the late spring of 1984 and in fact represents a significant moment in the Italian independent music scene of the early 1980s. The then contemporary burgeoning wave of entertainment music contaminated by experimental accents and conveyed essentially by electronic instruments saw the Ruins at the forefront. The band, essentially a duo, formed in Mestre (Venice) in 1978, had already carved out a window of national attention within the Italian new wave in 1981 with their first single “Short wave” and their participation in one of the very first (if not the very first) Italian new wave compilations entitled “Samples Only.”

Following this, between 1982 and 1983, there had been an important interlude in the evolution of the RUINS sound with the foundation of the quintet project (of which SPITTLE/DepenDance recently published an essential anthology titled “BRAIN FLAKES”). At the end of 1983, having concluded the group experience with the consequent and inevitable return to the original duo dimension the musical style further evolved putting even more emphasis on the unique blend of electronic sounds and almost black /soul influences of the new compositions that would later be collected in 1984 in the original version of E.P.

The duo's sound at that particular time was characterized by the innovative use of synthesizers and drum machines for unconventional song structures, which at the same time also encapsulated Ciranna and Pizzin's experimental ethos, thus allowing them to follow a parallel trajectory capable of maintaining a certain distance - while remaining somewhat related to - from the contemporary mainstream pop and the so-called ITALO disco strand.

Ultimately, this 1984 EP by the Ruins - of which Spittle DepenDance now offers a valuable reissue enriched with additional material from the period that has remained completely unreleased until now - is a testament to the band's innovative spirit and its role in shaping the Italian new wave scene, landing moreover to international acclaim and acclaim even over the following decades. With its mix of electronic experimentation and dark pop sensibility, it remains essential listening for fans of avant-garde pop music.

30 Jahre Bell Book & Candle - Zu diesem großartigen Jubiläum erscheint das neue Album „L.O.V.E.“ mit 12 neuen Songs auf CD, Vinyl und digital, sowie in der Deluxe Edition als Doppel-CD mit dem 21 Titel umfassenden „Best Of“ aus 3 Jahrzehnten der Band.1994 gründete sich das Trio Bell Book & Candle, das 1997 mit dem internationalen Hit „Rescue Me“ die Welt eroberte. Die besondere Magie der Band um Jana Groß, Andy Birr und Hendrik Röder stellte sich schon im Namen dar, der dem Film Bell Book & Candle (1958) entlehnt ist. Bell Book & Candle haben bis heute etwa 1800 Konzerte zwischen Templin und Texas gespielt (u. a. im Vorprogramm der großen Deutschland-Tourneen von Whitney Houston und Roxette). Ein Erfahrungsfundus, von dem die Drei profitieren und der auch ihre Musik immer wieder neu geprägt hat.

Chicago veröffentlicht ein historisches Konzert, das von den Original-Mehrspurbändern von Gründungsmitglied und Trompeter Lee Loughnane und Toningenieur Tim Jessup neu abgemischt wurde. Die 26 Tracks umfassende Live-Sammlung wurde am 16. September 1971 aufgenommen, etwa eine Woche nach der Eröffnung des John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in der Hauptstadt des Landes. Mehr als 50 Jahre lang blieb das Konzert unveröffentlicht, mit Ausnahme der Aufführung von „Goodbye“, die 2018 auf Chicago Premiere feierte: VI Decades Live.




Die Show erkundet alle drei Studioalben, die Chicago seit ihrem Debüt 1969 veröffentlicht hat. Die Songs umfassen eine Reihe von Stilen und unterstreichen die Fähigkeit der Band, Genres nahtlos zu vermischen. Wenige Tage nach dem Auftritt im Kennedy Center begann die Band mit den Aufnahmen zu Chicago V. Das Album, das im Juli 1972 veröffentlicht wurde, markierte eine bedeutende Entwicklung im Sound der Band und wurde Chicagos erstes Nr. 1-Album. Um sich auf das Studio vorzubereiten, testete die Band laut Loughnane einige neue Songs in Washington D.C. „Ein Beispiel: Wir spielten ‚Saturday In The Park‘ zum ersten Mal bei der Show im Kennedy Center. Sie werden feststellen, dass wir noch nicht entschieden hatten, wer die Leadstimme singen sollte. Außerdem hatte Robert den zweiten Teil von 'Dialogue' noch nicht geschrieben.

Mit "Dark Superstition" schlagen Gatecreeper ein neues Kapitel in ihrer Bandhistorie auf: Das kommende Studioalbum ist gleichzeitig die erste Veröffentlichung der Death-Metaller bei Nuclear Blast.

Dafür hat sich die US-Band unter anderem Unterstützung von Fred Etsby (Dismember) und Converge-Gitarrist Kurt Ballou geholt. Zum Hintergrund des Albums, auf das es mit "Caught In The Treads" bereits einen ersten Ausblick gegeben hatte, erklärt Frontmann Chase Mason: "Viele der Songs handeln von übernatürliche Ideen, gepaart meinen eigenen Erfahrungen. Allerdings ist der Titel selbst eine Referenz an die Superstition Mountains in unserem Heimatstaat Arizona. Es ist eine wunderschöne Bergkette, umgeben von Tragödien und Legenden über verborgenes Glück." An das Thema des Übernatürlichen schließen sie auch mit der neuesten Singleveröffentlichung "The Black Curtain" sowie dem dazugehörigen Musikvideo an.

Darin ist die Band von einer Friedhofskulisse umgeben, der sie mit ihrer Mischung aus straightem Rock, peitschenden Death Metal und ausufernden Shoutings Kontur und standesgemäße Düsternis verleihen. Dazu führt Mason weiter aus: "Es geht darum, zwischen Leben und Sterben gefangen zu sein. Eine Seele, die im Fegefeuer gefangen ist und darum bettelt, von einer übernatürlichen Kraft zurückgebracht zu werden."

Schlager Kult Klassiker auf Vinyl

As the 21st century was born, so Kreator underwent what was nothing less than a seismic creative rebirth. By this time, the iconic German band had released nine studio albums in the 1980s and '90s, which had established them as one of the most important metal names of these decades.In the first period, they had helped to shape and pioneer the thrash scene through such releases as 'Pleasure To Kill' (1986), 'Terrible Certainty' ('87) and 'Extreme Aggression' ('89). During the following decade, the band had opened up exciting horizons of experimentation on albums like 'Coma Of Souls' (1990), 'Renewal' ('92) and 'Endorama' ('99).
Now, though, it was time to move into a fresh era, as vocalist/guitarist Mille Petrozza explains.
“During the 1990s, we were definitely experimenting with what the band were doing. But (drummer) Ventor and I decided that for this album – our first of the new millennium – we wanted to go back to the sort of sound that we had at the start of Kreator. In other words, to get back to the reason why we began the band in the first place.”

There was also new guitarist introduced, as Sami Yli-Sirniö (who had made his reputation with Finnish band Waltari) took over from Tommy Vetterli. The latter (also known as Tommy T. Baron) had joined in 1996 and played on the 'Oucast' (1997) and 'Endorama' albums.

The producer for this album was Andy Sneap, who was now making a name for himself as one of the pre-eminent masters of this art in the modern metal world.“I had known and liked Andy since the days he had been the guitarist in Sabbat, as they were signed to Noise Records as Kreator were on that label. He was our first choice to work on this new project. I liked what he'd done for Testament on their album 'The Gathering' (released in 1999). He had given them a sound they'd never had before, and that really was what we were after. It was natural and organic, and also very modern. I remember phoning him at his Backstage Studios in England (Ripley in Derbyshire). And Warrel Dane, the vocalist in Nevermore, answered. Andy was producing their new album at the time ('Dead Heart In A Dead World', 2000). And when I heard this, again I was very impressed. So, I was delighted when he agreed to produce the new Kreator album.”

The album title came from something Petrozza had read. “In a book I came across a comment that John F. Kennedy said (in 1962). This was: "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable”. I thought 'Violent Revolution' would make a good title for an album. So, I kept it in my mind for this record. I think 'Violent Revolution' is a title that makes a real impact.”

One interesting aspect of the track listing was that the 52 second instrumental 'The Patriarch' actually came after the opening song 'Reconquering The Throne'. Fans might have been expected that it would have opened the album. But for Petrozza, there was a logical reason for this not to happen. “We really wanted to lead off with a thrashing track, to show everyone what we were now doing musically. After 'Endorama', it was important that everyone should recognise this was a new era for Kreator.”

'Violent Revolution' is without question an excellent album. While in some ways it does hark back to the glories of the band's earlier days, nonetheless it does not sound at all nostalgic. The performances and production values are very much part of the contemporary era, and the strength of the compositions themselves are of the highest values. Rising to the challenge offered by a new generation of ambitious metal bands, Kreator proved they were far from being a spent force. Unlike so many of their peers, here was a band who still had so much creativity to offer, and were also clearly excited themselves by what they were doing. And when you hear the band themselves enjoying the entire process, then you know this is a bona fide revitalisation.

On October 4, 2024, Vel will make a splash with the release of her debut LP, MTY-011 «There is Always a Solution», through Anetha’s label, Mama Told Ya. After 3 exciting EPs and the recent rise of her Live performance, Vel made waves last year with the track «Velds1» on MTY-AIR «Mille Attaques, Les Vents Contrèrent» in collaboration with LDS. She is now ready to unveil her first full-length album.
«There is Always a Solution» flows with two slippery vinyl records and 10 immersive tracks. Nine tracks are produced solely by Vel, while one is co-produced by Vel and Anetha. Once again, Mama Told Ya returns with a valuable lesson: no matter the challenge, you will flow a way.

Vel is back with a mesmerizing new album featuring 10 tracks that draw you in with her captivating energy. Are you ready to heed the call? The High Priestess of Drums plunges us into a world of vibrant Techno and brisk Tribal rhythms, while her Ambient passages offer a calming retreat and her Mental influences are bound to stir your emotions. Rest assured, “there is always a solution.” Renowned for her expertise in rhythmic innovation and spatial soundscapes, Vel presents a revitalizing and dynamic release. MTY-011 promises to cleanse and rejuvenate—let yourself be immersed.
With a hint of irony, The Babe (A1) playfully teases, “Do you love me? Do you love my music?” But Vel’s real question is more reflective: you’re in deep water. Dive into the sound bath of Humans in Cafe (A2), close your eyes, and let the drums, the kicks, the bangs, and the buzz wash over you. One Xanax Introspection (A3) later, Vel is inviting us to explore the full spectrum of frequencies—a galloping race of deep bass and high treble in this ambient choreography.
« Don’t let the relentless BPM Anxiety (B1) drown you. Its tortured synth may try to hold you back, but you’re free. You’re in your Pop Tribe (B2), and nothing can stop you—DRUM BIG. »
Darling it's better down where it's wetter: joining Vel for a jam session « under the sea », it’s Anetha! Driving percussions are combining with a pulsating psytrance bassline, pure magic: « Ain’t We Mermaids (C1), dear? » Vel, ever the master of the salty beats, slows it down just enough to say, «I Don’t Care (C2),» as she deconstructs. A few moments later… She’s at it again—just when the BPMs are peaking, she draws us into a state of floating lethargy. That’s the absorbing power of Ambient Core (C3).
The current is strong with this one—prepare for a challenge. Deep Tracks Don’t Sell (D1) will drift you away in a swirl of intertwining undulations and dripping drums. It’s time to return to the surface: with a bubbly twist of whimsy, Oh La La (D2) pops in, full of new-wave energy. Vel gently swims us back to shore.
For this new LP, the artwork was crafted in-house under Vel’s artistic direction. The design was skillfully executed by Diplomatie Studio, while mastering was entrusted to In Aeternam Vale, Vel’s close friend and mentor.

Schlager Kult Klassiker auf Vinyl

Schlager Kult Klassiker auf Vinyl

Schlager Kult Klassiker auf Vinyl

Cool Calm Pete has been featured in the past with MF Doom, RJD2, El-P, Morcheeba, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, Aesop Rock, and others. More recently with Kool Keith, Real Bad Man, Heems, and Lee Scott.
Lost (Director’s Cut) kicks off Petes return with some new projects on deck.
Sometimes it takes time for something to establish its proper place in culture, and the modern-day discourse never fails to rush to label an album to be a classic or a flop. Then there are albums like Cool Calm Pete’s “LOST.” Adored by its dedicated fan base upon its original release in 2005 on Embedded Records and Definitive Jux, this record has continued to garner attention over the years from those who are familiar with it. While word-of-mouth alone may not have been sufficient to propel the album to mainstream success, its enduring popularity two decades later is a testament to its well-deserved recognition as an indie rap cult classic. The Korean-American emcee born as Pete Chung wasn’t asking to be a pioneer but having been raised in Queens NY during the golden era of hip hop, rhyming better than his peers just naturally became his identity. Throughout his debut album, his slow-paced, conversational flow fit like a glove to the self-produced “working class” beats that color most of the album. His education in fine arts as a painter and his day-job with a then-burgeoning lifestyle brand called Supreme sometimes took precedence in his professional life, but his dedication to the craft as a hip hop artist was evident, and fans took notice. The album hasn’t been re-released since its initial 2005 drop. and vinyl copies haven’t sold on the collectors’ market for less than $100 in years. With its first official re-release, the laws of supply-and-demand will surely alter that market, and chances are that with more ears to hear the album, those original pressings will only become hotter. In the meantime, the new “LOST (Director’s Cut)” has been re-mastered and extended for release on Cool Calm Pete’s own label Bubble Wife Records, with never-before-heard cuts led by a remix of the title track by Blockhead. Find it.

Jamaican roots reggae master, and frequent collaborator with British trip hop group Massive Attack,
teams up with former PiL bassist Jah Wobble for a
brand new set of studio recordings!
•Andy’s voice is one of the most distinguished and
inimitable in reggae and thoroughly shines on such
classics as Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” The Beatles’
“Come Together,” and America’s “A Horse With No
Name” PLUS new versions of Andy’s own classics
“Skylarking” and “Natty Dread A Weh She Want” and
more!
Wobble’s production blends reggae with modern
dub and world music for one of the richest reggae
albums likely to be relased this year!

Brooklyn alternative metal band A Deer A Horse will release their new album, Texas Math, via Rookie Records. Texas Math will be A Deer A Horse"s second full-length LP and the first featuring their new lineup. In addition to longtime members Angela Phillips (vocals and bass guitar) and Dylan Teggart (drums), this album introduces Marissa Mazzotta (lead guitar) and Ripley Shultz (guitar and backing vocals). Following their 2022 LP Grind, Texas Math captures the band as they reflect inward musically and lyrically, blending a wide range of influences, including metal, punk, industrial, and stoner rock. As bass player Angela Phillips steps into her role as the sole lead singer, she explores lyrical themes such as suicide, hallucination, isolation, denial, and religious indoctrination.

Ruby Wine Vinyl. Manchester UK's Space Afrika make music of what they term "overlapping moments" - oblique mosaics of dialogue, rhythm, texture, and shadow, half-heard through a bus window on a rainy night. Honest Labour, the group's first full-length since 2020's landmark hybtwibt? (have you been through what i've been through?) mixtape, expands the project's palette with classical strings, shimmering guitar, and visionary vocal cameos, leaning further into their enigmatic fusion of ambient unrest and cosmic downtempo. It's a sound both fogged and fragmented, at the axis of song craft and sound design, born from and for the yearning solitudes of life under lockdown.The album title is tiered, alluding to a legendary patriarch from co-founder Joshua Inyang's Nigerian family tree (who was lovingly called "Honest Labour" for his loyalty and resilience) as well as the nature of self-designated work, such as Space Afrika's music - a "labor of love" in its truest sense. With fellow co-founder Joshua Reid recently relocated to Berlin, the pair began sharing files last fall, piecing together poetic vignettes of looping haze and found sound, inspired by the notion of "records that leave an impression, and help the listener deal with their life." As the isolation of Covid compounded with the worsening winter, the songs skewed increasingly introspective and emotive, reflecting a mood of dissipating futures and the infinite nocturnal unknown.The artists cite two core motivations for Honest Labour: to transcend the sum of their influences, and "to show what we're capable of." Both ambitions are entirely realized. The collection's 19 tracks flow with a synergy and sophistication as rare as they are radical, untethered to the dusty dub-techno templates of Space Afrika's early years. These are interstitial anthems, expressionistic and open-ended, delirious but deliberate, attuned to the drift and dreamstate of the present moment: "Ultimately this is an homage to U.K. energy, and an album about love and loss."

6OOA"s 2020 opus is reunmanaged by sound composer Twig Harper, whose unlimited brief takes this REMIX places no other remix record could dare to go. In the process, it affords the wizard of Six Organs, Ben Chasny, the chance to re-present the record in a form as insane as the world into which the record was - and is - headed. A soundtrack to California chaos, done two ways, sometimes at the same time! RIYL: Electronic, New Age, Modern Classical

Die umjubelelten, schrill-bunten Rockerinnen von The Hot Damn! sind mit einem Paukenschlag zurück und veröffentlichen ihre elektrisierende neue Single Can You Hear Me Now? zusammen mit der Ankündigung ihres mit Spannung erwarteten Debütalbums Dancing on the Milky Way, das am Freitag, den 27. September 2024, über Fat Earth Records erscheinen wird. Die vierköpfige britische Rockband wird als das ,farbenfrohe Chaos" des Rock bezeichnet und bringt mit jedem Song, jedem Video und einer energischen Live-Show nach der anderen wieder Farbe in die Musikszene. Mit knackigen Riffs und wilden Harmonien bringen The Hot Damn! dich zum Tanzen, bevor du es merkst. Die vier temperamentvollen Damen, die unter anderem von Kerrang!, Planet Rock und BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 6 und Radio BOB gelobt wurden, sind keine Unbekannten in der Musikszene. entstand die Band u.a. aus der Asche von The Amorettes und Tequila Mockingbyrd und besteht aus den Talenten von Gill Montgomery (The Amorettes), Josie O'Toole (Tequila Mockingbyrd), Laurie Buchanan (Aaron Buchanan and the Cult Classics) und Lzi Hayes (New Device/Sophie Lloyd Band).The Hot Damn! aus Marlow, Buckinghamshire, mögen es laut, aber sie machen nicht nur mit ihrer Musik auf sich aufmerksam, sondern auch auf ein Thema, das ihnen am Herzen liegt - den Gehörschutz. Da die Band erkannt hat, wie wichtig die Gesundheit des Gehörs sowohl für das Publikum als auch für die Musiker ist, hat sie sich dazu verpflichtet, bei all ihren Konzerten Einweg-Ohrstöpsel anzubieten. Neben einzelnen Headline-Gigs reisen The Hot Damn! im November 2024 als Support von D-A-D durch Deutschland um ihr hart rockendes Werk zu präsentieren. CD mit zwei Akustik-Bonustracks, LP als Sunshine Yellow Vinyl!

Black Vinyl. In Rumi's poem A Great Wagon he writes of a place of total acceptance. "Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing, there is a field. I'll meet you there," It is a boundless, liminal space where we can release the judgments we make and carry of ourselves, and the comparisons to others. When we think of this field, there is a sense of tranquility that only comes when we are undisturbed by the shadow self and see existence as neither bright nor dim, white nor black. But as lead singer Greg Bertens explains, arriving there is a whole different story. "This is a poem I've returned to over the years, and I love the idea of this place, but getting there is life's journey." Bertens adds "I think the longing for and elusiveness of this field is a recurring theme in our music." Field is enveloped by themes of regret, disconnection and frustration but with the space to understand that these feelings are a natural part of the struggle between reconciling the inner and outer self. The Los Angeles/San Francisco-based group have been indie shoegaze stalwarts since their formation in 2001. After two decades and a handful of line-up changes, their extensive discography presents a dynamically textural, lush psychedelic rock that has featured guest appearances by members of Pavement, My Bloody Valentine, and Snow Patrol, among others. 2021's LP We Weren't Here (Sonic Ritual) was hailed for its dense instrumental blanket, where unrelenting hi-hats and heavy kicks exist alongside dreamy drone guitar. This propulsive nature permeates Field, as members Bertens, Noël Brydebell (vocals), Nyles Lannon (guitar), Jason Ruck (synths), Justin LaBo (bass), and Adam Wade (drums) produce a kaleidoscopic sonic landscape. Patient, sprawling instrumentation builds a foundation in which Bertens' themes of endurance, perseverance and clarity can bloom with a considered poise. As a lyricist who writes in response to the instrumental arrangements, rather than a focus on a specific theme or person, Field is a testament to Film School's ability to create in the moment, and to showcase the magic that stems from when we are truly present. With over two decades in the industry, Field cements Film School as a distinct, dominant force in the shoegaze scene. Soaked in an emotionally open, imaginative atmosphere, the album is both singular and expansive, and leaves the door open for a constantly evolving interpretation. Film School have never confined themselves to the rigidity of specifics, and it's on Field that they urge us to look beyond the binary of certainty, and to take a second look.

Guitarist Steve Howe releases his new solo album Guitarscape on 27th September on his own HoweSound label. The album will be available on CD, vinyl and digital downloads, including Dolby Atmos, Guitarscape marks a new chapter for the YES and ASIA legend as he presents, what amounts to, a guitar masterclass. "What I'm doing," said Steve, "is focusing on what I do well and what I love to do." Guitarscape features 14 new instrumental tracks in a host of musical styles, from rock through to acoustic and classical, each bearing that unmistakable Steve Howe sound. Steve plays acoustic, electric, steel and bass guitars along with keyboards and is joined by his son Dylan on drums. Steve has written all of the tracks and produced the album "This album has given me the opportunity to do something different," says Steve. "I bought a Novation Summit keyboard and found that it had a wealth of inspiring sounds. It gave me a golden opportunity to create my own keyboard structures - chordal movements and structures that I thought were a bit different. I think differently on a keyboard, I don't see the chords looking the same but then I had fun playing around with the guitar to see where that goes. "I've utilised most of the colours, as I like to I think of my styles, and I'm always pleased when I hear them running through and it moves from a steel, maybe, to a Spanish guitar. Because it's a different sort of album, I'm not using terribly conventional chord sequences but things that give me a fresh feeling and opportunities to improvise and stretch out as well as be melodic and make this a nice tuneful experience. "I began feeding the tracks to Dylan. We get on great and he seems to know what to play around my guitar, it's almost instinctive. Dylan and I fit together really beautifully. We've had the chance to do this together, so it's wonderful. "The bass parts and the keyboards are pretty interesting, everything had to be interesting but also work together. I like doing things that are super fresh and this album says what I am today.

Nach vier Studio-Alben und einer Compilation waren die ungarischen Top-Stars Omega im Westen immer noch nur ein Geheimtipp. Eine steigende Tendenz bei den Absatzzahlen war aber zu erkennen, selbst wenn die Verkäufe längst nicht durch die Decke gingen. Darüber hinaus hatte sich die Band entwickelt, war live und in ihrem Erscheinungsbild professioneller geworden. Die Bacillus/Bellaphon-Verantwortlichen wollten Omega demnach auf jeden Fall behalten und verlängerten 1976 den Vertrag mit dem Quintett bis 1980. Und dieses zog mit Peter Hauke in die Offenbacher Europasound-Studios und spielte dort "Time Robber" ein. Die LP wurde im Westen Omegas Durchbruch. Bis heute soll sich das Album an die zwei Millionen Mal verkauft haben. Und dieser Erfolg kam nicht von ungefähr, lieferten die Ungarn doch erstmals ein komplexes, in sich geschlossenes Werk ab. Auf "Skyrover" wurden große Stücke gesetzt. Wieder zogen Omega nach Offenbach und produzierten einen exquisiten "Time Robber"-Nachfolger in Alleinregie, der seinem so immens erfolgreichen Vorgänger in Nichts nachstand. Nicht wenige Omega-Fans hallten "Skyrover" sogar für die bessere Platte, da sie die auf "Time Robber" manchmal noch etwas steif nebeneinanderstehenden Stilrichtungen elegant ineinanderfließen ließ. Zu einem Live-Klassiker avancierte "Russian Winter" - auf der ungarischen LP-Version mit "Lena" betitelt. Der Song ragte aus dem musikalischen Konzept mit seinen osteuropäischen Folklore-Verweisen heraus und wurde vermutlich gerade deshalb zu einem Fan-Favoriten.

Limited to 500 copies! No repress! Transparent red vinyl! Hype sticker on front! 1961 schwappten die ersten Tropfen der neuen Surf-Welle in den Äther. Eine Gruppe kalifornischer Teenager namens The Belairs veröffentlichten mit "Mr. Moto" das ersten lupenreine Surf-Instrumental und viele weitere sollten folgen. Es war ein Lebensgefühl, es ging um Freiheit, Rebellion gegen die miefigen 50er, um Party und natürlich um die nächste Welle. All das spielte sich vorzugsweise im sonnigen Kalifornien ab. Der erste Hit des Genres war "Misirlou" von Dick Dale, das 1962 veröffentlicht wurde. Der Track stellt deutlich die drei Hauptkomponenten des Surf heraus: ein tragendes Gitarren-Thema (eben kein Gesang!), exotische Harmonien und Akkordfolgen sowie ein gehöriges Maß an Wildheit und Lautstärke! Leo Fender entwickelte dann für Dick Dale zwei Innovationen, ohne die die Surf-Musik nicht das geworden wäre, was sie ist: Den Fender Reverb - ein separates Federhall-Gerät - und den Fender-Showman-Verstärker. Dieses Equipment gehört gerade für Puristen auch heute noch zur Grundausstattung eines Surf-Gitarristen, der seinen Job ernst nimmt. Natürlich gab es jede Menge Bands, die nur eine oder zwei 7"-Singles veröffentlichten, die lokal verteilt oder bei Gigs verkauft wurden. Man braucht schon einen Mann mit Spürnase, um die Juwelen rauszupicken und die entsprechenden Preise für das Kleinvinyl zu zahlen. Unser Mann heißt DJ Crille, seinerseits Resident im Komet! Club in Hamburg (nahe Reeperbahn), und anerkannter Surf-Spezialist. Nebenher ist er auch für die Vocal Group Madness! LP und die Born To Hula Doppel-LP in der DJ Set Serie -beide auf Stag-O-Leeverantwortlich. Surfin Burt"s Surfin Safari! - Vol. 2 ist praktisch die perfekte Welle.

Perpignan Burning: the Southern French capital of garage rock in search of the riff. Or as Lou Reed would put it: "You can"t beat two guitars, bass, and drums." Content: 27 previously unreleased tracks on the double LP and six digital-only bonus tracks. All tracks on this compilation were recorded in or around Perpignan, France, and go to the musical extremes of an extreme city. Whether garage punks or freakbeat mods, country punks or city rockers, whether pioneers or new to the scene: the only thing that counts is the riff. Pascal Comelade, infamous riff explorer since the 1970s, is the unlikely godfather of this bunch of punks and rockers. He opens the trip with his emblematic cover design and closes it with his own Riffifi orchestra to the ultimate riff of The Stooges" "I Wanna Be Your Dog".

Sun Araw"s tenth studio album, Lifetime, continues to investigate space as a motionless field against which many motions are observed! Stasis: wheels within and wheels without! "Dripping Magnetizations! Arcs of Slowing Rotations!" Two LPs at 45 RPM. Mixed by Cameron Stallones & Jake Viator, Mastered by JJ Golden. Please enjoy this adventure in sound.

September 23rd ist die erste Veröffentlichung in William Basinskis neuer Arcadia Archive-Serie. September 23rd wurde im September 1982 in seinem ersten Loft im vormodernen DUMBO-Viertel in Brooklyn, New York, aufgenommen und ist ein erst kürzlich wiederentdeckter früher Eintrag in seinem inzwischen äußerst inspirierenden und einflussreichen Katalog. Ausgehend von einem Klavierstück, das Basinski Mitte der 1970er Jahre in der High School komponierte, entwickelte sich September 23rd schnell zu einem ganz anderen Werk. Wie Basinski erklärt: ,The original piano recordings were made on on a piano belonging to my downstairs neighbor, John Epperson - later known more famously as world-renowned drag artist, Lypsinka - at 351 Jay Street aka Casa Degli Artisti, our first loft in New York. It was recoded with a little portable (probably Radio Shack) cassette deck sitting on the piano as I improvised a piece I had been working on since high school. It was pretty terrible, but when I did the John Giorno/William Burroughs cut-up technique, suddenly I had something to put through the Frippertronics loop and feedback loop tape delay system - and boy did I get results. A very prolific time for a young, wacked-out queen in NYC."

September 23rd ist die erste Veröffentlichung in William Basinskis neuer Arcadia Archive-Serie. September 23rd wurde im September 1982 in seinem ersten Loft im vormodernen DUMBO-Viertel in Brooklyn, New York, aufgenommen und ist ein erst kürzlich wiederentdeckter früher Eintrag in seinem inzwischen äußerst inspirierenden und einflussreichen Katalog. Ausgehend von einem Klavierstück, das Basinski Mitte der 1970er Jahre in der High School komponierte, entwickelte sich September 23rd schnell zu einem ganz anderen Werk. Wie Basinski erklärt: ,The original piano recordings were made on on a piano belonging to my downstairs neighbor, John Epperson - later known more famously as world-renowned drag artist, Lypsinka - at 351 Jay Street aka Casa Degli Artisti, our first loft in New York. It was recoded with a little portable (probably Radio Shack) cassette deck sitting on the piano as I improvised a piece I had been working on since high school. It was pretty terrible, but when I did the John Giorno/William Burroughs cut-up technique, suddenly I had something to put through the Frippertronics loop and feedback loop tape delay system - and boy did I get results. A very prolific time for a young, wacked-out queen in NYC."

The new dance album by Biicla called HYPER HOUSE is an imaginary club, where the main hero is the listener. The vibe in this house is Uk influenced modern take on bass / garage with a kind flow and naked emotions. The record has been in the making last 3 years and you could have heard some singles from the album already - GAS (4.21), MAKING NEW, MISS YA were all released via System 108 in 2023, the label has also become by accident a new home for the artist. Before arriving on System 108, Biicla has been releasing music for a while and getting exposure in big US Festivals, like Lollapalooza, Hard Summer, Bonaroo and many more, celebrating millions of streams worldwide. With System 108, Biicla found a new home and new dedicated audience, and it seems like a match made in heaven.

The process of production of the album took time during some challenging years - when our ordinary world started to shatter... Therefore the cover is divided in two parts - on the right, we observe chaos and destruction; on the left, people are having a quiet and happy life. Modern / hybrid club sounds in the album co-exist with sensible, soulful vibes, sorrow and hope. On top, the finishing comes in a close to perfection studio-engineered sound. HYPER HOUSE therefore is an intimate record with a personal meaning for Biicla and for us, as a label. Together as a team, we represent Biicla in all facets of his creative output, would it be his self-branded party BIICMAK, live shows or support of new names in the scene, discovered by the artist, as an example here comes the V/A Radar 108, curated by Biicla - tip!

For the past two decades, Dr Roman Belavkin (Solar X) has been deeply involved in AI research and mathematics at British universities. His albums from the 1990s are a testament to an era defined by the early internet-bulletin boards, FTP sites and mailing lists. In keeping with this, Solar X's music sounds surprisingly futuristic, a romantic artifact of a time eagerly anticipating tomorrow.

Following the re-issue of Solar-X's "Xrated" in 2019, GALAXIID is releasing his debut "Outre X Mer". All tracks are from the original DAT tapes and have been remastered for this release. "Pozdno Utrom", "Dileg" and "Solar X" were originally released on the "Outre X Mer EP" on Defective Records in 1995. Other tracks are out on vinyl and digital platforms for the first time.

"I was homebound for two years between 1992 and 1994, and the only way I could escape was through computer networks and writing," Belavkin recalls. Before the nasty car accident he was a member of the USSR/Russia national wushu team. Confined to his home, Belavkin started creating tracks based on ideas from his school days in the late 1980s, when he first recorded melodies on cassette tapes. This time, however, he fused those sounds with Soviet analogue synthesizers and PC sound cards. He shared these tracks via email with friends in different countries, becoming part of the "Analogue Heaven" mailing list, a community of enthusiasts united by their passion for analogue synthesis dating back to the 1960s.

During his initial pursuit of a PhD in Computer Science, Roman wanted to explore the intersection of what electronic music could offer humanity, the potential for AI to experience emotions, and whether emotions enhance or hinder intellect. These themes resonate in the music of Solar X. The album embodies ambient techno with intricate rhythms and ear caressing melodies, choppy percussion and blissful synths, making it both tranquil and danceable. Like a shimmering spaceship navigating between anxious dreams and visions, it transports the listener to a naively hopeful era yet to come.

'Liberosis', ein Album in drei Kapiteln, markiert einen bedeutenden Meilenstein in Canblasters künstlerischer Reise. Es präsentiert eine introspektive Odyssee durch 18 Tracks, fachmännisch gemischt von Steve Dub, bekannt für seine Arbeit als Tontechniker für die Chemical Brothers. Diese Platte navigiert geschickt durch die Bereiche Pop, Club, Drum'n'Bass, 2-Step und Dubstep, untergräbt ihre narrativen und stilistischen Konventionen und untersucht gleichzeitig die Natur des "Drops" und die Mensch-Maschine-Dynamik. Da es in einem Zwischenbereich operiert, dient es weder rein funktionalen Zwecken noch vertieft es sich in konzeptionelle Abstraktion. Stattdessen beschwört es Landschaften herauf, die Themen wie Apokalypse und Erneuerung, Hoffnung und Unvermeidlichkeit hervorrufen. Stimmfragmente in einer rätselhaften, aber beschwörenden Sprache unterstreichen die Klanglandschaft und erinnern an die ätherische Atmosphäre, die in Videospiel-Soundtracks wie z.B. 'Final Fantasy' zu finden ist. Es ist eine Welt, die sowohl von menschlichen Emotionen als auch von technischem Können angetrieben wird und den Geist des Yellow Magic Orchestra und des verstorbenen Ryuichi Sakamoto heraufbeschwört, wenn auch mehr in ihrer Essenz als in ihrem direkten musikalischen Einfluss. Vinyl only Release und als Gatefold 2LP-Set (Black Vinyl) erhältlich.

Planet Asia and 38 Spesh is that team-up fans didn’t know they needed until they got it. When Trust The Chain dropped in 2020, heads were afforded a dose of the antidote. While Asia is always nice on the mic, he was in rare form over Spesh’s soulful production. So, it should come as no surprise that the sequel, Trust The Chain II, is a level jump once again. In fact, the project is so packed with heat, almost every song was released as a single. Joints like “Checking Traps,” “Crumble Cake,” and “Inertia” have had listeners eagerly anticipating this LP since last year. Guests include Klass Murda, Tristate, The Musalini, and A Plus Tha Kid

Die wohl kalifornischste aller deutschen Streetpunkbands kommt aus Stuttgart. Obwohl die Schwaben nicht mit Anleihen bei den Dead Kennedys geizen haben sie ihren eigenen, schnörkellosen Stil entwickelt. Nach nur 3 Tagen hatten die 4 Jungs das Album "Waterfront" im Kasten, so erfrischend rough und dreckig wie der Fluss der durch ihre Heimatstadt fließt. Das düstere Cover ist Programm: ein kloakiger Fluss vor nächtlicher Stadt voller Qualm und Rotz. "Fuck The World" ist ein bissig-ironischer Text über den Raubbau an unserer Mutter Erde, die sich verzweifelt wehrt. Wenn der texanische Sänger "Mother gets angry" raushaut erinnert er an die bitterbösen Zeilen etlicher Jello Biafra Songs. Bei "American Devolution" gehts weiter mit einem 100% DK-Intro. Desillusioniert stellt sich die Frage wieso Werte wie Toleranz und Freiheitsliebe verschwunden sind. Die Hommage an Cock Sparrer "Where Are They Now" haut in dieselbe Kerbe. Wo sind die geblieben, die mal von Anarchie, Kampf und Zusammenhalt geredet haben? Mit "Here We Go" wird bei hämmernden Drumsticks und toughen Gitarren der hauseigene Stil der Band blankgelegt. Das biestige "Crazy Axe Wife" erzählt von einem Typen der seinen Kopf verliert weil seine liebende Ex-Frau ihn davon per Beil befreit. Viel schaffen für nix ist Thema von "Ghost Lights", nochmal mit Anklängen an die toten Kennedys. Kurz und knüppelig darf der Leckt-mich-am-Arsch Saufsong nicht fehlen bevor am Ende nochmal abgehottet werden darf. Also Daumen raus und ab auf den Roadtrip nach Necka(r)lifornien.

”Dieses Album ist nur ein kleiner Teil der riesigen Menge an unveröffentlichtem Material, das wir hoffentlich in naher Zukunft veröffentlichen werden, anstatt es in irgendeinem Archiv verstauben zu lassen.
Die Bigband-Stücke wurden 2014 aufgenommen, die Duette erst kürzlich. Chris White und Paul Moran
haben die Songs, für die sie neue Bandarrangements machen wollten, individuell ausgewählt. Die Stücke
von Willie Nelson und Kurt Elling wurden 2018 und 2019 aufgenommen, die von Curtis Stigers und Joss
Stone 2018.” (Van Morrison)
Van Morrison, zu gleichen Teilen blauäugiger Soul-Shouter und wildblütiger Poet-Zauberer, gehört zu
den wahren Erneuerern der populären Musik, ein rastlos Suchender, dessen beschwörender Gesang und alchemistische Verschmelzung von R&B, Jazz, Blues und keltischem Folk das vielleicht spirituellste Werk im
Rock & Roll-Kanon hervorgebracht hat. Seine Aufnahmen, die nur den Launen seiner eigenen Muse unterworfen sind, decken ein außerordentliches stilistisches Terrain ab und bewahren dennoch eine Konsistenz und
Reinheit, die unter seinen Zeitgenossen praktisch unerreicht ist. Sie sind verbunden durch die mythische
Kraft seiner einzigartigen musikalischen Vision und seines feurigen Gesangs: spiralförmige Wiederholungen von Wehklagen und Flüstern, die die Grenzen der Sprache umgehen, um emotionale Wahrheiten zu
artikulieren, die weit über den Rahmen der wörtlichen Bedeutung hinausgehen.

”Dieses Album ist nur ein kleiner Teil der riesigen Menge an unveröffentlichtem Material, das wir hoffentlich in naher Zukunft veröffentlichen werden, anstatt es in irgendeinem Archiv verstauben zu lassen.
Die Bigband-Stücke wurden 2014 aufgenommen, die Duette erst kürzlich. Chris White und Paul Moran
haben die Songs, für die sie neue Bandarrangements machen wollten, individuell ausgewählt. Die Stücke
von Willie Nelson und Kurt Elling wurden 2018 und 2019 aufgenommen, die von Curtis Stigers und Joss
Stone 2018.” (Van Morrison)
Van Morrison, zu gleichen Teilen blauäugiger Soul-Shouter und wildblütiger Poet-Zauberer, gehört zu
den wahren Erneuerern der populären Musik, ein rastlos Suchender, dessen beschwörender Gesang und alchemistische Verschmelzung von R&B, Jazz, Blues und keltischem Folk das vielleicht spirituellste Werk im
Rock & Roll-Kanon hervorgebracht hat. Seine Aufnahmen, die nur den Launen seiner eigenen Muse unterworfen sind, decken ein außerordentliches stilistisches Terrain ab und bewahren dennoch eine Konsistenz und
Reinheit, die unter seinen Zeitgenossen praktisch unerreicht ist. Sie sind verbunden durch die mythische
Kraft seiner einzigartigen musikalischen Vision und seines feurigen Gesangs: spiralförmige Wiederholungen von Wehklagen und Flüstern, die die Grenzen der Sprache umgehen, um emotionale Wahrheiten zu
artikulieren, die weit über den Rahmen der wörtlichen Bedeutung hinausgehen.

Global superstar Ed Sheeran will release the ‘‘+-=÷× (TOUR COLLECTION)’ on 27th September on CD and Bright Blue 2LP. Sheeran made the announcement last night (Sunday 8th September 2024) after enthralling fans on the closing leg of his 2024 Mathematics World Tour in Cyprus.

‘+-=÷× (TOUR COLLECTION)’ brings together some of Ed Sheeran’s biggest songs to date from his decade-spanning mathematical album era. It will be available on CD, 2xLP (Bright Blue vinyl), Download and streaming partners. The physical formats will include access to exclusive voice notes from Sheeran. A brand new selection of related merchandise will also be available.

Ed Sheeran is an era-defining artist who has sold nearly 200 million records across the globe. After starting his record-breaking Mathematics Tour in Dublin back in 2022, Sheeran has taken his blockbuster show all over the globe with an astonishing total of 133 performances under his belt so far. With one more show this month in Rio De Janeiro, Sheeran has announced another run of European shows for 2025 which will form part of the final leg of his Mathematics tour, all while continuing to break records and make history.

‘+-=÷× (TOUR COLLECTION)’ features 22 tracks including the tracks ‘Shape Of You’, ‘Perfect’ ‘Thinking Out Loud’, ‘Photograph’, ‘Shivers’ and ‘Bad Habits’. The song ‘Afterglow’ appears on vinyl for the very first time. The tracklisting includes 9 UK Number 1 singles with 11 tracks that have been streamed in excess of 1 Billion times on Spotify.

Warped and dragged through the murky underbelly of the Levantine underground comes 'Volume 1' the x-rated left-field debut from the pseudonymous DJ GAWAD.

Via pitched up vocals dripping with delay, DJ GAWAD takes us on a tour of the region's most urgent artists, his interjections oscillating between cocky boast and frustrated lament.

Through this new persona, DJ GAWAD pulls back the curtain to reveal himself as the protagonist of the mixtape-like album, as replete with features as it is with expletives, an enigmatic ghoul in the back of the studio with an endless supply of broken sample flips, giving the album its old school feel while still speaking to contemporary hip hop aesthetics.

A Jordanian/Palestinian Memphis gangster rap parody par excellence, the album is infused with satirical commentary on the state of the contemporary music scene, yet DJ GAWAD shows as much as he tells, expertly fashioning a sound that makes you wonder about the identity of the artist behind the braggadocious persona of the self-titled "best producer in the Middle East."

Drawing heavily from the Memphis rap mixtapes of the mid 1990s, DJ GAWAD has clearly identified the same brooding atmosphere in his own surroundings. On Mat3'anish (feat. Bleng & Fara7) DJ GAWAD makes his most explicit reference to the Memphis sound, twisting the hallmark cowbells that defined that movement to reflect the equally raw nature of his own setting.

Similarly, in Bandana (feat. Jurum), DJ GAWAD finds the perfect tension between his romantic sampling tendencies and the brutal sensibilities of his featured artist. As if liberated by DJ GAWAD's anonymity and irreverence, his menagerie of artists appear to have been emboldened, embracing the obscene free naturedness of the album, setting their lyrical prowess free to wander.

No expense was spared in the post production treatment of DJ GAWAD's debut, with Iraqi-American artist Mark Gergis incorporating the Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck in the mastering process, as is evidenced by the crisp saturation of the album's sonics.

With THEE CHURCH OV ACID HOUSE's third EP, the miracle is now complete, the trinity has come full circle, the triptych is complete, the church has fully handed over the Holy Spirit to its disciples. For this celebration, apostles such as Glow, Tyson and Elektra, as well as the church leaders of THEE CHURCH OV ACID HOUSE themselves, come together again to celebrate a Dionysian Bachanal.

It starts with Glow's ‘Acid House Planet’, an epic-ambient call to the gods at the foot of the Acid House Olympus.

And the next track on the EP, ‘Coming Home’, a no less epic house tune that calls the children of faith home to the church with the vocoder voice of the gods, shows that they listen to their disciples.

‘Mitzubishi’ by Tyson celebrates the holy sacrament of acid painting in chords that melt on the tongue like a lollipop over a ritual beat.

This is followed by Elektra, which has already provided highlights on the previous EPs. And this time too, her hypnotic acid anthem worms its way deep into the ear canals and brains of the trance-listening worshippers.

Shortly before the end, the church leaders return to deliver an abstract breakbeat hymn with ‘Waves Ov Power’, which, surrounded by numerous sample memories of house history, sings of the pure power of the acid ecstasy techno religion.

Finally, THEE CHURCH OV ACID HOUSE disciples are dismissed from the service with a powerful hymn of distorted bass drums, namely Random Noise Generator's ‘SM 58’ in the T.C.O.A.H. Schranz remix - a track that will give the inspired followers of the CHURCH OV ACID HOUSE enough strength to spread the happy acid message throughout the land.
Amen.

Long time in the vaults, soon out in pop heaven: Andrea & Alexander, a handsomely nostalgic pop project by Andrea Noce aka Eva Geist and Alexander Arpeggio. Originally launched in 2014, revitalized in 2023, the project originated as a live set-up consisting of synthesizers, ePects pedals, and analogue drum machines. From there it slowly metamorphosed into a crew of songs with raw minimal-wave grooves and romantically haunting English and German pop lyrics, loosely evoking the aura of Siouxsie Sioux, Gudrun Gut or Nadine Bal. After becoming a live mainstay in the Berlin based underground club Sameheads, they went on a tour through Lithuania and soon after several unfortunate troubles led to the break-up of the band, prompting both Andrea and Alexander to focus on their solo careers. Andrea became Eva Geist and released for various international labels, played live and formed the female duo As Longitude. Alexander founded his own label Eine Welt, took over the management of the renowned underground festival Camp Cosmic and created two musical projects with Cid Hohne, Otto and Aufgang B. Now, years later, almost becoming a Soundcloud corpse some Andrea & Alexander recordings caught the attention of the R.i.O. folks and just seconds later they offer six freshly recorded cuts of Andrea & Alexander tunes that stood the test of time as authentic, soulful pop music. “What are we going to wear for tonight’s party?” Andrea Noce asks in their song “Tiney Party”. The answer is “Loved Up” a musical celebration outfit of six sincere recorded, emotionally accorded songs, who make the dance, give verve a chance, to be there, in that moment of all moments. An album for the listener that likes to dance. In his head, on the local carpet. “Loved Up” humming Andrea & Alexander tunes.

"Co-produced by Jerry Finn (Rancid, Green Day, Jawbreaker) and Butch Vig (Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins), Sing the Sorrow retains the Bay Area outfit’s signature aggression and pathos – forging ever forward into uncharted territory like the virtuoso guitar intro of “The Leaving Song Pt. 2” or the industrial-leaning break and Dead Can Dance-worthy outro of “Death Of Seasons.”
Meanwhile, from its sublime intro through beautifully subdued verses and infectious choruses, first single “Girl’s Not Grey” is a standout that both recalls AFI coming into its own on 2000’s The Art Of Drowning and hints at a myriad of future directions. For the purists, “Dancing Through Sunday” and “Bleed Black” come strapped with generous chant-along opportunities and heavy-as-hell, bolt-tight riffs and rhythms. And as with virtually every track on Sing The Sorrow, these are all imbued with alternately brooding and celebratory lyrical imagery of rebirth, resurrection, apocalypse, all somehow deeply personal – in other words, classic AFI.
“When you’re playing a style of music that doesn’t really fit anywhere, you run a risk. You’re challenging people to leave their niche, to leave their predetermined ideas of what they’re supposed to like. Luckily, we have a lot of people who just focus on the music and appreciate us for what we are. So we get fans from all different genres of music, the jocks, the spooky kids, skaters, college kids, punk rockers, hardcore kids, metal kids, all that.” — Davey Havok"

Der aus Pittsburgh stammende Montell Fish ist ein Multiinstrumentalist, Produzent, Sänger und Komponist, der sich auf die Entwicklung von Projekten konzentriert, die Welten schaffen. Montells unvoreingenommene Herangehensweise an das Songwriting erlaubt es den Zuhörern, sich in seiner Welt willkommen
zu fühlen, in der er der Autor, Regisseur und Star ist. Charlotte ist das mit Spannung erwartete Nachfolgealbum des JAIME-Albums von 2022 und der zweite Teil seiner Jaime, Charlotte, Marshall-Album-Trilogie.
Mit jeder Veröffentlichung hat er einen mehrschichtigen Turm aus Referenzen und Metaphern aufgebaut,
der mit den Ängsten eines begabten jungen Menschen schwankt, der die Widersprüche der Welt in Einklang
bringen will: in der Liebe, in der Religion, in der Kunst und im Glauben. Es ist die Art von Musik, die
intensive Gefühle und Fangemeinde hervorruft. Auf seinem neuesten Album Charlotte, dem Nachfolger
seines Durchbruchsalbums Jamie aus dem Jahr 2022, denkt Fish gerne über die großen Fragen des Lebens
nach: Wie prägt die Kindheit einen Menschen? Was bedeutet es, eine Gabe zu haben, zu der die Welt
Zugang haben will? Fish, der in einem streng religiösen Haushalt aufgewachsen ist und nun selbst in der
Welt unterwegs ist, um seine Kunst zu machen, hat eine grenzenlose Neugier auf die Art zu leben und zu
schaffen. Charlotte ist sein bisher vollendetstes Projekt, der Klang eines Generationstalents, das in seine
Kraft tritt.

Jazz pianist Mal Waldron’s 1962 album The Quest features Eric Dolphy (clarinet, alto sax) and Booker Ervin (tenor sax). Recorded at Rudy Van Gelder Studios in New Jersey the album contains seven cuts that fall somewhere between hard-bop and avant-garde. This new edition of the album is released as part of the Original Jazz Classics Series and is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at RTI with all-analog mastering from the original tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and presented in a Tip-On Jacket.

THE DAWLESS present BROKEN AUX LP, their own modern vision of true & old school electro, bass and ghetto-house, - we are super excited to share this first full length project on System 108 by Rami aka Goddeem and Serega aka GOL'D! Already a multi-million streaming project, now it is time for the vinyl release, all comes as superb 2 x LP with gatefold format.

BROKEN AUX is a collaboration heavy album produced in fine style, highlighting the duo's studio production skills, advanced drum machine programming and a perfect feel for that groovy street vibe that everyone loves. Like classic hip-hop and electro albums from the golden era of the genre, the LP is massive (4 sides, including bonus tracks) and unites the band's music friends under one roof, featuring KACCETA, Kristina Si, Kovyazin D, Errortica, Raw Takes and many many more!

Written over the last two years - in Somerset, Los Angeles, and London; hotel rooms and tour vans; good places and rough patches - Welcome The Night is a mutant document of Sad Night Dynamite’s mission and scale. Deliberately chaotic, their grab-bag approach to sound creates an album ranging from dark club bangers, trippy folk, hip-hop and bugged-out storytelling. An ‘anything goes’ space that offers total creative freedom through absurdism.

Inside Automatic Popular Music there are two people sitting in a room, their backs to each other. One plays a piano with no particular attention to detail and tuning of the instrument, and another, sitting behind him, claps his hands on his own legs. They do not see each other, they never look at each other, they can only listen to each other, look around. The room is large enough, it is daytime, there are four windows through which enough light enters to illuminate the objects and furniture with objects on them. October, the temperature is great and outside the window there are many people and all these people are dancing to the music of another record.

Automatic Popular Music was recorded and mixed by Nicola Ratti between July and December 2023. The tracks consist almost entirely of sounds generated by automatisms programmed on modular synthesisers. These are combined with tape loops on which fragments of both acoustic and digital pianos are engraved, generating tracks that are structured on repetitiveness in both their rhythmic and harmonic components. The adjective 'popular' is in this case the result of the other adjective 'automatic' since the machine has been entrusted with the task of generating the melodic patterns and harmonic structures of the tracks on the disc.

Automatic Popular Music is the first release by LL, a curatorial and editorial platform based in Milano and formed by artists and curators.

Composed, recorded and mixed by Nicola Ratti between July and December 2023. Mastered by Giuseppe Ielasi. Cover photo by Cédrick Eymenier.

Long-running NYC hard rockers Mirror Queen offer a heady mix of psych, prog and NWOBHMisms with
the release of their fifth full-length, Dying Days. Influences such as Blue Öyster Cult, UFO, Camel,
Wishbone Ash and Iron Maiden soar amidst their singular mix of insistent guitars and melodic vocals.
The intent is to blast the audience by including songs with volume and adding hooks to the timeless riffs.

Napalm Death's album "The Code is Red...Long Live the Code" is a sonic onslaught that
captures the band's raw intensity and unyielding commitment to grindcore. Released in
2005, this album showcases the grind luminaries unmasking global fear and paranoia
through fast, unremitting audio-terror.
With blistering speed, punishing riffs, and brutal vocals, Napalm Death confronts the
listener with themes of political corruption, societal decay, and existential dread. The
album features notable guest appearances, including Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys and
Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed

Napalm Death's album "The Code is Red...Long Live the Code" is a sonic onslaught that
captures the band's raw intensity and unyielding commitment to grindcore. Released in
2005, this album showcases the grind luminaries unmasking global fear and paranoia
through fast, unremitting audio-terror.
With blistering speed, punishing riffs, and brutal vocals, Napalm Death confronts the
listener with themes of political corruption, societal decay, and existential dread. The
album features notable guest appearances, including Jello Biafra of Dead Kennedys and
Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed

Napalm Death's "Time Waits for No Slave," released in 2009, is a relentless onslaught of grindcore fury and socio-political commentary. This album sees the band continuing to push the boundaries of extreme music, delivering a blistering blend of speed, aggression, and thought-provoking lyrics.

With this album, Napalm Death reaffirms their status as grindcore pioneers, delivering a work that is both musically and lyrically uncompromising. "Time Waits for No Slave" stands as a testament to the band's enduring relevance and their unyielding drive to challenge the status quo through the power of extreme music.

Napalm Death's "Time Waits for No Slave," released in 2009, is a relentless onslaught of grindcore fury and socio-political commentary. This album sees the band continuing to push the boundaries of extreme music, delivering a blistering blend of speed, aggression, and thought-provoking lyrics.

With this album, Napalm Death reaffirms their status as grindcore pioneers, delivering a work that is both musically and lyrically uncompromising. "Time Waits for No Slave" stands as a testament to the band's enduring relevance and their unyielding drive to challenge the status quo through the power of extreme music.

Global superstar Ed Sheeran will release the ‘‘+-=÷× (TOUR COLLECTION)’ on 27th September on CD and Bright Blue 2LP. Sheeran made the announcement last night (Sunday 8th September 2024) after enthralling fans on the closing leg of his 2024 Mathematics World Tour in Cyprus.

‘+-=÷× (TOUR COLLECTION)’ brings together some of Ed Sheeran’s biggest songs to date from his decade-spanning mathematical album era. It will be available on CD, 2xLP (Bright Blue vinyl), Download and streaming partners. The physical formats will include access to exclusive voice notes from Sheeran. A brand new selection of related merchandise will also be available.

Ed Sheeran is an era-defining artist who has sold nearly 200 million records across the globe. After starting his record-breaking Mathematics Tour in Dublin back in 2022, Sheeran has taken his blockbuster show all over the globe with an astonishing total of 133 performances under his belt so far. With one more show this month in Rio De Janeiro, Sheeran has announced another run of European shows for 2025 which will form part of the final leg of his Mathematics tour, all while continuing to break records and make history.

‘+-=÷× (TOUR COLLECTION)’ features 22 tracks including the tracks ‘Shape Of You’, ‘Perfect’ ‘Thinking Out Loud’, ‘Photograph’, ‘Shivers’ and ‘Bad Habits’. The song ‘Afterglow’ appears on vinyl for the very first time. The tracklisting includes 9 UK Number 1 singles with 11 tracks that have been streamed in excess of 1 Billion times on Spotify.

Originally released to a fan base and music press that were unprepared for the band to move on from the punk fury of "Crossing The Red Sea", The Adverts "Cast Of Thousands" has since been recognized as a lost classic of the time. TV Smith's cutting observational lyrics and sharp musical instincts saw his song writing grow and move in unexpected directions. The primal thumping was replaced by dynamic and driving drumming, acoustic guitars and probing solos emerged, and Tim Cross joined to add keyboards and fill out the overall sound. The one constant was the pounding throb of Gaye Advert's bass. Encouraged to experiment by surprise producer Tom Newman (Mike Oldfield "Tubular Bells") the band found themselves stretching creatively, both in song writing and recording techniques. They might agonize over the sound of recording a match being lit in the middle of one song, while doing a single take of a vocal via a microphone hung in the bathroom for another. Giant choirs were built meticulously over multiple tracks, while the sound of a rat running through the reverb room would be captured forever. The results wrapped some of TV's best songs in strange and inventive sounds to compliment his anti-pop smarts and rock and roll heart. They did not know it at the time, but the band was falling apart. Tensions would soon rise to the level that replacement players were called in to finish their final tour. Punk fans left them in droves. Critics skewered the singles from the album. Their record label had moved on to the next big thing. Feeling that they had reached a creative peak made the tumble even harder to swallow. Time has been very kind though, and fans discovering punk after the first wave have been able to hear "Cast" for what it is - a brilliant and biting collection of rock and roll. Still full of stomp and swagger even when stripped down on "My Place" or via the anthemic surge of "Television's Over", with TV's hook factory on full display on the anti-love song "Love Songs", and the band closing the album with the creeping ballad "I Will Walk You Home"; The Adverts had grown from a great punk rock band to a great rock band. Black vinyl.

Ein brandneues Album von Benny Anderssons Orkester, unter Mitwirkung von Helene Sjöholm und Tommy Körberg. Alle Lieder wurden von Benny Andersson (Musik) und Björn Ulvaeus (Texte) geschrieben. Benny Andersson ist natürlich als Gründungsmitglied von ABBA bekannt. Er hat bereits 10 Alben mit BAO veröffentlicht, sowie ein von der Kritik hochgelobtes Album mit Klaviermusik (bei der Deutschen Grammophon GmbH).

Limited Pink w/ Purple & Cream Swirl Vinyl. To celebrate the 10 Year anniversary of their album The Things We Think We're Missing, Balance and Composure teamed up with longtime collaborator Will Yip to track the record live for a one-time livestream event in late 2023. That performance has been pressed to vinyl & is now available in a one-time vinyl pressing.

Wann genau die Langhalslaute Bouzouki nach Griechenland kam, ist unklar. Ihre Wurzeln gehen bis ins vierte Jahrhundert vor Christus zurück. Die heutige Form des Instruments, benannt nach "Βυζί", dem griechischen Wort für die weibliche Brust, ist relativ jung und seit etwa 1920 in Athen und auf dem Peloponnes verbreitet. Ursprünglich in Bars und auf privaten Festen gespielt fand es durch das Revival des „Rebetiko“, dem „griechischen Blues“ ab den 1960er Jahren weitere Verbreitung. „Ursprünglich wurde auf der Bouzouki viel improvisiert“, meint Georgios Propkopiou, „viel mehr als später. Denn ab den Fünfzigerjahren wurde ihr Spiel professionell unterrichtet. Da wurde vieles festgelegter“. Seitdem ist der metallische Klang des Instruments fast zum Synonym für die griechische Folklore als Begleitung von Liedern und Tänzen geworden... vor allem bei dem Komponisten Mikis Theodorakis, der mehr als nur ein paar Ohrwürmer hervorgebracht hat.

Die Jazzkarriere der Bouzouki hingegen stand bislang noch aus. Es brauchte einen Umweg über Stockholm, damit etwas in Bewegung kam. „Die Kombination Bouzouki und Jazz liegt erst einmal nicht so nahe“, meint der Pianist Joel Lyssarides. „Für mich persönlich hängt sie mit meinem Großvater zusammen, einem griechischen Zyprioten. Er kam in den 1940ern nach Schweden. Griechische Musik mochte ich immer, ich war aber damit nicht wirklich vertraut. Jedenfalls fand ich die Bouzouki faszinierend. Während der Pandemie habe ich mir ein Instrument gekauft, um es ein wenig zu lernen. Beim Stöbern im Internet entdeckte ich dann Georgios durch ein TV-Konzert, ein Tribute an Theodorakis. Ich war total begeistert und habe in Stockholm herumgefragt, ob ihn jemand kennt. Tatsächlich spielte er zufällig ein paar Tage später in der Nähe in einer Hotelbar ein Konzert“.

Das war im Herbst 2022. Joel Lyssarides hörte Georgios Prokopiou zu, sprach ihn an und sie verabredeten sich zu einer Session. Sie jammten und improvisierten, fanden musikalisch schnell zusammen und im Sommer 2023 spielten sie ihr erstes gemeinsames Konzert. „Es ist sehr unüblich, dass jemand mit der Bouzouki über Changes improvisiert,“ erzählt Joel Lyssarides weiter. „Sie ist ja ein traditionelles Instrument mit klar definierter Rolle, meistens Begleitung mit gedoppelten Terzen und Sexten. Georgios aber macht viel mehr. Ich hatte zunächst keine Ahnung, wie unglaublich virtuos und stilistisch variabel er ist. Seine Vielseitigkeit öffnet viele Türen. Wir hatten von Anfang an sehr viel Spaß an den neuen Möglichkeiten. Und ich hatte vorher noch niemanden gehört, der so spielt. Dafür musste ich unbedingt Musik schreiben“.

Lyssarides erzählte ACT-Chef und Produzent Andreas Brandis von der Idee für das Duo und auch dieser war sofort begeistert: „In der Lesart von ACT steht der Begriff Jazz vor allem für ein Vokabular mithilfe dessen Musiker:innen ihre eigene Geschichte vor ihrem persönlichen kulturellen Hintergrund erzählen. Es ist faszinierend, dass hier immer wieder Konstellationen entstehen, die es vorher nicht gegeben hat. Und die Musik, die Joel Lyssarides und Georgios Prokopiou gemeinsam kreieren ist einerseits absolut überraschend und neu, klingt jedoch gleichzeitig so organisch und natürlich, als hätte es diese Konstellation schon immer gegeben.“

Es sind aber nicht nur die Instrumente Klavier und Bouzouki, die sich getroffen haben, sondern auch die speziellen Charaktere und Geschichten der beiden Duopartner. Der Stockholmer Joel Lyssarides verbindet in seinem Spiel größte Virtuosität mit beeindruckender Leichtigkeit und einem starken Gespür für Stimmung und Dynamik. Er arbeitet mit so unterschiedlichen Künstler:innen wie Anne Sofie von Otter, Benny Anderson, Nils Landgren, Viktoria Tolstoy und ist Teil des Esbjörn Svensson Tributes „e.s.t. 30“. Das ACT-Debüt „Stay Now“ von Lyssarides‘ eigenem Trio wurde seit seinem Erscheinen 2022 allein auf Spotify eindrucksvolle 25 Millionen Mal gehört. Der Athener und Wahl-Stockholmer Georgios Prokopiou spielte zum ersten Mal mit sechseinhalb Jahren Bouzouki, gab mit acht seinen Konzerteinstand und hatte als Zehnjähriger bereits feste Musikengagements in Bars und Bordellen. Seitdem arbeitet er im klassischen Kontext ebenso wie in der Folklore und dem Experimentellen, spielt neben der Bouzouki außerdem Saz und andere Saiteninstrumente.

Die Voraussetzungen für das Album „Arcs & Rivers“ waren daher so vielfältig und offen, wie nur möglich. Nach einem Probekonzert in der Berliner ACT Art Collection, von dem das Live-Stück „Zafeirious Solo“ auf das Album übernommen wurde, trafen sich die beiden noch einmal am selben Ort, um mit Studio-Equipment auch andere Facetten aufnehmen zu können. „Wir wollten zum Beispiel leise Stellen dabeihaben, nah mikrofoniert. Außerdem den großartigen Klang des Flügels, der früher einmal Alfred Brendel gehört hat. Insgesamt aber war vieles sehr spontan. Das ganze Album wurde in einem Rutsch aufgenommen, innerhalb von vier Stunden, meistens mit den ersten Takes. Ich bin sonst oft Perfektionist und verbringe Tage mit der Nachbearbeitung von Musik im Studio. Diesmal hingegen sollte es so direkt und spontan wie möglich sein“. Und es funktionierte: „Arc & Rivers“ ist ein Dialogskizzenbuch mit normsetzender Wirkung. Egal ob neue Kompositionen oder Verarbeitungen traditioneller Rhythmen und Muster wie in „Kamilieriko Road“ – diese Musik hat eine schillernde, klangmagische Kraft. Und das Duo selbst strahlt eine Selbstverständlichkeit der Kulturverknüpfung aus, die die Enge der Stile hinter sich lässt. Und es macht klar: Es ist tatsächlich Zeit für etwas mehr Bouzouki im Jazz, in der Improvisation und auf den Bühnen der internationalen Musikwelt.

It took four years for The Lumineers to follow up their platinum-plus, multi-Grammy-nominated, self-titled debut. Cleopatra proves Schultz and Fraites - along with cellist/vocalist Neyla Pekarek- are neither taking their good fortune for granted, nor sitting back on their laurels. With the help of producer Simone Felice (The Felice Brothers, The Avett Brothers), the man Wesley calls "our shaman," the band ensconced themselves in Clubhouse, a recording studio high atop a hill in rural Rhinebeck, N.Y., not far from Woodstock. The Lumineers then set about trying to make musical sense of their three-year-plus roller coaster ride. Their skill at setting a visual story to music comes through amidst the delicate, deceptively simple acoustic soundscapes. This time, though, bassist Byron Isaac provides a firm, low-end on the apocalyptic opener "Sleep on the Floor," a ghostly tune about getting out of town before the "subways flood and the bridges break." It's a densely packed, cinematic song that echoes Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City" and John Steinbeck's East of Eden. Cleopatra also deals with what Wesley terms "the elephant in the room," the band's success and the way it can sometimes put a target on your back. The syncopated piano rolls in "Ophelia" , the organic sound of fingers squeaking on guitar strings in "Angela" and the Faustian bargain described in "My Eyes" consider the perils of getting what you wish for, with everyone knowing your name, and your songs. The band had total artistic freedom in writing and recording the album, so Wesley and Jer pushed the envelope. "We continue to make the kind of records we want to," says Wesley. "We believe in this music. It's a true labor of love. We just want to keep reaching more people with our songs." Given the evidence on The Lumineers' sophomore album Cleopatra, that shouldn't be a problem.

It took four years for The Lumineers to follow up their platinum-plus, multi-Grammy-nominated, self-titled debut. Cleopatra proves Schultz and Fraites - along with cellist/vocalist Neyla Pekarek- are neither taking their good fortune for granted, nor sitting back on their laurels. With the help of producer Simone Felice (The Felice Brothers, The Avett Brothers), the man Wesley calls "our shaman," the band ensconced themselves in Clubhouse, a recording studio high atop a hill in rural Rhinebeck, N.Y., not far from Woodstock. The Lumineers then set about trying to make musical sense of their three-year-plus roller coaster ride. Their skill at setting a visual story to music comes through amidst the delicate, deceptively simple acoustic soundscapes. This time, though, bassist Byron Isaac provides a firm, low-end on the apocalyptic opener "Sleep on the Floor," a ghostly tune about getting out of town before the "subways flood and the bridges break." It's a densely packed, cinematic song that echoes Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City" and John Steinbeck's East of Eden. Cleopatra also deals with what Wesley terms "the elephant in the room," the band's success and the way it can sometimes put a target on your back. The syncopated piano rolls in "Ophelia" , the organic sound of fingers squeaking on guitar strings in "Angela" and the Faustian bargain described in "My Eyes" consider the perils of getting what you wish for, with everyone knowing your name, and your songs. The band had total artistic freedom in writing and recording the album, so Wesley and Jer pushed the envelope. "We continue to make the kind of records we want to," says Wesley. "We believe in this music. It's a true labor of love. We just want to keep reaching more people with our songs." Given the evidence on The Lumineers' sophomore album Cleopatra, that shouldn't be a problem.

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (Captain Fantastic’s George MacKay) and Blake (Game of Thrones’ Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them. 1917 is directed by Sam Mendes, who wrote the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Showtime’s Penny Dreadful). Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus reads: ""Hard-hitting, immersive, and an impressive technical achievement, 1917 captures the trench warfare of World War I with raw, startling immediacy."" The music to the movie is composed by Thomas Newman (The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, Road to Perdition). Newman has received a whopping 15 Oscar bids throughout his career, including one for this epic score. Since the film is designed to be told in one continuous shot from cinematographer Roger Deakins, Newman’s pulse-pounding score often serves as a unique form of editing. The music cuts off during dramatic cues, ramps up in battle scenes and, in one breathtaking moment, becomes almost operatic as MacKay runs through war ruins to escape being seen from enemy flares. 1917 is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on translucent blue coloured vinyl. The package includes an 8-page booklet with movie stills and liner notes by Sam Mendes.

Info: Appearing on The Voice in 2012. A semi-finalist on Sir Tom Jones team. Performed nationwide including multiple appearances at London Fashion Week, the alternate Effie White in the London production of Dreamgirls (Sonia Friedman Production). Ruth Brown has also been busy with a successful 2-night sold out show at The Other Palace, a regular for Sofar sounds. Ruth returns with her EP - A Moment Of Truth.

With "The Mirrored Mask", Dutch band Harlem Lake announces their highly anticipated second album, set to be released on September 27th under Jazzhaus Records Following their critically acclaimed debut album "A Fool's Paradise, Vol. 1" from 2021, the band from Haarlem, near Amsterdam, once again presents an eclectic mix of blues, rock, and Americana. However, Harlem Lake refuses to be pigeonholed, using these genres definitions merely as loose creative inspiration, resulting in a fresh and timeless sound. "The Mirrored Mask" is an energetic work, opening with two outstanding singles: "Carry On" and "Fooled Again." While "Carry On" impresses with powerful vocals by frontwoman Janne Timmer and sophisticated brass arrangements, "Fooled Again" showcases a funkier side of the band, with guitarist Sonny van den Berg displaying his distinct skills. The album features a wide range of styles and moods, from danceable tracks like "Beggars Can't Choose" to moving ballads like "The Thought Of You." The latter is characterized by its gentle instrumentation and melancholic lyrics, reminiscent of folk- Americana greats like Kacey Musgraves or Katie Pruitt. With tracks like "Crying In A Desert," Harlem Lake then also surprises listeners with a uniquely atmospheric road song a la J.J. Cale, complete with an impressive guitar solo. The highlight of the album is undoubtedly the title track "The Mirrored Mask," which showcases the full range of Harlem Lake's musical abilities. Concluding the album, the band presents two more highlights, "Temptation" and "Jack In The Box," skillfully rounding out the album with blues, jazz, and Americana flair. Harlem Lake, consisting of Janne Timmer (lead vocals), Dave Warmerdam (keyboard), Sonny van den Berg (guitar), Kjelt Ostendorf (bass), and Benjamin Torbijn (drums), created "The Mirrored Mask" as an album that impressively demonstrates their musical maturity and passion for songwriting. From powerful rock numbers to intimate ballads, the album offers a multifaceted listening experience that will captivate both fans and newcomers alike. Known for their dynamic live performances as winners of the European Blues Challenge 2022, the band will be presenting the songs from "The Mirrored Mask" on an extensive tour through Europe.

Holly Macve's third album, Wonderland, is a stunning testament to her evolving artistry and a bold declaration of independence. Released under her own Loving Memory Records, this album is her most luxurious and cinematic work to date. Co-produced with Dan Rothman of London Grammar, it features string arrangements by David Saunders and a notable collaboration with Lana Del Rey, who has lauded Macve's voice as one of the world's most beautiful. Reflecting a period of profound personal transformation, Wonderland captures Macve's journey through moments of intense highs and lows. The album's first single, 'San Fran Honey,' explores the theme of unattainable love, blending nostalgia with self-awareness. Macve's evocative, dreamy style resonates with the cinematic quality of Lana Del Rey's work, drawing comparisons between their approaches to music. Wonderland is an exciting exploration of Macve's growth and a showcase of her unique, atmospheric sound.