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Minneapolis' Real Numbers return with a new full length album, the gorgeously pop-tastic “Was It Always This Way.” Ten expectant, exuberant songs mixing hope and despair, the future and the past, all set to the sounds of late-80s/early-90s UK indiepop. While definitely picking up where their 2021 EP "Brighter Then" left off, the emphasis this time is on multi-layered guitars intended to complement the wistful and melancholy tracks with glittering awe.

“Was It Always This Way” refines Real Numbers' already-stunning songs, polishing the tunes into a swooningly perfect album that recalls 90s antecedents like Field Mice and St Christopher, as well as fellow pop practitioners like Ducks Ltd, Chime School and The Umbrellas. Album highlights like "Darling" and "Never Never Again" show that Real Numbers stand tall with their influences, paying close attention to the past while taking their art straight into the future with assurance and flair.

Thieves is a document of Kelly Doyle’s 30 years as a musician steeped in country, jazz and ‘50s exotica. Marked by freedom and restraint, he showcases his ability to unreel, flex, tease, cajole, inundate, and revel within the bounds of a single work. Composed for saxophone and guitar, Thieves offers an interplay of timbres that brings delicacy to complex melodies—tethered by unflinching bass and drums.

Regulator Watts returns with kWh (kilowatt-hours), the band's first new music in nearly 30 years. Produced by Kurt Ballou (Converge), this 5-song EP is a masterclass in post-hardcore dynamics, contrasting crushing grooves with moody, mysterious atmospherics and the haunting tone that remains guitarist Alex Dunham's trademark. This is essential listening for fans of the DC scene and those who find catharsis in the cycles of tension and release perfected by this peerless power trio.

Awake Children Under the Moon unfolds as a single cinematic arc, drifting through screamo, post-black metal, ambient, and shoegaze with a sense of nocturnal unease. Dedicated to anyone who learned how to endure the night before learning how to sleep, the EP captures moments spent awake beneath a distant moon. Built around a hazy blackgaze core, “water lily” seals unspoken emotions and inner conflict inside a quiet science-fiction narrative. The song introduces another lifeform encountered by a lone protagonist living on Mercury – a meeting suspended between hope and isolation. Whether the story resolves in tenderness or tragedy is left to the listener's interpretation.

Originally released in 1989 as an early milestone for the label, this landmark session teams the legendary alto saxophonist - then at the absolute peak of his powers at age 57 - with the incomparable Tommy Flanagan Trio . A titan of the genre for over 60 years, Woods masterfully combined a lush, beautiful tone with a complete command of the bebop vocabulary. Backed by veteran pianist Tommy Flanagan, former Oscar Peterson Trio bassist George Mraz, and a young, up-and-coming Kenny Washington on drums, the quartet delivers a timeless set of acoustic jazz that sounds as vital and vibrant today as it did nearly four decades ago.

Art Blakey, whose career spanned nearly 50 years of Black music history, exemplifies the timeless role of the drums in jazz. This Album of the Year LP, originally released in 1981, features the Jazz Messengers: trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, saxophonists Robert Watson and Bill Pierce, pianist James Williams, and bassist Charles Fambrough, alongside drummer and bandleader Art Blakey.

The album was recorded in Paris, and tracks include “Cheryl” (written by Charlie Parker), “Soulful Mister Timmons,” and “Little Man,” among others. The accompanying liner notes were written by Ted Panken.

Recorded in England and finished off in Lanarkshire with all three Bluebells joining Billy on vocal duties. PostWar sees Billy prove his Stevie Nicks Gypsy status by channelling Mirage era Fleetwood Mac. PostWar is Billy's fourth album with independent label Last Night From Glasgow, following 2024's double release of Steve (a Weekend in Egham, 1996) and When The Lord God Almighty Reads The News. The new album is released on CD and vinyl.

Defined by complex rhythms, low-tuned guitars, and an intense live energy, the band pushes the boundaries of contemporary heavy music. The band features Emilia Moncayo (vocals, synths), Amadeus Galiano (guitar, bass), and Carlos Sanchez (drums), each bringing a distinct musical background that merges extreme metal with progressive and electronic influences. Their combined technical precision and creative approach shape MINIPONY's intricate compositions and evolving sonic identity. MINIPONY has performed across Latin America and Europe, sharing the stage with iconic acts such as Meshuggah and touring alongside Fear Factory. They have also appeared at major international festivals including 70,000 Tons of Metal and Hell and Heaven Fest, Summer Breeze building a strong reputation for their powerful and immersive live performances.

Defined by complex rhythms, low-tuned guitars, and an intense live energy, the band pushes the boundaries of contemporary heavy music. The band features Emilia Moncayo (vocals, synths), Amadeus Galiano (guitar, bass), and Carlos Sanchez (drums), each bringing a distinct musical background that merges extreme metal with progressive and electronic influences. Their combined technical precision and creative approach shape MINIPONY's intricate compositions and evolving sonic identity. MINIPONY has performed across Latin America and Europe, sharing the stage with iconic acts such as Meshuggah and touring alongside Fear Factory. They have also appeared at major international festivals including 70,000 Tons of Metal and Hell and Heaven Fest, Summer Breeze building a strong reputation for their powerful and immersive live performances.

In the years after independence, Tunisia made an unlikely bet: tourism. Beach resorts rose along the coast, each one trying to outshine the next, and each one needing a band to entertain their guests. A whole generation of musicians grew up on those hotel stages - sharing bills with James Brown, Claude François and the Mingus Dynasty - and what came out of it was a small revolution. Funk played on Tunisian instruments. Disco with an oud in it. Reggae carried back from the island of Kerkennah. A "Third Language" the press didn't quite know what to do with.

Tunis Hotel Stereo gathers nine of those records. Most of them were pressed in tiny quantities, sold to tourists as souvenirs, censored before reaching the radio, or quietly slipped onto a 45 between two hotel sets. Some of these artists filled the Carthage amphitheatre. Some topped the Maghreb hit-parades. Most have been waiting, for forty years, for someone to play their music again.

This compilation is the result of years of work - collating memories, hunting down records, sitting with the artists who made them, and with the people who once danced to them. It is the third release on Shakshouka Records, and the first compilation of Tunisian music ever curated by Tunisians, in Tunisia.

SIDE A

The mysterious Les 4 Dés, who turned the national anthem into psychedelic pop on Ya Tounes - and then nearly vanished. Peace Band, hard rockers turned hotel professionals, recording as Omnya at Hammamet's legendary Topkapi club. Ridha Zalila, the eternal shape-shifter, in a rare instrumental of Tiou Tiou Tiou. And Sadok Gharbi's Noujoum - pulled from his sabotaged, near-lost masterpiece Souar.

SIDE B

Carthago, the impossible big band that married the elite of Tunisian jazz-rock with the stars of tourist entertainment, with the original Dhikrayet. Khaled Mellef, one of the great UFOs of his generation, with Wait Till the Morning Dew, recorded in the Netherlands. Marhaba Band's Baba Bahri, originally pressed only for hotel guests and now a cult artefact. Corniche Band's Dance, cut in Milan during a technical stop on a cruise ship. And Jomaa Bouzrara, the "Bob Marley of the Maghreb," with Now That, drawn from his landmark 1983 debut Sunset.

These weren't rebels without a cause. They were musicians who understood that modernity and heritage are not opposites - that a Tunisian could play funk and still be deeply, irreducibly Tunisian. They drew from every direction at once, and built something that belonged to none of those worlds entirely, and to all of them at the same time.

This compilation is one small act of remembering. The music does the rest.

Gary Sullivan's Bodega Pop project returns to DINTE with a cassette-only collection of traditional sounds plucked from CDRs found in the night-markets of Savannakhet, Vientiane, and Luang Prabang.

"In Lao PDR, music was seemingly everywhere. Walking through an open field outside Savannakhet to the sound of someone playing a khaen on a distant porch, the bracing rush of electronic molam from of one of Vientiane’s many aging malls, the awkward blending of the blind so u player’s voice with the bustling sounds of Luang Prabang’s night market.

It was in that UNESCO World Heritage Site that I found most of the CDs and CD-Rs from which I’ve ripped the tracks for this compilation. I’m almost certain I picked up a thumb drive at the night market that held many hours of additional music that could have been included, but if so, I’ve misplaced it, lost it for good, or simply misremember purchasing it in the first place. What I do remember is that these discs were literally the last copies in the cafe, museum, bookstore, and night market where I bought them, and not all of them played all the way through without sonic deterioration.

The sounds compiled here play in stark contrast to the more contemporary recordings I found in Laos, most of which featured some form of upbeat digital workstation molam or children’s songs. In addition to the ever-present khaen, this collection includes recordings of the sanai, a single-reed instrument fashioned from a water buffalo horn, the ceremonial khong nyai gong, the pi and similar free-reeds, and at least a dozen more traditional instruments played by Lao and ethnic minority artists. While some of these tracks were laid down in Vientiane or Luang Prabang, most were recorded near where the artists lived, from the legendary Vat Phou in the far south to the former Pathet Lao capital Xam Neua in the northeast.

Unlike Laurent Jeanneau’s more focused Lao collections for Akuphone and Sublime Frequencies, which remain among my favorite albums of all time, the present cassette-only selection is literally all over the PDR map. The sequencing is entirely in response to rhythm and texture and includes recordings from the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and early aughts. This may frustrate those with more of an ethnomusicology bent, but my hope is that the listener experiences something akin to wandering for the first time through this majestic country, encountering the last copies of forgotten recordings one after another, and hearing in these remains fragments of the past and a living musical landscape."

Stanley Brinks is renowned for his unique anti-folk style: both playful and suggestive, insightful and entertaining. Brinks was born in Paris, France, in 1973. He studied a bit of biology and worked as a nurse for a while. Half Swedish, half Moroccan, strongly inclined to travel the world, he soon began spending most of his life on the road and developed a strong relationship with New York.
By the late 90s he’d become a full time singer-songwriter – André Herman Düne – as part of three piece indie-rock band, Herman Düne alongside his brother, David-Ivar. Several albums and Peel sessions later and after a decade of touring Europe, mostly with American songwriters such as Jeffrey Lewis, Calvin Johnson and early Arcade Fire he settled in Berlin. The early carnival music of Trinidad became a passion, and in the early 21st century he became the unquestioned master of European calypso, changing his name to Stanley Brinks.
Under this moniker he has recorded well in excess of 100 albums, collaborated with the New York Antifolk scene on numerous occasions, recorded and toured with traditional Norwegian musicians, and played a lot with The Wave Pictures.
Freschard grew up in a farm in French Burgundy. Aged 18 she moved to Paris, where she baked pies and cakes in a cafe. There, a local musician and regular customer called Stanley Brinks wrote a few songs for her to sing. Homeless in Paris, she saved up just enough money to get herself a ticket to New York. There she found an old electric guitar and started writing her own songs. In 2004 she moved to Berlin, where she recorded her first LP, "Alien Duck". Her second album, "Click Click", recorded in 2006, features electric guitar by Stanley Brinks. On her third album, she plays the drums herself. On her fourth “Shh...” she also plays the flute, and she breaks out the washboard on her fifth “Boom Biddy Boom”. Press for Stanley Brinks and Freschard.
“an absolute joy.” Q.
“...a set that’s as wistful and charming as it is playful and self-concious.” Uncut.
“quietly charming” Pitchfork.

The amount of quality music Burnski has produced, A&Red and released in recent years is off the charts. His labels are some of the most played in the underground right now, but that hasn't stopped him from starting another one here with Silhouette. Mundy is a new name to us, but has some serious chops on display here with six stylish cuts that explore the intersection of garage, tech and minimal. The synths are silky and the vocal samples are expertly placed to give each groove real character. 'Real Love' is deep and r&b tinged, 'Find You' has a dark low end and 'The Middle' is all about the filthy bass. Pure heaters.

Detroit-born, Toronto-based HONORÉ returns with "We're Still Making Love" – the third vinyl release on Soul Jones Records and the herald for her long-awaited debut album. Written by Honoré and recalling the sweet n' tender vintage of 70s southern soul, the full Detroit Soulchestra swells around houseband The Detroit Lovers – a groove that reminded Honoré of growing up in the Motor City, watching lovers stepping together in the ballrooms of Detroit. The vinyl also carries the recent "Gratitude Remix" of "Ain't No Substitute" (by Estonian maverick Martin Laksberg of Lexsoul Dancemachine) as a bonus on the flip.

Die "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind" Vinyl enthält mit 26 Titeln von Komponist Yugo Kanno die musikalischen Highlights der vierten Staffel des Anime und ist so der erste Vinyl Release zu dieser Serie. Mit dabei sind natürlich einige der eindrucksvollsten Titel wie "Il vento d'oro" (Golden Wind) und "Esperienza d'oro", die diese gelb-orangene 140g Doppelvinyl zu einem Must-Have für Fans macht, das die Energie der Serie gekonnt transportiert.

This is terrific.
Brimming with saudade, an atmospheric, engrossing, organic blend of the gorgeous folk music of northern Ecuador’s indigenous communities, and tentative, crafted, soulful electronica.
‘Mala Fama is a Kichwa sound-artist from Ibarra, Ecuador, inhabiting — and creating — multiple worlds at once, while being rooted in Indigenous pride and power. Jichushka is a Kichwa word meaning lonely, or abandoned. Here, grief is re-cast as a pathway to liberation.
‘The album was recorded between 2016-2022. Home studio sessions facilitated close collaboration with a network of artists drawn from Andean musical lineages such as marimba, vallenato, and cumbia — including Afro-Ecuadorian group Duo Anjoa, vocalist Catalina Ortiz from coastal Esmeraldas, Ibarra-based multi-instrumentalist Luis Lema, and Quixosis. The album builds on peaceful ambient compositions as much as heavy sequencing, inviting melancholic remembrances of times and spaces that no longer exist.’
Warmly recommended. Like nothing else. Check it out!

'Devotional music and its devotees all do a bit of "buying in"; that while one's on the ground reality may appear anything but celestial, through this music, one can reach ecstatic space, ecstatic peace. However, devotional music is not solely concerned with a skyward glance - what does it look like to raise up the rust, look upon fractured branches, gaze at the density of a low fog across a field? Instead of us looking up at the land, what if the land was looking back at us? Old Saw brings together a brigade of New England silt sifters to raise up the land not as excavators, but as preparators. Tending and caring for the simple mess that our world discards. Throughout Country Tropics four pieces, the crew stretches and bends chords to their resting place before setting forth towards a new one. Fiddle drone, wistful tape loops of pedal steel, pipe organ hums, and clattering bells call us to scenes of observation, a water tower, a mechanical bull rental agency, a back porch, a taxidermy shop, a local church choir, a garden with singing vines, voltage hum of the electric fence on Pulp mill bridge road.
'The funny thing about devotion is the absence of sight, of source. We place trust in the guide or guides to bring us to a place of seeing, feeling, and hearing. The music on Country Tropics calls out to those in search of such places, but also doesn't demand we conjure some fantastical, celestial vision of understanding. Rather, Old Saw points our gaze downward towards the terrafirma unconsidered, and guides our hands into the dirt.'

Iconic Argentinian DJ/producer Flug drops full EP on Mutual Rytm Raw with ‘Dew At Night’. Flug, aka Sebastian Lopez, has long been part of the fabric of underground techno with a signature sound that is deep, driving and atmospheric, ensuring that the Argentinian has crafted his own story across the globe. Following his track ‘In Control’ on Mutual Rytm’s ‘Federation Of Rytm IV’ compilation, he follows the likes of KiNK & Raredub and Deetron to make his appearance on sub-imprint, Mutual Rytm Raw, with his ‘Dew At Night’ EP featuring a rare rebuilt version of an unreleased sketch dating all the way back to 2009. ‘Dew At Night’ was unearthed while searching for another track among sessions from over a decade ago. After hearing it again, it sparked a new creative age to rebuild it from scratch, and while experimenting with synthesisers, the main arpeggio appeared. "At first it was hypnotic but harmonically repetitive; the groove and phrasing felt incredibly catchy, so I decided to push the harmony further and change some chords until I found the exact point where emotion and tension could coexist naturally.” Around that bright arp are darker, more raw percussive textures and drums that make for a great contrast and melancholic atmosphere that marries emotion with physical structure. "In my mind, the track was always conceived as a closing track - that moment when the darkness is still there, but the first light of the day starts to appear and the whole atmosphere changes.” After hearing the original, label founder SHDW suggested the Argentinian should remix and reinterpret the record to complete the full EP, and so he steps out of his comfort zone across the remaining tracks, exploring different versions of his musical universe and showcasing all sides of his sound. First up is the ‘Dub Version’, which represents his contemporary sound - the melodic and emotional essence of the original track remains but is translated into a more hypnotic and club-oriented language. The ‘Instrumental Version’ is a brings more progressive-leaning sounds with piano, sax and live percussion textures that, says the artist, allowed him to "rediscover myself as a producer by using tools and influences gathered throughout my long journey in electronic music”. Closing the package, the digital-only ‘Raw Version’ strips away the melody and gets much more primal, introducing a tunnelling groove for when the dancefloor gets dark and moody.

Bad Brains is the self-titled debut studio album recorded by American hardcore punk/reggae band Bad Brains. Recorded in 1981 and released on (then) cassette-only label ROIR on February 5, 1982, many fans refer to it as "The Yellow Tape" because of it's yellow packaging. Though Bad Brains had recorded the 16 song Black Dots album in 1979 and the 5-song Omega Sessions EP in 1980, the ROIR cassette was the band's first release of anything longer than a single. The release includes the original liner notes by Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo. This reissue marks the second release in the remaster campaign on the band's own Bad Brains Records imprint with Org Music. In coordination with the band, Org Music has overseen the restoration and remastering of the iconic Bad Brains' recordings. The audio was mastered by Dave Gardner at Infrasonic Mastering.

Pure Devotion, benannt nach der gleichnamigen Live-Reihe von 2024, markiert einen weiteren Entwicklungsschritt für Overmono. Hinter dem Projekt stehen die Brüder Tom und Ed Russell, die bereits seit Jahren in der britischen Elektronikszene aktiv sind - sowohl gemeinsam als auch über ihre Solo-Projekte Tessela und Truss. Diese Erfahrungen aus dem UK-Underground bilden die Grundlage ihres Sounds bis heute. Das Album vereint bewusst Unschärfen, technische Imperfektion und zufällige Momente mit einer klaren künstlerischen Haltung. Über elf Tracks hinweg erweitern Overmono ihren Produktionsansatz und greifen dabei auf ungewöhnliche Mittel zurück: analoge Synthesizer aus den 70er- und 80er-Jahren, alte Lautsprechersysteme oder experimentelle Klangbearbeitung. Das Ergebnis wirkt kontrolliert, organisch und immer treibend. Auch die Vocals tragen zur Atmosphäre bei - unter anderem von John Joseph Holt, Kindora und Ruthven. Insgesamt legt Pure Devotion den Fokus stärker auf Emotionalität und Klangtiefe als auf reine Funktionalität im Clubkontext. Das Projekt entwickelte sich aus einer Neujustierung ihrer Live-Show und gewann parallel zu ihren Touraktivitäten an Form. Nach dem Erfolg ihres Debütalbums Good Lies (2023), welches ihnen größere Aufmerksamkeit und internationale Auftritte einbrachte, spielten Overmono zahlreiche Festivals und eigene Shows, darunter Glastonbury und Alexandra Palace in London. Während dieser Phase entstand neue Musik, die später in Rückzugsorten wie Spanien und Island weiter ausgearbeitet wurde. Die Single "Lockup" steht exemplarisch für die Herangehensweise des Duos: direkte, rhythmisch präsente Strukturen treffen auf zurückhaltendere, emotionale Elemente. Pure Devotion wirkt damit weniger wie ein Bruch als vielmehr wie eine konsequente Weiterentwicklung - geprägt von Erfahrung, Neugier und dem Anspruch, den eigenen Ansatz weiter auszuloten. Overmono sind eine neue Größe in der internationalen Club-Kultur.

Drone returns for his fourth release on his Evil Sky imprint with Normal Ways, a 4-track EP that further pushes the boundaries of bass-heavy music. The EP blends 2-step, breaks, and dubstep, showcasing Drone’s ever-evolving sound while staying true to his distinctive style.

Opening with Ralph’s Theme, a euphoric breaks-driven track, Drone explores a more melodic and emotional side of his production with soaring synths and vocal chops.

Blurred Vision follows, a bass-heavy 2-step anthem with powerful low-end and driving drums that capture Drone’s signature intensity.

Atom Bomb is a dubstep weapon, a club-focused track loaded with hard-hitting bass and all the weight you expect from Drone’s productions.

Closing out the EP is the title track, Normal Ways — a stripped-back, weighty cut with a deep sub, vocal chops, and grooving percussion, marking a return to a more minimalistic yet dynamic sound. Normal Ways sees Drone push forward into new sonic territories while maintaining his signature style, making this EP another standout release on Evil Sky.

Title track Tokyo Midnight opens with a groovy guitar riff and continues into an upbeat rhythmic workout, complete with a funky bassline and ululating keyboards. Yurika’s enchanting voice ties things together in a soft yet hypnotic musical whirlwind.

On the B-side, Nasnusa, a beautiful guitar solo flows into a captivating rhythm inspired by traditional Mizrahi music. Yurika’s delicate vocals evoke a love story: a couple watches the sunset as the gates to a new world begin to open. As Nasnusa fades into the light, her lover recalls her beauty and reflects fondly on the wonderful time they shared together.

Founded by Amir Sadot and Ilan Smilan, Sababa 5 have been playing together for two years and recently built their own recording studio. “We just wanted a place to record our music where the whole band could fit together in the same room… so we built the place ourselves! Mind you, there’s not a lot of space… in fact, we’re a bit crammed in there, but that’s how we like it.” Sababa 5’s musical style has been shaped by all its members and continues to evolve while always remaining deeply groove-centric. Their sound is rooted in surf rock and retro funk, drawing strong inspiration from Arabic folk and funk music of the ’60s and ’70s, as well as artists from that era such as the legendary Aris San.

Yurika is a Japanese performer born and raised in Tokyo. During her teenage years, she discovered belly dancing and quickly fell in love with the art form. She later travelled throughout the Middle East to deepen her studies, learning from choreographers such as Orly Portal and performing alongside renowned artists including Raquy Danziger, Boom Pam, and Ouzo Bazooka.

,The Ecstatic", das ursprünglich im Juni 2009 erschien, gilt als wegweisendes künstlerisches Statement von Mos Def (heute bekannt als Yasiin Bey) - ein facettenreiches Comeback, das seinen Status als eine der abenteuerlustigsten und intellektuell engagiertesten Stimmen des Hip-Hop bekräftigte. Das Album erschien ein Jahrzehnt nach seinem gefeierten Debüt ,Black on Both Sides" und wurde weithin als sein stärkstes Werk seit Jahren angesehen; es erntete nahezu einhelliges Lob für seine lyrische Bandbreite, die vielseitige Produktion und den thematischen Anspruch. Musikalisch webt ,The Ecstatic" einen globalen Klangteppich, der von einer Reihe zukunftsweisender Produzenten geprägt ist, darunter Madlib, J Dilla, Oh No, Preservation, Mr. Flash, Chad Hugo (von The Neptunes) und Georgia Anne Muldrow. Die daraus entstehende Klanglandschaft ist sowohl in der Hip-Hop-Tradition verwurzelt als auch genreübergreifend und integriert Elemente aus Jazz, Soul, nahöstlichen Einflüssen und experimenteller Sample-Arbeit. Tracks wie ,Supermagic" und ,Twilite Speedball" strahlen eine lebendige, rastlose Energie aus, die den weitreichenden kreativen Spielraum des Albums widerspiegelt. Textlich durchstreift yasiin bey mit seiner charakteristischen Schärfe persönliche, politische und philosophische Themen und setzt sich mit poetischer Dringlichkeit mit sozialer Ungleichheit, westlichem Imperialismus und Fragen der kulturellen Identität auseinander. The Ecstatic setzt eher auf Risiko und Komplexität als auf Nostalgie und bleibt ein ausgereiftes, tief empfundenes Werk, dessen Ehrgeiz, Tiefe und anhaltende Resonanz seinen Platz als herausragender Eintrag im Werk von Mos Def und in der modernen Hip-Hop-Geschichte gefestigt haben.

Italy's Raffaele Attanasio rises on South Signature Records' third outing. Hard-edged techno with a southern soul, built for dark rooms and no excuses. 140g black wax, four cuts, done.

Vuo Records continues its elemental series from the Finnish cold. Five artists, one theme, dub-heavy textures and smouldering house rhythms that burn slow and deep. Monoder, Tm Shuffle, Cyclic/Random, Holm Torrance, and Dib each bring their own heat.

Ready for the summer!!!!!
This highly anticipated double EP by Skatman is yet another weapon from the Time Passages arsenal.
Aziz Haddad, better known as Skatman, is one of the most promising figures in the contemporary electronic music scene. Known for his genre-fluid approach and distinctive artistic vision, he continues to blur the lines between house, techno, and deeper cinematic influences. His ability to craft immersive sonic journeys has earned him a respected place within the international underground circuit, making each new release a testament to his evolving creativity and unmistakable sound.
Featuring eight tracks, this double EP showcases the full spectrum of Skatman’s sonic universe. Some of the cuts may already sound familiar to attentive dancefloors, having been championed by Binh at several of last summer’s most celebrated festivals and events. Balancing hypnotic grooves, intricate rhythms, and atmospheric depth, the record is built to leave a lasting mark on both intimate club settings and open-air dancefloors alike.

Boisterous stuff out of Uruguay, courtesy of Kalahari debutant Michelle.

An early Nicolas Lutz protégé and live set demolition expert offering hard-edged techno and electro drama, with occasional pitstops into tech house turf. Lean, mean and utterly relentless with it. Pervaded by cranky, unruly dancefloor spectres and haywire cybernetics – all deftly constructed but administered with brute force and controlled ferocity.

Bearing heart and soul at the controls of her 303, it isn’t all full-frontal assault. A fierce feminine energy pervades every nook and cranny, brooding and angsty, totally rooted in that Montevideo warehouse sound. Straddles the beautiful and terrifying with ease.

Machine-powered and ruthless, the Slipknot-sampling closer is a fitting end.

Pablo Bozzi returns to his own imprint with Wired, four tracks of progressive house built for the long arc of a night — patient, physical, unafraid of melody.
“This one captures the full range and vibe of what I’ve been working on lately. I’m very happy with how it came together and hope you like it too.” — Pablo Bozzi

Ākāśa Studio is the sonic extension of a long-form exploration, a project dedicated to creating a sanctuary in nature for the expansion of consciousness in the hills of Sardinia. The label is the byproduct of a decade spent digging through records and making music, driven by a persistent refusal to settle for the expected.
For our debut, we’ve reached into the archives of George Saunders (SolarQuest). On the A side, we have selected three recordings from the mid-90s that embody the driving, emotional core of techno- trance with a touch of Goa. These pieces are remarkably lean, stripping away the excess of the era to focus on pure melodic momentum. They are high-energy club tracks that prioritise atmosphere over complexity. Functional, yet deeply resonant.
The B-side explores the after-hour sound that has become a staple of our gatherings. These tracks, produced between the late 90s and early 2000s, lean into spacious dub-inflections and warm, marinating, ambient textures. While the tempo recedes, SolarQuest’s distinct character remains, unfolding slowly to suit the transition from the dance-floor back to the self.

Figure marks its latest chapter with X54, a gripping new EP from French production talent KUSS.

Known for his meticulous work with hypnotic rhythms and tactile textures, his debut release for the label thrives in the darker, more introspective corners of the club. X54 is a perfect example of tension-building-balancing forward-thinking sound design with the kind of dancefloor efficiency that Figure is known for.
While the EP is defined by the heavy, metallic undertones that K.U.S.S. has made his own, the record also features two collaborations with Clotur. These tracks bridge K.U.S.S.'s clinical percussion with Clotur's knack for expansive, cinematic atmosphere. Together, they create a sound that feels both surgically clean and sonically massive.
Built for the late-night hours and the depths of the club, X54 is an uncompromising addition to the Figure catalog.

following the success of his previous release matter, swedish newcomer martinou returns with his second single on mule musiq.

expanding on the sound of his last record, martinou delivers a more refined and expansive take on dreamy deep house.

the lead track, a1 “through you,” is a driving, balearic-tinged piece of dreamy deep house, highlighted by the synth work that can truly be called one of his signature strengths.

a2 “unfold” and b2 “continuum” are melodic breakbeat cuts that update the spirit of 90s ambient techno for the present day.

on b1 “multitudes,” martinou moves into after-hours house territory, deeper and more introspective, yet still carrying a strong sense of openness.

a dreamlike four-track release that marks the full bloom of martinou’s talent.

don’t miss it!

OK EG, AKA Lauren Squire and Matthew Wilson, take intrepid recce’s on a Kalahari debut of fathoms-deep techno minimalism and opiated braindance styles.

With release titles like ‘Intertidal zone', 'Anther' and 'Prismatic Spring’, their ambition to evoke natural worlds is evident. But these tracks aren’t of this planet. Navigating truly alien terrain, ‘Rivulets’ finds the duo imagining uncharted environments into existence through the medium of analogue hardware.

This is very much an album of two halves; the first on heads-down tip aimed straight at the dancefloor, with a second plate that veers further into abstraction. That said, they’re all the kind of far-reaching explorations where close listening yields great rewards.

Between ‘Oxygen Channel’’s cavernous throb and the dub techno-leaning ‘Circular Arc’, the Antipodean duo set their stall out with a widescreen sense of space. Then, ’Rivulets’ comes in strong with the spiralling, trance-inducing gear. Stripped-back, no fuss; proper live improv techno for the most inquisitive souls.

Sending signals into the endless expanse, the second half is a demonstration of OK EG’s versatility. Where ‘Surface System’ and ‘Matched Grip’ further indulge dubby tendencies, ‘Flow Regime’ and closing gambit ‘Endless River’ traverse dreamlike dimensions through breaks and flow state IDM.

MYKI enters the Neptune Discs orbit with a limited edition 12″, tracing the outer zones of house and techno through deep, dubwise pressure and a distinctly nineties haze. With previous outings on Kalahari Oyster Cult, Step Ball Chain, and more recently R.A.N.D. Muzik x Echocentric, MYKI also co-runs the Tofistock label alongside Olsvangèr.

A vivid display of his range as a producer, the EP moves with ease between direct techno, propulsive trance variants, dub-loaded house pressure, and atmospheric, chord-heavy cuts full of texture and detail. With this project, MYKI explores hauntological aspects of dance music — the space between memory, atmosphere, and club functionality.

25% of profits will be donated to support Doha, a 27-year-old architect from Gaza whose home was destroyed during the ongoing devastation in Gaza. Doha has been accepted to study architecture at Delft University of Technology, and funds raised will help cover the visa and relocation costs needed for her and her daughter to reach safety and continue her education.

The release comes housed with an outer sleeve sticker designed by theajm.

Klaus Kotai, a Viennese who had made Berlin his home, found a receptive audience in Cologne as early as the mid-90s with his records on Elektro Music Department. This club and label conglomerate, run with co-producer and DJ Mo Loschelder and the artist Daniel Pflumm, was working towards a radical streamlining of techno. A certain kinship with the pre-Kompakt sound of Cologne could not be denied. They exchanged greetings from afar.

Then came the 2000s, an exciting era for club music, rich in innovation and characterised above all by the burgeoning genres of minimal and electro clash. In 2002, Kotai’s ‘Sucker DJ’ was released, featuring the brilliant remix by Marcin “Highfish” Kozlowski, on WMF Records – the label belonging to the eponymous cult Berlin club. A true hit that struck a perfect balance between both worlds and was played across genres by virtually every DJ.

Exactly 20 years after the last re-release on Elektro Music Department (also distributed by Kompakt at the time), it’s now time for ‘Sucker DJ’ to make a comeback. Judging by Marco Cariolaa’s ‘Cringe Vibes’, it’s needed more urgently than ever.

Remastered, with new artwork by Daniel Pflumm, and still “fucking up your place”.
Der Wiener Wahlberliner Klaus Kotai stiess in Köln schon Mitte der 90er Jahre mit seinen Platten auf Elektro Music Department auf offene Ohren. Dieses mit Co-Produzentin & DJ Mo Loschelder sowie dem Künstler Daniel Pflumm betriebene Club-/Label-Konglomerat arbeitete sich an einer radikalen Entschlackung des Techno ab. Eine gewisse Seelenverwandtschaft zum Kölner Prä-Kompakt-Sound war nicht von der Hand zu weisen. Man grüßte sich aus der Ferne.

Dann kamen die 2000er, eine aufregende, an Innovationen nicht arme Ära für Clubmusik, die vor allem von den aufblühenden Genres Minimal und Electro Clash geprägt war. Im Jahr 20 02 kam dann Kotais ‘Sucker DJ’ mit dem kongenialen Marcin “Highfish” Kozlowski Remix auf dem zum gleichnamigen Berliner Kult-Club gehörenden Label WMF Rec ords heraus. Ein echter Konsenshit, der äußerst komfortabel zwischen beiden Welten saß und genreübergreifend von nahezu allen DJs gespielt wurde.

Genau 20 Jahre nach der letzten Wiederveröffentlichung auf Elektro Music Department (damals ebenfalls im Kompakt Vertrieb) ist es nun an der Zeit, dass der ‘Sucker DJ’ zurückkommt. Wenn man sich Marco Cariolaa’s Cringe Vibes so anschaut, wird er dringender gebraucht denn je.

Neu gemastert, mit neuem Artwork von Daniel Pflumm und immer noch “fucking up your place”.

For the 10th Anniversary of the iconic and unique For Honor, Kid Katana Records teamed up with Ubisoft to bring you this high quality album on an exclusive double vinyl. With over 35 million players since its release, For Honor has kept on bringing new content in the game, enriching the players’ experience with new Heroes, Factions and Music to keep the battle for survival and honor alive.


The physical edition is a premium 2LP designed in close relationship with the game's creative team:


● Track selection handpicked by For Honor team, including 2 new tracks (Year 10 exclusive) and a track never released before from Y1 Season 7
● 2 Golden vinyls
● Exclusive cover art with glossy effect on the logo
● Exclusive 16-page booklet with insights on each faction’s music, liner notes
from the game’s creative team and composers Luc St-Pierre, Danny Bensi and
Saunder Jurriaans



The tracklist is a selection of music from the 10 seasons of the game, one side per faction:

Fiat Lux return with Desire & Belief, their third album of new material this millennium, following their acclaimed comeback LPs Saved Symmetry and Twisted Culture. The trio—Steve Wright, Will Howard, and David P Crickmore—combine modern production with vintage synths and instruments rooted in their Polydor-era beginnings to craft ten tracks that span cinematic atmospheres, synth-pop anthems, and moody electronica. Tracks like "Clear Sky " and "Turn Me Around" offer hook-laden synth-pop, while "Summer Solstice " and "Am I Dreaming " delve into ambient and darker tones. Desire & Belief is a natural progression for Fiat Lux—retaining the spirit of their 1980s Northern roots in synth, goth, and indie, yet confidently stepping into new sonic territory for long-time fans and new listeners alike. RIYL: Blancmange, OMD, Scary Thieves, Tears For Fears

BBE Music’s celebrated J Jazz compilation series reaches its fifth and final volume in early 2026, culminating in a track list that maintains the exceptionally high standard first set with volume one back in 2018. This final volume features a selection of tracks that is as diverse as it is deep, reflecting the rich and varied Japanese jazz scene that spanned from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, a golden era of innovation and creativity. J Jazz volume 5 sees compilers Tony Higgins and Mike Peden dig ever deeper into their respective record collections to reveal tracks that encompass myriad styles including white hot jazz funk fusion from Toshiyuki Honda (Eastern Legacy) and Mikio Masuda (Sonic Barrier), super rare ethnic jazz crossover by Christal Zone - their one-off 45 promo release from 1971, Rai Rai, a deconstructed and abstract jazz classic by Yasuhiro Kohno with his solo piano rendition of My Favourite Things, and Mile and Half’s skin-tearing, shredding freak-out from their mega rare private press album.

A track that is so relentless, it leaves the listener in need of oxygen and a Valium. These hand-picked selections sit alongside other specially chosen numbers that embrace hard-driving samba (Seiichi Nakumura’s Judy’s Samba), epic head-nodding soul jazz (Masaru Imada’s World Line), psychedelic private press fusion (Aoyama Gakuin 101’s Fervor), angular post-bop tear-ups (Akira Miyazawa’s Nijimasu), intense and insistent fusion (Motohiko Hino’s Olive Step), serene cinematic pianism (Hideo Ichikawa’s On the Trade Wind) and tripped-out hallucinogenic tribal funky jazz (Masahiko Sato’s Garandoh’s Africa to Africa). Most of the tracks on this collection are being reissued for the first time, many of them only available previously on extremely limited and mega-rare private press or independent releases. J Jazz volume 5 is a fitting end to a compilation series that helped create a new audience and appreciation of Japanese jazz Some of the albums the tracks are drawn from are featured in the large format book J Jazz: Modern and Free Jazz from Japan 1954-1988, by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden, published by BBE Music in 2024. With almost 7000 words of extensive sleeve notes, J Jazz volume 5 comes in a triple 180g vinyl set inside a deluxe gatefold sleeve with obi strip, and comes with a 4-page insert, with photographs from the renowned Tokyo Jazz Joints project. It is also available as a double CD and digital download. Mastered at the Grammy-nominated Carvery Studio by Frank Merritt, this latest collection is a worthy successor to the preceding four volumes that set the bar so high. The J Jazz series is curated for BBE Music by Tony Higgins and Mike Peden.