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Long-time NuNorthern Soul contributor, B.J. Smith is a man in demand, dividing his time between solo work, playing guitar in Crazy P man James Baron’s popular JIM outfit, collaborating in a variety of well-regarded projects (Smith & Mudd, Bison and White Elephant amongst them) and composing for TV. Due to this impressive list of musical commitments, solo releases have been few and far between of late, with Smith’s most recent NuNorthern Soul release, a stripped back version of his Big Sur single, dropping late 2023.

It's been ever longer since he delivered a volume in his popular and ongoing Dedications To The Greats series, where the singer-songwriter and composer successfully turns his hand to other people’s songs. Since debuting the series on NuNorthern Soul in 2013 via revelatory and inspired covers of tracks by Mos Def and the Pharcyde, Smith has covered cuts by Outkast, Prefab Sprout and Soul II Soul.

On volume four, Smith’s first volume in the series for five years, he delivers a “cover of a cover” – a revolutionary and imaginative interpretation of Billy Swan’s ‘Don’t Be Cruel’, itself a version of a song first made famous by Elvis Presley. It was their mutual love of Swan’s version that brought Smith together with the release’s most prominent guest artist, Joe Harvey-Whyte, whose lilting, bittersweet and deeply emotive pedal steel performances can be heard across the EP.

Smith provides three contrasting takes. The EP is led by the ‘Mother Earth’ version, a slowly unfurling epic in which waves of effects-laden pedal steel and sun-splashed picking acoustic guitars usher in Smith’s eyes-closed vocalisations, settling into a groove reminiscent of his collaborative work with long-time friend and collaborator Paul ‘Mudd’ Murphy that showcases Harvey-Whyte centre stage to joyful effect. As the 14-minute epic progresses, we’re treated to long, languid electric guitar solos, percussion-laden slow-motion builds and hazy, stretched-out organ solos. It’s a breathlessly brilliant concoction that’s a million miles away from either Swan or Presley’s versions.

In contrast, the similarly epic ‘Earth Heart’ version – available in full vocal and instrumental takes – pushes the song front and centre. Following an extended build up, where Tamar Osborn’s gorgeous and fluid flute motifs rub shoulders with languid guitar solos and Harvey-Whyte’s pedal steel, Smith takes to the mic, delivering an emotive performance of the song’s heartfelt lyrics over a hushed, slow-motion groove. The track builds in waves as it progresses, with Smith layering up instrumentation as it rolls towards a fine conclusion.

Completing a superb package is the ‘Root Heart Version’, a Balearic-meets-Americana take built around shuffling drums, toasty bass guitar, extended pedal steel instrumentation, flashes of flute and Smith’s sun-bright acoustic guitar. Loved-up and more than a little saucer-eyed, it’s a bona-fide sunset delight.

Peace and love in late 60s America did not come without parallel feelings of fear and confusion about the social situation – specifically about Vietnam. “Safe In My Garden” is the latest Ace compilation in an acclaimed series compiled by Bob Stanley – it’s a companion piece to the much-praised “State Of The Union (The American Dream In Crisis 1967 – 1973)” Ace CDCHD 1533/XXQLP2 057 2018).

The music on “Safe In My Garden” is harmony-laden, beautifully produced soft rock. Sunshine pop, even - a melodic, innovative style of American music that grew in the mid-60s out of the folk and surf scenes, exemplified by the Beach Boys and the Mamas and Papas. You will hear orchestral arrangements, and soft boy-girl vocals. But it wasn’t made in isolation from what was going on in the outside world. There are clouds and minor chords, plenty of melancholy in those harmonies.

“Safe In My Garden” includes songs of escape (Mark Eric’s ‘Move With The Dawn’, the Groop’s ‘A Famous Myth’), loss (the Eighth Day’s ‘How Can I Stop Loving You’, the New Colony Six’s ‘Prairie Grey’), dreamscapes (Tommy James and the Shondells’ ‘She’, Nancy Priddy’s ‘Christina’s World’), rebirth (Smokey and his Sister’s ‘Creators Of Rain’), a simpler world (the Free Design’s ‘My Brother Woody’) and a philosophically sounder future (Chad & Jeremy’s ‘The Ark’, Best of Friends’ ‘Summer Sound’).

It contains some surprisingly dark messages paired with beautiful melodies, as well as songs of hope. Thousands of young musicians in cities, suburbs and small towns across the States from the mid to late 60s spent their mornings hiding from the mailman, dreading the draft. This is the Sound of Young America in the late 60s, keeping its fingers crossed.

Friend Of A Phantom is the third studio album by the Danish progressive metal band Vola, released under Mascot Label Group. This highly anticipated album showcases Vola's signature blend of intricate rhythms, soaring melodies, and thought-provoking lyrics.

With tracks like "Straight Lines" and "These Black Claws," Friend Of A Phantom takes listeners on a musical journey that seamlessly combines heavy riffs with electronic elements, creating a dynamic sound that is both captivating and innovative.

Vola's musicianship shines through in every song, from the complex drum patterns to the mesmerizing guitar solos. The band's ability to craft intricate arrangements while maintaining a strong sense of melody sets them apart in the progressive metal scene.

The production quality of Friend Of A Phantom is top-notch, allowing each instrument to shine through while still blending together to create a cohesive and immersive listening experience. The album's rich textures and layers reveal new details with each listen, making it a rewarding choice for fans of progressive music.

Overall, Friend Of A Phantom is a must-have for any music lover looking for an album that pushes boundaries and challenges traditional genre conventions. Vola's unique sound and innovative approach make this album a standout release in their discography.

The Dead 60s seminal self-titled album gets a timely Deluxe edition reissue on Vinyl for its 20th Anniversary, on Deltasonic Records



“Back in the day, punk and dub weren’t just sharing space—they were smashing into each other headfirst. Late '70s Britain was a pressure cooker, and for kids like me, growing up between Brixton’s bass bins and the chaos of King’s Road, that collision was everything. Jamaican sound system culture met punk’s raw spirit in a haze of smoke, sweat, and feedback. It wasn’t about genre—it was about energy. Identity. Defiance. so when The Dead 60s came along, post-Britpop and post-bullshit, it felt like someone had dusted off the blueprint and run it through a battered old tape echo. These weren’t just lads with good taste—they understood the assignment. They took the DNA of two rebel cultures and mutated it into something that could stand tall in the 21st century. Dub-soaked, punk-fuelled, dripping with that Liverpool attitude. I remember first hearing them and thinking—yeah, here we go again. Not in a retro way, but in a real way. Guitars that cut like sirens in the night. Basslines fat and warm, straight out the Channel One playbook. Lyrics that painted the grey corners of Britain like CCTV poetry. It was the sound of youth under pressure. The sound of not fitting in—and not wanting to.

Their debut album dropped in 2005, and it hit like a flare in the dark. “Riot Radio” was a pirate broadcast from the concrete frontlines. “Control This” swaggered with menace and reverb. It was like someone opened a time capsule from the punky-reggae party and rewired it for a new generation.

Now, with this 20th anniversary vinyl reissue—complete with the full dub companion produced by Central Nervous System—we get to hear the bones and blood of it all. The dub versions pull the tracks apart and let the ghosts speak. Reverb, delay, space—it’s not just production, it’s meditation. Revolution slowed down to a heartbeat. It’s music that makes you move and think. What they’ve done here is more than remix a record—they’ve revealed its soul. That’s what dub does when it’s done right. And The Dead 60s, they got that. They weren’t tourists in the culture—they were students of it, shaped by it, and ultimately, contributors to the legacy. Liverpool’s long had a love affair with Jamaican music—you can hear it in the streets if you’re really listening. The Dead 60s tapped into that lineage, but they brought their own thing to the table. Punk's fire. Dub’s depth. Ska’s bounce. All filtered through a Northern lens and blasted out like protest graffiti. This 20th anniversary reissue ain’t about nostalgia. It’s a reminder. A celebration. A call to arms. Music like this doesn’t belong in a museum—it belongs on a system, shaking walls and waking minds. Crate diggers, completists, young punks, old heads—this one's for all of you.

So put it on and turn it up. Let the punk edge sharpen your thoughts, and the dub shake your bones ‘cos this isn’t just a reissue - it’s resistance on wax.....”

"Magical Thinking", Faraos drittes Studioalbum, entfaltet sich als vielschichtige Reise durch Verlust, Sehnsucht und Verwandlung. In Anlehnung an den Titel und den Geist von Joan Didions "The Year of Magical Thinking" bewegt es sich durch das stille Terrain zwischen Verleugnung und Akzeptanz - wo Trauer nicht gelöst, sondern getragen wird. Es sind Songs über Wiederaufbau und Widerstandsfähigkeit, geprägt von Themen wie Trauer, Mutterschaft und den wesentlichen Ritualen, die uns aufrecht halten, wenn die Klarheit schwindet. Das Album wurde zwischen Oslo und Berlin aufgenommen und pulsiert mit dem Flair des R&B der 90er Jahre, dem Glanz der 80er-Disco und der kontemplativen Schwungkraft des spirituellen Jazz - allesamt verankert durch Faraos intime Vocals und komplexe Arrangements. Vom ersten Schimmern von ,Waiting for You", wo Herzschmerz in Pailletten gekleidet ist und ein Groove an Robyn und Chaka Khan erinnert, lädt uns das Album in eine Welt ein, in der Sehnsucht zum Leuchten gebracht wird. In ,Spiritual Garden", benannt nach einer flüchtigen Textzeile von Janet Jackson, schafft Farao eine feuchte, narkotische R&B-Träumerei. Percussion im Stil von Timbaland und seidige Basslines umhüllen die unerwarteten Texturen ihrer Zither und beschwören eine Meditation über Verlassenheit und die fragile Rückeroberung des Selbstwertgefühls herauf. Wenn ,Dreamy Ride" einsetzt - wo Aaliyahs Coolness auf Dorothy Ashbys kosmische Harfe trifft -, gleitet das Album in nächtliche Bewegungen, eine R&B-Fantasie für nächtliche Autofahrten um 2 Uhr morgens, wobei ihre Zither sich wie ein Leitstern durch den Mix webt. Der verspielte Synth-Jam ,Hey Ladies" und eine kühne Neuinterpretation von Brandys ,Full Moon" lockern die Stimmung in der Mitte des Albums auf. Ersterer ist eine freche, einminütige Hommage an Destiny's Child, letzterer eine nächtliche Elegie, die einen geliebten Klassiker in tiefe Bässe und schimmernde Synthesizer hüllt. Dann kommt ,Xiang Xiang", ein intimes Intermezzo, das um eine geflüsterte Stimme einer Freundin herum aufgebaut ist und uns an die realen Bindungen erinnert, die Faraos üppiges Klanguniversum erden. Im Zentrum des Albums steht der Titeltrack ,Magical Thinking", der direkt auf Didions Memoiren Bezug nimmt. Hier zeichnen pulsierende Synthesizer und schwebende Vocals die verschwommene Grenze zwischen Präsenz und Dissoziation nach. Es folgt ,Endelig" (,endlich" auf Norwegisch), ein tiefes Ausatmen - ein minimalistisches, spirituelles Jazz-Intermezzo, das die Illusion einer Auflösung vermittelt. Farao tut sich dann mit dem Ambient-Pionier Laraaji für ,Voice Continues" zusammen, einer weitläufigen, von der Vierten Welt inspirierten Meditation, in der Zither, mehrschichtige Vocals und Synth-Texturen einen Klangteppich bilden, der die Spuren mütterlicher Liebe über Generationen hinweg nachzeichnet. ,Tschüssi" (ein luftiger deutscher Abschiedsgruß) wird zum Gefäß für etwas weit Schwerwiegenderes: ein Abschied, durchzogen von sich wiederholenden Erinnerungen und emotionaler Desorientierung, aufgebaut um ein gespenstisches Fragment aus Faraos Track ,Marry Me". Das Album schließt mit ,Sleep It O" zu einer verschwommenen, gnädigen Note, einem Wiegenlied für die Überwältigten - eine letzte Erlaubnis, sich auszuruhen, loszulassen, sich einfach hinzulegen. Keine Verheißung der Heilung, sondern eine mitfühlende Pause in einem Album, das von Sehnsucht und Illusion geprägt ist. RIYL: Erika de Casier, Tirzah, Sade, Kelela, Qendresa, Caroline Polachek, Solange

A Place In My Memory Is All I Have To Claim is the new album by Australian atmospheric pop trio Hydroplane, the storied 'offshoot' formed by three quarters of independent pop group, The Cat's Miaow. On this, their first music after two decades plus of radio silence, Andrew Withycombe, Kerrie Bolton and Bart Cummings return to the gentle, close-quarters musical world they shared around the turn of the century.

Recorded during 2024 in Melbourne and Ballarat, A Place In My Memory… picks up the thread Hydroplane set down with its precursor, 2001's The Sound Of Changing Places, though you can hear echoes of their other releases, too, with Withycombe noting a through-line from the group's 1998 "Failed Adventure" single. There's little quite like A Place In My Memory…, then or now, though. Maybe you can draw some connections between Hydroplane and their sister group, The Cat's Miaow, while fellow travellers might include Empress, The Ah Club, and further back, Young Marble Giants, Veronique Vincent (the muffled, ticking drum machine also makes me think of Robin Gibb's Robin's Reign).

There's also an umbilical to the bedroom-crafted electronica doing the rounds in the late nineties and early noughties. Hydroplane hint at this through their approach to songwriting, which often builds creatively around loops as structural devices. Through all this, the trio achieve an effortless, organic weightlessness across these nine lovely songs. Many feature Bolton's clear singing voice, drifting along, while guitars, keyboards, drum machines and loops tickertape away. The constituent parts fit together, but they also have a curiously detached quality - think of abstract cloud formations sharing the same sky.

Hydroplane and The Cat's Miaow often dealt in emotional ambiguity and uncertainty, and the uncertainty of the nostalgic. This was always one of the most appealing facets of their music, and A Place In My Memory… is thus named perfectly. I couldn't dream up a better title for the album and its reflections on history, lived experience, and the inevitable tangle between these two phenomena. These reflections variously address such concerns as human cruelty, flight, space travel, adventurism and spiritualism. There's also "To the Lighthouse", not a direct reference to the Virginia Woolf book, but a great title, nonetheless. (They've always had excellent titles, often borrowed, for songs and albums.)

A beautiful collection of drowsy, sleepy pop, humble and quiet, but resolute in its craft, A Place In My Memory Is All I Have To Claim is dream work in practice; a lovely reintroduction. Welcome back, then.

Arriving two years after the first chapter, Absurd Matter 2 isn’t just a sequel, it’s an evolution, redrawing the boundaries established by its acclaimed predecessor. The Berlin-based Italian producer tempers his confrontational sonics with rare moments of introspection, shifting seamlessly between blown-out noise, warped hip-hop, mutant club experimentation, and weightless ambience. Textures disintegrate and reassemble, rhythms flex and crumble, and every detail balances on the edge of fantasy. It’s a poetic, layered response to Nino Pedone’s changing physical reality: the gradual hearing loss and perceptual renegotiation triggered by Ménière’s disease, which struck him in 2022. At first, the experience felt like betrayal, a brutal disconnection from the very sense that had shaped his life. But over time, the disorientation turned into a strange kind of focus. The silence between sounds became as expressive as the sounds themselves.
The first Absurd Matter was a visceral reaction to trauma; the second is more reflective – an ambiguous chronicle of sensory recalibration. Pedone doesn’t represent his altered inner reality through extremes, but through depth, zooming in on illusory distortions, tense rhythmic fluctuations, and fragmented sonics. Dense, immersive, and mystical, the album mirrors Pedone’s evolving relationship with perception itself.
Tinnitus-like feedback wails and noir-ish strings introduce “Repeater”, making it immediately clear that Pedone is painting a more delicately finessed image this time around. Fleshed out by raps from cult MCs billy woods and E L U C I D, the track is marked by subtle, sophisticated contrasts: the blurred, inverted rhythms that couch Armand Hammer’s haunted back-and-forth, and the glitchy interference that offsets the lavish orchestral phrases. Backwoodz associate Fatboi Sharif lends his Lynchian drawl to “Bandage Chipped Wings”, grounding Pedone’s lysergic rhythmic distortions with syrupy, horror-inspired couplets. Pedone also invites discomfort into “Crash Landing”, with droning, metallic tones that contradict South Central rapper ICECOLDBISHOP’s elastic flow. “Bitch, I don't give a fuck about anybody,” he squawks over Pedone’s incongruous rasping textures and time-warped beats, “cash out at any party.” Working alongside London’s Loraine James on production, Pedone reunites with Moor Mother on “I Saw The Light”, blending James’ soft-focus atmospherics with soundsystem-damaging, overdriven bass hits and rusted percussive snips. Moor Mother’s assertive words hover over the wreckage, tightening Pedone’s themes of overstimulation and altered awareness as they stutter and veer off course, vanishing into the backdrop.
Contrasting his more pensive experiments, Pedone’s dancefloor deviations are more concentrated on Absurd Matter 2 than ever before. He torches a stuttering dembow structure on “X”, obfuscating the rhythm’s familiar energy with disturbing audio hallucinations. On “Splintered”, he reunites with Kenyan prodigy Slikback, mangling neon-lit trance arpeggios with dissociated trap rhythms. He sharpens his skills to a fine point on “Oblivion Step”, observing 2- step through a lens of distortion and personal abstraction, shaking blipping synth leads over neck-snapping drums and counteracting the momentum with airless sci-fi soundscapes.
Perhaps the album’s most surprising moment arrives with “Viel”, which features vocals from Los Angeles-based composer Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith. Together, Pedone and Smith chance upon their notion of dub techno, fogging synth stabs and ghostly vocal traces into eerie harmonic distortions. On some level, it’s almost pop music, a far cry from the bleak dissonance of Absurd Matter and a hopeful way to reframe turbulence as transformation. Absurd Matter 2 doesn’t simply document a process; it enacts one. It doesn’t offer clarity; it invites disorientation. It’s not a map of the labyrinth, but a foghorn piercing the darkness.

f *Goodbye, Asshole* was the wild night—tequila-sharp riffs, sticky floors, and last-call chaos howled into the void of a disappearing city—then *Boone* is the merciless morning after. The sun cracks the blinds. The brain throbs. Every bad decision gleams in the hard light, raw and undeniable.

Fuckwolf’s second album pares their scuzz-wave blitz down to exposed nerves: Eric Park’s basslines stalk like a hangover pulse, Simon Phillips’ drums land like a palm slapping the alarm into silence, and Tomo Yasuda’s guitar wirings spit like diner coffee left to burn on the hotplate. The fog has lifted; the damage is inventoried. These ten tracks are crime scene Polaroids, tales of longing and woe, fresh mystery bruises and eulogies.

There’s no wallowing here, just the tight, terrible beauty of a band that’s stared down the void and come back swinging.

The party’s dead. Long live the reckoning.

Fuckwolf have been around the SF scene for a while, and it took Ethan Miller (Silver Current / Comets On Fire / etc) ages to get them to record the debut album, they then toured Japan and released a limited split mini with Green Milk From The Planet Orange. They reconvened late 2024 and recorded Boone..

This new album "Boone", polishes and extrapolates the fizzing psychedelia of their first album, and turns Fuckwolf into the heirs to the crown of mass-consumptive Sike-rock. This album is in the same vein as Mercury Rev's "Yerself Is Steam", Butthole Surfers' "Rembrandt Pussyhorse" and Flaming Lips "Telepathic Surgery", there's sheer pop in amongst the mind's eye rattling dollops of psychedelic wallop... the Koolaid was drunk and the songs were made.. plug it in, turn on...drop out.

Master by the one and only Mikey Young!!

Difficult as it may be to imagine, there was a time when Sun City Girls did not exist. Prior to the Bishop brothers teaming up with drummer/shaman Charlie Gocher to form SCG's classic trio lineup, there were various ad-hoc assemblages of local Phoenix-area freaks and weirdos – groups which existed only long enough to play a single gig, open mic or house party before disbanding without a trace. Hatched from this milieu was Paris 1942, a short-lived band formed by guitarist Jesse Srogoncik that included Alan Bishop, Richard Bishop and former Velvet Underground drummer Maureen Tucker.

Paris 1942 would play only four shows in as many months, but between April and August of 1982, the band would gather several times a week in Tucker's living room, where the group feverishly wrote and rehearsed with a kind of quotidian discipline. While P42 didn't release anything during their brief tenure, a 7" EP and LP (both self-titled) surreptitiously surfaced on the Majora label in the mid to late '90s. Until now, those two titles – as well as an appearance on Placebo's Amuck comp in late '82 – would be the only documented evidence that this improbable, serendipitous and magnificent band ever existed.

While those expecting P42's music to sound like a tantalizing combination of Sun City Girls' iconoclastic hoodoo havoc and the Velvets' primal drug-chug certainly won't be disappointed, Paris 1942 more often than not transcends even these nearly impossible expectations. Srogoncik's songs, in particular, are a revelation, displaying as much in common with the exuberant raunch of The Gun Club and the chapbook punk of Peter Laughner as they do any of the more obvious touchstones.

The group's foresight to document and capture this meeting of musical minds – a meeting as unlikely as it was short-lived – provides a missing link between the Velvets and the Voidoids, between the Dead Boys and the Dead C, between ESP-Disk' and DNA. Far more than a historical curiosity, Paris 1942 provides a fresh perspective on an embryonic and sadly vanishing US underground. It is music that blinks at the past and anticipates a thousand possible futures.

– James Toth (excerpt from the liner notes)

‘Icon’ is an overused word when it comes to describing singers and musicians, but when it comes to Nina Simone there are few artists that the word describes more accurately. The ‘High Priestess Of Soul’ is surely one of the most iconic singers of the 20th century, and one whose fame and acclaim stretches far beyond conventional black American music circles. 

Nina Simone has featured on Ace and Kent CDs before but this is the first time she’s had one all to herself. “Let It All Out” is the first and only Nina Simone collection to draw repertoire from every label she recorded for between the late 1950s to the late 1970s. 

Not a traditional ‘Best Of’ or ‘Greatest Hits’ package (although the performances included here ARE among her very best, and do include most of her Greatest Hits!) it is a singles collection that presents Nina Simone’s soul and R&B-slanted 45s in chronological order. Invariably they are the definitive versions of the songs, whether she recorded the original versions or not. 

As well as almost all of her American pop and R&B chart hits from 1960 onwards, “Let It All Out” also contains all of Simone’s UK chart hits from the same period – several of which were more successful here than they were back home, including both versions of her biggest British hit ‘Ain’t Got No; I Got Life’, a UK #2 that did not chart at all in the US as was the case with the belated UK Top 5 hit ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ which also made no chart impression on its home turf…

Carefully curated and concisely annotated, “Let It All Out” lets the listener in to two dozen of Nina Simone’s most celebrated singles. There have been many compilations of her works since she passed away 20+ years ago, but none that gets to the heart – and soul – of her catalogue in quite so direct a manner as this one does. 

Holy Sons is the largely solo project of Emil Amos (Grails, Om, Lilacs & Champagne). Puritan Themes is his 17th album and his 4th for Thrill Jockey Records and a tentpole album in his wide-ranging output, including myriad private press LPs, collections of oddities, and conceptual series". Puritan Themes" relaxed vibes are influenced by the laid-back west coast rock sound of mid-period Fleetwood Mac, blended with a dose of psych distortion and imbued with the breeziness and ease of yacht rock. Puritan Themes is a record that knowingly, barely fits into the modern world. When mixing the record in Chicago, everyday Amos skated through Douglass Park listening to podcasts about the inner workings of The Band, listened to 70"s AM radio while washing dishes and went to sleep at night to early Bee Gees interviews. The earliest concept of the record was based around the track "Chain Gang" which was an imaginary take on if Cat Stevens had smoked a ton of salvia and taken a much darker route within that world of dense, story-telling/message-based songwriting. The track "Raw & Disfigured" borrows its name from the last Thrill Jockey Holy Sons record, in a referential move that"s stolen from the way Led Zeppelin separated the track "Houses of the Holy" from the record of the same name (once again harkening back to 70"s lore).

Let the Good Times Roll (Terlinde Music Shop, St. Paul, MN, 1956)
I Got a New Girl (Informal Recording, Hibbing, MN, 1959)
Jesus Christ (Informal Recording, Minneapolis, MN, 1960)
K.C. Moan (Informal Recording, Madison, WI, 1960)
Remember Me (Informal Recording, East Orange, NJ, 1961)
Railroading On the Great Divide (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1961)
Man of Constant Sorrow ('Bob Dylan' Rehearsal, NYC, 1961)
He Was a Friend of Mine ('Bob Dylan' Outtake, NYC, 1961)
Ramblin' Round ('Bob Dylan' Outtake, NYC, 1961)
Story: East Orange, New Jersey (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Po' Lazarus (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Dink's Song (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
I Was Young When I Left Home (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Cocaine (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1961)
Talkin' New York (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)
Corrina, Corrina (Gerdes Folk City, NYC, 1962)
(I Heard That) Lonesome Whistle ('Freewheelin'' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
Rocks and Gravel ('Freewheelin'' Outtake, NYC, 1962)
Let Me Die in My Footsteps (The Finjan, Montreal, 1962)
Tomorrow Is a Long Time (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1962)
Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
The Cuckoo (The Gaslight Cafe, NYC, 1962)
The Ballad of the Gliding Swan (BBC-TV, London, 1962)
John Brown ('Broadside Ballads' Album Version, NYC, 1963)
Dusty Old Fairgrounds (Town Hall, NYC, 1963)
House of the Rising Sun (Informal Recording, NYC, 1963)
Seven Curses ('The Times They Are A-changin'' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
Masters of War ('Freewheelin'' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
Girl from the North Country ('Freewheelin'' Alternate Take, NYC, 1963)
Liverpool Gal (Party, Minneapolis, MN, 1963)
Boots of Spanish Leather ('The Times They Are A-changin'' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
Moonshiner ('The Times They Are A-changin'' Outtake, NYC, 1963)
The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll (Party, Los Angeles, 1963)
The Times They Are A-changin' (Informal Recording, Los Angeles, 1963)
Who Killed Davey Moore? (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Lay Down Your Weary Tune (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Blowin' in the Wind (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
North Country Blues (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
A Hard Rain's A-gonna Fall (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Talkin' World War III Blues (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
Only a Pawn in Their Game (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)
When the Ship Comes In (Carnegie Hall, NYC, 1963)

25 has always been a mystical number in the world of Kiosk ID, woven into our story since the earliest days of Bar 25, Holzmarkt 25, and every chapter since. When midnight struck on December 31st of last year and 2025 arrived, the magic of the number was undeniable,echoing through Kater Blau, Holzmarkt, and Kiosk ID—and calling for a celebration like no other. As our lasers lit the night, two core Kiosk ID artists—Britta Arnold and Sascha Cawa—took to the decks, weaving a spellbinding journey crafted specifically for this moment. Months in the making, they unfolded a beautifully hypnotic tribute to the magic of 25, premiering five tailormade tracks in the process. That moment lives on as Kiosk ID no. 40—a special double LP capturing the magic of that night. Side A features the live New Year’s recording: an unfiltered document of Britta and Sascha’s hypnotic, otherworldly, and deeply danceable set, as it unfolded in real time—strobing into the first moments of the new year. Sides B, C, and D feature five exclusive studio originals, written and produced specifically for this night. On ‘Counting’, Britta and Sasha unfold their brand of stripped darkness and rolling groove work, while ‘Reformer’ teeters on taut coils of suspended synths. With ‘NGVMT’, the energy bursts open—a radiant block-party roller with throbbing staccato swagger and clanking metallic arpeggios. ‘Beam’ lifts off into pure cosmic wonder, its fluttering, airy themes spiralling skyward. ‘Good Life’ rolls the credits with a beautifully introspective soliloquy, tender and reflective beneath gentle waves of aspirating piano chords. Together, these recordings offer both an auditory keepsake and an invitation to relive that unforgettable night or discover it anew. Across five hypnotic compositions and a half hour of dance floor bliss, ‘Good Life 25’ encapsulates the ever-evolving sound

A samba funk essential. This debut album from Jorge Ben's iconic backing band blends Brazilian rhythms, soulful vocals, and American funk energy into one unforgettable groove. Includes the hit single 'Coqueiro Verde' along with standout tracks like 'Meu País,' 'Aleluia, Aleluia,' and 'O Canto da Ema.' A timeless gem for fans of Brazilian soul, vintage funk, or global grooves. Trio Mocotó is best known for being the powerhouse backing band behind Brazilian legend Jorge Ben during the height of his creative explosion in the early 1970s. But their contribution to music goes far beyond the supporting role-they were instrumental in shaping what would become known as samba funk, a vibrant fusion of traditional Brazilian rhythms with the groove and energy of American soul and funk music. Formed in Sao Paulo's iconic Jogral nightclub, Trio Mocotó-featuring Fritz Escovao, Joaozinho Parahyba, and Nereu Gargalo-began their musical journey as resident musicians, providing live accompaniment for a rotating cast of performers. It was here that Jorge Ben first encountered their raw talent and unmistakable chemistry, ultimately inviting them to join his band. The collaboration would go on to define an era. In 1971, Trio Mocotó stepped into the spotlight with their debut solo album, "Muita Zorra! (...Sao Coisas Que Glorificam a Sensibilidade Atual)." The record made an immediate impact, climbing the charts with the infectious single 'Coqueiro Verde' and marking the start of a prolific period in the group's career. "Muita Zorra!" is a dazzling blend of styles-mixing the baroque funk and melodic sophistication of artists like Marcos Valle with the soulful spirit of Jorge Ben. Layered with elements of American funk, the album delivers a dynamic, rhythm-driven sound that still feels fresh today. The trio's vocal harmonies are front and center, weaving through each track with warmth and richness, creating a captivating sonic tapestry that energizes every beat. This album isn't just a snapshot of a musical moment-it's a cornerstone of Brazilian soul. A must-listen for fans of global grooves, vintage funk, and timeless Brazilian music, "Muita Zorra!" is once again available and ready to take its well-deserved place in your collection. First time official reissue.

The Original Lineup Reunited
For the first time since their iconic run in the early 1960s, all five founding members—Eric Burdon, Alan Price, Hilton Valentine, Chas Chandler, and John Steel—came together for a raw, soulful reunion. This is the Animals with the benefit of age, experience, and no pressure to chase hits—just great playing.
A Gritty, Understated Gem
Recorded with minimal fanfare in 1977, Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted is a return to the blues and R&B roots that shaped the band's early success. It's stripped-down, honest, and deeply musical—a perfect record for fans of The Rolling Stones, Van Morrison, or Bob Dylan.
Dylan, Jimmy Reed, and the Blues Canon
The album features a standout cover of Bob Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue", along with classics from Jimmy Reed, Joe Tex, and Gospel/Blues deep cuts, reinterpreted with grit and grace.
Cult Classic with Lasting Legacy

The most inspiring bands are the ones that can create a world around themselves that is about far more than just the music. The artwork, lyrics, sounds and ethos all merge together perfectly to create its own universe, a secret club. The Lovely Eggs are one such band. And against all the odds, 2025 sees them celebrate their 20th anniversary as a band! Stubbornly and heroically independent, The Lovely Eggs have forged their own path and have achieved mainstream success without ever compromising their DIY ethics. Released on their own label Egg Records, with eye watering artwork by Casey Raymond and hand packed in a black plastic bin bag on neon toxic slime green vinyl, this is yet another collectible release from a band who care as much about the art and ideas in their records as they do about the sound. "We had all these spare songs after we released our last album Eggsistentialism and we didn't really know what to do with them," explained Holly. "They just didn't seem to fit in with the vibe of Eggsistentialism but we'd recorded them and wanted to get them out there." "They're kind of a sketchbook of songs," added David. "They're not polished or laboured over but we thought it would be interesting to release them. It's why we called the record Bin Juice. These were songs we had thrown away. But hopefully people like going through bins collecting trash."

Repress 2025

The King of K-Pop Returns!

To those unfamiliar, G-Dragon is regarded by many as the Godfather of K-Pop. Rising to fame in the mid-00’s with his group, Big Bang, that later went on to become one of the world’s biggest selling boy groups. He quickly stood out with his unique and intricate songwriting as the leader of the group. A talented songwriter and trendsetter within the youth culture and fashion space, G-Dragon has received a bevy of awards, nominations for his music and fashion sense from the World Music Awards, to Hypebeast’s 100 list, to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list, it’s apparent that G-Dragon has cemented his place in cultural relevance.

After serving his mandatory South Korean military service and a brief hiatus from music, the global superstar, G-Dragon has returned! He announced that he signed with indie-powerhouse, EMPIRE, and released his first comeback single on October 31, 2024 with POWER to immediate global fanfare and buzz, with the music video garnering over 44 MILLION views in a month and over 115 MILLION global streams. He soon followed that up with an electrifying performance at the 2024 MAMA Awards show in Osaka coupled with the release of his new single, Home Sweet Home which has garnered 100 MILLION global streams since release.

2025 will see the release of his first full length album since 2017 entitled Übermensch along with global tour dates. The album is expected to make a huge impact globally and further cement his place in music history!

Pianist Mischa Cheung will give the world premiere performance of the Piano Fantasies programme on October 31, 2025, at Dai-ichi Seimei Hall in Tokyo. Piano Fantasies features twelve newly arranged piano works from four of SQUARE ENIX's most beloved game series: FINAL FANTASY, KINGDOM HEARTS, CHRONO TRIGGER, and Secret of Mana. The concert marks the first public performance of the complete programme, giving audiences the chance to experience the full musical journey as conceived for the album. Produced by Merregnon Studios, Piano Fantasies presents new interpretations of SQUARE ENIX's iconic soundtracks. The album features cover artwork created by the in-house art team at SQUARE ENIX and will be released on CD and vinyl in collaboration with German label Black Screen Records.

Das Fantasy-Mittelalter-Metal-Phänomen CASTLE RAT präsentiert sein zweites Album! Castle Rat ist die NY Fantasy-Heavy-Metal-Band, die von der Rat Queen angeführt wird, welche die Mission verfolgt, ihr Refugium gegen diejenigen zu verteidigen, die es zerstören wollen. Ihr zur Seite stehen The Count, The Plague Doctor und The All-Seeing Druid. Gemeinsam stellen sie sich mit Heavy Magie dem unerbittlichen Zorn ihrer Erzfeindin - dem Tod in Form von The Rat Reaperess. Das zweite Album The Bestiary ist ein riffgeladenes Kompendium mystischer Kreaturen und vorwarnender Erzählungen aus einer vergessenen Welt. Es erzählt 13 allegorische Geschichten von mythischen Bestien und dem Zauberer, der sie beschwört, und verwebt kraftvolle Heavy-Hymnen und dunkle Verzückungen zu einer betörenden und unvergesslichen Heavy-Metal-Odyssee. Als ob Grace Slick mit Black Sabbath um ca. 1200 A.D. auf einem KISS-Konzert rumachen würde. Aufgenommen von Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Wolves in the Throne Room, Björk) und gemischt von Jonathan Nuñez (Torche, Restless Spirit), bietet das Album fesselnde Tracks zwischen epischem Heavy-Gemetzel und doomy Hard Rock. The Rat Queen kommentiert das Album wie folgt: "The Bestiary' ist ein konzeptionelles Buch der Bestien, das von mystischen Kreaturen aus einer vergessenen Welt erzählt. Die letzten verbliebenen Seelen jeder dieser Kreaturen wurden von `The Wizard' gesammelt und aufbewahrt. Die Geschichten der einzelnen Bestien und des Zauberers selbst werden mit der Kraft traditioneller Heavy-Metal-Songs und Hard Rock-Magie verwoben." Hervorgegangen aus New Yorks abscheulichem, kreaturenverseuchtem Untergrund, schlugen die Fantasy-Heavy-Metaller zunächst mit ihren Live-Auftritten und später mit ihrem Debütalbum "Into The Realm" im Jahr 2024 große Wellen. Seit ihrer Gründung im Jahr 2019 haben CASTLE RAT ein lebendiges Labyrinth aus Erzählungen und Mythen geschaffen, welches sie nun rund um die Welt führt. The Bestiary auf CD (aufklappbares Digipak), MC (mit gefaltetem Inlay) und auf LP (farbiges Vinyl, inklusive ausklappbarem Lyrics-Insert)!

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, South Shields, England's politically motivated punk band, The Angelic Upstarts, saw considerable chart success. Jimmy Pursey of Sham 69 produced their debut album, Teenage Warning (1979), which peaked at No. 29 on the UK Albums Chart and featured singles like "I'm An Upstart" (No. 31) and Teenage Warning (No. 29).
Their third album, 2,000,000 Voices (1981), reached No. 32, while their second, We Gotta Get Out of This Place (1980), peaked at No. 54. Angelic Upstarts Live (1981), a live album, did well as well, peaking at number 27.
Two of the Angelic Upstarts' singles made it into the Top 40, and seven of their singles made it into the UK Top 75. Their early work was marked by sociopolitical critique and unadulterated intensity.
‘Live at The Basins Nightclub’ recorded in 1987 represents a unique summary of that undertaking as well as capturing a rare snapshot of the Upstarts during one of the less well-documented periods of their history. Incl. Sleeve notes from Dick Porter.

Deep black, with ghostly glimmers of an old car melting into the tarmac: the cover of Never En-ding Rodeo sets the tone. This isn't just a late-night drive, but a controlled skid across the borders of Post-Rock, Noise and Psych. The engine roars, the ground shakes, the white lines blur. Six years after the release of Ain't That Mayhem, the Lyon-based band returns with a dense, smoke-veiled record. Never Ending Rodeo: a deceptively playful, almost cartoonish title for such an intense album. As if, after circling endlessly around dust, bucking, and stampedes, Zëro had carved out its own orbit. Unstable, inevitably. But magnetic. Éric Aldéa (guitar, vocals), Franck Laurino (drums), Ivan Chiossone (Persephone, synths), and now Varou Jan (guitar, bass) - (Le Peuple de l'Herbe, Condense) - have lost none of their bite. Better still: this new album marks a turning point in production quality, thanks in particular to the mixing work of Niko Matagrin. The sound is broader, more inhabited. Every snare crack, every synth layer sits precisely in a meticulously sculpted space. "As if Tom Waits had collided with Nine Inch Nails. Before a frightening modernity hurled this so-nic convoy into a headlong rush." ~ Indiepoprock "You don't simply pass through Never Ending Rodeo: you step inside, you lock yourself in, drawn irresistibly by its magnetism." ~ Solénopole

For more than thirty years, Arnaud Fournier has been shaping the landscape of the French expe-rimental scene. First within the duo HINT, a singular fusion of experimental, noise and indie music, he released three studio albums in the late 1990s and has continued to perform regularly ever since, including a live album with EZ3kiel in 2009. With La Phaze (1999), Dead Hippies (2013) and later Atonalist (2017), he has always instinctively sought to cross genres and stage dialogues bet-ween extremes. In 2025, with 100% Black Puzzle, he delivers his very first album under his own name, a work where saturated guitars, saxophones, trumpet, hypnotic loops and vast layers of drone meet. Mixed and mastered by Olivier "Cali" Fournier at Studioscope in Angers, 100% Black Puzzle gathers familiar faces around it. Its title resonates as an intentional echo, directly referencing 100% White Puzzle, HINT's debut album. Thirty years on, Arnaud Fournier rediscovers the same spirit of absolute freedom across these five tracks: no format constraints, no compromise on length. The title track, an eight-minute instrumental, sets the tone - a raw, urgent gesture, cap-tured in the moment. In his own words, it was about "finding myself once more in that first-song state of mind, without any confinement." With 100% Black Puzzle, Arnaud Fournier fully embraces signing the work under his own name. No pseudonym, no mask, but an unveiling: a profoundly intimate record, steeped in family and friendship, where noise and beauty constantly collide and entwine. Thirty years after shaking up the French indie scene with HINT, he delivers a body of work that is at once retrospective and forward-looking - a black puzzle that resounds like a rebirth. And what better way to "close the circle" than by heading back on tour?

Dissonans marks a new chapter in a longer story and is the second album in an announced trilogy, following last year's Norwegian Grammy-nominated Resonans. For those who have been following Seigmen, the first thing they might notice about Dissonans is the album cover. Where their earlier covers have been simple, symmetrical, and minimalist, Dissonans instead offers a stripped-down, almost punk-like aesthetic. And, as the title suggests, this album is not what you might usually expect - even though the sound is still unmistakably Seigmen to the avid listener. The album's ten tracks range from majestic, drone-like sounds made on homemade equipment to high-tempo songs with drum riffs borrowed from a 35-year-old demo. It even leads the band into uncharted territory with the airy ballad Så Nært, which also serves as the third and final single ahead of the album release. All in all, Dissonans is a new album from a band that has, in a remarkable way, rediscovered fresh energy, creativity, and playfulness many years after once being Norway's leading rock band.

‘A Tremendous debut. Skilfully blending folk, country and other styles, Woof’s eponymous debut album features thoughtful songwriting, adroit musicianship and her remarkable, crystalline vocals’ - 4/5 RECORD COLLECTOR

‘Enchanting. Whether playing almost solo or with a full band arrangement, Wooff is never less than mesmerising’ - 4/5 SHINDIG!

‘Her spectral voice and acoustic guitar lead abstract stories of loss, yearning and self-exploration, nimbly embellished with pedal steel, organ and strings. ‘The Waltz Of Winter Hey’ and ‘Lefty’s Motel Room’, with its allusive nod to Townes Van Zandt, are outstanding’ - 8/10 UNCUT

‘Launching herself fully onto the scene, she beguiles with tales of love, loss, hope and womanhood, wrapped up in a beautifully strange gothic romanticism’ - FOR FOLK’S SAKE

‘The beauty in the record is not merely based on Toria’s melancholic melodicism and rich delivery. It can be enjoyed in the juxtaposition between the singer’s darker, more eerily gothic instincts and the soothing, reassuring presence of instruments like pedal steel and cellos.’ - KLOF

After returning from Australia, Brian Baker has wasted no time in making an impact on the NZ scene with much heralded and reviewed singles and film clips, and in particular his solo show which has seen him perform at gigs and Festivals across the country. Now he"s joined two local Whanganui Musicians, Stu Duncan and pro drummer Brad MacMillan, both seasoned performers. The act is called BB and The Bullets and has a focus on the blues, doing tracks by Albert King, BB King, Muddy Waters plus some Stevie Ray Vaughan and other blues classics. They also feature some of Brian"s excellent releases and have a few of their own recorded. These tracks make up their debut LP which will soon be released on vinyl, CD and digital through Nixon Street Recordings, Whanganui"s own international record label. Yes, the guitaring that made Brian"s solo show stand out is heavily on display here, now backed by a tight, live rhythm section. Their shows have been very well received wherever they have performed, getting standing ovations at the recent Bay Of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival where they played six standout shows over three days ! They are drawing crowds wherever they appear, have been invited back to the Capital Blues Inc in Wellington after a knock em dead show there, and were a solid crowd pleaser at Snells Beach this summer for Auckland city council"s Music In Parks series. They are delighting audiences with rock solid, emotive performances of classic blues tracks underlined by undoubtedly one of the finest guitarists New Zealand has produced !

Bilders new album, Neverlasting is a mix of psychic adventures, hard psychedelia and commentary with a bite. Bilders have always sung outliers with a heap of empathy—exploitation of migrants, unmitigated killing and the state of our depleted planet. This album maintains an analog feel with technical finesse as it casts a cold eye on uses and abuses of power in the higher echelons. It is pure Bilders. Surprise collaborations bring in fresh tangents of colour and emotional edge. “We are the Neverlasting renter-squatters of Earth exhausted”. The band is once again the voice/guitar of Bill Direen, bass of Matt Swanson and near everything else by Alex McManus, with guesting by former Bilders. It’s the same lineup as last year’s acclaimed Dustbin of Empathy, released by Grapefruit and Sophomore Lounge, and the first ‘core’ Bilders lineup to remain constant for more than one album. The new compatibility shows. It’s an album that builds on current strengths. Notable guestings include Athens Georgia lights Claire Horne of 1980s BBQ Killers, and Curtiss Pernice, guitarist of heavy vanguard Porn Orchard, with a snook-in from experimental and electronic prince Todd Gerber. Two never-released tunes by vintage Bilders (Stu Page and Greig Bainbridge) sit perfectly with the new material. This is quite simply the strongest Bilders album ever.

BEWARE! THE ECHOES OF DEATH’S HORRID CHANT ARE DRAWING CLOSER…From the endless fields of obsidian darkness rise eerie hymns, echoing an ancient, long-forgotten apocalypse that slices through the eternal night. OBSIDIAN SCAPES are the embodied nightmare – a deathly veil of cascading riffs, raining down like the lethal erosion of cosmic worlds. Layered with relentless, thunderous drums and ghostly dirges, their music summons visions of a dying universe.Their sounds crawl like molten madness into the depths of the mind, painting aphotic images of shadowy, chthonic cathedrals and titanic monoliths rising against a crumbling horizon. Despair and anguish permeate every note – dirges for a world drowning in the abyss of decay and tributes to powers lurking beyond human comprehension.Including one song from the upcoming debut-album Death Chants Echo From Aphotic Void and an unique and exclusive cover-version from SIGH’s “At My Funeral” (only available on the 12″EP).Mixed and mastered by Thomas Taube at FiveLakes Tonstudio.ltd 500, 300 x black vinyl, 200 x cream white bone. Incl. download-code. S

Eye to the Telescope: Stargazer Edition
Die mehrfach mit Platin ausgezeichnete, mit dem BRIT Award ausgezeichnete und für den Grammy®
nominierte Künstlerin KT Tunstall feiert den 20. Jahrestag ihres legendären Debütalbums „Eye To The
Telescope“ mit Neuauflagen der Sonderedition „Stargazer“. Diese Editionen sind exklusiv auf Vinyl und CD
erhältlich und enthalten bisher unveröffentlichte Aufnahmen, B-Seiten und exklusive Live-Sessions. Das
2004 erschienene Album „Eye To The Telescope“ katapultierte die schottische Singer-Songwriterin KT
Tunstall ins globale Rampenlicht, angetrieben von ihrem unvergesslichen Live-Debüt von „Black Horse and
the Cherry Tree“ auf „Later…“ mit Jools Holland. Das Album erreichte Platinstatus in Großbritannien und
den USA. Das Album enthält mehrere herausragende Titel, darunter die bereits erwähnten Titel „Black
Horse and the Cherry Tree“, „Other Side of The World“ und insbesondere die Hitsingle „Suddenly I See“,
die nach ihrem prominenten Auftritt in der Eröffnungssequenz von „Der Teufel trägt Prada“ zu einem
prägenden Moment der Popkultur wurde.
Die Stargazer-Editionen von Eye to the Telescope enthalten drei neue Songs, darunter „Cancerian“, „Anything At All“ und den Titeltrack „Eye To The Telescope“. Diese Songs wurden während der OriginalSessions begonnen und bis zu diesem Jahr unvollendet gelassen.

Eye to the Telescope: Stargazer Edition
Die mehrfach mit Platin ausgezeichnete, mit dem BRIT Award ausgezeichnete und für den Grammy®
nominierte Künstlerin KT Tunstall feiert den 20. Jahrestag ihres legendären Debütalbums „Eye To The
Telescope“ mit Neuauflagen der Sonderedition „Stargazer“. Diese Editionen sind exklusiv auf Vinyl und CD
erhältlich und enthalten bisher unveröffentlichte Aufnahmen, B-Seiten und exklusive Live-Sessions. Das
2004 erschienene Album „Eye To The Telescope“ katapultierte die schottische Singer-Songwriterin KT
Tunstall ins globale Rampenlicht, angetrieben von ihrem unvergesslichen Live-Debüt von „Black Horse and
the Cherry Tree“ auf „Later…“ mit Jools Holland. Das Album erreichte Platinstatus in Großbritannien und
den USA. Das Album enthält mehrere herausragende Titel, darunter die bereits erwähnten Titel „Black
Horse and the Cherry Tree“, „Other Side of The World“ und insbesondere die Hitsingle „Suddenly I See“,
die nach ihrem prominenten Auftritt in der Eröffnungssequenz von „Der Teufel trägt Prada“ zu einem
prägenden Moment der Popkultur wurde.
Die Stargazer-Editionen von Eye to the Telescope enthalten drei neue Songs, darunter „Cancerian“, „Anything At All“ und den Titeltrack „Eye To The Telescope“. Diese Songs wurden während der OriginalSessions begonnen und bis zu diesem Jahr unvollendet gelassen.

MAFIA may be a name you dont recognise straight away... but I know you all know of DJ Vern & DJ Ash on Tearin Vinyl that we repressed back in 2019. And you may recall a couple of years ago the Big Vern release that we did too... and the real spotters will recognise the track 'Say It Loud' as that appeared on the Big Vern release (copies still in stock).

Vern was a resident DJ on London pirate Weekend Rush plus he was the head honcho over at World Bass Records from the mid 90's too. He is one of the great jungle innovators from the 90's who used his knowledge as a DJ and applied it in the studio, creating many anthems.

This release was originally pressed in 1995 on World Bass Records and we are super excited to be able to repress it 30 years later!

Andy Ash is a long time contributor to the sound of Quintessentials, with his album "All the colours" being the highlight of his work. Until now! The Liverpudlian shows superb diversity on his new EP called "Silent Planet". The opener, "Patch 2" is a stripped down masterpiece of Dub Techno and a perfect club tool. "Hross" can be called Acid House, and you know we love that! The B-side shows more of a relaxed vibe with the beautiful string-laded "Franco alley" and the smooth low BPM track "Yellow". This silent planet has something to say and shows great variety of styles and Andy's skills as a producer - and yes, all AA releases have his own artwork!

A psych-pop cult classic tracks.
The Orange Bicycle blends Beatles/Beach Boys‑inspired psychedelic-pop style and sun-drenched melodies.
The Orange Bicycle captures the kaleidoscopic charm of late-’60s British psychedelia. Featuring lush arrangements, sitar-laced textures, and soaring vocal harmonies, this LP is a must for fans of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Zombies, Tomorrow, or early Pink Floyd.

Autodidactic musicologist and sample collagist U turned his archival eye on the melting pot of ‘80s post-punk with his debut ‘Life Isn’t A Fountain?’ EP for Lex. He follows up with an experimental exploration of regional identity with ARCHENFIELD, a deeply personal collection of ambient music and found sound that examines the relationship between geographical space and aural histories.

To construct this record U mined a wealth of recorded material relevant to the area. With a nod to traditional music, he takes samples from these records and creates beautifully atmospheric sound pieces that are often mixed with painstakingly researched snippets to create a stirring reflection on local history and broader themes of how we interact, or even fail to interact, with English folklore today.

Pressed on 180g vinyl, the album comes with a 24-page visual companion that expands on its themes and folk stories through imagery and narrative, echoing the album’s soundscape. : The Caretaker, Oneohtrix Point Never, JG Bie1berkopf, Maxime Denuc, Leon Vynehall

Cindy Lee is the brainchild of singer/guitarist Patrick Flegel. While some may know Flegel from his time spent in Canadian experimental indie band Women, Cindy Lee has spent the past four years crafting songs that push and pull in opposing directions - from tales of tragedy laced with haywire distortion to moments of breathtaking beauty. On Malenkost, Flegel combines everything that makes Cindy Lee so essential: heart-wrenching romantic pleas, rough shards of noise and twilit ballads. Featuring the lo-fi pop single "A Message From The Aching Sky," Malenkost sounds like Deerhunter playing The Supremes or vice versa.

Cindy Lee is the diva alter-ego of singer / guitarist / drag queen Patrick Flegel, the one-time captain of heralded Canadian experimental guitar pop act, Women. In Flegel's working on / as Cindy Lee exclusively over recent years, their songwriting makes a move toward high atmospherics, often achieving a mysterious sweetness rooted equally in beauty and ache.

As Cindy Lee's first long-form statement, Act Of Tenderness makes use of antipodal themes to create a living sound: static with grace, distortion and sugar, all masterfully arranged with crooked nods toward pop classicism. The layered vocal on "Power And Possession" creates a palpable haunt, bringing historical girl-group lament to choir-esque heights. The feedback shriek and industrial grind of "Bonsai Garden" provides near-operatic damage, yet never stumbles into the irrevocably grave. These snowy pieces give the album a decidedly cinematic feel, albeit one bent more towards Eraserhead.

Originally released in a scant private edition in 2015, Superior Viaduct's imprint W.25TH is pleased to give Act Of Tenderness its deserving wide release.

Claire Rousay"s music cascades from a well of documented experience, reflections of the past that compose the present. A prolific multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer, Rousay gracefully crafts boundaryless music. From her frequent and acclaimed collaborations with artists like M. Sage, more eaze, Gretchen Korsmo, Andrew Weathers, LEYA, and Alex Cunningham, to her film scoring like on The Bloody Lady. From her own compositions to her solo pop work, Rousay"s music is delicate yet powerful, carefully constructed with a casual intimacy. Rousay collages a wealth of found sounds and field recordings with earthy strings, stately piano, and processed instrumentation, all of which trace the outlines of memories and distinct impressions and create a complex constellation of feeling. Her music has evolved from confessional to conversational and excavates the rich emotional essence of each passage. Her work as both archivist and adept arranger and orchestrator merge sublimely into deeply honest and engrossing music. On a little death, Rousay"s blend of pop sensibility and compositional acumen turn abstracted sounds into tangible feelings, its warm, glimmering glow coalescing sensually with the darkness.

Claire Rousay"s music cascades from a well of documented experience, reflections of the past that compose the present. A prolific multi-instrumentalist, producer, and composer, Rousay gracefully crafts boundaryless music. From her frequent and acclaimed collaborations with artists like M. Sage, more eaze, Gretchen Korsmo, Andrew Weathers, LEYA, and Alex Cunningham, to her film scoring like on The Bloody Lady. From her own compositions to her solo pop work, Rousay"s music is delicate yet powerful, carefully constructed with a casual intimacy. Rousay collages a wealth of found sounds and field recordings with earthy strings, stately piano, and processed instrumentation, all of which trace the outlines of memories and distinct impressions and create a complex constellation of feeling. Her music has evolved from confessional to conversational and excavates the rich emotional essence of each passage. Her work as both archivist and adept arranger and orchestrator merge sublimely into deeply honest and engrossing music. On a little death, Rousay"s blend of pop sensibility and compositional acumen turn abstracted sounds into tangible feelings, its warm, glimmering glow coalescing sensually with the darkness.

Lénok’s 'Langue of Tongue' is a descent. An unhinged pinballing down a realm of incomprehension and lunacy, a darkly psychedelic ego-death-spiral into a world of pure, deranged disquiet. It is, and this cannot be emphasised enough, a truly fucked up place. It comes complete with clearly marked borders delineated by its opening and closing tracks '(Entrance' and 'Exit)’. The message is clear: this is less album than zone.

There's no comfort to be found here. It’s like the inner monologue of some insectile, cyborgian abomination, something unfeeling and hostile, something that could only thrive in a mirror world that perverts light and sullies warmth. It's a netherworld: tracks jut out and stab like cold, craggy wastelandscapes, tangled meshworks of alienic transmissions bleed out into deformed knots of gurgling white noise, lacerations of sound roil and heave and claw as if imprisoned within oppressive waveforms.

‘Tongue’ is marked by a kind of wackiness, a demented slapstick that renders its darkness all the more sinister. Voices wail and taunt like schizophrenic spirits trapped between torment and cackling ecstasy. Tracks giggle and skitter as if populated by grinning, snaggletoothed shadows.

‘Langue of Tongue’ is recommended for the curious and advanced listener. This is music for whatever the opposite of escapism is — it’s REAL twisted. But sometimes morbid fascination takes hold. Sometimes you lift the rock, because you can’t help it, and you observe the squirming mess of life it plays host to. What you experience may not be pleasant, but you might just struggle to tear yourself away.

Universe #1 is a total classic from the raves back in the day... another immense production and alias by Dave Charlesworth, alongside Steve Mc.Carthy. Dave is responsible for the Energizer series from back in the day as well as the Side Effect record we released earlier this year. On top of that he was The Sorcerer and ran the ADR label too! Busy guy!