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Fly Anakin is a rapper and producer who approaches his craft in a way few contemporaries can. Vigilant yet unorthodox, DIY-minded yet prolific, the Richmond, Virginia multihyphenate’s razor-sharp lyrics, ear for soulful production, and collaborative synergy are the result of over a decade of fundamental mastery. Described by Madlib as “one of the illest MCs,” the Mutant Academy cofounder was in his pocket well ahead of his acclaimed solo debut, Frank (2022). After years of consistent releases with his collective, Anakin broke major ground in 2020 with his and Pink Siifu’s joint project FlySiifu’s, followed by their $mokebreak EP in 2021. A student of the East Coast’s golden age, Anakin transmutes its spirit into music that’s both classicist and pioneering, having worked with the likes of Freddie Gibbs, redveil, BbyMutha, and MAVI. With the release of a Mutant Academy debut album completed, and his solo album (The) Forever Dream imminent, Anakin has cemented his place as a leader in rap’s underground Renaissance.(The) Forever Dream commemorates a new era of freedom for Anakin, who rarely approaches bodies of work without a preconceived concept. Executive produced by Quelle Chris, the project, which features the likes of Denmark Vessey, The Alchemist, BbyMutha, and Pink Siifu, includes songs that Anakin believes are some of his most experimental and ambitious. “The album is me and Quelle kicking it, smoking, learning each other, and playing video games,” he says of the project’s inspiration and recording process. “It was time to make some mindless music, to tackle production I would’ve otherwise picked up.” The long anticipated project comes after years of Anakin and Quelle developing a strong rapport, stemming back to 2019. “Quelle is one of the best collaborators ever—he’s not biased but he knows what he likes, open minded but stubborn at the right times,” Anakin says of his collaborative relationship with the Grammy nominated producer. “On the low we just alike but polar opposites, we can do no wrong together.”

Fly Anakin is a rapper and producer who approaches his craft in a way few contemporaries can. Vigilant yet unorthodox, DIY-minded yet prolific, the Richmond, Virginia multihyphenate’s razor-sharp lyrics, ear for soulful production, and collaborative synergy are the result of over a decade of fundamental mastery. Described by Madlib as “one of the illest MCs,” the Mutant Academy cofounder was in his pocket well ahead of his acclaimed solo debut, Frank (2022). After years of consistent releases with his collective, Anakin broke major ground in 2020 with his and Pink Siifu’s joint project FlySiifu’s, followed by their $mokebreak EP in 2021. A student of the East Coast’s golden age, Anakin transmutes its spirit into music that’s both classicist and pioneering, having worked with the likes of Freddie Gibbs, redveil, BbyMutha, and MAVI. With the release of a Mutant Academy debut album completed, and his solo album (The) Forever Dream imminent, Anakin has cemented his place as a leader in rap’s underground Renaissance.(The) Forever Dream commemorates a new era of freedom for Anakin, who rarely approaches bodies of work without a preconceived concept. Executive produced by Quelle Chris, the project, which features the likes of Denmark Vessey, The Alchemist, BbyMutha, and Pink Siifu, includes songs that Anakin believes are some of his most experimental and ambitious. “The album is me and Quelle kicking it, smoking, learning each other, and playing video games,” he says of the project’s inspiration and recording process. “It was time to make some mindless music, to tackle production I would’ve otherwise picked up.” The long anticipated project comes after years of Anakin and Quelle developing a strong rapport, stemming back to 2019. “Quelle is one of the best collaborators ever—he’s not biased but he knows what he likes, open minded but stubborn at the right times,” Anakin says of his collaborative relationship with the Grammy nominated producer. “On the low we just alike but polar opposites, we can do no wrong together.”

Fly Anakin is a rapper and producer who approaches his craft in a way few contemporaries can. Vigilant yet unorthodox, DIY-minded yet prolific, the Richmond, Virginia multihyphenate’s razor-sharp lyrics, ear for soulful production, and collaborative synergy are the result of over a decade of fundamental mastery. Described by Madlib as “one of the illest MCs,” the Mutant Academy cofounder was in his pocket well ahead of his acclaimed solo debut, Frank (2022). After years of consistent releases with his collective, Anakin broke major ground in 2020 with his and Pink Siifu’s joint project FlySiifu’s, followed by their $mokebreak EP in 2021. A student of the East Coast’s golden age, Anakin transmutes its spirit into music that’s both classicist and pioneering, having worked with the likes of Freddie Gibbs, redveil, BbyMutha, and MAVI. With the release of a Mutant Academy debut album completed, and his solo album (The) Forever Dream imminent, Anakin has cemented his place as a leader in rap’s underground Renaissance.(The) Forever Dream commemorates a new era of freedom for Anakin, who rarely approaches bodies of work without a preconceived concept. Executive produced by Quelle Chris, the project, which features the likes of Denmark Vessey, The Alchemist, BbyMutha, and Pink Siifu, includes songs that Anakin believes are some of his most experimental and ambitious. “The album is me and Quelle kicking it, smoking, learning each other, and playing video games,” he says of the project’s inspiration and recording process. “It was time to make some mindless music, to tackle production I would’ve otherwise picked up.” The long anticipated project comes after years of Anakin and Quelle developing a strong rapport, stemming back to 2019. “Quelle is one of the best collaborators ever—he’s not biased but he knows what he likes, open minded but stubborn at the right times,” Anakin says of his collaborative relationship with the Grammy nominated producer. “On the low we just alike but polar opposites, we can do no wrong together.”

Belgium’s most ferocious metal band BARK returns to the spotlight with their highly anticipated fifth studio album, The Time Has Come, set to be released on Insert Release Date. This marks the band’s second collaboration with renowned French Metal label Listenable Records, solidifying their presence in the global scene. The Time Has Come encapsulates BARK’s relentless energy and raw power, delivering an unapologetic onslaught of heavy riffs, thunderous drums, and guttural vocals. The album showcases the band’s evolution while staying true to the no-holds-barred sound that has earned them a devoted following. With a mix of blistering anthems and dark, groove-laden tracks, The Time Has Come cements Bark’s reputation as one of Europe’s most formidable forces in modern metal. “This album is a statement,” says singer Ron Bruynseels. “We’ve poured all our passion into these songs. It’s about living the moment, confronting challenges head-on. We are telling stories that resonate with the listener because we have lived them first hand. We’re excited to unleash this beast with Listenable Records by our side again.” Recorded at their own studio Jurassic Recordings, under the guidance of guitarist Martin Furia (producer for Destruction, Nervosa, Toxik, Chemicide…) the album boasts a production that amplifies BARK’s signature sound while pushing their sonic boundaries even more to achieve their most brutal album to date. Standout tracks such as “Negativist”, “Shaman” and “On No One’s Word” offer a glimpse into the diverse yet cohesive journey that awaits listeners. BARK will be hitting the road shortly after the release, bringing their explosive live performances to fans across Europe. Tour dates will be announced soon.

The Rough Trade Singles collects The Fall's four singles recorded for this influential label in 1980 and 1983 – How I Wrote 'Elastic Man' / City Hobgoblins, Totally Wired / Putta Block, The Man Whose Head Expanded / Ludd Gang and Kicker Conspiracy – none of which appeared on any of the band's studio LPs. With 7-inches being the era's vehicle for buzzing communiqués, The Fall would use the format for short-form, standalone works rather than as mere promotional devices for forthcoming albums.

"Totally Wired" is often cited (and rightfully so) as The Fall's most infectious tune – an amphetamine-fueled anthem with stuttering nods to forebears, yet too incisive to have been made by anyone else. "How I Wrote 'Elastic Man'" is another mad hoedown, one reimagined for the post-punk age. While the playful rhythm machine on "The Man Whose Head Expanded" almost suggests danceability, Mark E. Smith's idiosyncratic shriek on "Kicker Conspiracy" pierces through the twin drumming of Paul Hanley and Karl Burns and the group's unpredictable / unmistakable racket. Together these songs remain some of the absolute best material The Fall would ever release.

Superior Viaduct's edition is the first time that The Rough Trade Singles has been available on vinyl domestically. Liner notes by Brian Turner.

Justin Sullivan has been living something of an artistic double life for the last 8 years. He’s been playing drums in Los Angeles’ Flat Worms and getting back together with his NYC bandmates in The Babies, but he’s also been crafting his own songs under the name Night Shop. Under this moniker, Sullivan has released two LPs and two 12” EPs and toured supporting, Widowspeak, Shannon Lay and Waxahatchee.

Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield once described Sullivan as “a well-read modern day Buddy Holly” and on his new record, The Beloved Returns, he raises the bar of both the literary allusions and the rock’n’roll. The record’s title track was inspired by Thomas Manns’s 1939 fictionalized biography of Goethe titled Lotte in Weimar: The Beloved Returns and themes of desire, obsession and the places they send you are all over the record. On the sonic end, the record is louder and faster than any Night Shop record before, a result of Sullivan’s collaboration with the Summer Cannibals’ Jessica Bourdeaux who produced the record, with songs like the opener “Ode To Joy II” coming fast out of the gate quickly followed by “Let Me Be the Lamb.”

Annie A, the one-off collaborative project between Félicia Atkinson, Time is Away, Christina Petrie and Maxine Funke, arrives on A Colourful Storm with an inquisitive, exploratory composition evoking questions of inconstancy and reconciliation, vastness and finitude and the sometimes cruel deception of human perception. Who will conduct our dreams if we never wake?

It is a geographically diverse yet like-minded ensemble whose seeds were sown during an A Colourful Storm show in London, where time on stage was shared by Atkinson, Time is Away and Petrie. Atkinson had previously found solace in Time is Away's Ballads (ACOLOUR041), Funke's Seance (ACOLOUR035) and particularly the voice of poet Petrie, whose delivery drifts from a wide-eyed stream of consciousness to crystalline sensory expression. It is the perfect accompaniment to Atkinson's hushed tones, spoken sensitively like a mother to a resting child.

Atkinson's evocative sonic landscapes are formed from keyboard, voice and organic materials collected from life on the dramatic coast of Normandy, as well as field recordings from places far and wide. She breathes life into liminal spaces, the sound of wind, whispers and the distant clatter of rocks conjuring visions of places both beautiful and eerily familiar. Time is Away delicately arranges the field of sounds, their weaving and layering likened to the assembly of an Anni Albers textile. The spirit of Albers guides the piece, Petrie's recounting of her loom and thread a symbol of her endurance, vitality and seeking wonder in intricacies. The piece also features an exclusive concluding track by Maxine Funke, whose meditation on vulnerability confronts and surrenders herself to the enchanting natural world.

"The album was created in this back and forth of snapshots - we made most of the decisions impulsively without much questioning. That takes a lot of trust." — Violeta García & Hora Lunga

"I'll Wait For You In The Car Park", the first full length collaboration between Argentinian cellist, improviser and composer Violeta García and Swiss musician and composer Hora Lunga, is a work of extremes. Drawing from the realities of life on two continents, and embodying moods ranging from stoic desire to violent bursts, the album enciphers so-called ordinary moments from everyday life into an alluring collection of musical scenes. Seemingly inconspicuous moments are condensed into a tale of synchronicity: colliding time zones and seasons, metropolitan rhythms raining down onto a glacier's ice field, exploring places through street view, the serendipity of loitering at a kiosk. As such, "I'll Wait For You In The Car Park" brings documentary film essays to mind that carefully observe the private and everyday occurrences.
Violeta García and Hora Lunga crossed paths by chance in 2023 and began discussing and sharing music shortly afterwards. What started as a loose exchange of ideas, sending back and forth sketches and demos between South America and Europe, grew into several studio sessions in 2024. Being sucked into a "quite extraordinary flow", the two musicians recorded, arranged and intervened on a level playing field, using the studio as a playground to record musical layers and interweave them with field recordings and audio notes gathered over the course of a year. Speaking a kindred musical language, they quickly realized how their ideas clung to each other like two familiar souls, complementing, intertwining and merging. From gauzy and eerie textures, musical miniatures floating through time, howling and screaming strings, to tumbling and thundering basses – the sound of the ordinary shapes a body that vibrates, writhes and breathes.

Violeta García is a cellist, improviser and composer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. Based in Spain, she tours a lot with her band Blanco Teta. She is a performer in many art forms, including free improvisation, contemporary and trans-media experimental repertoire in violoncello and electronics and collaborations with dancers, film makers and visual artists. After years of studying classical and popular music on violoncello and, later, contemporary composition and improvisation, Violeta has developed her own musical voice needed to emerge beyond outside specific genres.

Throughout Swiss composer and musician Hora Lunga's work, the focus lies is on exploring boundaries, both musically and in terms of performance and content. Above all, genre designations lose all meaning, as the music always takes place within a dramaturgically conceived overall framework. In recent years, his projects have ranged from pop music productions to experimental works and sound performances, as well astheatre and film productions. His ensemble WIRREN consists of up to fifteen performers.

The Arockalypse is the third studio album by Finnish rock band Lordi. It includes the hit single "Hard Rock Hallelujah", which won the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 for Finland. The album was certified with a triple Platinum status in Finland, Gold in Germany, and Sweden. It reached the number one chart position in Finland, Sweden, and Greece. The Arockalypse has several guest appearances: Dee Snider and Jay Jay French from Twisted Sister, Udo Dirkschneider from Accept/U.D.O. and Bruce Kulick from Kiss. The Arockalypse is available as a limited edition of 666 individually numbered copies on black and gold marbled vinyl.

“The future of Rock music is in safe hands” (10/10 Powerplay Magazine)… It’s time to embrace the next chapter of one of rock’s hardest-working bands. H.E.A.T storms back into the spotlight with the explosive new album “Welcome To The Future” – and it hits with full force!
In recent years, the Swedes have been impossible to ignore. At the front is Kenny Leckremo, undoubtedly one of the best rock and metal voices of his generation, with a stage energy that has been sorely missed in the scene.
Those lucky enough to meet the band know their passion for the ‘80s runs deep. H.E.A.T masterfully channels the spirit of rock’s most fun era, a time where exuberance reigned the stage, crafting a distinctive sound that melds power metal with melodic hard rock.
With “Welcome To The Future”, H.E.A.T brings you a heavy and melodic album packed with anthems that beg to be belted out. It’s an invitation to all who crave the rush of true arena rock.

“The future of Rock music is in safe hands” (10/10 Powerplay Magazine)… It’s time to embrace the next chapter of one of rock’s hardest-working bands. H.E.A.T storms back into the spotlight with the explosive new album “Welcome To The Future” – and it hits with full force!
In recent years, the Swedes have been impossible to ignore. At the front is Kenny Leckremo, undoubtedly one of the best rock and metal voices of his generation, with a stage energy that has been sorely missed in the scene.
Those lucky enough to meet the band know their passion for the ‘80s runs deep. H.E.A.T masterfully channels the spirit of rock’s most fun era, a time where exuberance reigned the stage, crafting a distinctive sound that melds power metal with melodic hard rock.
With “Welcome To The Future”, H.E.A.T brings you a heavy and melodic album packed with anthems that beg to be belted out. It’s an invitation to all who crave the rush of true arena rock.

What happens when you combine SUMAC: a band that uses the volume, distortion, and guitar-centric approach of metal to make music that has the malleability of jazz and textural exploration of noise with Moor Mother: a poet and sound artist that has deconstructed hip hop to a point where it"s less about rhyme and rhythm (though obviously both are present in her work) and more about oratorical cadence and power.

The Film is an album that takes attributes of both artists" work and finds common ground in shifting musical patterns, and expressive force. The record is a musical thumbing of their noses at the more traditional approaches of their respective fields, an innovative, powerhouse of an album. The Film"s moniker speaks to the fact that it is conceived and delivered as a complete album, a full story or narrative. Moor Mother puts it best: "The idea is to create a moment outside of the convention. This is a work of art.

Thinking about the work as a Film, instead of an album or a collection of songs. This task is impossible in an industry that wants to force everything into a box of consumption. You won"t understand or get the full picture until the artwork is completed. This work is developing and is requesting more agency within the creative process." The Film is just such a work, a nebulitic collaboration between SUMAC and Moor Mother.

It is with a certain sadness for his fans across mediums that Donald Glover has declared Bando Stone and the New World the last Childish Gambino album. The ostensible soundtrack to a feature-length movie of the same name, the hour-long project includes snippets of dialogue that hint at the film’s apocalyptic subject matter. The fact that the soundtrack is preceding the actual film is part of Glover’s strategy: He wants listeners to work to figure out what they’re listening to. “The soundtrack forces the audience to participate in a way that I don't feel like most things force you to participate,” he says. “It forces you to have an imagination. I already see people being like, 'This is very cinematic, this must be the part that... This feels like a credit sequence.' A lot of stuff feels flat because it's not asking you to participate. Art used to be you had to participate on some level and have some sort of thought process on it. You can't just be like, 'Oh, this is mid.'” Even without the benefit of the full visuals, these 17 tracks make for a satisfying swan song that synthesizes what came before with fresher ideas gleaned from the threshold of finality.

The Problem of Leisure: A Celebration of Andy Gill and Gang of Four is a
double album of tracks written by Andy Gill and Gang of Four, all newly
reinterpreted and recorded by artists whose own unique contributions to
music were enriched by listening to Gang of Four.
The album features songs from across Gang of Four’s 40-plus year career, each
individually chosen by the artists who covered them. Andy Gill originally conceived of the album to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Entertainment! in 2019. His widow, Catherine Mayer, explains that this plan had already
changed by the time of Andy’s death in 2020, after some artists chose tracks
from different albums and periods.
“Andy was massively excited about this project,” Mayer says. “It wasn’t of
course conceived as a tribute album, but it’s comforting to me that he lived to
see artists he hugely admired enthusiastically agreeing to participate, signalling that the admiration was mutual.” The album artwork has been created by
English artist Damien Hirst, a long-time friend of Andy’s.
Idles - Damaged Goods. Tom Morello & Serj Tankian - Natural’s Not In It. Helmet
- In the Ditch. 3D x Gang of Four feat. Nova Twins - Where The Nightingale Sings.
Hotei - To Hell With Poverty. Gary Numan - Love Like Anthrax. Gail Ann Dorsey -
We Live As We Dream Alone. Herbert Gr nemeyer feat. Alex Silva - I Love A Man
in a Uniform. LoneLady - Not Great Men. JJ Sterry - 5.45. La Roux - Damaged
Goods. Everything Everything - Natural’s Not In It. Dado Villa-Lobos - Return The
Gift. The Dandy Warhols - What We All Want. Warpaint - Paralysed. Flea & John
Frusciante - Not Great Men. The Sounds - I Love a Man in Uniform. Hardcore
Raver in Tears - Last Mile. Killing Joke x Gang of Four - Forever Starts Now (Killing
Joke Dub) . Sekar Melati - Not Great Men (live version)

Lordi's The Monsterican Dream, released in 2004, is the Finnish hard rock band’s second studio album, cementing their signature blend of heavy metal, theatrical horror themes, and anthemic choruses. Packed with powerful tracks like "Blood Red Sandman," "My Heaven Is Your Hell," and "Would You Love a Monsterman?," the album showcases Lordi's knack for creating hard-hitting, catchy songs with a monstrous edge.

Produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa, The Monsterican Dream features dynamic guitar riffs, haunting keyboard melodies, and Mr. Lordi's commanding vocals, delivering a darker and heavier tone compared to their debut. The album's horror-inspired themes and energetic performances helped the band gain a stronger foothold in the international rock and metal scene.

For fans of theatrical hard rock and heavy metal, The Monsterican Dream is a must-listen, offering an unforgettable experience that highlights Lordi’s unique artistry and showmanship.

The Monsterican Dream is available as a limited edition of 666 individually numbered copies on crystal clear & transparent green marbled vinyl

"Released in 2007, Past Lives: The Best Of The RCA Years is a compilation album that highlights Level 42’s work during their time with RCA Records. The British band, renowned for their sophisticated mix of jazz-funk, pop, and rock, delivers a collection of tracks that showcase their musical versatility and technical brilliance. This compilation features hits and fan favorites from the RCA era, including songs like ""Guaranteed"" and ""Overtime,"" which reflect the band's signature blend of infectious grooves, smooth vocals, and intricate basslines by Mark King. The album captures Level 42’s ability to create catchy, yet musically rich songs that resonate with both longtime fans and new listeners. Past Lives: The Best Of The RCA Years is a must-have for anyone looking to explore Level 42’s catalog and revisit the band’s innovative contributions to the jazz-funk and pop genres. Past Lives: The Best Of The RCA Years is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on yellow coloured vinyl."

‘Devotion to a Noble Ideal’ is the first EP release on vinyl from The Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus. Part retrospective and part reimagining of their work – the EP contains 4 tracks, each produced in collaboration with a different creative partner, offering a sometimes radical reinterpretation of three previous works as well as one new piece. It is a startling body of material from the Liverpool based art house collective that, nearly 40 years since its inception, continues to evolve. Formed in Liverpool in 1985, the Revolutionary Army of the Infant Jesus is a unique experimental ensemble whose work goes beyond music. Their mesmerising recorded material is influenced by diverse cultural perspectives and stimulates a deeply personal and subjective awakening. Ethereal vocals, ambient compositions, chants, acoustic instrumentation and field recordings generate beautiful and emotionally intense soundscapes. Includes a double sided 12” insert of illustrations by Mr John Varley, Mr Prince and Miss Macfarlane from the publication THOUGHT-FORMS by Annie Besant and C.W. Leadbeater

“Heart of Night,” a split EP co-released by Gar Hole Records (Fayetteville, AR) and Mashed Potato Records, offers two prime examples of modern alternative Americana music’s exciting trajectory: the Ozark-induced warbles and clever country stylings of Nick Shoulders, and the swampy pop songs and dreamy harmonies of The Lostines. This collaboration is an homage to the places and people we call home. It’s the ideal accompaniment to steamy slow dancing deep in a pitch black, heavy and humid Arkansas night, or for swinging someone around in a vibrant, neon lit New Orleans dive. It’s also the soundtrack for ruminating on the heart’s capacity for simultaneous strength and fragility, the connections between different modalities, homes, and loves.

For Heart of Night’s cover, intricate, hand-drawn artwork and lettering from tastemaker illustrator Taylor W. Rushing mirrors the duality of the flora and fauna of two terrains — the cypress swamps and the Ozark Mountains — from which this four-song collection springs.

CITY 101 is a double dancer’s delight. The Cheques infectious ‘In The Groove’ comes with instructions over a pulsating organ-lead track. That singing Louisianian organist, Tony Nardi, would go on to form Salt & Pepper in Thailand where he recorded the funky ‘Man Of My Word’. This very 60s-style mover has crossed over from the mod scene to northern soul dancefloors and beyond.

‘Arabian Jerk’ by the Merits was a Goldwax production out of Memphis. It is a mod meets exotica gem; perfect for the belly-dancer in your life. Both of these tracks were issued at the time but now fetch very high prices – if ever available.

When we last heard from Southern California's rock n' roll sorcerers Death Valley Girls, band orchestrator and mastermind Bonnie Bloomgarden was summoning the element of water and celebrating its tempestuous power on the triumphant 2023 single "I Am a Wave." Surrounded by a new cast of supporting musicians, Bloomgarden returns from a brief hiatus to pay homage to the magic of celestial bodies and to honor yet another classical element on a new two-song single. On side A, Death Valley Girls cover the Fleetwood Mac track "Sisters of the Moon," harnessing the original version's witchy mystery while bolstering its thunderous chorus by beefing up its ominous riffage. Bloomgarden's channeling of Stevie Nicks is downright eerie, pulling off such s striking timbral similarity you might almost mistake this rendition as a more electrified and tripped-out alternate take from the original Tusk sessions. On the flipside, Death Valley Girls pay reverence to the element of fire by taking on the Link Wray classic "Fire and Brimstone," summoning the original's swagger while transforming its tent-revival stomp into a mash-up of Phil Spector's girl-group majesty, Motown's hip-shaking soul, and punk's bombast. Surrounded by an ensemble of like-minded celestial witches, Bloomgarden takes Death Valley Girls' sound to new heights while elevating two beloved `70s tunes into modern day religious experiences.