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Eduardo de la Calle and DJ Surgeles meet Fabio Giachino, David Strike, and Manu Melero Amaya in Telmaco Xavier Quintet, a project where jazz and electronics engage in a real-time exchange rather than a controlled experiment. Set for release on Apnea 115 in May 2025, Time Pawn is built on interaction--musicians and machines reacting to each other, shifting between structure and instinct. Eduardo and Surgeles don't frame jazz within an electronic grid, nor do they treat electronic textures as a decorative layer. Instead, they allow both elements to retain their full character, pushing and pulling in ways that never settle into easy resolutions. Fabio Giachino's piano moves freely, alternately threading through and cutting across the pulse. David Strike and Manu Melero Amaya bring movement that resists the obvious, allowing groove to exist without being locked in place. The result isn't about merging styles but letting them exist in the same space--sometimes in harmony, sometimes in friction, always in motion.

After years of sonic exploration with guitars and electronics in addition to other projects (Lost Girls, Moon Relay, Jenny Hval), Håvard Volden has returned to his main instrument with renewed curiosity and a new band. On this album, the guitar takes center stage, with alternative tunings and an exploratory approach forming the foundation for a new musical direction. The result is a beautiful album with an honest and organic sound, and the perfect blend of jazz and alternative pop/rock. The music is rooted in jazz but also draws inspiration from early tape music—think Joe Meek, and Luc Ferrari—as well as folk traditions from all over, new age, and the raw energy of experimental rock, likeVelvet Underground. The result is a collection of instrumental compositions where guitar, synthesizers, bass, and drums interweave in dynamic interplay. At times, the pieces are loose and expansive; at others, they are rhythmically precise and compressed—like instrumental pop songs with an open structure. And to add to the pop cultural pallett; the cover photo is taken on tour with Jenny Hval in front of the ”Twin Peaks” mountains. With music that thrives on dynamics and improvisation, most of the album was recorded live in the studio. This album is an exploration of the guitar’s potential, where echoes and tape machines extend the instrument’s rhythm, resonance, and tonality. A playful, dreamlike, and uncompromising record that embraces the power of collaboration.

Formed in 2012 by long-time musical companions Oyvind Holm and Hogne Galaen,
the band quickly grew into the six- piece musical force they are today. Their unique
sound fuses cosmic Americana and rich vocal harmonies with catchy melodies, highspirited improvisation, and contagious musical energy that will leave you craving
more.
The six members come from diverse musical backgrounds but are united by their
shared love of psychedelia and cosmic Americana. They draw particular inspiration
from the California sound of the late '60s, with bands like The Byrds, Crosby, Stills,
Nash & Young, and the Grateful Dead as key infuences.
Between 2012 and 2019, the band recorded and released fve critically acclaimed
albums, two of which were recorded in the California desert at the legendary Rancho
De La Luna, nestled among the Joshua trees. Like many other artists, the pandemic
shook their foundations, forcing the band into an involuntary hiatus. In the aftermath
of lockdowns and other imposed restrictions, the backlash from other projects kept
them from picking up where they had left off.
However, the fall of 2024 brought new opportunities. An unexpected email from Mike
Scott of The Waterboys reignited their spirit and motivation. While on tour in Norway,
Scott discovered one of their albums and was so taken by their sound that he invited
them to contribute vocal harmonies to 'The Tourist,' a track off The Waterboys' new
album Life, Death & Dennis Hopper.
Soon after, an even greater opportunity arose--an invitation to join The Waterboys on
tour in the UK and Scandinavia. To accompany the upcoming tour, we've put together
a beginner's guide to Sugarfoot.
The compilation album Cosmic Norse Americana features nine highlights from
Sugarfoot's career so far, along with a newly recorded cover of Emitt Rhodes' 1967
track "Time Will Show The Wiser."
Sugarfoot:
Hogne Galaen - guitars, vocals
Even Granas - drums
Thomas Henriksen - keyboards
Oyvind Holm - guitars, vocals
Bent Saether - bass
Roar Oien - pedal steel
THOUGHTS AND WORDS
The Sugarfoot story begins back in 2011. But before there was Sugarfoot, there were
the Dipsomaniacs, Kulta Beats, Motorpsycho, Too Far Gone, and Deleted Waveform
Gatherings--bands that, in one way or another, featured future members of what would
eventually become Sugarfoot. Six musicians from diverse musical backgrounds,
united by a shared love of psychedelia and cosmic Americana. Drawing deep
inspiration from the California sound of the late '60s, their musical compass points
toward The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and the Grateful Dead.
I say eventually, because Sugarfoot didn't start as a band--it began as a duo. Hogne
Galaen and Oyvind Holm had previously played together in Deleted Waveform
Gatherings. But when their drummer moved out of town, the group was put on ice. Not
ones to sit still, the two of them launched a side project to keep the creative wheels
turning.
Throughout the winter of 2011, they holed up in their rehearsal space, writing and
recording rough sketches of what would soon grow into a full album. And that's when
things got interesting. They drew up a wish list--a dream lineup of musicians they'd
love to bring into the fold.
Among the names on that list were Even Granas, Thomas Henriksen, Bent Saether,
and Roar Oien, all soon to be permanent Sugarfooters. Each was invited to contribute
to the project, adding their parts to the pre-recorded tracks--without knowing what the
others were doing. Like assembling a giant musical puzzle, Galaen and Holm later
pieced the album together from these blindfolded contributions. The result was This
Love That We Outwore, released in the fall of 2012.
From there, things escalated quickly. By the following year, Sugarfoot had become a
proper band. Big Sky Country-- written and recorded collectively-- landed in 2014,
solidifying the group's evolving sound, including favourites such as Dolphins Hotel and
Ego In A Bag. When it came time to record a third album, the band felt the itch for
something new. They wanted a change of scenery--somewhere that could spark fresh
inspiration and leave its own sonic fngerprint on the production. So they asked
themselves: where could they go that carried the spirit, the legacy, the stardust of their
musical heroes?
That search led them to the California desert, to the legendary Rancho De La Luna,
nestled among the Joshua trees. Their next two albums, Different Stars (2016) and
The Santa Ana (2017), were both recorded at the Rancho. In fact, The Santa Ana was
both recorded and mixed during a two- week stay in 2015, making it a true time
capsule in the band's discography.

The highly anticipated 3rd full-length by this Finnish band. Morbific is a rotten-to-the-core Death Metal trio deformed in the filthy and profaned boneyard of Kitee in early 2020, featuring Olli (guitar), Jusa (vocals / bass) and Onni (drums). The band’s Pestilent Hordes demo was unleashed in the summer of 2020, and it rapidly gained them some following amongst the finest gourmets of the variety of festering, moldering and disgusting Death Metal that’s malignantly influenced by Autopsy, Rottrevore, Deteriorot, Mortician, Grave, Maimed, Undergang, Impetigo and ancient Finnish masters of death and decay, such as Funebre and Disgrace. Shortly after, in the spring of 2021, the debut full-length Ominous Seep of Putridity saw the odious light of day to unanimous praise by both the fans and the media. Just a year later, and now aligned with Memento Mori, Morbific released their second full-length, Squirm Beyond the Mortal Realm. Aptly titled, the album quickly became a cult favorite of utterly uncomfortable, slimy Death Metal. Now, Morbific are prepared to eclipse such a sewer-dwelling “highwater” mark with Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh. Whereas its not-inconsiderable predecessor confronted the listener with a blown-out, almost demo-level feel, the Finns’ third full-length proves that they can move and mesmerize and maim no matter what the soundfield is. And on Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh, it’s a raw-yet-robust show of strength, “classic” Death Metal production in a most late 80’s fashion; just witness that gurgling, fuzz-tinged bass and feel its radioactive waves envelope you. But production is one thing and songwriting is another, and with the latter, Morbific are truly hitting their stride here. Lumbering and stomping, with well-timed bouts of disgusting gallop or even ragged blasts, their songwriting twists and indeed squirms with off-kilter insanity; some would call it chaos, if not for the exceptionally tight musicianship on display here, with the sum result being an uncomfortableness that bubbles up from a deeper gutter. Thankfully, Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh conveys its dark, disgusting and unconventional aura across every element -said chops simply heighten these sensations- and is, thus far, Morbific’s best melding of form and content. Cro-Magnon as ever but somehow enlightened in the creepiest sense possible, Morbific continue their reputation as Finland’s filthiest and Death Metal’s untrendiest weirdoes. Vividly captured by Chase Slaker’s cover artwork, Bloom of the Abnormal Flesh is the foulest stench only for the brave!

We all knew what was on the line before ever setting foot in the studio to record Gone For Good. “Grow or die” had become our mantra. We had endured a four year hiatus (2018 - 2022), reconciled our personal grievances, re-established the band to our original fanbase and beyond, and grew from a trio to a four-piece. It was clear to us that not only was change going to be a constant presence in our lives and careers, it was the fuel that kept the fire lit. To us, Gone For Good is a record from a band that finally arrived at who they wanted to become after 15 years of searching. In an ever evolving industry that seems to deliver countless new artists that are fully realized, perfectly sculpted, we cast a line of hope that there is still room for a band with a story of becoming.

The Last Revel's 5 previous studio albums give listeners a roadmap; hints and clues to who we are now. Gone For Good continues our story in the most powerful way. It's a challenging thing to do to be 15 years into a grassroots career of self-released music, self-promoted touring, and truly believe that we hadn’t written our best songs yet. That there was something deeper down in the well. Gone For Good is the manifestation of this belief and the songs reflect this with stories of sacrifice, courage, love, faith, and self-reflection. We called on Dave Simmonett of Trampled by Turtles to produce Gone For Good for two reasons: one being that Dave’s deeply personal and prolific songwriting career is a testament to the fact that a good song can move mountains.

Two being that we knew having someone involved that we admired so dearly would bring out the best in us. No one wanted to show up to the studio and show Dave a song they didn’t truly believe in. Working with Dave at Pachyderm Studios in Cannon Falls, Minnesota over the course of 4 days was a powerful experience. Dave encouraged us to record everything live, together, in one room. The result being a sound we were searching for throughout our entire careers. It's just us; no studio magic to hide who we are. As a band we are the most proud of this record because we earned it. The countless hours working on our craft, the years touring, the work it takes to go on, it all shows up on Gone For Good. Whatever happens next belongs to us.

DJ support - Alix Perez, Fracture, Lenzman, Kyle Hall, Doc Scott.

Introducing a new remix EP series from Rosebay Music aiming to connect the dots between soulful D&B and more disparate styles, tempos and scenes - with remixes coming in from a carefully selected group of artists reinterpreting tunes from the catalogue in fresh and unexpected ways.

Detroit’s Kyle Hall has been 1 of the cities main ambassadors of soulful, gritty house & techno over the last 15 years. Here he’s joined by instrumentalist Ian Fink to deliver a classic slice of deep and raw Detroit house music in his remix of Submorphics - Blastoff. This unforeseen linkup between Kyle Hall and Submorphics represents a rare joining of forces between 2 Detroit-born artists who have both repped their hometown’s aesthetic quite heavily in their respective scenes.

Noodles142 is the new alias of D&B star Satl - making fresh bangers fusing UKG, techno, dubstep and bass music in a classic-yet-futuristic way. Here he flips Submorphics - Hey Baby into deep, dark and dubby 140 territory paying homage to middle-of-the-night Detroit grittyness.

Primitive Instinct has quickly become one of the hottest upcoming names in D&B, repping Bristol with ultra-modern production, swinging drums, gorgeous synth work and amazing vocal sample manipulation. His stellar EP on The North Quarter convinced Rosebay to get him to remix Submorphics - Cinerama; and the result is a truly infectious dancefloor weapon.

The final remix comes from one of the current stars of 1985 Music: Trail. Repping the Toulouse D&B scene over the last few years, Trail has a unique knack for melody, harmony and groove that sets him apart from other modern liquid artists. Here he flips Submorphics, Zar & aya dia’s modern classic “Another Level Of Love” into a trippy and experimental heater. A diverse and eclectic selection of remixes from some very intriguing artists each existing in their own lane. Enjoy the ride!

Dive into the ultra deep field with the third release by Alphawaves. A0708EP, exemplifies Alphawaves' unique ability to sculpt atmospheric textures and intricate rhythms, seamlessly merging the organic with the synthetic. Yet another masterclass in balance, where cutting-edge sound design meets the warmth and depth of analog undertones. The result is an immersive sonic landscape that transcends time, presenting a vision of the future that feels both unsettling and profoundly familiar.

TOP 10 IN THE VINYL CHARTS* Since the 1950s, especially in America, there has been renewed excitement every year to see who will land the next Christmas hit. Many music le- gends have joined in the hunt for the number 1 song at Christmas. As a result, many new Christmas songs and interpretations were created, which have now become the songbook of modern Christmas Classics and have partially replaced the classic Christmas music. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

Eines wollen die Forth Wanderers vor der Veröffentlichung ihres dritten Albums "The Longer This Goes On" klarstellen: "Wir sind nicht zurück", sagt Gitarrist Ben Guterl mit Nachdruck. Das ist vielleicht eine unerwartete Aussage für das erste Album der Band seit ihrer Trennung vor sieben Jahren, aber die Band besteht darauf, dass es eine ehrliche Antwort ist - sie haben sich zusammengefunden, um die zehn kompliziert konstruierten Perlen aufzunehmen, die dieses neue Album ausmachen, und sie sind immer noch dabei herauszufinden, was es für sie bedeutet, in Forth Wanderers zu sein. Wenn man sich diese Songs anhört, von denen jeder einzelne ein glitzerndes Fest der eindringlichen und intuitiven Texte von Sängerin Ava Trilling und der natürlichen musikalischen Chemie der Band ist, hat man allerdings kaum das Gefühl, dass irgendetwas ungesagt bleibt. Das Album ist voller glänzender Melodien, klingender Gesangsharmonien und schlüpfriger, schräger Rhythmen und ist mehr als nur eine Rückkehr zur alten Form. Die Band scheut sich nicht, den Umweg über eine Hook zu gehen, indem sie instrumentale Schnörkel übereinander legt, um die leeren Stellen zu füllen, Raum für Trillings eindringliche Stimme zu schaffen oder ein Riff oder einen Text zu wiederholen, bis er zu einem Zen-Koan wird. Auf "The Longer This Goes On" klingen Forth Wanderers selbstbewusster und selbstsicherer als je zuvor. Man sollte es nur nicht als Comeback bezeichnen. Der Weg zu "The Longer This Goes On" begann im Sommer 2021 in einem Café in Brooklyn. Dort trafen sich Guterl und Trilling zum ersten Mal seit der Auflösung der Forth Wanderers im Jahr 2018. Die drei Jahre, die sie voneinander getrennt waren, hatten den Druck, den die Band während der Tourneen mit ihrer früheren Musik verspürte, teilweise abgebaut: "Wir fühlten uns alle frei, herumzualbern und Spaß zu haben", sagt Guterl. Die Wiedervereinigung mit dem Bassisten Noah Schifrin, dem Gitarristen Duke Greene und dem Schlagzeuger Zach Lorelli führte dazu, dass sich das Spielen so gut anfühlte, wie seit der Gründung der Band nicht mehr. "Es fühlte sich an, als wären wir wieder in der High School". Die Band hat die Art und Weise, wie sie bisher gearbeitet hat, neu definiert. "Dies ist das erste Mal, dass ein Großteil der Musik organisch entstanden ist", erklärt Schifrin. "Alle fünf von uns haben wirklich auf eine Art und Weise zum Schreibprozess beigetragen, wie wir es in der Vergangenheit nicht getan haben", fügte Guterl hinzu. Das daraus resultierende Album, das unter dem wachsamen Auge von Dan Howard produziert wurde, zeigt die Band so präsent und unbelastet, wie sie ihren Sound zum ersten Mal in Echtzeit geschaffen hat. Die Texte sind vollgepackt mit Bekenntnissen, die so breit gefächert sind, dass sich jeder, der sich in den Wirren einer unsicheren romantischen Vorhölle verirrt hat, verstanden fühlt, und doch so präzise geschrieben, dass sie eindeutig aus eigener Erfahrung stammen müssen. Das ist genau das, was Forth Wanderers sowohl so universell nachvollziehbar als auch so speziell macht. Auf "The Longer This Goes On" haben sie diese Fähigkeit, mit minimalistischen Texten und üppiger Instrumentierung an den starken Fäden der romantischen Langeweile zu ziehen, noch vertieft. Forth Wanderers sind sich nicht sicher, was als Nächstes kommt - sie wissen nicht, ob sie weiterhin neue Musik aufnehmen werden oder ob sie diese Songs jemals live aufführen werden. Diese Aufnahmen sind also zehn flüchtige, aber unschätzbare Eindrücke aus der Zeit, die sie als Band verbracht haben; das Wiederaufleben von Freundschaften zwischen Highschool-Kumpels, deren Träume sie ins Rampenlicht katapultiert haben, bevor sie alt genug waren, um Auto zu fahren; Songs, die die Ungewissheit der Zukunft ebenso einfangen wie ihre Musik ihr eigenes Selbstvertrauen in der Gegenwart zementiert. Auf "The Longer This Goes On" machen die Forth Wanderers Musik zu ihren eigenen Bedingungen.

Scavenger tones and scrambled cassette residue drift across the surface of Compressed Knowledge, a quietly astonishing new work by Philadelphia-based sound artist Tyler Games, operating here as Radio Species. Following releases on Regional Bears, Irrational Tentent, and his own now-defunct Born Physical Form imprint, Games works in a space between musique concrète, tape collage, and microsound, using an economy of gesture to create a suite of fundamentally elusive compositions. Harmonic loops stutter and fold in on themselves, hazy rhythms break free from their clocks, snatches of speech cut out mid-thought as a layer of room tone and tape gunk holds everything in suspension. There’s a sense of broadcast without a source, flickering across half-tuned frequencies––hinting at formal structures while continually slipping away from them. The result is not archival in the traditional sense, but archaeological: these tracks are partial objects, pulled from the noise floor of memory. In its refusal to resolve into stable meaning or musical form, this is work that draws from traditions of sound ethnography, experimental documentation, and concrète montage––where listening itself becomes a mode of speculative reconstruction.

The fourth release on ALT, the sub label of Cartulis Music, sees the return of AV1, the freshly formed French duo composed of Chris Carrier and Le Loup. Following the success of Waves + Plants Pt. 1 (ALT004.1), the pair now delivers the highly anticipated second chapter, pushing the boundaries of their sonic exploration

AV1 is the result of a deep-rooted connection between two of the most respected names in the Parisian underground scene. Chris Carrier, a prolific producer and DJ since the late ‘90s, has carved out a legacy with his unmistakable approach to house and techno. Le Loup, equally revered for his refined touch and forward-thinking productions, brings his own signature style to the table. Together, they craft an electrifying synergy built on a shared love for acid, deep grooves, and classicist house/techno foundations.

Waves + Plants Pt. 2 (ALT004.2) expands on the energy of the first release, offering a fivetrack journey through a diverse soundscape. Blurring the lines between trance, techno, breaks, and experimental sounds, the EP showcases AV1’s ability to merge different sonic textures into a cohesive, cutting-edge release. From hypnotic acid sequences to raw drum programming and ethereal atmospheres, each track presents a unique side of their creative vision.

This latest installment solidifies AV1’s place as a standout project in contemporary electronic music and reaffirms ALT’s commitment to releasing forward-thinking, genre-defying sounds.

Motel d'amour - A Lost Electro-Funk Gem from the NDW Era Resurfaces

When we first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project "Mit den Puppen tanzen" at the end of last year, we never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached us with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, we were floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" - a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals, and we instantly knew we were hearing something special.

For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what we'd been searching for. The next two tracks - "Rendezvous" and "Casanova" - were just as compelling. When Kammann sent us the full album, we realized we were holding an electro-funk grail from the late golden days of the German Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW). We were listening to "Motel d'amour".

"Motel d'amour" is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation ("Nachtcafé", "Rendezvous"), encounters with men ("Casanova"), the pulse of nightlife ("Die Nacht ist noch jung"), love ("Rotes Licht für rote Liebe"), one-night stands ("Motel d'amour"), and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time - and remains refreshingly bold today.

While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. As heard on the in-demand "Mit den Puppen tanzen", their creativity seemed boundless. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat". The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound.

Though primarily rooted in funk and electro, the album retains flashes of NDW aesthetics - "Wir haben getanzt heut' Nacht" being a prime example. The instrumentation is a dream list for vintage gear lovers: Yamaha keyboards, Roland Juno-60, vocoder, Micromoog, Hohner D6 Clavinet, Fender bass, and a Telecaster guitar all feature prominently.
Recorded in 1985 at the high-profile Delta Studio by Richard Rossbach, the album attracted interest from Polydor. However, the label proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies), who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist, an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result, "Motel d'amour" was shelved, and Kammann, Grah, and Kunze moved on to form Cold End.
The album cover features a rare archival photo of Katrin A. Kunze - rediscovered by Kammann and now finally seeing the light of day, 40 years later.

We believe Motel d'amour deserves recognition alongside cult German classics like P!OFF?, 1. Futurologischer Congress' "Wer spricht?", Ami Marie's "Verrückt nach Glück", the funkier cuts of Cosa Rosa, or Piet Klocke's groove classic "Heute ist nicht sonst". It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen.

A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, we were able to remaster them to a high standard - but in some songs light distortions remain. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy this lost and undiscovered gem.

Motel d'amour - A Lost Electro-Funk Gem from the NDW Era Resurfaces

When we first collaborated with Collage member Markus Kammann on the EP project "Mit den Puppen tanzen" at the end of last year, we never imagined what would follow: Kammann approached us with a completely unreleased full-length album by his former band. Upon receiving the first three preview tracks, we were floored. One of them was "Nachtcafé" - a track that kicks off with a funky bassline layered over the punchy rhythm of a Roland TR-808. Add shimmering synths and Katrin A. Kunze's sharp, distinctive vocals, and we instantly knew we were hearing something special.

For a label dedicated to rediscovering lost treasures, this was exactly what we'd been searching for. The next two tracks - "Rendezvous" and "Casanova" - were just as compelling. When Kammann sent us the full album, we realized we were holding an electro-funk grail from the late golden days of the German Neue Deutsche Welle (NDW). We were listening to "Motel d'amour".

"Motel d'amour" is a concept album, offering a sharp, vibrant perspective from a confident, intelligent, and radiant young woman eager to experience nightlife, love, and music. Kunze's lyrics paint vivid scenes of flirtation ("Nachtcafé", "Rendezvous"), encounters with men ("Casanova"), the pulse of nightlife ("Die Nacht ist noch jung"), love ("Rotes Licht für rote Liebe"), one-night stands ("Motel d'amour"), and more. Rarely has a German album from that era captured emotional nuance and social dynamics so insightfully. Without veering into the overly personal, Kunze's direct, daring lyrical style was groundbreaking at the time - and remains refreshingly bold today.

While German listeners will fully appreciate the lyrical depth, the music speaks volumes on its own. Kunze's words are masterfully complemented by the production of Markus Kammann and Jürgen Grah. As heard on the in-demand "Mit den Puppen tanzen", their creativity seemed boundless. Each track is tightly composed, catchy, and full of character. While many German bands at the time leaned into rock, Kammann drew from the deep grooves of Earth, Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Brothers Johnson, The Commodores, and the electro-futurism of Afrika Bambaataa's "Planet Rock" and "Looking for the Perfect Beat". The result: tracks with unmistakable electro-funk flair, powered by the classic 808 drum sound.

Though primarily rooted in funk and electro, the album retains flashes of NDW aesthetics - "Wir haben getanzt heut' Nacht" being a prime example. The instrumentation is a dream list for vintage gear lovers: Yamaha keyboards, Roland Juno-60, vocoder, Micromoog, Hohner D6 Clavinet, Fender bass, and a Telecaster guitar all feature prominently.
Recorded in 1985 at the high-profile Delta Studio by Richard Rossbach, the album attracted interest from Polydor. However, the label proposed using the compositions for a solo project with singer Inga Humpe (of Neonbabies), who was already signed to their roster. This would have required replacing Kunze as the vocalist, an idea the group firmly rejected. As a result, "Motel d'amour" was shelved, and Kammann, Grah, and Kunze moved on to form Cold End.
The album cover features a rare archival photo of Katrin A. Kunze - rediscovered by Kammann and now finally seeing the light of day, 40 years later.

We believe Motel d'amour deserves recognition alongside cult German classics like P!OFF?, 1. Futurologischer Congress' "Wer spricht?", Ami Marie's "Verrückt nach Glück", the funkier cuts of Cosa Rosa, or Piet Klocke's groove classic "Heute ist nicht sonst". It's a record that fits into adventurous DJ sets but also rewards a full, start-to-finish listen.

A note on audio quality: Sadly, the original master tapes were lost. The tracks were restored from a vintage TDK cassette. Thanks to modern digital tools, we were able to remaster them to a high standard - but in some songs light distortions remain. We appreciate your understanding and hope you enjoy this lost and undiscovered gem.

Emotional Rescue completes the series of non-defined reissues where the label licenses an all-time favourite, remasters and then reappraised with new interpretations by contemporary producers for today’s collectors.

After the series started back in 2019 with Hawkwind’s sprawling psychedelic electronics, featuring deep drone mixes by the esteemed digger Cherrystones (ERC074), the bouncing cosmic-Balearics of Thomas Leer with wonderful reworkings by friend and producer Bullion (ERC075) and then the post punk dubs of The Embrace and Timothy J Faiplay’s brooding italo-dub excursions (ERC076), there was always one artist and producer left out. Finally, then the percussive excursion of the early 80s band The Impossible Dreamers and their cult B side jam, Spin, coming with 9 minutes percussion-dub extravaganza of an extended reversion, plus a dub heavy reprise, by label go-to Dan Tyler (Idjut Boys /Noid), under his NAD moniker.

Started by a group of friends while at Exeter University that centered around Caroline Radcliffe, James Hood, Justin Adams and Nick Waterhouse, their debut 12” record is one of just three on the 100 Things To Do label. The other two releases have already been covered with the Hamburger All Stars ‘Swinging London’ 12” (ERC114) of 2022.

Recorded before the move to West London, ‘Life On Earth’ was a raw post punk vocal pop cut, with influences of dub, funk, hip-hop and African music shining through, there were in their own words, “young music fans starting out, with no agenda”.

However, it was on the B side that things got interesting. Enamored by the growing trend of extended 12” singles, they decided, with the A side wrapped up, to have some studio experimentation by recording a drumming jam, with all the members playing percussion, followed by some overdubbing. Memories are hazy, but at the time the band was an 8-piece, so the results a chaotic explosion, capturing the essence of that time. Featuring Nick and James on 4 hand piano, plus Caroline on Oboe, with some additional hollering and wooping vocals, Spin was a 5-minute burst of energy.

In effect, self-released in 1982, the band didn’t expect much to come of it, but the 12” acted as a calling card leading them to London and later signing for RCA. At the same time, Spin was being discovered in the early eighties alternative club world. On a trip to New York, the track was heard being played Downtown, and on enquiring it was discovered the DJ was playing a 7” that was never an official release but cut in the US solely for the club DJs there.

Its resonance extended further, to Italy and the Cosmic club of the resident, an ever-searching Danielle Baldelli, before being picked up a few years later by a young Andrew Weatherall during his pursuit of an alternative “Balearic” beat during the late eighties Summers of Love and has even recently received the Joe Clausell edit treatment back again in NYC.

For the remake to fit the label series, it was only right to ask label friend Dan Tyler to do what he does so well, putting the original through his array of dub machines and pedals, extending and cutting with aplomb to create an incendiary ‘Reversion’ that will send dancefloors literally in a spin. Teasing the percussion incandescent, looping and teasing, the piano held back before finally releasing in a haze of dub effects.

This is followed by the ‘Riddim Reprise’. Working with London based drummer Matt Bruce (Claptrap), this is the perfect DJ tool, taking the original idea of the band, to just jam see what happens, twisting it full of space echo and reverb, to offer a perfect 12” Extended Mix.

Fronted by brothers Peter O'Doherty and Reg Mombassa , Dog Trumpet have been playing, writing and recording their music since the early 90s. Reg and Pete were founding members of iconic Australian band Mental As Anything, who hit the charts around the world with “Live It Up”. The band made a mark with their left field mix of music, art, video and humour and leading eventually to ARIA awards and induction into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

Dog Trumpet’s new album Live Forever is the result of 2 years in the studio.

For this, their ninth album , the song writing brothers Peter and Reg have brought Peter’s multi instrumentalist son Declan in on drums, production and mixing duties, enhancing and expanding their sonic palette.

At times psychedelic and ethereal, the album weaves together Dog Trumpet’s signature acoustic and electric guitar and bass driven sound with melodic drums, synthesisers, mandolin, saxophone and added backing vocals by their touring bass player Bernie Hayes.

Desirée Falessi’s Existential Instinct EP marks the 30th release on EYA Records, and we are celebrating this milestone with her distinct blend of intensity and introspection. Built on pulsating rhythms and haunting atmospheres, the record transforms raw rave energy into hypnotic, transcendent moments. The result is a deeply personal and forward-thinking collection that reflects Falessi’s unique style and influences

Strut present the first international release in over 30 years by legendary Afro-jazz group Oneness Of Juju with their new album Made Through Ritual on 11th July 2025.

In 1975, the late DJ / producer and jazz distributor Jimmy Gray and James “Plunky” Branch joined a musical revolution, founding Black Fire Records and releasing the label’s debut album, the classic African Rhythms by Oneness of Juju. This July, Plunky brings this important musical relationship full circle with Made Through Ritual, produced by Plunky’s son Jamiah “Fire” Branch and Jimmy’s son Jamal Gray.

The album takes a novel approach to beat culture. Working from demos created by Jamal using a selection of original jazz samples, Plunky took the tracks, replayed and re-interpreted the arrangements using live musicians. “The album explores the art of deconstruction and reconstruction in music - sampling, sequencing, and live improvisation merge with multi-track recording to craft intricate harmonies and arrangements,” explains Plunky. “The process became a ritualistic expression of creativity and transformation.”

The resulting album is a fascinating listen. Opening with the meditative soul chant ‘Share This Love’ voiced by regular Oneness vocalist Charlayne “Chyp” Green, the album opens out into a series of jazz vignettes including the title track, ‘In Due Time’ and ‘Free Spirit’. The powerful album closer, ‘Children Of The Drum’ celebrates black culture and legacy through the poetry of Roscoe Burnem.

Released on 1LP and 1CD with specially commissioned cover artwork by contemporary Ivorian artist Maxime Manga, Made Through Ritual represents an important new chapter in the Oneness story. The album will be supported by a selection of European tour dates during Autumn and Winter 2025.

Signing with FatCat Records in 2022, and having released four singles to date, Nottingham-based Midnight Rodeo have now delivered their debut album, “Chaos Era”.

Extensive, relentless touring (sold-out hometown shows,The Great Escape, Dot To Dot, and Kendall Calling) created a tight-knit family, their pleasure in playing as an ensemble is instantly evident on the album. When asked about this they’ll explain, “We want people to tap into why we are always smiling on stage.”

The songs are collaborative efforts. Their different musical backgrounds result in a genre criss-crossing and totally unique creative collisions. Bassist Harry says, “What we do is Dada-istic. The drums play hooks, the bass plays parts usually taken by brass, the guitar’s playing West Coast psyche over disco rhythms.”

Written over a prolonged period of time, the songs on the album can be viewed as a kind of coming-of-age “suite”, as the unit of 20-somethings wrestle with subjects such as relationships, shifting social dynamics, changing hopes and dreams. The LP’s title refers to tumultuous personal events they’ve helped each other through. Reinforcing their bonding. With no pointed political agenda, the album is about “escape”. “We want people to dance”, they say.

The band recorded the album with Samana’s Franklin Mockett. Making full use of the acclaimed duo’s residential studio, located deep in the Welsh countryside, during an Indian summer heatwave. The aim was to remove all distractions, and, with Mockett’s assistance, capture the group as live, and as analogue, as possible. For 10 days, in sometimes 16 hour sessions, music, incense, and whiskey flowed, while vintage amp valves glowed.

Just like the band’s live performances, “Chaos Era” is packed with a palpable joy. The exhilaration of creation in each others company. Its punchy production is most definitely meant to be played loud.

In 2006, Danger Mouse is King Midas of the music world. He has an uncanny knack for creating jagged, dense, frenzied beats and odd, eerie, vivid soundscapes that never compromise the music's natural flow. Meanwhile, rapper and singer Cee-Lo, a veteran of Atlanta's Dirty South scene, has never been one to be constrained by hip-hop conventions, and is a willing partner in adventure. The result is an intrepid psychedelic blend of pop, hip-hop, soul, and rock that consistently challenges and delights. It's no wonder that "Crazy," with its modest riff, irresistible hook, and disarming opening line ("I remember when, I remember, I remember when I lost my mind") became a worldwide Internet sensation a full six months before the official release of St. Elsewhere. But that relatively simple soul-pop gem is the tamest track on this wide-ranging, often dark and introspective collaboration. (In fact, the duo considers Gnarls Barkley to be a wholly new creation, as opposed to a collaboration of existing artists.) "Everybody is somebody, but nobody wants to be themselves," Cee-Lo croons on "Who Cares?" He and Danger Mouse try very hard not to be their old selves as they creatively and confidently break down boundaries, but the brilliant cores of their musical personae Cee-Lo's eccentric spiritual soul man and Danger's bold sonic explorer remain. Marc Greilsamer.

A1 - Tried So Hard
Intensely atmospheric from the outset, Tried So Hard sees ASC explore a more minimal approach to breakbeats with sparse drums and kicks tentatively held at arm's length by imposing hi hats. Dripping with depth and a dense layer of synthwork enveloping the landscape, this unique track develops continually with a suite of interlocking effects while the vocal yearns "I've tried so hard" - both haunting and thought provoking.

A2 - Parallel Seas
Cheery synths and lively bongos introduce us to Parallel Seas, which quickly becomes a glorious, powerful amen workout providing that perfect blend of atmospheric bliss alongside crunchy, analogue amens programmed with ASC's exquisite attention to detail - crashing triumphantly to an upbeat rhythm, littered with rousing vocal hits, elegant synthwork and nods to yesteryear galore.

AA1 - Alacrity
An energetic, surging breakbeat powers Alacrity as ASC utilises breaks reminiscent of classic driving atmospheric tracks of the past from scene legends including Intense and Artemis. Uniquely constructed with a pulsating, fluid energy, the break pattern utilises relentless kicks, cymbals and a wonderful long snare primed to move the dancefloor as synths wash and a lush vocal whooshes along in ecstasy.

AA2 - Glimmer Of Hope
Jumping straight in with a DJ-friendly beat intro, ASC selects a crisp, definitive selection of old school cuts for Glimmer of Hope, chopped and served with a barrage of sci-fi effects, micro melodies, a bellowing, rumbling bassline and a serene intensity driven by dreamy pads resulting in a perfect patchwork of elements, offering endless layers of detail for your ears to pick through with each listen.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Los Angeles trio sunking marry hip hop, and electronic influences on their 2nd album I DON"T LIKE MY TELEPHONE. Childhood friends Bobby Granfelt, a jazz drummer and self-proclaimed hip-hop head, Antoine Martel, a synthesist and composer, branched off their mainstay High Pulp to explore their polar opposite tastes and make music as sunking in addition to multi-instrumentalist Victory Nguyen. Their 2022 debut Smug, was more jazz-influenced, while I DON"T LIKE MY TELEPHONE is akin to the early work of beat-driven artists Thundercat, Madlib, and Flying Lotus. They hand selected artists Salami Rose Joe Louis, Niki Randa, Deradoorian, and Takoda to lend vocals and help capture that spirit. I DON"T LIKE MY TELEPHONE as a series of self-contained "micro-compositions," built around Granfelt"s drum loops and Martel"s new gear. In addition to, they were fueled by an increasing love for electronic music artists like Galcher Lustwerk, The Field, and Susumu Yokota, whose 1994 cult classic Acid Mt. Fuji they cite as a particular inspiration. The result is a record as vibrant as a kaleidoscope, and compact as one too, shuffling through more styles and ideas in neat, three-minute chunks of virtuosity.

This fourth EP in the Time Crystals series sees Troy returning to the label with a low-key driver, carried by sharp percussion and filtered chords that keep the attention locked in before Ukrainian Svarog and Ma-gooch take over, delivering their signature sound - evolving pads, dreamy soundscapes - resulting in yet another beautiful early hours piece of music.

Wonderchild Luigi Tozzi proves once again that he is a master at blending ambient-influences with dubby atmospheres, resulting in music that fits both dancefloors and living rooms. For the EP's forth track Jonas Korbl, who you might remember from his debut album in 2017 on Dynamic Reflection LTD, combines energetic percussion patterns and synth rhythms.

His Primal Grade is a seemingly perfect successor to Tozzi's Haboob, as both artists obviously take pride in their carefully arranged and modestly performed pieces of techno.

Equilibrium is part of Dynamic Reflection's 15 year anniversary celebration: Time Crystals. This is the fourth of five EP's. Own all five and an all new, visual piece of art will appear.

‘With Time, We Learned To Ask Less’ is the first duo album by Giuseppe Ielasi and Riccardo D. Wanke after decades of friendship and the occasional artistic collaboration. Working with only electric guitar and electric piano as well as a gentle dose of reverb, these improvisation-based recordings showcase the rapprochement of two artists whose interests are perfectly aligned. Their carefulness, attention to detail, and shared desire to sculpt space through music instead of just occupying it create a unique harmony between these two exceptional musicians who consistently stay mindful of the old adage that music is the space between the notes. Following up on solo albums sees them seamlessly combining the sparse but lush aesthetics of those experiments throughout these 44 minutes. Having lived close to each other in Northern Italy, where the prolific mastering engineer Ielasi still resides to this day, he and Wanke were members of the group Medves together with Andrea Belfi, Renato Rinaldi and Stefano Pilia before Wanke relocated to Lisbon. When Ielasi, who had mastered Wanke’s recent solo albums including 2023’s »i« for electric pianos, was invited to play a concert in the Portuguese capital in the summer of that year, the two took the opportunity to go on stage together. Infatuated by the results of this fully improvised set, they organised a two-day session in Ielasi’s Monza studio shortly thereafter and edited the recordings over the course of the following months. The resulting album shows them moving slowly through sonic space and time, complementing and counterpointing each other’s playing. They leave each other room in which to unfold and let short moments of silence speak for themselves. ‘With Time, We Learned To Ask Less’ is the closest you will get to hearing the air sing.

Emerging from their subterranean recording studio The House of Vibes, The Grip Weeds have delivered a tour-de-force with Soul Bender, their ninth full-length studio album and their first newly-recorded original tracks since 2019's Trip Around The Sun. This astonishing record finds the band pushing their recording, arranging and songwriting skills into new and evocative territory. On Soul Bender, The Grip Weeds continue to expand: Musical and sonic experimentation abounds, resulting in a record that is bigger and more dramatic than ever; melodically inventive, yet accessible with lyrical imagery and hooks firing at you from all directions. Most impressive of all is that The Grip Weeds are entirely self-contained: From production, engineering, mixing and artwork, Soul Bender represents a complete and total vision of intent. If you like the fearless bold intensity of rock from the classic era yet reimagined for the 21st Century, Soul Bender is for you. Heard on Sirius XM's The Underground Garage, The Beatles Channel and indie/commercial radio worldwide.

Washed Up Color Vinyl is Clear w/ White Splatter! A white ship sailing in a sea of blackness, Codeine's swan song arrived in 1994 amid grunge's ascension to alt radio's godhead status. John Engle's guitar alternates between crystalline and sludge, and Stephen Immerwhar's distorted bass floats on top of punishing drums from newcomer Doug Scharin (Rex, June of 44), resulting in nine perfect meditations on the loneliness and uncertainty of early adulthood. "Codeine's unyielding numbness creates its own kind of warmth _ the feeling of cold water running for so long that it suddenly feels hot." _ Spin

12" GREEN Color Vinyl / With Black Solid Jacket and Large Sticker
The Unofficial Edits & Overdubs by Joaquin Joe Claussell
Finally comes the first of a two-part forthcoming EP's, Extended Versions taken from the highly successful Joe Claussell Afro Edits & Overdubs Series previously released on LP and CD.
Influence of hallucinations induced by chewing roots from the iboga plant on the works of Joaquin Joe Claussell's Edits & Overdubs IBOGA Compilation. The iboga plant is indigenous to the humid, tropical climates of West Central Africa, including Gabon, Cameroon, Congo, and Angola, which are home to the 2nd largest rainforest in the world. It has been used for centuries in spiritual initiation ceremonies and practices, particularly by the Bwiti tradition and religion in Gabon.

Joaquin Joe Claussell was inspired by these influences and went into the studio to create a compilation of edits and overdubs of African vibrational sounds and rhythms. The result is a collection of nine compositions that showcase the future possibilities of this influential work.

Tested for months on dance floors across the globe every on this complication are sure to continue setting dance floors on fire where ever spun.
Extended Versions Cuts Taken Limited Vinyl EP featuring selected cuts from the compilation. Listen loudly and enjoy the experience!
Thank You for Listening

Way back when, Upgrade & Afterlife was the umpteenth release from the individual and collective forces of David Grubbs (known then for Bastro, The Red Krayola, Codeine, Squirrel Bait) and Jim O"Rourke (known for O"Rourke), whose further history has since numbered at least another umpteen or so essential listens. What is it though, wrapped up in delectable sonic amber here, that defines this Upgrade? To be sure, we hear these young men dashing through the joys of youth-their actual young youth-as well as a version captured in memory and relived with a performative touch. Time remembered as tones, with gravity gained via perceptions. The stuff of memory and sentiment as selective and potentially deceptive in their nature. Who needed "em? As part of its time-traveling function, Upgrade & Afterlife is a return to roots, but not always necessarily Gastr"s. They were more than happy to stand on branches up above other folks in order to see any next thing worth leaping for. In addition to the elder-statesman Conrad, Gastr del Sol drew upon a memorable spectrum of players for the sounds of Upgrade & Afterlife, including Anthony Burr, Steve Braack, Gene Coleman, Mats Gustafsson, Terri Kapsalis, John McEntire, Günter Müller, Jerry Ruthrauff, Ralf Wehowsky and Sue Wolf. When issued, this combination of players, parts and play - packaged in an impressively broad tip-on Stoughton gatefold sleeve emblazoned with Roman Signer"s instantly iconic "Wasserstiefel" image - became the fastest-moving Gastr del Sol record to date. A delightful result, to our way of thinking, of the band"s ability to push at the far boundaries of their music while consolidating upon pleasure points within sounds and songs. Gastr used these polarities to compulsively draw the listener intimately close with sudden injections of g-force and an uncanny interpolation of space.

Facta and K-LONE’s Wisdom Teeth imprint returns to the V/A format with ‘Pattern Gardening’: a new collaborative project that leans head-first into the label’s love of minimal-, micro- and tech-house, carving out the label’s distinct, contemporary take on the sound - one that swims between warm, bleepy, rolling, dubby, psychedelic and bass-heavy channels across its duration. The vinyl sampler brings together 6 highlights from the wider 22 track digital project. Wisdom Teeth heads Facta and K-LONE appear alongside longtime label associate Lurka and new signees Polygonia, rRoxymore, Sub Basics and Jichael Mackson.

By now, Wisdom Teeth and its founders are well known for their unabashed love of minimal and tech house, which - alongside ambient, UK club music, experimental electronics and a broad palette of other influences - makes up a key cornerstone of their distinctive sound. The duo’s DJ sets often see them mixing ‘00s gems from labels like Perlon, Mosaic, Minibar and a:rpia:r with more contemporary club sounds, creating a hybrid style that sits somewhere between Balearic terraces and dark UK club basements. Likewise, the label has become known as a go-to outlet for artists occupying a similar crossover space, with names like Jorg Kuning, Parris, Steevio, Duckett, Leif and LUXE all known for pushing house and techno into experimental and refreshing new territories.

‘Pattern Gardening’ follows loosely on from the label’s previous V/A releases ‘To Illustrate’ (2021) and ‘Club Moss’ (2023), which explored downtempo (100bpm) and uptempo (150-170bpm) styles respectively. Here, the focus is fixed on lush, groovy, quirky 4x4 jams, joining the dots between a global spread of producers that bring new energy and perspective to these well-explored frameworks.

As is always the case with Wisdom Teeth’s output, the results fit somewhere between the club and a more contemplative, home-listening headspace, with texture, melody and mood afforded as much significance as rhythm and functionality.

The artwork features photography by Hong Kong-based photographer Jimi Chiu, who captures seemingly ordinary corners of city life in glossy, cinematic detail.

6 months after the release of Ed Rain’s (one of Andrei Rusu, half of duo Khidja, solo projects) debut solo album ‘Met him on a Wednesday’, Malka Tuti records is presenting two Huge remixes for the title track’s collaboration with Fantastic Twins.On the A Side we have Pilooski on the banger duties. Heavy sub bass frequencies and edgy rhythms reminiscing of late 90s UK energies (but with a somewhat modern twist) push forward a dance track with a unique structure and unexpected sonic surprises. Big room IDM. Big Big Tip. On the flip side we finally managed to collaborate with one of our favourites Superpitcher. The Kompakt x Pachanga Boys x Hippie Dance xxx alumni is one of our all time favourite people and producers, and we are oh-so-happy that he joined us on this special ride.His interpretation of the track takes it into more “poppy” realms. The entire track is laid over a beautiful sub bass droney kind of bassline and the result is one of those “this has been on repeat the entire day” kind of songs. A melancholic hue paints the song with a ‘Happy-Sad’ kind of energy and gives it more emotional depth yet always keeps it playful.

Following its release in 1997, ‘Remember Me’ was cemented as an international dance hit, peaking at #8 in the UK singles charts, as well as #2 in the American Dance Chart. Instantly recognizable for the iconic Marlena Shaw vocal samples and down-tempo chugging bassline, ‘Remember Me’ has gained cult status throughout the world as a dance-floor classic. Releasing the original over 20 years ago, the incomparable track has only received one previous official remix with Dutch producer and DJ, Franky Rizardo now injecting new life into an already seminal track also

The Dutch imprint has now asked non-other than David Penn to add his magic to this sure-fire repeat player!

Madrid based David Penn get to grips with the Blue Boy classic and the results are spectacular! Some of you may have already heard it on David’s recent Live lockdown streams all over social media?! Now you have been hand-picked to help break this house anthems!

Naff and Animalia once again join forces to present a collaboration between OK EG and Priori. The project began with a session at the Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio, where initial sonic experiments took shape. These were later developed into four interconnected movements—each crafted to feel both weightless and propulsive. The result is four high-speed, hypnotic dance pieces, best described as ‘feather-tech.’

Repress!

In the mid-1970s, a force of nature swept across the continental United States, cutting across all strata of race and class, rooting in our minds, our homes, our culture. It wasn’t The Exorcist, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, or even bell-bottoms, but instead a book called The Secret Life of Plants. The work of occultist/former OSS agent Peter Tompkins and former CIA agent/dowsing enthusiast Christopher Bird, the books shot up the bestseller charts and spread like kudzu across the landscape, becoming a phenomenon. Seemingly overnight, the indoor plant business was in full bloom and photosynthetic eukaryotes of every genus were hanging off walls, lording over bookshelves, and basking on sunny window ledges. The science behind Secret Life was specious: plants can hear our prayers, they’re lie detectors, they’re telepathic, able to predict natural disasters and receive signals from distant galaxies. But that didn’t stop millions from buying and nurturing their new plants.



Perhaps the craziest claim of the book was that plants also dug music. And whether you purchased a snake plant, asparagus fern, peace lily, or what have you from Mother Earth on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles (or bought a Simmons mattress from Sears), you also took home Plantasia, an album recorded especially for them. Subtitled “warm earth music for plants…and the people that love them,” it was full of bucolic, charming, stoner-friendly, decidedly unscientific tunes enacted on the new-fangled device called the Moog. Plants date back from the dawn of time, but apparently they loved the Moog, never mind that the synthesizer had been on the market for just a few years. Most of all, the plants loved the ditties made by composer Mort Garson.



Few characters in early electronic music can be both fearless pioneers and cheesy trend-chasers, but Garson embraced both extremes, and has been unheralded as a result. When one writer rhetorically asked: “How was Garson’s music so ubiquitous while the man remained so under the radar?” the answer was simple. Well before Brian Eno did it, Garson was making discreet music, both the man and his music as inconspicuous as a Chlorophytumcomosum. Julliard-educated and active as a session player in the post-war era, Garson wrote lounge hits, scored plush arrangements for Doris Day, and garlanded weeping countrypolitan strings around Glen Campbell’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix.” He could render the Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel alike into easy listening and also dreamed up his own ditties. “An idear” as Garson himself would drawl it out. “I live with it, I walk it, I sing it.”



But as his daughter Day Darmet recalls: “When my dad found the synthesizer, he realized he didn’t want to do pop music anymore.” Garson encountered Robert Moog and his new device at the Audio Engineering Society’s West Coast convention in 1967 and immediately began tinkering with the device. With the Moog, those idears could be transformed. “He constantly had a song he was humming,” Darmet says. “At the table he was constantly tapping.” Which is to say that Mort pulled his melodies out of thin air, just like any household plant would.



The Plantae kingdom grew to its height by 1976, from DC Comics’ mossy superhero Swamp Thing to Stevie Wonder’s own herbal meditation, Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants. Nefarious manifestations of human-plant interaction also abounded, be it the grotesque pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers or the pothead paranoia of the US Government spraying Mexican marijuana fields with the herbicide paraquat (which led to the rise in homegrown pot by the 1980s). And then there’s the warm, leafy embrace of Plantasia itself.



“My mom had a lot of plants,” Darmet says. “She didn’t believe in organized religion, she believed the earth was the best thing in the whole world. Whatever created us was incredible.” And she also knew when her husband had a good song, shouting from another room when she heard him humming a good idear. Novel as it might seem, Plantasia is simply full of good tunes.



Garson may have given the album away to new plant and bed owners, but a decade later a new generation could hear his music in another surreptitious way. Millions of kids bought The Legend of Zelda for their Nintendo Entertainment System back in 1986 and one distinct 8-bit tune bears more than a passing resemblance to album highlight “Concerto for Philodendron and Pothos.” Garson was never properly credited for it, but he nevertheless subliminally slipped into a new generations’ head, helping kids and plants alike grow.



Hearing Plantasia in the 21st century, it seems less an ode to our photosynthesizing friends by Garson and more an homage to his wife, the one with the green thumb that made everything flower around him. “My dad would be totally pleased to know that people are really interested in this music that had no popularity at the time,” Darmet says of Plantasia’snew renaissance. “He would be fascinated by the fact that people are finally understanding and appreciating this part of his musical career that he got no admiration for back then.” Garson seems to be everywhere again, even if he’s not really noticed, just like a houseplant.

Since first forming in 2016, London's High Vis have steadily polished their palette of progressive hardcore with shades of post-punk, Brit pop, neo-psychedelia, and even Madchester groove, mapping a middle ground between hooks and fury, melodies and mosh pits. Singer Graham Sayle describes their third album 'Guided Tour' as an axis of competing forces: "It's trying to be a hopeful record, while also being incensed." Rounded out by drummer Edward 'Ski' Harper, guitarists Martin MacNamara and Rob Hammaren, and bassist Jack Muncaster, the band's deep roots in the UK and Irish DIY hardcore scenes have kept them grounded but growing, inspired equally by restlessness and righteous anger. As Sayle puts it, "Everyone's scratching, everyone's working all the time, and their idea of relaxing is just getting fucked and avoiding reality. This album is an escape from that."From its opening seconds of a cab door slamming, a car revving away, and a baggy rhythm swinging to life, 'Guided Tour' sounds like a band reaching for new heights, bristling with energy. Recorded across a few weeks at Holy Mountain Studios in London with producer Jonah Falco and engineer Stanley Gravett, the results feel dynamic and dialed-in, like anthems burned into sense memory through sweat and repetition. Harper cuts to the chase: "We had a clear idea going in, every moment got used. Maybe when we're 60 we can sit around and get a drum sound right, but for now it's about getting things done."The album's 11 songs span the spectrum of contemporary guitar music, sharpened by experience, camaraderie, and societal frustrations. From swaggering street punk ("Drop Me Out," "Mob DLA") to jangling indie sneer ("Worth The Wait," "Deserve It") to heavy alt ("Feeling Bless," "Fill The Gap") to shoegazey spoken word ("Untethered"), the group's chemistry transmutes any style to their unique intensity. Sayle champions this evolving fusion: "For years coming from hardcore, we had pretty clear boundaries - other scenes were separate worlds. Now things are getting more blended, drawing from different places."Nowhere is this sentiment flexed more boldly than on "Mind's A Lie," a dance- punk anthem inspired by Harper's love of house, garage, and pirate radio. Stabs of sampled female vocals (by celebrated South London singer and DJ Ell Murphy) build into a razor wire rhythm of low-slung bass, tense drums, and sparkling guitar before Sayle's staunch voice starts barking harsh truths ("Face to face with all I've known / I can't call these thoughts my own"). After a sudden breakdown, the track regroups and takes off, cruising into the horizon in a haze of chiming guitars and Murphy's ascendant voice, from the streets to somewhere beyond.

It’s been a short time since the van-dwelling singer-songwriter Olive Klug has fully pursued the life of a touring musician. Their DIY career has resulted in a huge following with over 20 million Spotify streams and 100,000+ Instagram followers. Self-described as “someone who floats on the breeze, letting the wind take me wherever I’m meant to be,” Klug’s sophomore album and label debut, Lost Dog finds them contemplating this propensity for adventure no matter which avenue of love and loss it leads down. Although still very young, Klug artfully addresses “aging as a neurodivergent free spirit” on the road with a compelling ability to voice honest emotions through captivating storytelling. Audiotree praised, ”equal parts vulnerable and powerful, ebullient and heartbreaking, reminding us how powerful the journey of music can be.” Olive Klug is a singular voice for the future of folk: honest, fearless, often unsure, but willing to try anyway.

Back by demand and dirtier than ever, Apollo Brown & CRIMEAPPLE’s new underground classic This, Is Not That returns with the Dirty Money Edition — a fresh press on cream & green vinyl that bleeds grit and opulence. This updated release includes two brand new bonus tracks, adding new weight to an already no-nonsense body of work.

This, Is Not That pairs Detroit producer Apollo Brown’s signature soul-soaked boom-bap with New Jersey emcee CRIMEAPPLE’s razor-sharp wit and bilingual venom. The result is an album steeped in realness — raw, reflective, and resonant, laced with wordplay that sticks and production that slaps.

Whether you're just discovering the project or stacking your collection, this edition is a must-cop — a celebration of bars, beats, and the beautiful grit of hip-hop.

San Francisco artist Ross Hogg has been doing his do for many years and here he serves up more of his signature flips for his own self-initialled label. First up is 'Hollywood Squabble' which marries East Coast flow with a classic funk instrumental that results in a red-hot party starting bumper. On the reverse, a female MC does her thing on 'Coolie Dancin' In A Nissan Altima', which rides a bright, bold dancehall rhythm. Two very different but equally effective jams.

Underground Pacific is back with a new double vinyl compilation titled ‘The Only Good Wave is a Dead One’ that confirms, once again, its uncompromising taste for bold electronic music, psychedelic textures, and raw, electrified rock ‘n roll. This release brings together a varied group of artists, each of them adding something special to the journey.

The trip begins with “Excursions” by Gregory Moore, a piece that floats into a humid sonic world, between the nostalgic tones of vintage video game soundtracks, the Fourth World atmospheres of Jon Hassell, and the shimmering calm of ’90s Japanese ambient à la Takashi Kokubo.

Next comes Talee, the Rotterdam-based regular of the label, with “Makes Me Wonder”. Here, grunge-soaked vocals meet a tight dark disco groove, pierced by crystalline guitar chords that shimmer at the track’s heart. A song with its soul in the past and its feet in the club.

Label founder Cantor teams up once again with German duo New Hook on “Achtung! Achtung!”, an homage to the eponymous track by Italian producer Black Saagan. Fueled by vintage drum machines, punk-infused vocals, and melodies echoing the krautrock minimalism of Cluster, the track channels pure Cold War disco energy.

On “Scavengers”, Berlin based World Wild Web and Rasp Thorne deliver a pure mix of electro-rock noir – Suicide by way of David Lynch. Picture a never seen before episode of the series where Martin Rev and Alan Vega are playing live at the Roadhouse in Twin Peaks, while Laura Palmer slowly moves her head to the music, with a devilish smile on her face.

All the way from Grenoble to Berlin, H.L.M. deliver a dirty bass-driven anthem called ‘Fronde’. French spoken vocals spitfire over layers of distorted drones and hypnotic rhythms. The result is rough, hypnotic, and brings to mind the grooves of Death in Vegas.

New Hook return, this time solo, with ‘Unity’: a blend of groovy downtempo percussions, melancholic guitar riffs, and their signature brand of spoken word, a style that’s quickly become their sonic fingerprint.

Then it’s the turn of mexican-wave exponents Montessori featuring Vongold on “Ad Libitum”: a techy sunrise piece with soft pads, subtle build-ups, and an ecstatic sense of endlessness. After-party music for vast, open spaces.
Next up are SX2 from Ireland with their ‘Buttons’, offering a rolling tech-house banger laced with desert guitars. Psychedelic FX’s and whispered vocals drenched in delay slow the pace in a breakdown full of tension, preparing the floor to an euphoric release.

A dream from the pandemic era reappears: Cantor’s “Hannett’s Dream”, originally released in 2020 by Modular’s Project’s imprint ‘Nothing Is Real’ together with their own reworked version present also in two very limited vinyl-collector editions released by Underground Pacific. The introspection and hypnotic structure of the original cut here is replaced by a more stripped down arrangement, with a four-to-the-floor groove that is perfectly crafted for peak-time ignition.

Closing out the release is “Carissima” by the man behind iconic label Wonder Stories, Aimes – a Moroder-esque bassline and sensual vocals play on top of a warm groove that suddenly fractures into jazz-tinged, breakbeat mood, in the style of early Warp Records, just in time to get back into its disco-ish swing.

Contrary to what the title of this release might suggest, the wave isn’t dead at all. It’s well alive in the underground, reanimated by labels like Underground Pacific who are always ready to welcome artists who aren’t afraid to crash genres together and, above all, who are driven by the desire to make free-form, inspired pieces of music.

Originally published by Tomlab in 2001, “Seleya” is the second full- length issued by Kristian Peters’ Novisad project. Twenty-four years after its initial release, the album’s thirteen loop-based arrangements continue to resonate with striking clarity. Keplar presents Seleya with a previously unreleased bonus track from 2004 and a fresh vinyl cut by LUPO.

These evocative miniatures feel haunted with the passage of time, bearing traces of the exploratory studio workflows, tactile imperfections, and emerging technologies that would have given birth to them: plain DAW manipulations, aliasing digitalia, the tones and timbres of the “misused” equipment ambient musicians utilized before Ableton, Eurorack, and the rise of the boutique electronics that have streamlined electronic music production.

In our present epoch, these compositions feel almost eerily nostalgic, documenting the sort of trembling, wide-eyed spirit and enviable naivety that characterizes cultural production as it ventures into new waters, unfettered by the sediments of established methodology and trend. This tendency to avoid aesthetic orthodoxy results in music that refuses to settle into predictability. Subtle frequencies drift and collide, counterpoint loops run in quiet opposition, and elegant dissonance gives rise to unexpected harmony. The album’s emotional power lies in these tensions, in the way it balances melancholy with beauty and familiarity with complexity.

“We go through life. We shed our skins. We become ourselves.”

This line from Patti Smith was going round and round Felix Manuel’s head as he gradually constructed Under Tangled Silence, his first album in six years and a record of a literal creative rebirth. Felix originally began it in earnest in 2020 Covid lockdown, but a catastrophic hard-drive meltdown destroyed almost all his work and sent him close to psychic collapse himself. However, ultimately this pushed him to rebuild from scratch and in so doing to confront and reassess every part of his musical and psychological processes.

The result is utterly extraordinary. Felix was a child prodigy as an instrumentalist and his advanced musicality has always been prominent in his music, but here he has put himself front and centre as pianist, harpist and more. And this sense of exposure as a performer interweaves with an unflinching emotional openness too. Where sometimes electronic production as advanced as this can use intellect and techniques as shields from soul-baring, this is the sound of someone who can boldly say “I feel things, I cry all the time, and I'm not afraid to say it or show it in the music.”

But this doesn’t mean there’s a move away from the soundsystems and dancefloors where Felix made his name as a uniquely innovative vinyl DJ. Even just in the opening track “A Tune for Us”, minimalist piano ripples and jazz drumming flow into the breaks of vintage jungle – and as the structure of the LP unfolds, a deep ambient meditation like “Hold” can sit very naturally in between the futurist dancehall of “L’Ancienne” and the high-definition acid house mind movie of “Galaxy in Silence”. In fact, as with the hands-on musicianship, that gutsy big-speaker electronic impact is delivered with more certainty, more expertise, more personal flourishes than ever. And all of those elements are more integrated than ever too: the sound of a total musical personality emerging afresh is truly something to behold. An already remarkable talent has been refreshed, reborn and is making the music of his life.