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Homer Steinweiss has an incredibly storied career in music that started when he was just a teenager. He's drummed for nearly every "retro soul" group that mattered and his distinctive stickwork helped blend the raw-but-receptive soul sound back into the mainstream via the likes of Amy Winehouse & Sharon Jones. He's now one of the most in demand drummers in the world, playing with Jonas Brothers, Clairo, Solange, Adele, and Bruno Mars to name a few.

With his debut solo release Ensatina, Homer is stepping to the forefront as both musician and producer. His new record is a re­ection of who he is now and a testament to how struggle often brings about a needed change. In 2020 Homer had to reckon with considerable emotional turbulence; at the same time that his band Holy Hive broke up, a personal relationship of 20+ years fell apart putting Homer in an uncertain place mentally. The fallout was signi‑cant enough for him to seek professional help. "I was going through these super manic highs and then very depressive lows," Homer describes. "And being in all that, it's just so tough to imagine that the other side is there, that it'll be ok." But, with time, professional help, and support from friends and family, Homer made it through and has been forever changed. This album is a product of that period of his life. The ‑rst song from these sessions, "Now That It's Over" perfectly sums up Homer's triumph through those tough times. It's a song of changing perspective and contemplation with haunting vocals from Hether and Flikka. "Paul (Castelluzzo_ aka, Hether), as a friend, saw me through these highs and lows," Homer points out. "I only had the one line, 'Now that it's over, I'm alright,' but he felt that lyric so much that he wrote all these sections and lyrics and basically completed the song. It was like he was writing to me." Hether also features on album standouts "Deep Sea", a modern love song, "Start Select", a juxtaposition of inspiration and melancholy, and "Forever and Ever and Ever and Ever" which is an incredible contemporary take on the B side soul ballad. Homer uses his innate gift for bringing seemingly opposing energies together on "Racecar Driver", pairing the vocals of Hether & long time friend and collaborator KIRBY to make a genre challenging banger. KIRBY also graces the album opener "Rollin'", an airy, warm-weather invoking song that her raspy voice perfectly compliments. He puts his drumming front and center on "So Get Up!", a bottom heavy infectious track that MINOVA's vocals turn into an instant hit that is sure to smash speakers. On "Wishing Well" & "Hide It Behind the Light I'm Shining Through" Homer is joined by girl named GOLDEN, who's unique voice effortlessly ‑nds the pocket in each tune. The man on trumpet, and fellow Big Crown label mate Dave Guy, puts his incomparable playing on the album closer "Goldie" which Homer says is the part of the movie where the credits roll.

Making this album was a refuge for Homer and it put him back on track. Ensatina is a glimpse into the different energies and in­uences that make Homer tick. To say he was always much more than a drummer would be an understatement, and this ‑rst solo offering is just the beginning of his next chapter.

Lungu Boy is the third studio album from global superstar and Nigerian singer/songwriter, Asake. The album promises to captivate fans with its vibrant rhythms, soulful melodies, and poignant lyrics that reflect Asake's unique artistry and cultural roots. Lungo Boy showcases Asake's signature blend of Afrobeats, Amapiano, hip-hop, and highlife, creating a rich tapestry of sound that is both innovative and deeply rooted in African musical traditions. Each track on the album tells a story, weaving personal experiences with universal themes of love, struggle, and triumph. The album features collaborations with some of the biggest names in the music industry, like Travis Scott, WizKid, Central Cee, Stormzy, and LUDMILLA – adding exciting dynamics to Asake's already impressive sound.

Produced by a team of top-notch producers, Lungo Boy is a testament to Asake's commitment to quality and his relentless pursuit of musical excellence. The album also narrates the transition of Asake growing up on the streets of Lagos to becoming a global icon and living life in urban cities around the world. It identifies with the sights and sounds of Lagos (Eko, Lagos Island, Idumota Street), London (Hackney, Shoreditch, Brixton, Peckham), and New York (Brooklyn, Harlem).

Stick To Your Guns hold a mirror up to society’s ills without blurring its ugliness. In an attempt to unapologetically trumpet real change, the Southern California quintet—Jesse Barnett vocals,Andrew Rose [bass],Adam Galindo[drums], Chris Rawson [guitar], and Josh James [guitar]—never shy away from speaking or screaming unpopular truths from the purest place. Founded in2003, Stick To Your Guns have always written and performed with a sense of urgency, their socially conscious message hitting as hard as their signature hybrid of hardcore, punk, and metal. Over the course of their career, they’ve amassed over 50 million total streams, performed on four continents, and shared stages with the likes of Parkway Drive, Architects, and Every Time I Die. Most recently, Alternative Press praised 2017’s True View as “the result of a long time spent on self-reflection and realization.” The band’s latest release ‘Invisible Rain’ incorporates two new songs that remain quintessentially Stick To Your Guns while incorporating fresh elements. The band’s relentless pursuit of a better world and their critique of societal injustices continues to drive their music and message. In 2024, Stick To Your Guns signed with SharpTone Records, marking a new chapter in their storied career. This partnership promises to bring their potent blend of activism and music to an even broader audience, amplifying their call for change and social justice.

February 2014 saw the band release their 'Back To Bagarmossen' EP on London/Stockholm indie label PNKSLM Recordings. The 10' vinyl received huge praise both internationally and at home, even picking up mainstream TV coverage on Sweden's TV4. Following the EP, Les Big Byrd are now preparing to unleash their debut full length release, 'They Worshipped Cats', on Anton Newcombe's A Records ,Anton has co written & plays 2 tracks on the album . They are supporting the Brian Jonestown Massacre on their European tour . When Anton recently visited Stockholm with his band The Brian Jonestown Massacre, the guys accidentally ran into each other at a local record shop, and started talking about music. Anton invited the band down to his studio in Berlin to record and jam for a few days and it was there that a big part of "They Worshipped Cats" was conceived and recorded. Les Big Byrd was formed in Stockholm by Joakim Åhlund and Frans Johansson a couple of years ago. They each eventually joined different rock bands that brought them out of Sweden and into a different world. Frans' band Fireside, got signed by Rick Rubin to his label Def American and Jocke had a taste of international success with 60's-influenced garage-pop outfit Caesars, as well as his other, more electronically flavored project Teddybears. They decided that they still - in spite of everything - had their love for music intact, and the dream in common to get the perfect band together and give it one more shot. They recruited Jocke's former bandmate, drummer Nino Keller and keyboardist Konie and started jamming and rehearsing. Joakim had been running a recording studio in Stockholm, writing and producing for Swedish and international artists, including Robyn and Håkan Hellström, and had also directed music videos for prominent Swedish exports such as Bob Hund, Refused, Broder Daniel and The International Noise Conspiracy. Keyboardist Konie also runs a studio in Stockholm, where he's been recording a number of film scores as well as many of Swedens most interesting black metal acts.

February 2014 saw the band release their 'Back To Bagarmossen' EP on London/Stockholm indie label PNKSLM Recordings. The 10' vinyl received huge praise both internationally and at home, even picking up mainstream TV coverage on Sweden's TV4. Following the EP, Les Big Byrd are now preparing to unleash their debut full length release, 'They Worshipped Cats', on Anton Newcombe's A Records ,Anton has co written & plays 2 tracks on the album . They are supporting the Brian Jonestown Massacre on their European tour . When Anton recently visited Stockholm with his band The Brian Jonestown Massacre, the guys accidentally ran into each other at a local record shop, and started talking about music. Anton invited the band down to his studio in Berlin to record and jam for a few days and it was there that a big part of "They Worshipped Cats" was conceived and recorded. Les Big Byrd was formed in Stockholm by Joakim Åhlund and Frans Johansson a couple of years ago. They each eventually joined different rock bands that brought them out of Sweden and into a different world. Frans' band Fireside, got signed by Rick Rubin to his label Def American and Jocke had a taste of international success with 60's-influenced garage-pop outfit Caesars, as well as his other, more electronically flavored project Teddybears. They decided that they still - in spite of everything - had their love for music intact, and the dream in common to get the perfect band together and give it one more shot. They recruited Jocke's former bandmate, drummer Nino Keller and keyboardist Konie and started jamming and rehearsing. Joakim had been running a recording studio in Stockholm, writing and producing for Swedish and international artists, including Robyn and Håkan Hellström, and had also directed music videos for prominent Swedish exports such as Bob Hund, Refused, Broder Daniel and The International Noise Conspiracy. Keyboardist Konie also runs a studio in Stockholm, where he's been recording a number of film scores as well as many of Swedens most interesting black metal acts.

Hip-Hop lost one of its most talented wordsmiths when Fred The Godson passed away due to complications with Covid-19 last year. However, his family has continued his legacy by launching the nonprofit Fred The Godson Foundation, as well as releasing some of his most sought-after music on vinyl and CD. Ascension is the first posthumous release with all new material from the South Bronx emcee. The tracks were handpicked by Fred's brother Russ and they are a prime example of the creative high he was on just before his passing. The collection of songs includes production from The Heatmakerz and guest spots from G Mims, Guap Sinatra, M City, Reef Hustle, Bandz Dinero and more. This album is a celebration of Fred's life and so, fittingly, the LP dropped digitally on his birthday, February 22. On the same day, New York City officials unveiled a new street name in the South Bronx honoring the respected lyricist: Fredrick "Fred The Godson" Thomas Way. A lot of artists make street music, but only a handful have ever received a tribute with street signs.

With the release of Love (the) Ominous World, Blu & Exile have returned with an album that brilliantly builds on their soulful, reflective foundation with stunning musicality and sharp songwriting. Their shared history as one of hip-hop’s best duos continues to grow, especially as they venture into new territory while embracing and refining what made them special.

“This album is our most unique work to date,” Blu says. “We took a different approach with the direction while still staying true to the culture our music has built with our fan base.” That direction is one that finds the two California natives crafting records that would sound right at home on the radio and hip-hop charts. Like “Suga & Butta,” for example, which features recent Def Jam signee Rae Khalil and rising star Ahmad Anwar. Every element of the track is as sweet and smooth as its namesake, from the lyrics to the production. There’s also the raw G-funk banger “Chucks,” a snarling collaboration with West Coast stalwarts KXNG Crooked and Kurupt.

Cloudy Orange Vinyl. Since first meeting as midwestern high-schoolers in 2009, Citizen have emerged as one of the most promising young bands in the alternative underground today. The band signed to Run For Cover Records in early 2012, releasing their EP Young States that year as well as a split with labelmates Turnover. In February of 2013, Citizen entered Studio 4 with producer Will Yip (Title Fight, Circa Survive, Daylight) to record Youth, their debut full-length. From the first note of album opener "Roam The Room", the fuzzy, guitar-driven rock songs bleed emotion straight through to closer "Drawn Out". Citizen have called on the ghosts of Brand New and early Nirvana, creating a sound that is familiar but immediately all its own.

Acclaimed folk-blues singer/songwriter Luke Winslow-King has recently inked a significant deal with the iconic Bloodshot records, coinciding with the label’s 30th anniversary, and marking a revival in the institution’s trailblazer history of outlaw country, folk roots, and rock n roll. To celebrate this exciting collaboration, Luke Winslow-King is set to embark on a midwest tour with guitar maestro Roberto Luti of Tuscany May 17 - June 1 of 2024. Tuscan Slide Guitar Maestro Roberto Luti is a founding member of the Playing For Change band and has collaborated with legends such as Taj Mahal, Keb Mo, Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Dr. John and numerous others, accumulating over 100 million plays on YouTube. His unorthodox, angular and evocative slide guitar style is based on Mississippi and Chicago blues and is infused by soul and African roots traditions. Fans can expect the sincere and heartfelt roots blues stylings King has become known for, showcased alongside his continual artistic reinvention

MANOWAR is an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York. Formed in 1980, the band is known for lyrics based on fantasy and mythology . The band is also known for a Loud and Bombastic sound. In 1984 the band was included in the Guinness Book of World Records for delivering the loudest performance, a record which they have since broken on two occasions. They also hold the world record for the longest heavy metal concert after playing for five hours and 1 minute in Bulgaria (at Kavarna Rock Fest) in 2008. MANOWAR have also been known for their slogan "Death to false metal » and have maintained a very strong following with dedicated fans worldwide as referred to by the band as "Metal Warriors", "Manowarriors", "Immortals" or "Brothers of Metal". The band signed with Atlantic Records in 1987. Via Atlantic, they released 'Fighting the World', which enjoyed more extensive distribution and increased the band's prominence in the international heavy metal scene. Album art was designed by Ken Kelly. In 1988, MANOWAR released the album 'Kings of Meta’l, which is the band's best known work. Songs like "Heart of Steel", "Kings of Metal" and "Hail and Kill" are performed regularly in concerts. 'Kings of Metal' is MANOWAR's highest-selling album worldwide. A new musical unit after the recent changes, MANOWAR released The Triumph of Steel in 1992. It gained some great success and was particularly famous for the presence of a suite lasting no less than 28 minutes entitled "Achilles, Agony and Ecstasy in Eight Parts", inspired by the events of the Iliad and the hero Achilles. After this release, the band went on a world tour for two years. Those MANOWAR’s album have become legendary and are still must have in any metal fan record collection . Vinyls formats Having been very rare and reaching high prices online, those three albums are now being made available again in quality coloured vinyls; Grab them now while you can !!

Over 19 tracks, Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music mines gold from dollar bin country-rock detritus to reconstruct events as seen from the genre's wild west - Americana's vast private press substructure. As progenitor and contemptuous poster boy for the music that came to be Cosmic American, Gram Parsons found himself mired in a recording career spent mostly in scouting the perimeters of chart success. "He hated country-rock," Parsons collaborator Emmylou Harris would later reflect. "He thought that bands like the Eagles were pretty much missing the point." Parsons had been orbiting the idea of Cosmic American Music for some time. In 1968 he'd parted ways with the Byrds and was looking to take air with a new project. "It's basically a Southern soul group playing country and gospel-oriented music with a steel guitar" he told Melody Maker, on the subject of The Flying Burrito Brothers. So it was that when A&M's Burrito Brothers debut The Gilded Palace of Sin made it to shelves in February of 1969, early adherents to the Cosmic American gospel were already echoing its message from areas flanking Gram Parsons' Southern California hills and canyons. There was F.J. McMahon in coastal Santa Barbara, Mistress Mary further inland in Hacienda Heights, and Plain Jane of Albuquerque, New Mexico, each responding by committing their own private readings to tape before day one of the 1970s. Parsons himself might've disdained them, had he even been aware of such minor ripples, shimmering at the edges of his desert oasis. But these were true believers all the same, given over fully to his roots music concept, each filling vinyl grooves with non-rock instrumentation like fiddle, banjo, and pedal steel guitar, the last undoubtedly Cosmic American Music's most distinguishing stringed signifier. Only too predictably, big labels did the grunt work of confining and defining the movement, as ABC, United Artists, RCA, and more played catch-up with Asylum's raptor rock juggernaut, via backwoods crossover also-rans with names like Gladstone, American Flyer, and Silverado. Twang reigned, the shitkickers kicked shit, and the vaguely western-sounding guitar records piled up. Country-rock became "the dominant American rock style of the 1970s," as Peter Doggett's comprehensive Are You Ready for the Country put it much later. Wayfaring Strangers: Cosmic American Music picks up and dusts off golden ingots from the dollar-bin detritus of that domination, to reconstruct events as seen from the genre's real Wild West-America's one-off private press label substructure.

The much-anticipated fifth studio album from Rufus Du Sol, known for blending organic and electronic sounds, sees the Grammy-winning trio once again delving into familiar themes like love, heartbreak and euphoria across 15 tracks. This new record, featuring previously released singles 'Lately' and 'Music Is Better', marks the band's first new material in three years. Their latest single, 'Break My Love', shows the band's signature style, where smooth vocals from Tyrone Lindqvist weave into a hypnotic electronic backdrop. The track evokes hope and emotional depth while maintaining the group's dreamy, electronic soundscape. The accompanying retro-inspired music video, directed by longtime collaborator Katzki, adds a playful twist with a heist-themed storyline, reflecting the band's creative evolution. Inhale / Exhale represents a new creative phase for the trio, who describe this era as focusing on the joy of creation in the present moment. Fans can expect a mature sonic journey that carries forward the emotional highs and lows that have made RUFUS DU SOL a beloved force in the global electronic scene.

“My introduction to “noise” came from a record shop in Lake Worth, Florida ran by a musician named Kenny 5. Kenny had left Detroit sometime in the mid nineties and had begun selling used records and CD’s from the downtown strip of this tiny southern Florida city in a humble shop sandwiched between a deli and a dog grooming business. Kenny previously was on labels like Amphetamine Reptile and timeSTEREO, and the records and videotapes that would be on repeat at his shop were a vast sonic expanse that spoke to the eclecticism of his experience as a touring musician participating and adjacent to American noise culture through the early to late 90’s. In 1998, I was eleven years old and I would order a pizza with him and watch VHS tapes of Japanese noise and deathmatch bootlegs, as well as any other sonic and subcultural rarities that far outstripped my age to comprehend (notably the RRR “Journey Into Pain” compilation and various Vanilla Tapes videos). This widecast net of information formed an introduction to a reality that did not fall deaf on me, but it took many years later for me to reorient the specific freedoms of what this dense and cathartic sound culture had imparted on my life and would continue onward to.

What does this have to do with this selection of choice recordings from the Secret Boyfriend catalog for the enmossed label? For the uninitiated, Secret Boyfriend is the long running moniker of Ryan Martin, North Carolina musician and label proprietor of the Hot Releases imprint. For over a decade from this writing I have watched Secret Boyfriend, and Hot Releases by extension as a curatorial and archival effort, embodying the multiplanal capacity that noise loosely functions from as an umbrella ideology and formalist avenue for sound creation. For anecdotal purposes, from (before) 2006 until roughly 2023 the East Coast of the United States showcased a vibrant network of eclectic regional festivals that saw wide swaths of artists addressing and negotiating the notion of what qualified “noise” from a conceptual and ideological perspective. Some festivals honed in on particularities in aesthetics and tropes, and others had a kind of “catch-all” implementation that allowed for a salvation of the sort of alienated and singular artistry that was amassing throughout these territories. While clear guidelines had been set from regional predecessors as to how noise with a capital “N” should maneuver, Secret Boyfriend is emblematic in the spirit of fluidity that was either implicitly coupled to the notion of the genre, or grew to evolve towards or devolve from.

Within Secret Boyfriend performances, I have seen and admired a mirroring from a ravenous appreciator of this culture at large back towards itself. Typical of a Secret Boyfriend set is an interchangeable narrative arc wherein blistering feedback laden scrap metal improvisations are forayed into naive ambient or “pop” songs, or skipping CDs, or mixer feedback play, or delayed Roland 707 drum workouts all at once and in a unique hegemony. Secret Boyfriend's stylistic mastery of each endeavor is at once an homage to a history of loving listening and enacting, while a brave step into the realm of actualizing the unique fluidity of his own practice. In performance and the action of network engagement, Secret Boyfriend operates a survey of that which he sought to hear and that which he cultivates around his work. His operations are mirrors, and the project (alongside his other peers) is a reflection on the ethos of his time.

Conversely his recording practice narrows in on these moments and allows for a different kind of intimacy or alienation for the non live listener. This record of selected “pop songs” (let's call them that) is particularly poignant at a time when the culture Martin mirrors is at a strange crossroads with itself. The aforementioned festival networks necessarily change and shift. The onlookers become the artists, the artists find new horizons, and the spaces for these cycles fade into locales of a distant memory. It seems, from my perspective, that audiences currently yearn for a more bottlenecked experience, searching for some ontologically vetted manifestation of an idea, of a sound and less for an experience that functions in opposition to our collective banalities. This makes sense in the face of general global catastrophism that plagues us. We need certainty of what something is somewhere, don’t we? Noise as an idea has expanded and contracted to so many iterations of itself it is hard to tell what it even is, and it is particularly difficult to identify in the absence of solid network activations a moment to reflect on its own complexities and nuances. In the face of so much change, I argue that the language of noise culture at large has on one hand become increasingly didactic and predictable, and laughably inclusive and non linear on the other. Probably has always been this way, but now we are in the midst of a moment of extreme access and indexicality, which somehow cauterizes expansion and naivety and chance.

This record highlights the Secret Boyfriend that obscures didacticism by highlighting output that opens up for more challenging catharsis and emotive signal processing. It provides an entry to the materialism of a cultural field full of ecstatic complexity and beautiful inconsistency. In these muted moments Secret Boyfriend has given us over his career we have an argument for evolving languages that further challenge our notions of what is supposed to happen and how it is supposed to be presented. In his more song oriented expansiveness, we can punctuate the ability to think in new modalities. Listening to these recordings reminds me of the polarity of sitting in the record store as a kid and understanding that His Name Is Alive is on 4AD and (gasp!) timeSTEREO. This trite early impression that nothing is really as different as our imaginations might want them to be, and that we can do whatever we want mostly within the creative realms we work through is an important filter to look through Secret Boyfriend as a project and a vessel. If we can achieve abandon and vulnerability through our artistic endeavors, then we have a sound model for, maybe, new potentialities. If that’s too much projection, or just complete liberal bullshit, I am fine with that. Secret Boyfriend's oeuvre at best offers us moments of reprieve to ponder these complexities, or at least a moment to zone out on a drive through North Carolina Highway 54.

You have one pocket of life that you must do whatever you want to inside of. Secret Boyfriend does it affectionately, in a variety of forms, and always with deep sentimentality. These recordings are a wonderful set of songs to begin further investigation from. Thank you Ryan for allowing as many avenues as possible to continue a broad cultural exchange and conversation that intersect and refract while being the kind of artist that is brave enough to not phone in the effort.”

- Nick Klein , May 2024

"We are delighted to be able to bring you these gorgeous field recordings from the Sumedang Province of West Java which, over their 50 minutes, present two distinct sides of Sundanese musical and devotional culture.

Although West Java is a Muslim country, these recordings highlight currents of pre-Islamic animist beliefs and practices that continue to flourish in the small towns and villages of the highlands of West Java. The recordings showcase two forms of trance music that are essential to the spiritual life of the Sundanese people in the highland regions.

Tarawangsa trance music is a traditional ceremonial genre known for its deep spiritual and hypnotic qualities. This music is made using only two instruments, the tarawangsa, a two-stringed fiddle, accompanied by the jentreng, a seven-stringed zither, creating a unique blend of resonant, droning sounds. Historically, tarawangsa music has been performed as part of sacred rituals and agricultural celebrations to honor local deities and ancestors, particularly associated with the Sunda culture. The minimalist, repetitive melodies gradually build, guiding participants and listeners into a meditative, trance-like state, during which dancers can be possessed by the spirits of ancestors or deities from the spirit realm, the music serving as a link between the two worlds.

In stark contrast to the calm, medititive sound of tarawangsa, we also present here two long pieces from Panca Buana Reak Group. Sundanese Reak trance music is like the punk rock of Sunda folk music, combining powerful and driving rhythms played on a number of hand drums and percussion instruments with the buzzing sound of the tarompet, a double reed wind instrument often amplified through whatever mobile speaker system might be at hand. Sometimes the group will play gamelan gongs, as heard on the first piece on the album, although this remains a music that is popular mainly with the working class youth of the rural villages, many of whom will also be fans of Indonesia's burgeoning metal and punk scenes. Reak performances are often wild, anarchic events that feature masked dancers, costumes, public trancing and spirit possession.

These recordings were made by Xenia At during her travels through West Java earlier this year. The tarawangsa recordings were made in a home in the village of Rancakalong on the evening of 17th January 2024, while Panca Buana Reak Group were recorded during rehersals in the village of Cinunuk on 19th and 20th January 2024."

Limited edition of 100 copies.

The musicians:
Overture (played by Panca Buana Reak Group, musicians: Rian Hidayat, Daffa, Rendi, Haswa, Doni, Aconk, Bayu, Zidan, Iwan Uwak, ⁠Mahadewa Sehu, ⁠Bebet, Adi, Bebet).
Reundeu - Master Yayat (kacapi), Tedi Kurniadi (tarawangsa).
Degung - Master Yayat (kacapi), Teguh Permana (tarawangsa).
Pamapag__Gelar Mataram__Panimang__Limbangan - Akbar Nendi (kacapi) & Tedi Kurniadi (tarawangsa).
Reak Lugay Pusaka Pajajaran (played by Panca Buana Reak Group, musicians: Aconk (tong), Rendi (brung), Hendrik (tarompet), Ade (kecrek), Riki (bedug), Doni (talingtit), Adi (badublag).

Xenia would like to extend gratitude to:
Master Yayat, Tedi Kurniadi, Akbar Nendi, and Teguh Permana for their incredible talent that turned this recording into a magical experience.
Ibrahim Adi Surya for technical support.
The Juarta Putra and Panca Buana Reak groups for explaining the cultural significance of local traditions.
Anggun Tresnasari for sharing her deep knowledge of regional music traditions.
Igor Moskalenko, Kate Snap, Stasya Frolova, Roman Gold, Misha Maltsev, Ilona Popychko, Galih Muhammad, Wildan Wiliansyah, Rizalu Ramadhan, Rahi Rahmat, Fahmi Solihin and Muhammad Ismael whose unwavering belief made this project possible.

Hive Mind would like to thank Luigi Monteanni (Artetetra) and Palmer Keen (Aural Archipelago) for their invaluable work and research in this region.

The genius of Lord Kitchener has been the mainstay of our series. In this volume devoted to his post-war London recordings, Kitch plays his many roles with signature aplomb and poised subtlety. First there is the hooligan chantwell, up for anything in the hurly-burly of carnival proper; and then the casual reporter, firing off postcards to Trinidad about taxis, flashy booze, fast women and football in Manchester, with homesickness and grievance nestled just behind the optimism, pride and tentative senses of belonging. There is the bearer of news from home, in detailed accounts of murders, tales of stupid local coppers, and reminiscences about food and particular mango trees; the political thinker, considering racism and Africa; and the diarist, with his vivid tales of infidelity, and disclosure of the break-up of his marriage, and his desire to get away. One foot in the UK, the other in Trinidad; but the man himself somewhere in-between. Kitch In The Jungle, nobody around. A ‘diasporic explorer’; a key twentieth-century witness, alongside such hallowed figures as Samuel Selvon and Edward Kamau Braithwaite. Though in frustration Kitch would sometimes take over double-bass duties himself, the musicianship of Rupert Nurse, Fitzroy Coleman and co is top-notch. The original glorious sound is down to Denys Preston, recording for Melodisc, often at Abbey Road Studios (where we transferred and restored the 78s compiled here). Presented in a lovely gatefold sleeve, with a full-size booklet containing superb, specially-commissioned sleevenotes by Kitch biographer Anthony Joseph, and fabulous, previously-unseen photographs.

BACK IN PRINT ON BLACK VINYL

“To understand the significance of the word ‘featuring’ on Featuring Pharoah Sanders And Black Harold, consider how infrequently Sun Ra used it and the exact way it had been used.
“The October Revolution in Jazz, organized by Bill Dixon in the West Village in 1964, presented a vivid cross section of approaches to the new music, including a sextet led by Ra. For the October Revolution’s continuation, titled Four Days in December, held at nearby Judson Hall on the last days of 1964, the Arkestra performance presented Pharoah Sanders as well as a flautist (who was and remained obscure thereafter) named Harold Murray, nicknamed Black Harold.
“It wasn’t until long after Sanders had achieved worldwide acclaim with John Coltrane that Ra and manager Alton Abraham decided to issue the music they’d recorded at Judson Hall. After its first release in plain or hand-decorated covers in 1976, Featuring Pharoah Sanders And Black Harold remained an exceptionally rare item in the El Saturn discography, known to a few lucky collectors.
“We’re lucky to have this glimpse of what Sanders sounded like in such a different context, galvanizing the large group and in turn being inspired to make his first significant contribution on record.”
—John Corbett (excerpt from the liner notes)

Special is the highly-anticipated upcoming album from global superstar & 3-time GRAMMY® winner Lizzo, which follows her multi-Platinum selling, top-10 debut album, CUZ I LOVE YOU, released in 2019. It will be released everywhere July 15th via Nice Life/Atlantic Records with the pre-order going live on April 14th. The album will feature her irresistible new single “About Damn Time,” out everywhere alongside the pre-order.

CUZ I LOVE YOU spent 24 consecutive weeks in the chart’s Top 10 whilst “Truth Hurts” also became the longest running #1 by a solo female rap artist in history after spending seven weeks atop the charts. In addition to gracing the cover of Rolling Stone, PEOPLE, Variety, Billboard’s GRAMMY® Preview Issue, British Vogue & Elle’s Women In Music Issue amongst others, her high-profile TV appearances include the opening performance at the 62nd Annual GRAMMY® Awards, 2019 American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards & BET Awards and she is set to return to Saturday Night Live, pulling double duty as host and musical guest. Most recently she has partnered with Logitech as the face of their 2022 “Defy Logic” campaign. Lizzo has also cemented herself as one of music’s most in-demand live performers with standout performances throughout her sold-out ‘CUZ I LOVE YOU’ & ‘CUZ I LOVE YOU TOO’ tours and a headline appearance at Lollapalooza.

Reclaim Your Cities next frequency-jammer comes in the form of a heavyweight split 4-tracker, courtesy of two true techno pioneering figures: Mike Parker and Steve Bicknell.

The continued influence of these two artists on both our early raving days and now as a team working on providing you the most exciting, boundary-pushing tech wares is second to none. As you'll experience from the four jams constitutive of this unparalleled mindtrip of an EP, 'In The Years Ahead' is the living evidence the steadfastness of Parker and Bicknell's vision remains absolutely untouched. Zeroed in on taking ravers on an entrancing ride across pulsating corridors of whirring machine funk, sizzling acid and shape-shifting waves of sound, both sides of this EP share the best lot of both producers' uniquely innovative approach to rhythm and production.

Parker's opening cut, 'Solar Limb' is a textbook example of his complex, and heavily layered sound-design. An unflinching swing keeping time, brutal kicks punching holes in your head like giant steel hammers, the track may evolve slowly, repeating its post-industrial mantra over and over again, its flame doesn't flicker one iota. Switching onto red-level dance floor menace, 'Badlands' pulls out the heavy artillery: an overkill bombardment of puncturing 909 drums, vortical winds blowing in the back like some solar storm of sorts, and this ebb-and-flow of FX-drenched synth ripples branded on your cortex like odd signs of cult belonging. Bicknell's takeover starts with the rugged and wild 'Chaotic World', whose title is definitely not usurped. Enter a blazing maelstrom of frantic synth assault knocked askew, intense bass tectonic movements and smashing arpeggios on the path of war. The track develops a massive momentum, swelling from primordial raw matter into weirdly arranged modular constructions, like that of Kubrick's monolith emerging with ominous presence. 'In The Years Ahead' serves up a much distinctively elegant, glossy type of textural experience, synths playing pong in a hall of mirrors, interlacing and distorting as the percussive line unfolds its linear train-like groove. It dashes across landscapes of hypermodern glass and concrete with unrelenting horsepower, from techno's early sanctuary right up onto tomorrow's temple of unmapped potentialities.

This much special release, so dear to our heart, comes clad in a beautiful piece of design, and will be pressed to 180g audiophile quality vinyl for an enhanced listening experience.

Hip-hop legend Rakim is breaking new ground with his upcoming studio album, G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH), by flexing his skills both on the mic and behind the boards. Widely lauded as the best lyricist of all time, The God MC himself is blessing the culture with the next step in his historic career.

“I feel like the battery in my back has been reenergized,” Rakim said about his new album, which arrives nearly four decades after the release of his classic debut with Eric B., Paid In Full. Since then, he’s continued to shape the landscape and culture of hip-hop as we know it, inspiring rising artists with his hype live shows and incredible studio albums. And while he’s produced some of his previous work—notably “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” “Juice (Know The Ledge),” and “Paid In Full”—this feels like new territory for the 18th Letter, whose production and scratching talents are nothing short of remarkable.

G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH) is proof that Rakim is truly one of the most special artists we’ve known not just in hip-hop, but all of music. You can tell he feels that level of praise when speaking about the genesis of the album. “Having the ability to showcase my talents behind the boards coupled with the elite lyricism the world already knows and gives me infinite praise for alongside some of the best talents to ever do it is truly a blessing and for that I am humbled,” he said.

Rakim is more than an official triple-threat as an artist, because he’s also showing off skills as a curator. On this album’s seven tracks, he enlists a who’s-who of top hip-hop talent, including the dearly departed Nipsey Hussle, Fred the Godson, DMX, and Prodigy (of Mobb Deep). Rakim also linked with many of his contemporaries, such as Snoop Dogg, Method Man, KXNG Crooked, B.G., and Kool G. Rap, among others.

The album’s first single, “Be Ill,” is the perfect introduction, as it pairs Rakim’s raw rhymes and head-nodding production with slick guest features from Kurupt and Masta Killa. Elsewhere, Rakim slows it down for the soulful “Love Is The Message,” which features Nipsey Hussle, Planet Asia, Louis King, Snoop Dogg, Sally Green, Kobe Honeycutt, and the LA Grand Choir. And then there’s the chest-thumping “International,” a straight-up slapper with hard-hitting rhymes from Kool G. Rap, Tristate, and Joell Ortiz.

For fans of hip-hop, and especially of Rakim’s storied discography, there is so much to love on this record. You can hear his hunger as an emcee and producer on every track, as well as his desire to collaborate with so many respected artists. Despite having decades in the game and many classics to his name, it feels like Rakim is just getting started.

While the world awaits the July 26th release date, fans can catch Rakim performing live throughout the US from now until the end of year in support of G.O.D.S Network (REB7RTH). In addition to debuting new material, he’ll be performing all the classics from his beloved catalog.

Hip-hop legend Rakim is breaking new ground with his upcoming studio album, G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH), by flexing his skills both on the mic and behind the boards. Widely lauded as the best lyricist of all time, The God MC himself is blessing the culture with the next step in his historic career.

“I feel like the battery in my back has been reenergized,” Rakim said about his new album, which arrives nearly four decades after the release of his classic debut with Eric B., Paid In Full. Since then, he’s continued to shape the landscape and culture of hip-hop as we know it, inspiring rising artists with his hype live shows and incredible studio albums. And while he’s produced some of his previous work—notably “Don’t Sweat the Technique,” “Juice (Know The Ledge),” and “Paid In Full”—this feels like new territory for the 18th Letter, whose production and scratching talents are nothing short of remarkable.

G.O.D.'S NETWORK (REB7RTH) is proof that Rakim is truly one of the most special artists we’ve known not just in hip-hop, but all of music. You can tell he feels that level of praise when speaking about the genesis of the album. “Having the ability to showcase my talents behind the boards coupled with the elite lyricism the world already knows and gives me infinite praise for alongside some of the best talents to ever do it is truly a blessing and for that I am humbled,” he said.

Rakim is more than an official triple-threat as an artist, because he’s also showing off skills as a curator. On this album’s seven tracks, he enlists a who’s-who of top hip-hop talent, including the dearly departed Nipsey Hussle, Fred the Godson, DMX, and Prodigy (of Mobb Deep). Rakim also linked with many of his contemporaries, such as Snoop Dogg, Method Man, KXNG Crooked, B.G., and Kool G. Rap, among others.

The album’s first single, “Be Ill,” is the perfect introduction, as it pairs Rakim’s raw rhymes and head-nodding production with slick guest features from Kurupt and Masta Killa. Elsewhere, Rakim slows it down for the soulful “Love Is The Message,” which features Nipsey Hussle, Planet Asia, Louis King, Snoop Dogg, Sally Green, Kobe Honeycutt, and the LA Grand Choir. And then there’s the chest-thumping “International,” a straight-up slapper with hard-hitting rhymes from Kool G. Rap, Tristate, and Joell Ortiz.

For fans of hip-hop, and especially of Rakim’s storied discography, there is so much to love on this record. You can hear his hunger as an emcee and producer on every track, as well as his desire to collaborate with so many respected artists. Despite having decades in the game and many classics to his name, it feels like Rakim is just getting started.

While the world awaits the July 26th release date, fans can catch Rakim performing live throughout the US from now until the end of year in support of G.O.D.S Network (REB7RTH). In addition to debuting new material, he’ll be performing all the classics from his beloved catalog.

Twisted Records is delighted to announce a different kind of collaborative mini album by two musicians highly esteemed for decades in the electronic music scene, Simon Posford and Raja Ram. 

‘Improvisations for Piano & Flute’ is, as the title suggests, a series of fully improvised compositions by the two legendary musicians. The 44-minute flow of this album is more contemplative and analog in nature than anything in the pair’s previous output in their three decades of collaborative work, yet equally mesmerising and consciousness-expanding.
 
In the early 1990s, Simon Posford was working as an engineer at Butterfly Studios when he first met Raja Ram, an Australian conservatory-trained jazz flautist who had been in the 60s/70s band Quintessence and who was at the time of their meeting part of the electronic music group known as The Infinity Project. After collaborating on many of the latter band’s productions, Posford and Raj (as he is affectionately known) in 1996 created the first track under the project name Shpongle, Rumours of Vapours. 
 
Less dance-focused and more atmospheric than their previous electronica tracks, this was the first of many creations under the Shpongle moniker, included on their now iconic first album Are You Shpongled? in 1998. Since then, they have produced six albums and performed elaborate live sets with an 17-member band around the world, including three sold-out shows at the iconic Red Rocks theatre in Colorado and three sold-out appearances at The Roundhouse in London.

This album is a significant departure from their usual output in its focus on the interplay of Raj’s lyrical flute playing and Simon’s noodling at the piano, with almost imperceptible synthesized atmospheric support that seamlessly unites analog and digital realities. 

These improvisations were recorded in Posford’s living room instead of the usual studio because the musicians found that it provided more of the desired ambience. With a synthesizer placed atop an antique Bluthner piano, either Raj or Simon would begin playing and the other would join in - nothing prepared, decided, or arranged: just live, in-the-moment inspiration. This spontaneity infuses each track with such magnetic energy that the listener is inevitably drawn into each note, phrase, and piece. 
 
The whole album is supremely chill and introspective, with a grand arc to the storyline of 8 tracks that Shpongle fans will recognize from the dynamic duo’s internationally prized discography.  

‘Improvisations for Piano & Flute’ is a salve for the soul, providing an atmospheric antidote to the relentless stress and fast pace of our increasingly complex world - a great way to kick back, tune in, and refresh.

Mount Jacinto is the creative vision of Costa Rican artist Sonya Carmona, formerly a member of Colornoise and Las Robertas. Inspired by the majestic Mount San Jacinto in Palm Springs and the expansive landscapes of Northern California, Sonya sought to embody a sense of freedom and openness in her new musical project.

The band lineup includes Gini Jungi of Annie Taylor on guitar, drummer Adrian Oesch, and a touch of Latin American flair with Peruvian Joel Morales on bass and Mexican Yan-Cey on synthesizer.

In their music, chamber music elements intertwine with gentle bass lines reminiscent of Air’s Moon Safari and melodic compositions rooted in raw alternative rock. Their debut EP, Outward Signs, released in March 2023, explores modern pop-rock psychedelia with a groovy touch of twang.

The album was recorded with JooJoo Ashworth from Froth and mixed by Alex Newport (Bloc Party etc.).
The title track, Silver Lining, is a standout on the album, showcasing the evolution of Mount Jacinto's sound over recent years. Sonya explains:
"This song is my favorite at the moment from the album. I think it kind of represents it well and reflects that there is always a 'Silver Lining' in everything, where something good can come from a difficult or bad situation. It’s very exciting to play it live and marks the evolution of our sound through this last year. It has its own character and creates its own sonic universe. It’s a homage to the synth wave era, a mix between Depeche Mode, Eurythmics, and Lebanon Hanover."

The debut album Silver Lining is more than a collection of songs—it’s a deeply personal journey through love, loss, and self-discovery. Created during a period of transformation in Sonya Carmona's life, it captures raw emotions and the resilience required to find one’s true self. Tracks like Forest delve into the path to self-acceptance and the importance of confronting inner struggles, whileThe Reason explores the inner dialogues we have during pivotal moments. The album blends heartfelt, intimate lyrics with lush, soulful soundscapes.
Musically, Silver Lining combines classic 60s and 70s influences with a modern indie vibe. It reflects the profound changes Carmona has experienced, offering listeners a moving musical journey.

Sfere Luminose is a rare and breathtaking masterpiece that stands as a pinnacle of Italian Library music. Featuring the mesmerizing vocals of Nora Orlandi and the legendary jazz drumming of Franco Tonani, this album is an essential gem from the cult label Record TV - Firmamento, a name revered for iconic releases from the late 1960s to early 1970s. The album is produced by maestros Giancarlo Gazzani and Roby Poitevin, with contributions from the acclaimed studio group I Marc 4 and Alessandro Alessandroni.



This stunning work encapsulates the very essence of Italian Lounge music, offering a rich and diverse musical landscape. From cinematic soundscapes and Hammond organ-driven grooves to soft psychedelic arrangements, the album flows with impeccable soul-jazz and bossa nova influences, reminiscent of Piero Umiliani’s finest creations. The signature style of I Marc 4 shines through captivating drum work, while the enchanting interplay of scat vocals and choral harmonies adds a touch of ethereal beauty.



With its refined blend of jazz, lounge, and Morricone-esque beats, Sfere Luminose is an unmissable listening experience for aficionados of the genre. It's a collector's grail and a timeless treasure that captures the magic of Italy’s golden age of music, and we're proud to bring this back on vinyl, remastered from the original mono sessions, including 4 bonus tracks and artwork restoration by Luca Barcellona.

- The Premiere Vinyl Release of the Soundtrack - 180 Gram Black and White Swirled Colored Vinyl - Old Style Tip-On Gatefold Jackets with Satin Coating - Artwork by Phantom City Creative - 12"x12" Booklet - Scoring Session Photography - Liner Notes // Waxwork Records is proud to announce THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with music by Franz Waxman. In celebration of the film's 85th Anniversary, we are thrilled to present the premiere vinyl release of the film's music as a deluxe album featuring re-mastered audio, new artwork, and likeness approvals from famed actress Elsa Lanchester's estate. THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is a 1935 horror movie directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff & Elsa Lanchester. It is the first sequel to the 1931 film FRANKENSTEIN and widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels in cinematic history. The film has been praised as Whale's masterpiece. In 1998, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, having been deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". Sourced from the original master acetates housed in the composer's archives at Syracuse University and original masters from Universal, the album has been meticulously restored and re-mastered. Working closely with Universal Pictures, this historic release marks the very first time the original film music has been made available on vinyl. The album features new artwork by Phantom City Creative, a 12"x12" booklet including artwork and original scoring session photography, and liner notes by album producer and restoration engineer Mike Matessino.

- The Premiere Vinyl Release of the Soundtrack - 180 Gram Black and White Swirled Colored Vinyl - Old Style Tip-On Gatefold Jackets with Satin Coating - Artwork by Phantom City Creative - 12"x12" Booklet - Scoring Session Photography - Liner Notes // Waxwork Records is proud to announce THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with music by Franz Waxman. In celebration of the film's 85th Anniversary, we are thrilled to present the premiere vinyl release of the film's music as a deluxe album featuring re-mastered audio, new artwork, and likeness approvals from famed actress Elsa Lanchester's estate. THE BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN is a 1935 horror movie directed by James Whale and starring Boris Karloff & Elsa Lanchester. It is the first sequel to the 1931 film FRANKENSTEIN and widely regarded as one of the greatest sequels in cinematic history. The film has been praised as Whale's masterpiece. In 1998, it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, having been deemed "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant". Sourced from the original master acetates housed in the composer's archives at Syracuse University and original masters from Universal, the album has been meticulously restored and re-mastered. Working closely with Universal Pictures, this historic release marks the very first time the original film music has been made available on vinyl. The album features new artwork by Phantom City Creative, a 12"x12" booklet including artwork and original scoring session photography, and liner notes by album producer and restoration engineer Mike Matessino.

Giulio Campagnolo, born in 1986, is an accomplished Italian jazz pianist and Hammond organ specialist whose
musical journey spans over two decades. His passion for music ignited at the age of 8 when he began studying
piano, and by 14, he had already delved into jazz under the guidance of masters D. Memoli and M. Polga. At
20, Campagnolo further honed his skills at the prestigious Siena Jazz summer seminars, while simultaneously
intensifying his concert activities with various jazz, blues, and soul ensembles. In 2012, he made a pivotal
shift in his career, dedicating himself exclusively to the Hammond organ and perfecting his craft with A. Marsico. The following year marked the beginning of his teaching career at the "Filarmonica Bassanese" Association in Bassano del Grappa, where he continues to instruct piano, organ, and ensemble music.
Campagnolo's formal education culminated in 2020 when he graduated with honors from the Conservatory
"A. Pedrollo" in Vicenza under the tutelage of maestro P. Birro. Throughout his career, Campagnolo has made
significant contributions to the music world, recording about ten albums as a sideman and four as a co-leader.
His debut solo album, scheduled for release in autumn 2024, is eagerly anticipated. Campagnolo's talents
have allowed him to collaborate with a diverse array of acclaimed musicians in both the jazz and blues scenes,
including Y. Silberstein, W. Bernard, N. Hempton, E. Martin, S. Waterstown, and U. Porcaro, among others. His
musical prowess has taken him across Europe, performing at jazz and blues clubs and festivals in Italy, Spain,
Switzerland, France, Germany, and beyond, establishing him as a truly international artist. Currently, Campagnolo leads his own quintet, featuring Piero Bittolo-Bon, Michele Polga, Federico Pierantoni, and Adam Pache,
for which he composes and arranges the repertoire, showcasing his skills not only as a performer but also as
a bandleader and composer.

Dark Entries celebrates its 15th anniversary with legendary synth-punk deviants Crash Course in Science. Dale Feliciello, Mallory Yago, and Michael Zodorozny formed CCIS in 1979 after meeting at art school in Philadelphia. As a gesture born of equal parts punk irreverence and brute necessity, the band incorporated toy instruments and kitchen appliances into their aggressive, angular sound. Their anthems “Cardboard Lamb” and “Flying Turns” from 1981’s Signals From Pier Thirteen EP have been staples in adventurous DJ sets for over 40 years - yet some of their finest work is to be found on Near Marineland, a full-length LP recorded in 1981 but remained unreleased in its time. Near Marineland shows the band moving into more diverse and polished territory (although it’s still as abrasive as sandpaper). Tracks like “No More Hollow Doors” and “Jump Over Barrels” highlight CCIS’s singular knack for embedding infectiously monotone hooks in their stiff-yet-funky grooves. Elsewhere we see CCIS going fully unhinged, like on the searing “Someone Reads” or the demented “Pompeii Spared”, where a spray of honks is barely glued together by a frantic synthetic pulse. While this masterwork of malfunctioning analog electronics has surfaced on a few occasions - this first time stand alone remaster includes four never-before-released bonus tracks and includes a lyric sheet. Near Marineland is crucial listening for all devotees of synth-punk and minimal electronics.

Skeletal Family are: Anneka Latta - Vocals, Stan Greenwood - Guitars, Roger "Trotwood" Nowell - Bass, Ian "Karl Heinz" Taylor - Keyboards / Saxophone, Adrian "Ozzy" Osadzenko - Drums and Percussion. Formed in 1982 with vocalist Anne Marie Hurst, their debut album 'Burning Oil' topped the National UK Indie Charts for three weeks in Autumn 1984 above other contemporary northern bands The Smiths and New Order. The band subsequently recorded seven BBC Radio One sessions for John Peel, Janice Long & Kid Jensen. They Signed to Chrysalis Records in 1986. Their discography includes the studio albums: 'Futile Combat', 'Sakura', 'Songs of Love Hope and Despair', 'Day of All Days'. The current line up came together in 2021, with the introduction of vocalist Anneka Latta with the band performing live at 'Wave Gotik Treffen' in Leipzig and 'Darker Waves Festival' in Huntington Beach, California as well as various dates in the UK and USA. Their latest album 'Light From The Dark' was recorded at Paul Weller's 'Black Barn' Studio and received critical acclaim already earlier this year.

Back in stock due to popular demand, the 12th release in our signature Brazil 45’s series saw a reissue of two certified classics from Brazil’s rich musical tapestry.

On the A side, Brazilian Samba luminary Elza Soares, covers Jorge Ben’s classic ‘Mas Que Nada’. Originally featured on her brilliant 1970 Sambas & Mais Sambas LP on Odeon, it’s tougher drums, punchy piano and Elza’s stunning vocal tones make this a perfect dancefloor heater. With over 34 albums to her name in a career that spanned 60 years, Elza is a certified legend of Brazilian music.

Little is known about the artist responsible for the B side track, Elizabeth. Nicknamed ‘Gatinha do Mato’ (loosely translated as ‘Jungle Cat’) she was involved in the Jovem Guarda movement that fused rock n roll and youth culture with Brazilian styles in the ‘60s.

‘Vou Falar-Lhe Francamente’ is a majestic, horn-infused number laced with emotion, that we originally found at one of our favourite, now defunct, spots ‘Tony’s Hits’ in Sao Paulo. The record was originally released on 7” on RGE in 1970.

Stefan Ringer brings his signature depth and smoky soul to another one of his crucial releases this time on FWM Entertainment. This limited 7" kicks off with 'Wanna Be Bad' which is a cut drenched in Detroit style. The warm pads rise out of the mix over crisp snares and a melodic bassline. It's melancholic and enchanting in equal measure. 'Got Me 123' then brings some roughshod drums and perc and chopped-up vocals to make for a perfect backroom beatdown. Do not sleep on this limited 7" from one of house music's most original artists.

Cosmocities returns with a sizzling six-track remix package of 'How It Feels To Be Loved' by American artists Erik Rico & C. Boogie. These jams are all ready for deployment in the club but come with a soulful signature that fans of Rico will quickly recognise. Tracks 'How It Feels...' and 'Love Everlasting' both get reworked by the one and only Josh Milan while Marc Mac, and Rico himself also step up with their own fresh twists. Milan's 'Honeycomb' mix infuses slap bass and acid-leaning grooves, his 'Floor Radio Vocal Mix' adds late-night soulful funk, Rico's 'Trench Coat Tribute Remix' delivers seductive P-funk vibes and Marc Mac's take on 'Love Everlasting' brings Balearic house magic.

Rave OR DIE presents the 2nd volume of the new serie called "Raverbreakerz".

This release includes 5 huge bangers dedicated to the rave-techno-break beat-doomy hard sounds signed by the great artists Mental Fear Productions, Tripped, Nite Fleit, Scalameriya, Umwelt and Scalameriya.

Don't believe the hype!

Kokoroko, the London-based contemporary jazz collective, has released their new single ‘Three Piece Suit’ featuring Azekel.

Warm, rich and sumptuous in sound, ‘Three Piece Suit’ is a heartwarming tribute to the Nigerian immigrant experience. An initial draft of the track first began life at Kokoroko’s studio under the working title ‘Get The Message’.

Crackling through the track’s snug and patiently arranged grooves are subtle touches of funk, adding new dimensions to the band's signature afrobeat and jazz sound in a way that recalls the work of Cymande. Further caressing the instrumentation is the incorporation of the Brazilian nose flute and woozy-sounding synth lines, effortlessly transporting the listeners back in time.

The forthcoming EP will mark Kokoroko’s first dose of new music since the release of ‘Could We Be More Remixes’. The experimental and kaleidoscopic sister project to their 2022 debut album ‘Could We Be More’ which upon initial release earned critical plaudits from the likes of The Guardian, The Telegraph, Financial Times, Jazzwise, CRACK Magazine and Downbeat Magazine. The release would also garner their first Top 40 placement on the UK Albums Chart, peaking at No.30.

Enlisting some of contemporary music’s most forward-thinking artists like KeiyaA, Ash Lauryn, Stefan Ringer and Hagan to re-imagine the original album through a club-focused lens, ‘Could We Be More Remixes’ marked the beginning of the band being cast beyond spaces unrelated to the jazz sphere. A signal of their incoming next phase.

To coincide with the release of ‘Get The Message’, Kokoroko will be embarking on a headline tour across the UK which will culminate with a date at London’s O2 Academy Brixton. This will mark the biggest headline show of their career.

South London’s James Massiah returns to Jon Rust’s Levels imprint with the highly anticipated follow-up to the 2019 underground hit ‘Natural Born Killers’ EP.

The six-track EP ‘True Romance’ is the artist / poet / DJ / producer's richest work to date, autobiographically charting the peaks and troughs of 21st century love, life and relationships.

Massiah’s rap leanings ride over his signature neon productions, taking in an arc of influences including dancehall, dub, acid house, grime and left field pop.

Gritty and shimmering in equal measure, this is essential for devotees of the Dean Blunt, Lord Tusk axis, or anyone switched on to the stream of rap bubbling up from the UK right now.

Heavy rotations from Benji B, Jamz Supernova, Shy One & Scratcha DVA.

A vital release for 2024.

Just a Man, Beres Hammond’s 1979 album, is a hidden gem in his illustrious career, celebrated for its heartfelt lyrics and smooth melodies, hallmarks of Hammond's signature style. This album offers a rare glimpse of Hammond before he became the lover’s rock icon we know today. Blending R&B, disco, soul reggae, and lovers rock, Just a Man showcases his soulful voice against the backdrop of disco-infused reggae rhythms, creating an irresistible vibe.
At this pivotal moment in his career, Hammond had just left the band Zap Pow to focus on his solo work, and Just a Man was a bold statement of independence. It reflects Hammond’s early musical journey, combining elements of R&B and disco with reggae, and marks a key moment in his rise as a solo artist.
Produced by Joe Gibbs, a legendary figure in reggae, and arranged by Willie Lindo, the album features some of Jamaica’s most esteemed musicians: Val Douglas & Mike Chung on bass; Mike Richards, Robert Stephenson & Calvin McKenzie on drums; Robert Lyn, Franklyn Waul& Harold Butler on electric piano; Lenox Gordon, Willie Lindo on guitar; Pam Hall, Prilly Hamilton, Sharon Forrester & Beres Hammond on backing vocals; Waul, Clive Hunt & Noel Seale on percussions; Hunt, Franklyn Waul & Harold Butler on piano; Dean Fraser on saxophone; Peter Ashbourne Group as string ensemble; Jerome Francque & Roland Robinson on trombone; David Madden, Willie Brackenridge & Clive Hunt on trumpet.
The album’s standout track, “Do This World A Favour,” became a UK soul hit, but the entire album features rare and funky gems like "Keep My Wheel Turning" that reflect Hammond's versatility and ability to transcend genres.
Our exclusive edition has been remastered, delivering superior sound quality that enhances the richness of every note.
This edition is published under the direction of Joseph Barthelet for Jamwax, under license from Gavin D.A. Gibson.
Just a Man is more than just an album; it’s a significant piece of jamaican music history.

Next up on MovetoneWax is Nick Beringer, a name that speaks for itself with a string of standout releases on labels like Raum…Musik, Mosaic, and Daydream, just to name a few. His Shortcut EP for the label steps out of his comfort zone while retaining his unmistakable signature sound. The two original tracks are dialing for some serious damage on the dance floor.

On remix duties, we’ve enlisted two heavyweight producers. Tommy Vicari Jnr offers a hypnotic journey, driven by a wobbly bassline that’s bound to keep the groove going strong. Pascal Benjamin's take brings his unique touch, offering a fresh interpretation while staying true to the original’s melodic elements.

Soul4Real returns to the south with a selection of eleven songs from Malaco, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and Alarm Records.
There is no doubt that in the 1970s and 1980s, Malaco in Mississippi and Muscle Shoals Sound in Alabama were both highly significant in defining the southern soul sound. Malaco’s Studio had opened in 1967, while Muscle Shoals Sound Studio opened its doors for business in 1969, when four musicians left nearby Fame Studios to go it alone. Alarm Records, meanwhile, based in Shreveport, Louisiana, provides us with four of the tracks on this album.
Independent producers and major record companies sent their artists south to record, taking advantage of both Malaco and Muscle Shoals Sound’s talented array of musicians, writers and producers. Muscle Shoals Sound, in particular, started to receive artists from Atlantic Records from the get-go; R.B. Greaves, Baby Washington, Sam & Dave and Solomon Burke led the way, along with Scotland’s Lulu. The first relesase on their own record label was the timeless “It Hurts So Good” by Katie Love. Meanwhile, Stax (amongst others) sent some of their artists to record at both studios, and Malaco would also lease some of its own productions out to Atlantic. Alarm Records was a smaller set-up which also produced some wonderful records.
This album opens with the only female singer featured – Dorothy Moore. Her exquisite “Girl Overboard” has been justifiably popular on the soul scene for decades. The other ten tracks showcase an array of fine male singers, most of whom (Bobby Bland and King Floyd aside), sadly and perhaps unjustly, never really made the big time. It is the first showing on vinyl for three of the tracks here (previously having only been issued on CD), and Jimmy Jules’ reading of “Having A Little Talk With Love” has never appeared anywhere before. As always, sit back and savour the music!

The Holiday Album That Turned Mariah Carey into the Queen of Christmas: Featuring the Standard “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the Singer’s Blockbuster Merry Christmas Exudes Joy, Spirituality, and Conviction
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes, Presented in Audiophile Sound for the First Time, and Strictly Limited to 3,000 Numbered Copies:

Mobile Fidelity’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33RPM LP Set Plays with Superb Detail, Openness, and Definition
1/2" / 30 IPS / Dolby SR analogue master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe

Mariah Carey didn’t become the Queen of Christmas just because of her fervent love of the holiday. Or as the result of a brilliant marketing plan. The iconic singer earned her title by way of her blockbuster Merry Christmas, a 1994 album that quickly joined the likes of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song as an all-time holiday vocal classic. Featuring a balanced mix of inspired originals and well-chosen covers, Carey’s fourth studio record has only grown in stature as new generations discover its magic. Mobile Fidelity’s 30th anniversary edition reissue of Merry Christmas makes her spellbinding performances and upper-tier register come alive like never before.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, the pioneering label’s UltraDisc One-Step 180g 33RPM LP set of Merry Christmas plays with superb detail, depth, and dimensionality. Available in audiophile quality for the first time since its original release three decades ago, and featuring the bonus track “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen,” the nine-times-platinum set breathes with a newfound openness and transparency that enhance the spirituality, passion, and festive tenor of Carey’s singing.

Benefitting from superb groove definition, a nearly inaudible noise floor, and dead-quiet vinyl surfaces, the music takes on a heightened energy and anticipatory emotion synonymous with the holiday season. Carey’s signature vocals explode with liveliness and dynamics, the full scope of her acrobatic range presented in clear, transparent sound that practically places her on a small stage in your listening room. This collectible version also breathes with the kind of warmth, intimacy, and coziness you want from a landmark vocal album.

Recorded when Carey helped put “diva” back into everyone’s vocabulary, Merry Christmas gave the New York native another smash right out of the box. What nobody knew at the time was the degree of the album’s staying power — and how, many years removed from its initial promotion cycle, its legend would still grow and even spark a 2010 sequel. Having re-entered the Top 200 charts every year since 2019, Merry Christmas ranks as one of the three most commercially successful holiday LPs ever made and, in due time, will likely earn the top distinction in that class. A global blockbuster, it seamlessly ties together Christian, gospel, and secular threads and speaks to a boundless audience, independent of denomination.

Most obviously, the record remains inescapably connected to “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” an uptempo anthem that towers as a holiday standard and one of the biggest-selling singles in history. Punctuated with celesta chimes, sleigh bells, springy keyboards, and joyous beats, the song echoes the simple albeit engaging melodies and doo-wop style of beloved holiday classics of yore — and blends such elements with contagious dance-pop rhythms to create an atmosphere rich in joy, wonder, and excitement. Radiant with golden soulfulness and sincere conviction, Carey’s exuberant singing and on-point phrasing put it all over the top. And how.

The song stands as the only effort in Billboard history to top the Hot 100 chart during at least three separate runs. Carey’s blockbuster has already hit No. 1 during five runs, spanning every year between 2019 and 2024. That’s just one of the many records the singer holds — and only one of the multiple highlights from Merry Christmas, which includes two other Carey-penned originals, “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)” and “Jesus Born on This Day.”

Though slightly lesser known, Carey’s remarkable rendition of Darlene Love’s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” further links her album with the big, lush, Wall of Sound heritage that helped inspire its production. Carey’s heartfelt take and transformation of the traditional “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” into an animated tune that even adults can believe, as well as her clairon reading of “Joy to the World” — cleverly augmented with bits of Three Dog Night’s 1971 hit of the same name — further reinforce her status as Queen of Christmas.

At the peak of her powers, Carey finds equivalent success when tapping more spiritual veins. Witness the reverence she brings to the timeless carol “Silent Night,” the piousness she invests in “Jesus Oh What a Wonderful Child,” and the sacred feeling she conveys throughout “O Holy Night.” You’ll also never think of “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)” the same way again after hearing Mimi pour her heart and soul into them, and pair the songs together.

Indeed, it’s Carey’s pliable voice, melismatic technique, and five-octave range — on display here in definitive fashion — coupled with her undeniable love for Christmas and understanding of the religious significance of the season that make Merry Christmas a must-have holiday staple. And on Mobile Fidelity’s LP, something you better add to your wish list.