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The British Gambian rapper chronicles his cellblock daydreams on family, freedom, and feeling alien in the UK while hinting at a new blueprint for pan-African pop.

Santana Bridges the Divide Between Live and Studio Material on Moonflower: 1977 Double Album Features Extraordinary Performances, Soulful Vibes, and Dynamic Mix of Latin, Rock, Funk, and Blues
Sourced from the Original Master Tapes and Strictly Limited to 3,000 Numbered Copies: Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM 2LP Set Plays with Audiophile-Quality Detail, Balance, and Imaging
1/4” / 15 IPS original analogue non-Dolby master to DSD 256 to analogue console to lathe



Though it may seem strange now, Moonflower stood for nearly 15 years as Santana’s first and only live record released in the United States. This despite the fact that roughly half of the double album consists of new studio songs, including a zesty cover of the Zombies classic “She’s Not There” that reached the Top 30 of the singles charts.

However unconventional, the “split” strategy went over like gangbusters. Moonflower reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Top 200 and achieved double-platinum status — feats the group would not again replicate for 22 years. These, and the beautiful quality of the program itself, are among the reasons why the 1977 effort remains viewed by critics and fans alike as must-have Santana.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, housed in a Stoughton jacket, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity’s 180g 33RPM 2LP set of Moonflower presents the record in audiophile sound for the first time on a domestic reissue. Part of the MoFi’s Santana catalog restoration series, this collectible version features quiet surfaces and black backgrounds that expose the critical details, liquid tones, and dynamic interplay central to Santana’s music.

The enhanced sonics extend not only to Carlos Santana’s six-string wizardry, but to the rhythmic, melodic, and vocal elements that course throughout both the studio and live cuts on Moonflower. The grip and depth of the bass lines; the wash of the organ; the scope and carry of the vocals; the extension and weight of the low-end frequencies; the rich textures of the guitars, percussive devices, and keyboards: all appear amid wide, balanced soundstages and image with right-sized dimensionality.

Significantly rooted in the styles and approaches that inform the group’s first three records, Moonflower captures the final appearances of iconic percussionist Jose “Chepito” Areas and go-to keyboardist Tom Coster on a Santana album. As he did during the preceding five-year stretch, Coster inhabits a large role here, sharing songwriting credits on a majority of the new cuts and helping steer the arrangements toward spiritually minded albeit concise directions that encompass vibrant Latin, rock, and blues themes that began to escape the ensemble shortly after his departure.

Close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun on the R&B-kissed “I’ll Be Waiting,” anchored by Carlos Santana’s gliding fretwork and Greg Walker’s creamy vocals. Enter the cosmic universe of “Zulu,” on which Coster’s nimble phrasing opens the gate to polyrhythmic beats, knotty grooves, and interlocking funk. Grab the album cover and drift off to paradise amid the equally evocative “Flor d’Luna (Moonflower),” a romantic slow dance that Carlos Santana ensures tiptoes en route to its blissful destination. Channeling a different spirit animal, the guitarist later lets loose on the hard-hitting “El Morocco,” on which he seemingly engages in a shootout with himself and wades into the rippling psychedelia that elevated the band’s early material.

Speaking of the past, Moonflower triumphs on that level as well. In more ways than one, the live selections — and the caliber of the performances — chosen for inclusion represent an abbreviated greatest-hits survey of the band up to that point. And, at the very least, a convincing argument about why Santana had progressed into one of the most formidable bands you could hope to see on a stage in the mid ‘70s.

Simultaneously representative and illustrative of the group’s breadth, tracks stem from the collective’s eponymous debut, Abraxas, and Santana III as well as the then-more recent Amigos and Festival. Whether you fall for the sidewinding spell of a spicy rendition of “Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen,” lose your head to the positively epic momentum of “Soul Sacrifice/Head, Hands & Feet,” or keep dropping the needle on the savory grace of the brilliant reading of “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile),” this pressing of Moonflower puts you — and Santana’s first-chapter legacy — in good hands.

Steve Harley's iconic album The Best Years Of Our Lives celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2025 and to mark the event, Chrysalis Records is proud to present an expanded 3-Disc edition featuring a 2025 Stereo Mix by Alan Parsons.

Following the split of the original Cockney Rebel line up, Harley endeavored to form a new line up while renaming the group as Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel. The result of this newfound group was electric, with the band producing their biggest hit; the number one, million-selling anthem 'Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)'.

The lead track has gone on to have a life of its own, produced by Alan Parsons, just two years after he engineered Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon, this album stands tall as an assured collection of top tier prog-glam-pop.

Disc One features a new 2025 Alan Parsons Stereo Mix, Disc two has never-before-heard outtakes and rarities, offering fans a unique insight into the creative process. The DVD features the Between The Lines documentary and Star Rider live video, unaired since the time, giving a wonderful glimpse into Steve performing at his victory lap show at Hammersmith Odeon alongside some fantastic fan interviews, Make Me Smile promo video and TOTP performance and the full audio recording of the Hammersmith Odeon concert. At the centre of this DVD style hardback book, are liner notes by renowned author Peter Doggett with interviews from band members Jim Cregan, Stewart Elliott, Duncan Mackay and producer Alan Parsons plus previously unseen photographs from Mick Rock and Michael Putland

Here we have a new four track EP from ddwy following two acclaimed EPs on Public Possession. ddwy (pronounced d-why) is the Welsh word for “two” — a nod to Naomi and Ronan, the duo behind the project. It’s a four track EP ranging from dancefloor moments such as ‘Beaming Backwards’ and the dubwise ‘Peak Smile’ to the more ethereal ‘Stars Stars’ and the ambient tone of ‘Heuldro’r Haf’. A beautifully rounded EP showing a quiet potential for a broader audience. The echo continues.

Official vinyl reissue of 1978 classic hard rock album featuring the fantastic power trio of Burke Shelley, Tony Bourge, and Steve Williams.

HUGE CONGRATULATIONS TO MOXIE AND THE LOVE INTERNATIONAL X TEST PRESSING TEAM FOR WINNING THE BEST COMPILATION IN THE DJ MAG BEST OF BRITISH AWARDS 2025


“I feel really chuffed as a lot of work went into building this compilation,” beams Moxie, when we congratulate her on the award. “I also worked alongside a great team, including Dave Harvey, Ellie Stokes, Chez de Milo and everyone at Prime Distribution. I’d been manifesting working on a project like this for years, so when it all came together I was so happy with it. But to have recognition from the DJ Mag public vote is the cherry on the cake.”


Few artists have shaped their local scene quite like Alice Moxom under her celebrated Moxie alias. A born-and-bred Londoner, Moxie is a dance music powerhouse whose influence runs deep—from the grassroots to global stages. Her trajectory spans early teenage years digging for garage records, to dubstep sets at legendary club nights, to running her long-standing and beloved NTS Radio residency. For over a decade, she’s been a midweek staple on NTS, championing deep house, Detroit techno, and all things dubby, groovy, and percussive, while regularly platforming artists through guest mixes and interviews with icons like Jeff Mills, Four Tet, and Or:la.

Her latest endeavor, the Love International compilation, brings that wealth of experience to life. 'I’d secretly been manifesting this for a while,' Moxie admits. 'Love International has such a specific energy, and I wanted the compilation to reflect that—dubby, fun, euphoric, deep. It’s all the styles of music I love, pulled together in harmony. Being at Love International always feels like coming home. Whether it’s dancing in Barbarellas or sharing a smile with a stranger on the dancefloor, there’s this sense of unity that’s hard to describe. That’s why I chose ‘U Skladu’ for the sleeve—because that’s what it feels like: in harmony.'

"Chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams..."

December 25th, 2023 - an Instagram post. Stimulator Jones shared half a dozen FIRE tracks from his beat tape archive. We were immediately drawn to the rough hewn boom bap.

"I'd release that", Rob commented.

Hours of material was shared and the result is this: Cool Green Trees (1999-2005). A collection of beats and loops Stimulator Jones created between the ages of 14-20 at home in his basement, bedroom and computer room in Roanoke, Virginia.

You will not believe the profound soulful genius contained within these naive schoolboy melodies.

December 25th, 1998 - 25 years ago to the day and his much-coveted Yamaha SU10 sampler was finally bestowed upon young Stimmy AKA Sam Lunsford: "I immediately hooked up a CD Walkman to the input jack and looped the beginning two bars of Grover Washington Jr.'s "Mercy Mercy Me". I don't know what exactly was so thrilling about hearing two measures of music repeating over and over but it was so infectious and hypnotizing and enthralling to me. I'll never forget that ecstatic rush of making my first loop - an uncontrollable, gleeful smile plastered all over my face." When you hear the pocket breakbeat symphonies featured here on Cool Green Trees, you'll feel the same sense of frisson.

In the wake of his Stones Throw breakthrough - Exotic Worlds & Master Treasures - Stimulator Jones was pegged by many as a 90s throwback artist. However, he literally IS a 90s artist. He's been recording music most of his life and he's now 40. He created the bulk of Cool Green Trees as a teenager. Everything before 2004 was recorded when Sam was still in school. He was in 8th grade when he made the 1999 tracks - he didn't even have his learner's permit. This album is a snapshot of a young man in a simpler time. Things were still mysterious back then and he was flying blind, relying on his ears and having to figure things out for himself: "I had no road map for becoming a beatmaker. I have been collecting music since I was a kid, I am a lifelong digger and seeker of cool and interesting sounds. I was there in the golden age of Hip Hop, and while I may have been a suburban white kid in Roanoke, Virginia, I was tuned in and I bought so many classic albums when they came out. I was attracted to Hip Hop because of the musical and poetic quality. I was hypnotized by the rhythms, partially because I was a drummer. I didn't brag about collecting my breakbeat records or making beats - it was something I did in isolation. It wasn't something I generally wanted to bring attention to and it didn't really score me any cool points. I certainly wasn't flexing on social media about it."

Hell, he can do that now!

Opener "Pharoah Jones" was inspired by Yesterday's New Quintet and Madlib's ability to capture that classic 70s sound whilst playing all the instruments. Sam created this one stoned afternoon by laying down a 2 bar loop and a shaker loop on his Yamaha SU700 sampler. He hung a microphone from the ceiling and played his Yamaha Stage Custom drum kit over the top before adding ender Rhodes and playing his dad's Selmer tenor sax through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. Yes! Up next, "Ghost Gospel" utilises a dope loop from a gospel record and adds some soul-funk drums overtop, whilst working that filter knob. Says Sam: "The loop reminded me of something Ghostface would rap over. The sample was in 3/4 waltz time but I flipped it for a 4/4 groove, a technique I picked up from RZA. "Ill Feeling" uses sped-up pieces from a dusty old funk record and putting them over a classic NOLA drum loop; gain chopping up a slow, bluesy 3/4 time signature and bending it to a 4/4 groove. Classy shit. "Capital Punishment" features drums tapped in live, inspired by MF Doom's Special Herbs series. "Do Not Adjust" consists loops found on a compilation of 70s French music at Happy's Flea Market, a classic Roanoke digging spot.

The sublime, evocative title track, "Cool Green Trees" was created when Sam was still living at home. He dumped samples off his SU10 into the family desktop and arranged them in a demo version of Pro Tools: "This track was sort of my ode to the DJ Shadow style of sample based production. Super spacey, slow, and moody. The heavily filtered drums were inspired by Alec Empire's 'Low on Ice' album. I later added some scratches and sounds from a Spider Man storybook record." "Chill Scratch" snags the final bit of a bossanova record and pairs it with a drum loop before adding experimental scratching run through an Electro Harmonix Memory Man echo pedal. "Poisonous Fumes" was made using a sampler, mixer and a turntable; a kind of mixtape beat collage with added scratches and sounds from various records. Using dialogue from superhero records was a nod to Madlib. "Welcome Aboard The Starship" is dark, downtempo trip-hop with a spooky bent. Sam paired a slow, hard drum loop with a guitar sample grabbed off a psychedelic rock record. To finish, he added various backwards sounds and weird atmospheric effects and a little scratching. Swoon.

Side B opens with "Keep On Runnin", made on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler. Having always loved the sound of the Lo-Fi filter on those machines, reminiscent of the Emu SP1200, Sam always imagined Del or another of the Hieroglyphics crew rapping over this beat. You can certainly hear why. "Sounds Impossible" sees Sam experimenting with layering multiple kick samples at different volumes to create patterns similar to those heard by Showbiz and Lord Finesse during their God-level 1995 period. "Painted Faces" was made by chopping up a REDACTED record which he had gotten from Happy's Flea Market and paired it with a REDACTED drum loop. By the time Sam recorded "The Knew Style", he had acquired a shitty old 1960s portable turntable off eBay. It didn't function properly when he bought it but his brother opened it up, cleaned it out and got it working: "I remember he told me that there was a bunch of sand inside of it when he opened it up, as if its previous owner had taken it to the beach. I would take that turntable on my Happy's Flea Market digs so I could preview records...that's how I found this loop."

"Chicken Wing Blues Sauce" loops up a classic blues joint and pairs it with some REDACTED drums. A bit of filtering and arranging et voilà! "Kool Breeze", from 1999, is one of Sam's oldest surviving beats, as is "Sexx Bullets". The Roots sampled the same record, leaving Sam frustrated yet vindicated. "Soul Child" was an early SU10 creation, looping a dusty old Soul Children 45 and pairing it with 70s rock drum loops to great effect. "Take Off Runnin" was another loop found digging with a portable turntable. Paired with some boom bap drums it makes for a hypnotic head-nod groove. "Centurian" was intended to be a little beat interlude a la Pete Rock. The sample is from a sun-dappled soft-psych record and it's paired with a Robin Trower drum loop that just happens to fit perfectly. Sometimes you slap things together kind of haphazardly and magic happens. "Bozack" was the first beat Sam made using Pro Tools, his first foray into using chopped sounds instead of loops, an exciting new world. "Church" is beat interlude using a Phil Upchurch loop with the "Long Red" drums - a favourite break of Dilla et al. Sam was really on a tear in late 2004, probably because he was unemployed and phoneless and able to just make beats all day. He made "Splash One" on a borrowed Yamaha SU700 and again was experimenting with tapping the drums in live with his fingers, instead of using a loop or sequenced pattern. Channeling 9th Wonder, Sam used a water splash sound effect from a Batman record as a percussive element, hence the title (also a 13th Floor Elevators reference). The main loop is a backwards portion of one of his favourite Roy Ayers songs.

"Hank" is another fun little beat interlude thing, created on a borrowed Roland SP202 sampler with the fantastic Lo-Fi effect that resembled the Emu SP1200 at a fraction of the price. "73 goatee", from 99, is another of his oldest surviving beats, created in his bedroom with his Yamaha SU10 and his brother's Vestax MR-300 4-track recorder: "This one will always feel special. I can remember having a feeling all the way back then on the night that I created it that this was a solid beat with a catchy loop. There was something in the Fender Rhodes melody that resonated with me emotionally, and I had never heard a producer sample that portion before. I felt like I had found my own unique sound, my own unique loop. It came from an Ahmad Jamal '73. I actually even recorded myself rapping and scratching over this beat way back then, I still have that version in all its imperfect sloppy glory."

Sam explains just how much these tracks mean to him: "They all have immense historical and sentimental value and I'm proud of them. These beats come from an innocent, simple time when I was just figuring out how to craft these sounds. They're something very personal to me. They are the initial part of a journey that I really was taking *alone*. There was no YouTube. I couldn't Google shit. I didn't even know any other beatmakers, producers or DJs in my town that could teach me anything. It was always just me, alone, in a room with some equipment - chasing the funky symphonies that filled my head and my dreams. What I was doing wasn't cool. Most of my peers thought I was a weirdo and couldn't care less. Creating these sounds was an anti-social endeavour. In a sense, I felt like it was me against the world, and all I had to instruct and assist me were the recordings produced by my heroes - RZA, DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, Beatminerz, Showbiz, Diamond D, Beatnuts, Prince Paul, The Bomb Squad, Pete Rock, Q-Tip, E-Swift, Mista Lawnge, DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Peanut Butter Wolf, El-P and so many more...I dedicate this collection to them, and to my older brother Joe who has always been a musical and technical guiding light for me.

This was a time before every kid was a self-described producer and beatmaker, before everyone had a DAW, before Kanye and "chipmunk soul", before Red Bull beat battles, before there was any social media beyond chat rooms and AOL Instant Messenger, before Soundcloud, before SP-404 mania, before lo-fi beats to study to, before Splice, before targeted ads for MIDI chord packs, etc. In 99 when I told people that I had a sampler and made beats I was mostly met with bewildered confusion and indifference. Kids and adults alike would wonder why I got this weird machine for Christmas instead of something worthwhile like a Playstation or a mountain bike or even a guitar for that matter because at least that could be used to make "real music". Back then, sampling was still not widely respected as an art form - it was seen as lazy, talentless and unoriginal at best and outright criminal theft at worst. I had gotten respect for playing drums and guitar and things of that nature but this was a step in the wrong direction in the eyes of many."

The cover photo is a picture of Sam standing on his back porch in the latter part of 1998, just before he got his first sampler. He was 13 years old, in 8th grade. His dad took the picture with his 35mm film camera: "I actually wanted to be pointing my dad's .22 pistol at the camera lens but he wouldn't let me. He gave me an old walking cane to use instead. The Tommy Hilfiger puffer jacket came from the lost and found at William Fleming High School where my mom worked as a secretary. I was thrilled when she brought it home because we never spent money on expensive name brand clothing like that - we were for the most part strictly a sale rack, bargain bin, thrift store, yard sale, flea market kind of family when it came to clothes. My watch is some cheap off-brand fake gold department store watch." Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry.

Mit einem Konzert in der Berliner Philharmonie haben MozdzerɎ Rantala und Wollny ȓȑȒȓ den Startschuss zur erfolgreichen VÖɞReiɞ he gegebenɍ Über Ȓȑ Jahre später kehrten sie – diesmal mit Gregory Privat als vierten Pianisten – an gleicher Wirkungsstätte zurückɍ Zusammen lassen sie die Zuhörer die Essenz der Kunstform Musik erlebenɏ Als Spiegelbild ihrer ZeitɎ als Ausdrucksmittel purer Emotion und als eine Form der KommunikationɎ die ganz ohne Worte ausɞ kommt und Menschen in ihrem Innersten berührtɍ

Well, well, well. Look who's back and creeping around your abandoned basement - eating rats and headcheese with a smile on his face. Chicago veteran, Beau Wanzer, heading straight for the jugular on his own imprint. Essential splatter-techno for the tweakers and fumbling freakers.

*We've missed these self-released Wanzers. TIP!

[e] B1 When You Were Young, Mixed By – Alan Moulder, Flood, Producer – Alan Moulder, Flood, Producer [With] – The Killers
[f] B2 Read My Mind, Mixed By – Alan Moulder, Flood, Producer – Alan Moulder, Flood, Producer [With] – The Killers
[g] B3 For Reasons Unknown, Mixed By – Alan Moulder, Flood, Producer – Alan Moulder, Flood, Producer [With] – The Killers



[k] C3 Runaways, Mixed By – Alan Moulder, Producer – Brendan O'Brien, Producer [Additional] – Damian Taylor, Steve Lillywhite

PLONC Hits! 001 peaks like the Fichtelberg in the Harz mountains in Germany. A1 is every smiley face’s fantasy, bass-loaded acid with a majestic bump, followed by the most classic Chicago old-skool, so goood, I can’t take it baby. B-side takes a quick detour into the ‘90s with the first track, only to return to a laid back acid groove that ultimately kicks you into low earth orbit.

This is the very first reissue on 7” single of these super rare and gorgeous early Reggae tracks by one of the most underrated voice of Jamaica. Both these tracks were produced by Dandy Livingstone and released in 1969 on the Downtown label, a Trojan sublabel, on two separate singles:
- DT-436: Audrey "You'll Lose A Good Thing" with Desmond Riley "If I Had Wings" on the flip.
- DT-414: Audrey "Love Me Tonight" with Brother Dan All Stars "Shoot Them Amigo" on the B side.
NOTE: Desmond Riley "If I Had Wings" is featured on our companion single also to be released on June 21, 2025.
This reissue brings these two rare gems together for the first time on a 7” single allowing enthusiasts and collectors to experience their gorgeous sound.
The original pressings have become highly collectible, with copies fetching big sums in the collectors' market.
This exceptional release will be available on our website and in select record shops worldwide from June 21, 2025.

Audrey Hall, aka Audrey was born in Kingston in 1948, sister to Pam, Trevor & Raymond Hall, all Reggae artists. She began her career as a duo, Dandy & Audrey with Dandy Livingstone. She recorded two albums with Dandy as a duo in 1968 and 1969.
She also recorded a handful of solo singles on the Down Town label with Livingstone as a producer. Dandy was a key producer shaping Jamaican sounds in Britain at that time. Although these tracks are actually all quite nice, two tracks really standout: “You’ ll Lose A Good Thing” and “Love Me Tonight” both released together for the first time on this single.
After the Skinheads craze subsided in Britain, Audrey moved to New York. During much of the 1970s and early 1980s, she worked as a backing singer alongside her sister Pam Hall. She made a real come-back as a solo artist in 1985 with producer Donovan Germain and scored many hits in the U.K.including “One Dance Won’t Do”, "Smile" and "The Best Thing For Me".
While she gained wider success in the 1980s with lovers rock hits, she did not quite get the recognition her outstanding singing skills deserved and she remains one of the most underrated voice of Jamaica…

Few lovers stay together for life-and beyond. Just as rare are the artists who manage to keep alive the burning flame of their creative desire. Areski Belkacem is one of those who nurtures in his heart a fire that never dies out, a passion that burns just as intensely for music as it does for his beloved. As long as the message eventually reaches its intended recipient, he cares little for how long the journey takes. His new album, Long courrier, is proof of this: twelve unreleased songs that flow like a love letter set to music. In nearly 60 years of career, Areski Belkacem has released only three solo albums-intimate and deeply personal works that feel like whispered confidences to a loved one. In an era where commercial demands shape much of music production, these records exist solely to fulfill his need for expression. The late music lover and producer Jean-Philippe Allard once said, "Areski goes against the tide-he always seems to enjoy taking forbidden paths!" In Long courrier, Areski tenderly expresses love for his homeland and his beloved. He believes in the power of sensuality, the sacredness of pleasure, and the hidden beauty in every person despite life's hardships. He shows a fraternal gaze toward outsiders and sings of inner journeys, doubt, vows, eternal bonds-with a voice as warm and bright as a loving smile. He honors the mystery of the union between music and the French language. Blending his familiar chaabi rhythms and guitar with piano, accordion, bass, and electric guitar, he plays alongside the same musicians who have accompanied him for over two decades on stage-supporting the woman he shares both stage and life with: the incomparable Brigitte Fontaine.

Recorded in 1990 for the noted New York audiophile label Chesky Records, My Blue Heaven was John Pizzarelli's frst signifcant album release, heralding the arrival of a major talent and future Grammy- winning star

Supported by a dream team line- up of veteran jazz stars - including Pizzarelli's guitarplaying father, Bucky, together with trumpeter Clark Terry , bass supremo Milt Hinton, and drummer extraordinaire Connie Kay - the New Jersey- born singer and virtuoso of the seven- string guitar serves up a swinging cache of evergreen jazz standards. With the album's highlights ranging from spirited revamps of the Nat King Cole Trio's 'Candy,' and Dave Frishberg's 'Can't Take You Nowhere,' the impeccably recorded My Blue Heaven represented a signifcant step in Pizzarelli's early musical journey, helping to introduce him to a wider audience. The album is reissued on 180g One Step Pressing Vinyl LP.

[b] A2 Rich Girl, Arranged By – Christopher Bond, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Arranged By [Strings] – Christopher Bond, Written-By – Daryl Hall

Born from a virtual encounter in lockdown between two Parisian neighbors, the DJ/producer Prosper and saxophonist Le Marabout, this new playful and joyous project is pulling freely from the Afro, Funk, Disco, Hip-Hop, Oriental and Electro influences of the two artists.
The iconoclastic DJ Romain “Prosper” Coolen, fervent purveyor of no holds barred euphoria on the dance floor, and the versatile saxophonist, composer and jack-of-all-trades Johann “Le Marabout” Guihard offer us a lavish, eclectic, uninhibited, coherent and furiously groovy listening experience.

First single “C’est Vrai“, from their forthcoming album ‘Le Moustache Conspiracy’ (released October 2022) is a banging Electro Afro Funk joint featuring Fou Malade and Niagass, two luminaries of the Senegalese Hip-Hop scene.

Over the bouncing beat and snarling horns, these two juggle lyrics back and forth in Wolof (Senegal’s most widely spoken language), calling out those fake friends who smile in your face before stabbing you in the back.

‘You are behind the damn wheel every day and you don’t even know it’ , weightily remarks Powerplant’s band leader Theo Zhykharyev on the reading of his latest single. London-based project signals the return to signature formula of marching drum machines and wailing synthesisers, matured by life experiencing of prolonged touring. ’Car is life, brother. Sometimes you drive it, other times - the car drives you. And, statistically, we’ll all see the airbags go off sooner than later as consequence of choices made by us or onto us, consciously or not.’
Crashing Cars breaks out the gates to the heavy low end driven dance floor. ‘I was listening to a lot of Bladee when I wrote it and needed a similar thick kick to get you moving’, says Theo. Its an emotionally loaded cannon of a track that will keep you in its grip until it has run its course and told its story. Yearning from connection unfulfilled, rings out through the heartbroken and weeping synth and choir lines. The ever-morphing and dynamic bass works in tandem with razor sharp guitars. The instrumentation, through combined ‘no looking back’ forward charge and immediacy, conjure a manic and emotional forward momentum, which rings out in the song’s lyrics. The vocal performance ranges from the trademark Powerplant goblin squeaks, to more mature, tour-hardened singing. On a sonic aesthetic level, Crashing Cars vibrates in a familiar fashion to Powerplant’s biggest hit Dungen. However, this time far less playful and harder hitting. Described as the fallout of “avoiding, chasing and running away”, lyrically it paints a dead end in human relationships concluding it car-crash heading for the scrapyard. The song concludes with a loaded four line spoken word poetry segment, that hangs over the fleeting outro.
The B side of the single, Never Smile, rolls the speed back, but throws in jangly guitar hooks and bouncy bass lines. Zhykharyev’s vocals sit in a lower register, hence are more stoic and melancholic. If this track had to be a day of the week, it would be a calm, introspective Sunday. With lyrics about looking into evil omens, the sky and reading people as ‘not something different’, it paints an ambiguous, but heavy conclusion about the world and its people. It tells a story about circumstantially settling into an identity and playing the assigned part for the convenience of the external world. It’s easier to fit than to stand apart. It's a perfect balance of mid-tempo radio-rock that builds and changes, before exploding into a shaggy guitar solo, only to go into an unexpected ethereal outro and this 7”s crescendo.
‘Both of these songs are kinda old now, sitting at around 4 years old. And although I haven’t changed the lyrics since then, I somehow find new meaning in them as time goes on. Being Ukrainian and going into the fourth year of the full scale Russian invasion back home, the chorus “my death to you - a better price to pay” makes a lot of sense looking at how the world powers are trying to spin the devastation of my people for a quick profit and an easier life for themselves. This single coming out now at this very point in my life feels both profound and very ironic. Life never ends’, summarises Zhykharyev.

Samosa Records comes at you with all the elements for Earth, Wind & Funk Vol. 2 – a succulent double slice of vinyl heaven!
DeGama unlocks his ReGroove toolkit for A1 – Leslie Lello’s house stomper ‘R U Doing’. The bass does all the talking before a glorious synth arrangement washes over your ears. The filtered, soaring, time stretched breakdown will have you in raptures. Pure late night dance floor territory, ‘R U Doing’ is simply relentless.
Frank Virgilio gets his ‘Juice’ flowing for track A2. A fusion of furious acid style synth bass, rolling beats, organ stabs and bongos, ‘Juice’ doesn’t waste any time at all in revealing all of its glory. There’s so much goodness going on in this track – no less than the glorious, uplifting tribal vocal that weaves its way in and out.
A3 gives a reprise of Leslie Lello’s ‘R U Doing’ with the original cut making a welcome appearance on the disc. All the ingredients are here – tight bongo led rhythm, gorgeous sequenced synth and driving bass. ‘R U Doing’ is one of those smile inducing tunes that lights up the floor, be that sunset or sunrise.
On the B-side of this Part.2 we return to the company of Dirtyelements & Drunkdrivers with ‘Hey You’ and another DeGama Re-Groove. Coming in at 124pm, ‘Hey You’ leads you up the piano dazzler path – a pounding, funk fuelled story set in the big city after midnight with no cabs home available.
On B2 Iberian groove master Javi Frias bakes all his funk in one big pie with ‘The Big Dance’. At a heady 128bpm, ‘The Big Dance’ wastes no time in setting its stall out. Javi’s recipe is electric, elaborate and fast-paced – oodles of bongos, laser beams and a disco bass to die for, ‘The Big Dance’ does exactly what it says on the tin.
In Earth, Wind & Funk Vol. 2 Samosa Records has produced a stunning double slab release, featuring a good mix of some of the label’s most prolific artists and some welcome newcomers.

2025 Repress
OSLO is happy to welcome new artist Federico Lijtmaer to the family with his wonderful EP Impermanencia.

Inpermanencia on the A-side is a superb deep house track with the right kind of funkyness for the cool. Federico combines smooth bass with shifty drums and classy synth action. This track will conjure a smile on your face and we are happy as hell to be able to release this little gem.

Unselfish on the B-side is as funky as its big brother on the flip-side. A throwback to bygone times in a way, if you consider labels as Mosaic or Trelik. However, Federico definitely succeeded in terms of a modern interpretation. The inclined listener will recognize his musical roots anyway.

Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain is the third studio album from the enchanting songstress, Raveena. Blending powerful storytelling with early 2000s pop, Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain sees music continuing to play the central role as both a catalyst and medium in her personal and creative growth. With newfound clarity, Raveena delves into themes of new love, maturity, comfort, and domesticity that reflect the peace of mind she currently inhabits. Speaking on this evolution and how it informed the album’s creative, she shares, “Butterflies are so delicate that they have to hide in leaves and flowers until the rain passes so that their wings don’t get crushed in the rain. I felt like that was kind of a metaphor for where I was in my life. I needed to go back to comfort—to deep rest—and stop weathering storms.” On the most instinctual level it’s an album that should conjure simple pleasures like the joy of a summer road trip with loved ones.

Embracing the sounds of classic artists like Fleetwood Mac, Brandy, Bob Marley, Joni Mitchell, and Marvin Gaye, to name a few, Where the Butterflies Go in the Rain draws inspiration from people who, “are really good at capturing the beauty and loss of life in the same breath,” she describes. In her signature style, Raveena seamlessly unites that expansive songwriting with traditional Indian instruments and feel-good early 2000s pop hits —putting forth a work that’s more unabashedly herself than any that’s come before.

Raveena reflects on her forthcoming album, “I don't think I've ever understood a record so well before—It wasn’t like the process I used to have with past albums where I was more anxious about being at my best. This time, it was all intuition, and I knew the album was right when I finally had the feeling of rest.”

The deluxe release sees the addition of 3 tracks. Sun Don't Leave Me - contemplating the feeling of wanting to hold onto one more beautiful sunset, one more passionate embrace, before things change again and hard times strike again - and a reimagined version of Lose My Focus with UMI, bringing fresh energy to an album that’s more unapologetically Raveena than ever.

Divine Dances. In plural form.
The fourth album from DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson couldn't have a more explicit title.


Masters of emotions and feelings, the duo has always known how to express melancholy and nostalgia with precision. Yet this time, all their efforts have concentrated on a single goal: taking listeners by the hand—no, by the ear, obviously!—to bring everyone back to the dance floor and explore a variety of atmospheres together.


And naturally, a variety of styles. Funk, ndombolo, electro, hip hop or zouk, each new vibration discovered carries away the previous one to form a dancefloor where all eventually come together.
Divinely light.


The body, surrendered to this call to dance in all its forms, has been so caught up in the whirlwind of groove that the mind has fallen in behind it to continue as one. Words explode into syllables that metamorphose into notes, then perfectly align with those from the score.


One second. A bit of attention. Caught by an irrepressible groove, then comes the moment to slalom through melodies to discover, at the turn of a rhyme, a new meaning. Approached head-on, certain overly serious themes would empty the room and bring the atmosphere down to lead levels. The diagonal approach, humor, and apparent nonchalance of the two men are the best weapons at their disposal. Their Trojan horse to put substance into their form(s). To evoke transidentity, consent, economic malaise as well as the spiritual, or to tell little stories of frustrated loves, seemingly insoluble but which will end well.


Anthony Hilaire for Creole words, Sarah Solo for hip-swiveling soukous, Patrick Bebey for pygmy flute notes, and Grégoire Mahé to bring electricity to DjeuhDjoah & Lieutenant Nicholson's songs; styles blend in a musicality worked into its smallest interstices.


Gathered on this dance floor illuminated with 80s disco brilliance, you observe brassy notes slithering under the electronic veneer, synthesizer keys splashed by furious hip movements. To raise your eyes to connect with the spiritual is to watch the sky become constellated with crystalline Fender Rhodes notes, destined to fall like rain on the heavy bass of afrobeat groove.
Smiles attached to faces, no one should think they can get through the ten tracks of Divine Dances while remaining seated : he's doomed to fail.


OUT MAY 2025 DELUXE WHITE VINYL 180 G /CD / DIGITAL

C1 | Meduza, Onerepublic, Leony – Fire (Official Uefa Euro 2024 Song)
C2 | Ofenbach Feat Norma Jean Martine – Overdrive
C3 | Kygo, Ava Max – Whatever
C4 | Felix Jaehn & Leony – Waking Up
C5 | Jaxomy X Agatino Romero X Raffaella Carrà – Pedro
C6 | Artemas – I Like The Way You Kissed Me
D1 | Michael Marcagi – Scared To Start
D2 | Cyril – Stumblin' In
D3 | Ariana Grande – Yes, And?
D4 | Jack Harlow – Lovin On Me
D5 | Tate Mcrae – Greedy
D6 | Natasha Bedingfield – Unwritten
E3 | Benson Boone – Beautiful Things
E4 | Teddy Swims – Lose Control
E5 | Sabrina Carpenter – Taste
E6 | Noah Kahan – Stick Season
F1 | Justin Timberlake – Selfish
F2 | Shawn Mendes – Why Why Why
F3 | Ariana Grande – We Can't Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)
F4 | Purple Disco Machine & Benjamin Ingrosso Feat Nile Rodgers & Shenseea) – Honey Boy
F5 | Lost Frequencies, Tom Odell – Black Friday (Pretty Like The Sun)
F6 | Hugel, Topic, Arash Feat Daecolm – I Adore You
G1 | David Guetta & Onerepublic – I Don't Wanna Wait
G2 | Karol G – Si Antes Te Hubiera Conocido
G3 | Fourty & Bausa – Vempa (Frx202445570)
G4 | Sampagne, Badchieff, Cro – Tempo
G5 | Billie Eilish – Lunch
G6 | Kendrick Lamar – Not Like Us
H1 | Zartmann, Ski Aggu, Dauer – Wie Du Manchmal Fehlst
H2 | Soffie – Für Immer Frühling
H3 | Sdp, Sido, Esther Graf – Mama Hat Gesagt
H4 | Nina Chuba – Nina
H5 | Luciano X Jazeek – Starboy
H6 | Shirin David – Bauch Beine Po
E1 | Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile
E2 | Gracie Abrams – I Love You, I'm Sorry


Bevor sich das Jahr 2024 dem Ende neigt, erscheint mit der „BRAVO – The Hits 2024“ der alljährlich
beliebte Jahresrückblick voller Hits und Chartstürmer. Ganz nach dem Motto „End Of Beginning“ vereint das Album von Anfang bis Ende die erfolgreichsten Songs und musikalischen Highlights des Jahres 2024.
Wenn Chappell Roan „Good Luck, Babe!” wünscht, Sabrina Carpenter „Espresso“ trinkt, The Weeknd in
den Flammen tanzt und MEDUZA, OneRepublic und Leony on „Fire” sind, kann das nur eines bedeuten:
Die „BRAVO - The Hits 2024“ steht in den Startlöchern und versorgt uns mit den größten Hits und beliebtesten Singles. Mit dabei sind internationale Bands und Künstler*innen wie Billie Eilish, Linkin Park,
Hozier, Coldplay, Justin Timberlake, Ariana Grande sowie deutsche Newcomer und Stars wie Shirin David,
Zartmann oder Nina Chuba.
Das Besondere dieses Jahr: Die beliebte Hit-Compilation erscheint erstmals auch limitiert als 4LP. „BRAVO
– The Hits 2024“ ab 08.11. als 2CD & Download und pünktlich zum Nikolaus als 4LP erhältlich!

Double 12" vinyl pressing of Astral Projections - a 12-track journey through the realms of electro, featuring some of the genre's most revered producers, curated by Alien Communications.

"The past few years has seen an explosion in pop music, with new artists breaking with unforgettable songs and (re)establishing pop, with influences from different genres and places, at the top of the charts.
NOW Music are very proud to present NOW That’s What I Call Pop! – 38 massive pop anthems - including 8 UK #1s – and with all tracks featured on a stunning 3-LP vinyl pressed in a different colour for each disc: Bright Yellow, Hot Pink and Baby Blue, releasing 23rd May 2025."

Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Svart Records is set to release the band’s fourth album TAVASTLAND in February 2025 After three albums, the pieces of the puzzle fit, and Havukruunu, the favorite band of the sensitive and sorrowful returns with a vengeance to blur the line between the real and unreal. The sorrowful guitars of Stefa and Bootleg-Henkka draw threatening dark shadows on the wall, Kostajainen's drumming bombardement pulses like embers of a dying fire in the hearth. All the while, Humö's bass guitar is clanking and wailing like the icy wind rattling windows and banging walls, as Stefa roars and channels messages from the netherworld or preaches wisdom of ancient days, backed by a choir. Lords of Hell smile approving as the flames of hatred and cunning of their beloved sons drowns a dying old world, and heart of the earth trembles the birth of new and weird. Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Havukruunu’s upcoming album TAVASTLAND tells the story of a small, strange people. ”-TAVASTLAND tells how in 1237 the Tavastians rose in a rebellion against the church of Christ and drove the popes naked into the frost to die. TAVASTLAND reveals our fathers’ centuries old sins and lies of consolation. TAVASTLAND speaks of him, who has become a prisoner of his home, alienated from the land of the forest and is now afraid of the dark with all lights on, surrounded by his smart devices. TAVASTLAND tells about the freedom we lost. TAVASTLAND haunts its listener to the grave, and I will personally open that grave one bleak night, and steal the fading light of your sempiternal soul.”, says Stefa. TAVASTLAND is available on Svart exclusive ice & blood vinyl edition, limited to 666 copies. Also available on limited amber & black smoke vinyl, classic black vinyl, CD, cassette tape, and digital platforms. All vinyl editions of the first pressing include a booklet and poster. New Havukruunu T-shirt also up for pre-order now at Svart’s webstore. Release date February 28th, 2025.

Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Svart Records is set to release the band’s fourth album TAVASTLAND in February 2025 After three albums, the pieces of the puzzle fit, and Havukruunu, the favorite band of the sensitive and sorrowful returns with a vengeance to blur the line between the real and unreal. The sorrowful guitars of Stefa and Bootleg-Henkka draw threatening dark shadows on the wall, Kostajainen's drumming bombardement pulses like embers of a dying fire in the hearth. All the while, Humö's bass guitar is clanking and wailing like the icy wind rattling windows and banging walls, as Stefa roars and channels messages from the netherworld or preaches wisdom of ancient days, backed by a choir. Lords of Hell smile approving as the flames of hatred and cunning of their beloved sons drowns a dying old world, and heart of the earth trembles the birth of new and weird. Havukruunu is the spirit of freedom, harbinger of oblivion, and it tells you: FLY, YOU FOOLS! Havukruunu’s upcoming album TAVASTLAND tells the story of a small, strange people. ”-TAVASTLAND tells how in 1237 the Tavastians rose in a rebellion against the church of Christ and drove the popes naked into the frost to die. TAVASTLAND reveals our fathers’ centuries old sins and lies of consolation. TAVASTLAND speaks of him, who has become a prisoner of his home, alienated from the land of the forest and is now afraid of the dark with all lights on, surrounded by his smart devices. TAVASTLAND tells about the freedom we lost. TAVASTLAND haunts its listener to the grave, and I will personally open that grave one bleak night, and steal the fading light of your sempiternal soul.”, says Stefa. TAVASTLAND is available on Svart exclusive ice & blood vinyl edition, limited to 666 copies. Also available on limited amber & black smoke vinyl, classic black vinyl, CD, cassette tape, and digital platforms. All vinyl editions of the first pressing include a booklet and poster. New Havukruunu T-shirt also up for pre-order now at Svart’s webstore. Release date February 28th, 2025.

In October of 1999, Nina Nastasia recorded the album that would finally document her well-seeded career as a local singer-songwriter in New York City. It was exemplary of Nastasia's style, delicate string arrangements, the restrained beauty of her live band, the deceptive simplicity of her voice, and poignant, life-wise lyrics. The following year, "Dogs" was released on CD by micro-indie label Socialist Records. By the end of 2000, the "Dogs" CD was out of print. But "Dogs" had a special grassroots effect on Nina Nastasia's music career, as fans of the record would correspond across internet message boards and zines, discussing songs and soliciting copies of the rare edition. The album would also mark the beginning of a lasting peer relationship with noted recording engineer Steve Albini. In 2004, Touch and Go Records reissued "Dogs" on CD and, for the first time, on vinyl. The vinyl quickly sold out and remained out of print for nearly two decade_ until now.

In October of 1999, Nina Nastasia recorded the album that would finally document her well-seeded career as a local singer-songwriter in New York City. It was exemplary of Nastasia’s style, delicate string arrangements, the restrained beauty of her live band, the deceptive simplicity of her voice, and poignant, life-wise lyrics. The following year, “Dogs” was released on CD by micro-indie label Socialist Records. By the end of 2000, the “Dogs” CD was out of print. But “Dogs” had a special grassroots effect on Nina Nastasia’s music career, as fans of the record would correspond across internet message boards and zines, discussing songs and soliciting copies of the rare edition. The album would also mark the beginning of a lasting peer relationship with noted recording engineer Steve Albini. In 2004, Touch and Go Records reissued “Dogs” on CD and, for the first time, on vinyl. The vinyl quickly sold out and remained out of print for nearly two decade… until now.

A collection of songs and stories with women at the centre, that
I hope everyone can find some resonance, strength and solace with.
credits
released February 28, 2025

Jenn Butterworth: Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitar, Mandolin & Mandola
Seonaid Aitken: Violin
Kirsty Orton: Violin
Patsy Reid: Viola
Alice Allen: Cello
James Lindsay: Double Bass, Electric Bass & Moog
Louis Abbott: Drums & Percussion
Signy Jakobsdottir: Percussion
Keir Long: Synths & Pianet
Tom Gibbs: Piano (track 5)

Arranged and produced by Jenn Butterworth

All string arrangements by Seonaid Aitken, apart from tracks 3 & 4 which are by Jenn Butterworth and Seonaid Aitken

Cindytalk is the mercurial, expressionist outlet of Scottish artist Cinder, inspired by the crossroads of exploratory UK post-punk and early European industrial. Her work thrives on chance and transformation, collaging elements of noise, balladry, soundtrack, catharsis, and improvisation. "We were trying to find our own space," says Cinder of the formative period Camouflage Heart emerged from, amidst a move from Edinburgh to London and Cinder's evolving exploration of gender identity, well before culture at large was equipped to understand. With contemporary discourse we see that the project manifested her transgender ideas as visceral music. The guttural, feral sound marked a notably darker turn from The Freeze's sixyear run on the fringes of punk. Changing the project's name became vital, not just because they kept hearing the former was already taken, but the desire to embody the spiritual and sonic shift, "to uncover new pathways_to feminize it," she says. Cinder, with bandmates David Clancy and John Byrne, arrived at Cindytalk, a winking nod to Sindy, the British fashion doll rival to Barbie known then for its pull-string talking mechanism. "The goal was to have a more interesting narrative, more interesting dialogue. Music was ultimately my only way of talking to people. That was my conversation with the world, an abstracted conversation_an attempt to make some kind of tiny, tiny mark, if possible, you hope somebody will notice." Over the years, Cinder has heard from fans who did pick up on the signals and find refuge in Camouflage Heart. Camouflage Heart plays with tension and pace, from creeping to feverish to claustrophobic. The percussion moves between restless marches and barely-there pulses; for some parts, they scratched and hit a tin bath, among other objects. Guitar lines vibrate and stab as Cinder contorts her voice freely. She pulls poetry from a cerebral abyss, like "make the snake in your eye, pierce the camouflage heart" on the slow-droning centerpiece "The Spirit Behind the Circus Dream." In that register is raw power, both vulnerable and menacing, an ability to locate something deep and emotionally charged within. "I still remember that person who was way too intense for their own good," Cinder reflects. "I couldn't make a record like that now, certainly not vocally, while that anger hasn't dissipated; there's still a kind of warrior." For all the destruction and disintegration of Camouflage Heart, Cinder maintains the objective was never full-on fatalistic; these songs seek not to destroy but to poke and provoke, to transform and heal, to find cracks of light in a crumbling world. She points to the last lines of the opening track, "It's Luxury": "Don't look down," the lyric pines through static and rhythm. Cinder extrapolates, "I'm essentially saying, just keep fucking going. As time went on, for me, that falling became flying. Camouflage Heart is the beginning of believing in flight."

WOW. Daniel O'Sullivan's transcendent new album, Eros, is one of the greatest things we've ever heard. A simply stunning song cycle of hypnotic, experimental contemporary chamber music composed for a 14-piece ensemble. Combining minimalism, complex syncopation, detailed acoustic textures, weird intervals and samurai precision, this record will elegantly blow your mind. When Daniel first sent us this, he pitched it as “Liquid Swords meets Michael Nyman”. Trust us, he wasn't wrong. A "unique hybrid orchestral music", it presents a confluence of Daniel's longstanding fixations; indeed, there's elements of Nyman, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Magma, Aaron Copland and RZA. But this is wholly O'Sullivan's. Originally commissioned for the Sonoton Music Library in Munich, Eros now receives a deluxe vinyl release courtesy of Be With Records, bringing this meticulously crafted work to a wider audience. Limited to just 500 copies for the world, these are gonna fly.

An English composer and multi-instrumentalist, Daniel O'Sullivan’s career has been marked by versatility and innovation. In addition to his work with Sonoton, he has composed extensively for the legendary KPM music library, contributing to its storied legacy of production music. As a deep virtuoso and collaborator, O'Sullivan has also played in a number of influential projects, including Ulver, Sunn O))), This Is Not This Heat, Grumbling Fur and Miracle (with Steve Moore), leaving an indelible mark on the contemporary experimental music landscape.

O’Sullivan’s first foray into classically informed chamber music, Eros is a culmination of his long-standing fixations and expansive musical influences. The album features arrangements that are as detailed as they are emotionally resonant, showcasing his unparalleled ear for intervals and mastery of counterpoint. The music brims with complex rhythmic syncopation and a sensitivity to texture and space, resulting in a soundscape that is both intoxicating and dauntingly precise.

Recorded June 2023 and February 2024, in Brussels, London and Carmarthenshire, Wales, Eros features members of Echo Collective (Neil Leiter and Margaret Hermant), Thighpaulsandra (from seminal post-industrial band Coil), and jazz pioneer Oren Marshall. Daniel's sonic weapons of choice, in his own inimitable words, were "Big Bad Drum, Pee Anne Oh, Low End Brass, Willowy Winds & Samurai Strings." You get the picture. As a cyclical suite, this is a record that really needs to be heard in its entitreity, from start to finish, to truly appreciate the genius at work here.

A jaw-dropping statement of intent, the minimalist "Golden Verses" sets the tone with its complex cue which has your neck snapping right when it feels like it needs to. Listen and you'll understand. A syncopated tangle of sharp strings, crunchy bass, drums percussion and bright piano and mallets vie for position with French horn and woodwind melody in the most compelling and unexpected ways. Quite simply, it's one of the finest album openers I've ever heard. It's followed by the atmospheric rippling minimalism of "Lyre Lyre", a gorgeous gem with shimmering chimes, bright melody, human percussion and syncopated pizzicato strings. It kinda comes on like a less-abstract Boards Of Canada, bursting with typical wonderment. The piano and string-drenched "Dolorous Stroke" effortlessly builds its warm, pastoral orchestration with flowing piano arpeggio, steadfast drums, expressive string quartet, rich low brass, woodwind and lyrical flute. Just sublime.

The insistent frenetic propulsion of "Plain Paper" is utterly beguiling, featuring a determined string motif, urgent drums and percussion, driving low brass and breathless, energetic flute. The haunting, interweaving string arpeggios that propel "Grapes Draped" presents a claustrophobic minimalism for chaos and darkness, with growling low woodwind and brass, spiky harpsichord, skittering flutes and tight drums. Up next, "Xanix Annum" is a stately minimalist waltz with expressive lyrical string quartet and delicate woodwind, anchored by drums and percussion. "Painting Rose" is a bouncy stop-start track with angular syncopated strings and a piano pulse underneath bright harpsichord and flutes. "Rotunda Garden" presents ethereal textural minimalism for landscapes and reflection with flowing string arpeggios, warm, low woodwind drones, floating choir and cymbal swells. Closing out this extraordinary side of music, the glowing, flowing minimalism of "Flowry Orb" features urgent organ, piano and woodwind arpeggios, half-time drums with shimmering cymbals, a soaring, beautiful violin solo and hypnotic vocal chant.

Side 2 opens with "Theia Mania" a determinedly off-kilter, angular track featuring low wind, brass and drum stomp in dialogue with lively string trio, woodwind and solo horn. The light, airy minimalism of "Painting Percy" is built around an interplay of rhythmic motifs for piano, low brass, bassoon, fluttering flutes, urgent strings, drums and percussion whilst "For Archetypes" is a delicate, gently syncopated chamber cue for nostalgia, nature, reflection and moments of calm, with steady piano motif, intimate woodwind and French horn, and warm, graceful strings. The urgent Ars Memoriae is a propulsive march for progress, processes and industry, underpinned by driving tuba, with determined strings, resolute drums, and vivid, expressive flute, clarinet and French horn.

The syncopated energetic minimalism of "Mirrored Seven" presents layers of melodic and cyclical piano, drums, low brass, harp, flute and strings. "Pure Ornament" follows, a slowly evolving chamber cue with flowing clarinet, string and harp arpeggio, plodding tuba and percussion, fluttering flute and graceful, lyrical solos. Stunning! Up next, "Brave Boy" moves from its tender, warm, lullaby-like intro with lyrical flute, clarinet and strings before opening into a playful backend driven by a bouncy tuba riff and syncopated piano, woodwind, string trio, and drums and percussion. Rounding out this astonishing piece, "Waxen Waned" is a warm, pastoral chamber cue with light lyrical woodwind, tender French horn and subtly pulsing string trio.

The album's title is a reference to Plato’s conception of Eros, which is more than romantic or physical desire. It is a dynamic and creative force that drives individuals to seek perfection whether in art, relationships, philosophy or the pursuit of truth. Wholly appropriate, here, we think. When asked what his influences were in making this astounding record, he answered thusly: "Non-musical: Householding, Pythagoras, Goethe, Grail romances, Hermeticism, Doctrine of Signatures (Parcelsus, Bohme, Pliny), Eric Rohmer, John Stezaker, Yasujiro Ozu. Musical: Duke Ellington (late suites), Smile-era Brian, early RZA, Wagner (Parsifal Overture), Magma, Mancini, Axelrod, YMO, Hildegard, Nyman, Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Jobim (Stone Flower), Alessandro Alessandroni, Tavener, Moondog, Orthodox Music, Secular Music." That's some pretty deep shit. Makes you want to dive in, no?

Mastering for this vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis, and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. Truly, Eros is a work of extraordinary depth and sophistication. It invites listeners to immerse themselves in its intricate layers, to lose themselves in its hypnotic rhythms, and to marvel at the precision of its execution. With this release, O’Sullivan reaffirms his position as one of the most inventive and uncompromising voices in contemporary music. Do. Not. Sleep.

Chicagos zweites Multi-Platin-Album wurde von Steven Wilson von den originalen 16-Spur-Masterbändern neu gemastert. Enthalten sind die Lieblingstitel der Fans „25 or 6 to 4“, „Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon“ und viele mehr!

Jones hat mit "Piano Solos For Friends And Loved Ones" (2003) und "Vol. 2" (2007) bereits zwei Solo Piano-Alben veröffentlicht, die es physisch nur bei Konzerten oder über den eigenen Webshop gab. Das vorliegende neue Werk – auf CD und LP jeweils auf unterschiedlichen Instrumenten eingespielt – erscheint in beiden Versionen mit einem Poster mit Sleevenotes vom Künstler. Ein QR-Code auf dem Poster gewährt Zugriff auf ein 36-Seiten Booklet und Notenblätter zu 5 der Songs.

SAMOSA RECORDS EARTH, WIND & FUNK VOL.2 - Pt.1

Samosa Records comes at you with all the elements for Earth, Wind & Funk Vol. 2 – a succulent double slice of vinyl heaven!

On side A1 label favourites Dirty Elements & Drunkdrivers start the party with the knee-slapping treat ‘Koko’. A bouncing bassline and some sweet clavinet keys act as the starters to this trip around the discophere. Lush strings and sassy vocals provide a delicious cherry on top. Mesmerising stuff.

For A2, Macchianera undergoes a De Gama Re-Groove with ‘Gotta Dance’, a deceptive 115bpm chugger that could travel the tracks for an eternity. Deep, groovy bass and soulful vocals combine perfectly in the build-up to the brass-soaked chorus line. Oh, and you know that rhythm guitar is gonna get you.

Side B1 finds Niels F. ‘Trying To Love’ with a little help from some De Gama Re-Drums. ‘Trying To Love’ breaks out into its stride from the off. With an almost ‘2-step’ vibe at the intro, ‘Trying To Love’ nicely builds to a rag time jam of lush strings, smile-inducing brass and a wicked vocal – all applied perfectly and filtered expertly. Let the good times roll!

B2 brings the Afro inspired delights of MP Soundworks and ‘Gotta Get It’. There’s a tribal vibe in the air at this party, a hypnotic runaway train of a track that makes full use of filtered build ups, looped vocal samples and a wicked, wicked bassline. Bouncier than supper-concentrated Zectron.

In Earth, Wind & Funk Vol. 2 Samosa Records has produced a stunning double slab release, featuring a good mix of some of the label’s most prolific artists and some welcome newcomers.