Intricate structures with an intertwining of spontaneity and randomness, meeting the diverse genre influences of the band members from mediaeval music to shoegaze to noise. That is Unravel, the new album, and first in six years, from Czech band Manon Meurt.
"Unravel reflects the different stages of dissociation, a person's thoughts, observations - whether of the environment or of oneself - and admiration for the beauty and cruelty that nature mirrors," multi-instrumentalist and lyricist Kateřina Elznicová says of the album.
Produced by Eddie Stevens (Freakpower, Zero 7, Moloko, Roisin Murphy) the album was pieced together from recorded fragments, meticulously pieced together. The title Unravel refers to the development of the band, unravelling what they are to find the full potential of their music as well as uncovering the layered nature of the songs and emotions.
"Eddie Stevens’ approach to recording was a big surprise. We understood that there was no one right version of the songs. Each of our themes carries a certain energy that can manifest and blossom in many ways. Compared to previous records, the vision of each member was much more evident, while we learned not to cling to our individual ideas of a signifying break or a nu-metal bounce at the end of an ambient song. The main thing was a common concept," adds keyboardist David Tichý on creating the seven songs on the record.
Abum producer Eddie Stevens describes the collaboration, “Each album is an adventure. You do some preparation, check the route over and over, prepare for any eventuality that your packing space and imagination will allow, plan some places to stop and rest en route, places to eat, sleep, then consider the challenges - the ice wall, the summit, even just finding your way in foreign land. But despite all that planning, you can never really say for sure what’s going to happen, what unexpected path you might take, what strangers might invite you in for a cup of tea and to what ends. So it was making Unravel with Manon Meurt and engineer and studio owner Lukas Martinek at Svárov studios and of course back home in the relative safety of my studio. Musicians who quickly became friends showed me more than I showed them, people with ideas, with creativity seeping from their pores. Music making the right way: no blinkers, no walls, no preconceptions, no barriers, no rules. What a pleasure, and what a magical, technicoloured,
kaleidoscopic album we’ve made together, “
The combination of industrial material with plant motifs in the work Untitled_1 by Ukrainian artist Liza Libenko, which adorns the cover of Unravel, strongly attracted the band. After all, floral motifs have always been close to Manon Meurt's music. Libenko, a student of the Academy of Fine Arts and a finalist of the prestigious Austrian Strabag Artaward International Prize, has recently been working on overcoming the narrative boundaries of the canvas, the paintings "attack"the viewer. Sunflowers are a powerful symbol of life and the sun; in Libenko's paintings they are black and burnt, serving as an allegory for contemporary conditions. The work was photographed by photographer and artist Marcel Rozhoň, and the final processing of the Unravel album was done by graphic artist Zuzana Malá.
Bottle Green Vinyl[34,41 €]
Der Spoken-Word-Künstler Dan Whitlam, eine der überzeugendsten neuen Stimmen aus GB, balanciert auf der 14-Track-Odysee "Strangers (Again)", seinem Debütalbum, gefühlvolle, klavierbetonte Momente und gebrochene Beats mit seiner charakteristischen Mischung aus lyrischer Ehrlichkeit und melodischem Feingefühl. So entsteht ein intimer wie auch weitläufiger Sound. Mit Gastfeatures von Raphaella, Tamzene, Saphire & Jordan Akampa fängt die LP die Dualität seiner Arbeit ein, wenn poetisches Geschichtenerzählen mit zukunftsweisender Produktion kontrastiert. Jeder Track reflektiert Verbindung und Distanz und verwebt Momente emotionaler Tiefe und Entspannung. Im Okt./Nov. 2025 startet(e) Whitlam seine bisher größte Headliner-Tour, mit ausverkauften Konzerten in Köln & Berlin, die ein intensives Erlebnis verspricht, wenn Grenzen zwischen Poesie, Soul und zeitgenössischer Musik verschwimmen. Der Londoner feiert Millionen TikTok- & Instagram-Aufrufe und wird von Künstlern wie Fred Again & Arlo Parks sowie Modemarken wie Hermes & YSL unterstützt.
[o] B8. Interlude - 3 Lives [vinyl exclusive]
Black Vinyl[32,14 €]
Der Spoken-Word-Künstler Dan Whitlam, eine der überzeugendsten neuen Stimmen aus GB, balanciert auf der 14-Track-Odysee "Strangers (Again)", seinem Debütalbum, gefühlvolle, klavierbetonte Momente und gebrochene Beats mit seiner charakteristischen Mischung aus lyrischer Ehrlichkeit und melodischem Feingefühl. So entsteht ein intimer wie auch weitläufiger Sound. Mit Gastfeatures von Raphaella, Tamzene, Saphire & Jordan Akampa fängt die LP die Dualität seiner Arbeit ein, wenn poetisches Geschichtenerzählen mit zukunftsweisender Produktion kontrastiert. Jeder Track reflektiert Verbindung und Distanz und verwebt Momente emotionaler Tiefe und Entspannung. Im Okt./Nov. 2025 startet(e) Whitlam seine bisher größte Headliner-Tour, mit ausverkauften Konzerten in Köln & Berlin, die ein intensives Erlebnis verspricht, wenn Grenzen zwischen Poesie, Soul und zeitgenössischer Musik verschwimmen. Der Londoner feiert Millionen TikTok- & Instagram-Aufrufe und wird von Künstlern wie Fred Again & Arlo Parks sowie Modemarken wie Hermes & YSL unterstützt.
o B8. Interlude - 3 Lives [vinyl exclusive]
[o] B8. Interlude - 3 Lives [vinyl exclusive]
In his own time, in his own tone and in his own company.
‘Win and lose without losing oneself’’ This line from French rapper Oxmo Puccino greatly accompanied David Walters while composing his fourth studio album. Over the eleven tracks on ‘Ti Love’, David took his time to find the right tone and in turn, tell his truth.
‘Ti Love’, is a French-Creole abbreviation for “petite love”, meaning ‘little love’, evoking that sweet fondness found in those small gestures and little acts of kindness.
Think of things like young kids' brotherly love or a stranger lending you a helping hand, while expecting nothing in return. It’s these motions that allow this album to feel full of real life, carried by beating drums that also pull at our heart strings.
Basing himself in a small village in Martinique, where David had not long since scattered the ashes of his late mother, the multi-instrumentalist decided to remain there and let the writing of Ti Love pour out from deep inside him. Taking influence from around the island, the energy from his makeshift studio set up in Fort de France, allowing a resilient yet grieving man to recount, let go and come to terms with his recent loss.
So embracing these new circumstances, on the rugged coastal Caribbean island of Martinique, David took up an artist’s residency in the island’s capital Fort de France, located near the town’s port is the ‘Manoir des Artistes’, a bustling recording studio space. A place where the walls shake as the latest sounds being created are blasted by locals and visitors alike. Most studio doors are wide open; as music here is a huge part of everyday life, feedback from encouraging neighbouring musicians is on hand and welcomed. A contrast to the isolation often assumed with working in more traditional music studios.
It was here in this stimulating environment that David recorded Ti Love’s initial demos.
With his first collaborator onboard, Neeweed, a 25-year-old producer and gospel expert who David met at the Martinique Jazz Festival.
Of the album’s initial versions of the record David recollects: ‘It took me three years to write it, then I rewrote it, reworked it. In the end I'm really glad I stepped back and listened to myself.’ I found a great ally in GUTS, who ended up being the artistic director of the record”
David surrounded himself with the right people who helped him express himself in the best possible way. He called on other friends and musical comrades; album opener and title track, ‘Ti Love’ features the incomparable Fatoumata Diawara (World Circuit Records / Africa Express) and further along additional production came in from; Izem, Art Of Tones, and GUTS himself, who all added just the right amount of ‘little love’ to this
project. Further helping hands came from Californian producer and DJ Captain Planet, who David was introduced to a few years ago. Closer to home, here in Europe, the German producer Bluestaeb appears on two tracks: the very catchy disco funk ‘Mr Maraboo’ and ‘Kite Koule’, the latter being the first single lifted from the album, where David invited Nigerian guitarist Keziah Jones.
Elsewhere on the album, fellow Heavenly Sweetness recording artist Blundetto contributed two tracks; the reggae ‘Voodoo Love’, which is David's tribute to Studio One, and the very sweet and resilient ‘Bon Voyage’, which closes the album... "It's gold, it doesn't need anything changing.” remarked David - ‘Bon Voyage’ is a goodbye to his mother, whose voice called him from the bottom of the sea one night while he was surfing during the full Moon.
Released almost 20 years after his debut album ‘AWA’ released on French imprint Ya Basta, home to Gotan Project and many others, David boasts a long list of radio supporters including; Gilles Peterson, Cerys Matthews and Don Letts at the BBC, while further field Cosmo Radio in Germany, and KCRW in Los Angeles.
On this new record, David has shown sincerity and vulnerability, while still honouring the infectious groove that he is known for the world over. Despite the upsets, a little love can indeed go a long way.
CREDITS:
Produced by Bluestaeb / Blundetto / Captain Planet / Izem / Art of Tones
A&R : Guts
Mixed by Mr Gib @ Onetwopassit
Except "Bon Voyage” and "Voodoo Love" mixed by Jerome “Blackjoy” Carron
Mastered by Benjamin Joubert @ Biduloscope
Art by Elliott Walters
'Flowers', the new EP from Elizabeth Davis, finds itself at the cross-section of many factors. In part, it’s the result of Davis’ obsession with a seminal folk song. But it also coincides with her rediscovery of the voice and language as an instrument. It was recorded during an autumn residency at Sternhagen Gut, the cultural refuge run by Gudrun Gut and Thomas Fehlmann, located deep in the Uckermark countryside halfway between Berlin and the Baltic coast.
The six tracks on 'Flowers' all take Pete Seeger’s ‘60s protest-folk song 'Where Have All The Flowers Gone' as their starting point. However, they veer off in different directions, from vocal loops and deconstructed lyrics, to instrumental drones and glitchy, manipulated rhythm tracks. Like many musicians, Davis has learnt composition by a process of disassembly, analyzing musical works piece by piece, and 'Flowers' began as one such forensic exercise. “But sometimes,” says Davis, “a source is so loaded up on meaning that the studies and experiments can become worthwhile and meaningful works in their own right.” 'Flowers' began to take on a life of its own, raising renewed questions about age-old themes such as war, authorship, translation and historical structures.
Davis is no stranger to cover versions. From studying violin to playing in free jazz and punk bands, interpreting other artists’ works has long been a key part of her musical approach. And since her radio show 'Deep Puddle' recently drew to a close after seven years, her experiments with narration and sound collage have found their way into her musical work once again. For 'Flowers', she cut up the source material (with a nod to Gysin and Burroughs), and reassembled the lyrics, the musical notes, and recordings by different performers, to create uncanny new forms.
But perhaps the biggest influence on 'Flowers' was conversations about music, art and pop subcultures with Gut. These dialogues helped Davis find a balance between far-out sound design experiments and catchy melodies, combining a certain avant-garde element and modern day songcraft. And it’s this sense of conversation, this revisiting of topics and renewal of ideas, that will keep us coming back to 'Flowers' long into the future.
Nach ihrem ARIA-nominierten Debütalbum "The Stranger In The Mirror" meldet sich das australische Jake Mason Trio mit seinem zweiten Album zurück. Auf "The Modern Ark" schöpft das Trio aus der goldenen Ära des Orgel-Jazz (Jimmy Smith, McDuff, McGriff) und entwickelt dabei einen unverwechselbaren, modernen Sound. Aufgenommen in Melbourne mit Vintage-Equipment, fängt die LP die Leidenschaft und Finesse einer Band mit über 30 Jahren gemeinsamer Geschichte ein. Zu den Highlights zählen der Grammy-prämierte Sänger Kurt Elling auf dem cineastischen Titeltrack sowie die australische Ikone Kate Ceberano auf der Soul-Jazz-Ballade "Stop Searching For Love". Mit bereits gesicherter internationaler Presseunterstützung und Touren in Australien und Europa ist "The Modern Ark" für 2026 bestens aufgestellt.
Black Vinyl[26,85 €]
Nachdem Ásgeir jahrelang mit Übersetzern wie John Grant zusammengearbeitet und die Poesie seines Vaters, Einar Georg Einarsson, vertont hat, betritt er nun neues Terrain: Zum ersten Mal in seiner langen und gefeierten Karriere hat er die Texte komplett selbst verfasst.
Ásgeir wird seit Langem für seinen detailreichen Folk-Pop, die opulente Produktion und sein sehnsüchtiges, gefühlvolles Falsett gefeiert. „Julia“ markiert eine Wende – nicht nur hin zu lyrischer Eigenständigkeit, sondern auch zu kathartischer Direktheit, mit Songs, die nicht nur meisterhaft vorgetragen, sondern auch durchlebt wirken. „Das war irgendwie das erste Mal, dass ich die Texte völlig allein geschrieben habe“, erzählt er. „Es war beängstigend. Ich versuche immer noch, mich darin zu finden. Aber ich habe versucht, mich zu öffnen, und habe in diesem Prozess viel gelernt. Es war auf jeden Fall therapeutisch für mich.“
Dieses neue Gefühl der Verletzlichkeit zieht sich durch die zehn Stücke des Albums, die über einen Zeitraum von fast zwei Jahren geschrieben und aufgenommen wurden. Viele der Songs entstanden zunächst auf der Gitarre, wobei Ásgeir auf Schlichtheit setzte und Melodie, Klarheit und Bedeutung in den Vordergrund stellte. Die Produktion, gemeinsam mit seinem langjährigen Weggefährten Guðm. „Kiddi“ Kristinn Jónsson entwickelt, bleibt organisch und zurückhaltend – und gibt so Ásgeirs Stimme, und vor allem seiner Stimme als Songwriter, den nötigen Raum.
Der aus Nashville stammende Cellist Nathaniel Smith, den Ásgeir als „Zauberer“ beschreibt, steuert hier und im gesamten Album atmosphärische Klangteppiche bei. Mit improvisierten Melodien verleiht er den Stücken Leben und Tiefe – auf eine Weise, die Ásgeir sich zuvor nicht vorgestellt hatte.
Black Vinyl[26,47 €]
Integrate marks the debut release for both new UK electronic music label System One & label head D. Howard* No stranger to the music having worked with some of the most well known electronic acts over the last 30 years, Integrate marks the first time D.Howard has gone studio side to empty the contents of his mind
Integrate spans a range of classic influences over its 7 tracks. The warm vintage pads and arpeggiated acid sequences of Helford Dawn recall a touch of Warp era Black Dog. Solaris take a spacey electro driven trip adrift on evocative & reflective chords while Aja takes the beat further, melancholic & eerie atmospheres sits atop a lithe acid bass line and crisp drum programming
Dear James pays tribute to the much regarded producer James Rekab Baker who sadly passed away in September 2025 James was the first person to hear this project & his enthusiasm and support was the push needed to start System One and release the music. The track is a soulful melodic deep tech cut reminiscent of early Dutch techno and has received great reactions from radio DJs such as Damo B, Colin Dale, Luke Una, Ross Allen, Paul ‘Apiento’ Byrne & Ollie Chubb at NTS and Quinn Paranoid London (Rinse FM)
System One is a new label dedicated to soulful electronic music, late night grooves & intergalactic beats, drawing its inspiration from the early 90s techno & ambient sounds of Uk, Frankfurt, Detroit & beyond
System One - Bass, Beats, Pads & Bleeps
All-Amerikkkan Badass is the second studio album from Joey Bada$$. Originally released on April 7, 2017, the album features Schoolboy Q, J. Cole, Kirk Knight, Styles P, and more. Executive produced by Joey Bada$$ and Jonny Shipes with production contributions from Kirk Knight, Chuck Strangers, DJ Khalil, and Statik Selektah.
Originally released in 2005, this standout EP returns as part of the much-anticipated reissue campaign from cult New York imprint Drugsex — a label that quickly became a treasured name among heads who lived and breathed the underground. Born from the creative partnership between UK producers Rob Pearson and Simon Copleston, Drugsex carved out its own raw, hypnotic corner of the international tech house movement.
For the second instalment in the reissue series, label head Rob Pearson teams up with Daniel Poli under their Distant Strangers moniker — a project that, even back then, was whispered about among selectors for its deep, rolling grooves and stripped-back intensity. Both artists had already made their mark with releases on some of the most respected labels of the era — from Rekids and Swag Records to Evasive Records, Rescue Recordings, and beyond.
The pair’s first collaboration, the Lost Souls EP, became a highly limited, in-demand underground gem, pressed in small quantities and played by those in the know. This follow-up, crafted at Online Studios in Croydon, took their sound to the next level — two original tracks built for dancefloors that like things hypnotic, physical and uncompromising.
On the A-side, Virtual Morality is a slick and driving slice of tech house pressure. Crisp percussion, rolling low-end and a subtle but addictive hook make it a peak-time weapon that never goes out of style. Flip it over for Take Us In Deeper — a track that lives up to its name with a shadowy groove, atmospheric layers and a perfectly balanced push and pull that draws dancers further into the late-night haze.
Adding even more weight to the release, Adam Collins — known for his work with Omni AM and Euphoria Records — steps in with a remix of Virtual Morality on B2. His version injects an unmistakable acid edge, elevating the original into a tripped-out, floor-focused burner that fits as comfortably in a basement sweatbox as it does on a sunrise terrace.
Nearly two decades later, these tracks still carry the same raw power and effortless groove that made them cult favourites in the first place. This reissue isn’t just a nod to the past — it’s a reminder of why this sound endures.
All Nice Records returns with NICE005, the second release from label co-founder Bobby Dreams--a five-track excursion through deep, functional, and emotionally rich house music. Opening with The Signal, a peak-time piano workout laced with congas and classic Chicago house energy, the record sets an infectious tone right away. Let It Be Real follows with smooth, warm textures perfect for early or late hours. On the A3, Stranger Than Fiction delivers a pure 303 exercise--acid lines twisting and mutating over a tight, hypnotic groove. Flip the record for New Horizon, a hopeful, driving cut built for forward momentum, and Enter The Simulation, a deep, late-night closer with a touch of mystery and tension. Crafted for selectors, designed for the floor--NICE005 is house music for any hour of the night. All nice, all night!
LP, Opaque Pink Vinyl, w/ download card
Mexico City’s Sunset Images emerge with their most daring and immersive work to date, Oscilador, arriving January 23 on Dedstrange. Known for pushing the boundaries of noise rock and psychedelic experimentation, the band plunges deeper into their raw, unrelenting sound—crafting an album that thrives in chaos, distortion, and hypnotic repetition.
Oscilador captures Sunset Images at a new creative peak: jagged guitars dissolve into swirling feedback, fractured rhythms pulse like machinery on the brink, and vocals echo through layers of reverb as if channeled from another dimension. The record balances intensity and atmosphere, offering both catharsis and transcendence. It’s a sonic free fall that feels at once destructive and redemptive—like watching a city crumble only to find strange beauty in the ruins.
The album title reflects the band’s fascination with constant motion and instability, the oscillations of sound and life itself. Across the record, Sunset Images embrace the extremes: minimal passages expand into walls of noise, meditative drones are shattered by bursts of primal energy, and every song teeters on the edge of collapse. This restless spirit makes Oscilador not just a collection of songs, but a visceral experience—one that mirrors the tension and electricity of Mexico City’s underground scene.
Joining forces with Dedstrange, Sunset Images step onto a global stage while staying true to their uncompromising vision. For fans of A Place To Bury Strangers, Sonic Youth, or My Bloody Valentine, Oscilador delivers the thrill of pure immersion—music that doesn’t just demand to be heard, but to be felt in the chest, the bones, and the subconscious.
With Oscilador, Sunset Images invite listeners to lose themselves in noise, distortion, and dissonance—and to find clarity within the chaos.
Leonard Cohen's appearance on 20th March 1968 in a BBC television special had a huge impact and contrib-uted greatly to his success in this country. We are delighted to present eleven of the songs he played, rec-orded in excellent sound. Backed by a select group of UK musicians including Danny Thompson and Dave Cousins, Cohen performed seven tracks from his debut LP. The remaining tracks appearing on subsequent records, with the exception of There's No Reason You Should Remember Me. Comes with full recording de-tails and extensive sleeve notes.
Ltd. Edition
The acclaimed collaboration between IranianCanadian brothers Saint Abdullah (previous releases on Planet Mu, The Trilogy Tapes and Room40) with in-demand jazz drummer Jason Nazary (International Anthem, 4AD, We Jazz) continues on their second album for ‘Disciples’, a sequel to the 2023’s ‘Evicted In The Morning’.
Saint Abdullah & Jason Nazary continue to blend dreamlike collage, snatches of radio, free jazz, Sufi chants and improvisational chops to impressive effect.
A ‘Freedom Now Suite’ for a new era of anti-war marches and state oppression.
Features guest appearances from Patrick Shiroishi and Ryan Easter.
" Shake away " After many hours of work, the no wave, synth punk crooner has produced his best album yet. The voice is soulful and deep, and each track seems paradoxically spontaneous and thoughtful, while the production is perfect for bringing out all these catchy hits.It inevitably brings to mind Alan Vega at his best, but with that Australian touch that makes this album so personal .
The only album by Descendants Of Mike and Phoebe, a family band made up of Bill Lee and his brothers, who are also known as the father of Spike Lee, the director of films such as 'Crooklyn' and 'Do The Right Thing'. A Sprit Speaks. The great song 'Coltrane' by Bill Lee, also famous for his performance of Clifford Jordan, is a miraculous balance of dignified and beautiful piano tones and a heavy waltz beat. M3 'Chick Chick', which seems to have been dedicated to Chick Corea, is an up-tempo, fast-moving song. From there to the last track, 'Too Little, Too Late', a beautiful, tear-jerking piece that conveys the depth and greatness of 70s spiritual jazz!
Elvis Back In Memphis is an album by Elvis Presley, released in 2023. Elvis Back In Memphis includes a.o. the following tracks: “ Inherit The Wind”, “ Stranger In My Own Home Town”, “ You'll Think Of Me”, “ Without Love (there Is Nothing)” and more. The album is a Coloured Vinyl, High Quality rock & roll LP.
Bert At the BBC is a comprehensive collection of Jansch’s appearances at the BBC, featuring over eight hours of rare and unreleased recordings, including live-on-air spots, studio sessions and full concerts straight from the BBC vaults, delving further into this legendary performer’s canon. Bert Jansch was the very essence of folk music, providing inspiration for everyone from Paul Simon and Neil Young to Led Zeppelin and countless folk revivalists. This unparalleled limited-edition compendium is available as a 4xLP and 8xCD set, housed in a coffee-table book set with a lavish 40-page book tracing the recordings from Bert’s earliest moments at the BBC. It includes interviews and insights from Lauren Laverne, Jools Holland, Johnny Marr, Jacqui McShee, Bob Harris, Bernard Butler, Mark Radcliffe and many more. Twenty broadcasters, producers and collaborators contribute at length to the booklet, with great affection for this gentle, maverick genius. Bert’s BBC legacy remains the most significant and exciting untapped reservoir of his music. The undeniable advantage of recordings made for broadcast is that they were, by their nature, created for public consumption and, barring live-on-air appearances – which might go well or go badly, but were going out either way – were explicitly signed-off by the artist as representations of his art that were good enough to be heard. The set is compiled by Colin Harper, author of Dazzling Stranger: Bert Jansch and the British folk and blues revival (Bloomsbury, 2000), who contributes detailed liner notes to the package. The release is mastered by IFTA award-winning engineer Cormac O’Kane. The vinyl release features 48 tracks on LP and is accompanied by a download card with over six hours of extras spanning 1966–2009, including BBC4’s St Luke’s concert (2003), and a complete Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh concert (2004) for BBC Radio Scotland. It is also available as a special 8xCD set containing all 147 tracks and encased within a coffee-table book. Bert Jansch At The BBC is an epic and enduring trail, 45 years in the making. “He was that rarity, a musician who really did deserve to be regarded as a legend.” The Guardian // “As a guitar player there was no one like him. He was jazz and blues and folk but there was a whole world in there that was just him, esoteric”
