quête:three of you

If every significant artist has an underrated gem in its catalog, then Mirage is that album for Fleetwood Mac. An obvious return to relative simplicity after the dramatic tension of Rumours and experimental ambitions of Tusk, the 1982 album finds the band re-grouping after a brief hiatus and again climbing to the top of the charts. Extremely well-crafted, well-produced, and well-performed, the double-platinum effort distills the group’s hallmark strengths into a filler-free set that never runs short of addictive pop hooks or daft accents.

Sourced from the original analog master tapes, pressed at Fidelity Record Pressing in California, and housed in a Stoughton jacket, Mobile Fidelity’s numbered-edition 180g 45RPM 2LP set presents Mirage in reference sound for the first time. The efforts co-producers/engineers Ken Caillat and Richard Dashut went to capture the splintered albeit formidable band can be heard with stunning accuracy, range, depth, and detail.

Though Rumours understandably gets a permanent spot in the audiophile hall of fame, the smooth, clear, and dynamic sonics on Mirage confirm that the record that stood as Fleetwood Mac’s last effort for five years deserves a place in the same vaunted arena. The presence and imaging of Mick Fleetwood’s percussion alone on this reissue might have you wondering how this slice of soft-rock bliss has gone under-noticed for decades. Other prized aural aspects — separation, definition, impact, tonal balance — are also here in spades.

Like much surrounding Fleetwood Mac in the 1980s, arriving at Mirage was not easy. Caillat searched for studios located outside of Los Angeles on a mission to change up the vibe of the band’s prior recording sessions. Everyone settled on Le Chateau in France, where relations between some members remained icy — and cooperation with the producers strained. Battles with exhaustion, bitterness, and addiction further informed the proceedings at the 18th century complex in the French countryside, where even communal meals were allegedly eaten in silence.

Inevitably, the feelings that co-producer Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Christine McVie, and company harbored — as well as the situations in which they found themselves — drifted into the songwriting. In its rapid ascent to rock-star royalty status, Fleetwood Mac drifted apart, embarked on solo pursuits, and found it was lonely at the top. Emptiness, the illusion of dreams, the longing for love, the want to escape to bygone times of innocence and happiness: Such themes inform a majority of the narratives. Even if the lyrics regularly take a back seat to easygoing arrangements that allow Mirage to come on like a refreshing breeze on a sunny summer afternoon.

Home to three Top 25 singles in the U.S. and having occupied the pole position of the Top 200 album charts for five weeks, Mirage rightfully resonated with the mainstream and attracted listeners on both sides of the pond. And how, via a smart blend of sugary melodies, warm harmonies, interlaced notes, nimble rhythms, taut structures, and passionate vocals. Not to mention the presence of what arguably remains Nicks’ signature song, the biographical “Gypsy,” a meditation on the loss of her close friend Robin Anderson that teems with majesty, mystery, and mysticism — and which gets an assist from Buckingham’s shaded tack piano and richly strummed guitar chords.

Its ranking as an all-time classic aside, that No. 12 hit has plenty of company when it comes to brilliant pop turns on Mirage. On the subject of Nicks, the raspy singer gets a little bit country on “That’s Alright.” Its clip-clopping pace and two-stepping progression complement subtle vocal swells that emerge during the final verse of a tune that is ostensibly about leaving but still conveys forgiveness and grace. And what would a Fleetwood Mac record be without Nicks drawing on the tools of the supernatural — cards, dreams, wolves, and the like — on the twirling “Straight Back.”

Despite the potency of Nicks’ primary contributions, Mirage seemingly unfolds as a tight competition between Buckingham and McVie — and one that ultimately ends in a draw. Buckingham’s salvos include the contagious “Can’t Go Back,” a yearning to time-travel back to the past that’s complete with hall-of-mirrors backing vocals; “Oh Diane,” out-of- left-field ear candy sweetened with hiccupped vocals and salt-and-pepper-shaken grooves; the chiming “Eyes of the World”; and “Empire State,” a delightfully fluttering track whose high-range vocals, lap harp notes, and ringing xylophones hint at the galaxies of sound that would erupt on Tango in the Night.

Then there’s McVie. As elegant, understated, and coolheaded as she’s ever been on record, she pours her heart out on cuts that revolve around her inevitable split with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson. In the process, she punctuates Mirage with a characteristic not always associated with catchy pop music: emotional weight, and the sense of dreaded acceptance in the face of dreams deferred.

“I wish you were here/Holding me tight,” McVie sings over a delicate melody on the album-closing piano ballad “Wish You Were Here.” Though they hoped otherwise, for the members Fleetwood Mac, distance and separation were always close at hand. Believing otherwise, inviting nostalgia, and pretending everything was fine only amounts to a mirage.

CSN was the trio's last fully realized album, and also the last recording on which the three principals handled all the vocal parts without the sweetening of additional voices. It has held up remarkably well, both as a memento of its time and as a thoroughly enjoyable musical work." — AllMusic

Crosby, Stills & Nash was a folk rock supergroup made up of American singer-songwriters David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and English singer-songwriter Graham Nash. CSN's 1977 self-titled album is a return to the harmony-soaked idealism with which the trio had been catapulted to popularity; it reached No. 2 on the charts, behind Fleetwood Mac's megasuccessful Rumours.

AllMusic says the songs on CSN show a "great deal of lyrical maturity and compositional complexity compared to those earlier albums (from a far more innocent time). "Just a Song Before I Go" was the latest of Graham Nash's radio-friendly acoustic numbers, and a Top Ten single. "See the Changes" and "Dark Star" ranked with the best of Stephen Stills' work, while David Crosby contributed three classics from his distinctive oeuvre: "Shadow Captain," "Anything at All," and the beautiful "In My Dreams."And Nash's multi-part "Cathedral," a recollection of an acid trip taken in Winchester Cathedral on his 32nd birthday, became a staple of the group's live repertoire.

Ground-breaking music perfection deserves definitive sound and top-notch packaging. This reissue was mastered directly from the original master tape by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket with textured stock by Stoughton Printing.

'It begins with a shoebox of mysterious provenance, full of recordings from the Vendée department on France’s western seaboard: songs of love and war, life and death, played out on land and sea. Songs passed down and sung by ordinary men and women, gracefully delivered with the poetic economy which unites the folk song of all peoples.

Next it takes a group of contemporary musicians to make selections from this treasure trove and sing these old songs anew; to sing them for their beauty, of course, and to reclaim the people’s tradition from those who would seek to exploit it for nefarious political ends. Who better for this task than Tartine de Clous, a singing trio from Vendée’s neighbouring department of Charente-Maritime, who burst into national and international consciousness with their debut album "Sans Folklore" in 2015? The result of their shoebox rummagings, the new album "Compter les dents", recorded in 2019 and finally seeing the light of day, is bound to delight old fans and win them many new ones.

Time makes many’s the alteration, and "Compter les dents" finds 'les garçons' - Geoffroy Dudouit, Thomas Georget and Guillaume Maupin - in a different state of being from their debut release. The trio, friends since youth, have certainly matured between albums, as one would expect; consequently the newer performances are more considered and poised, unfolding with a patient confidence. A relaxed domesticity prevails, something to do with the fact that the album was entirely recorded chez les amis, in contrast to the first album, which was mostly recorded at live performances in bars and night-spots across France.

Lending gravitas to the grain of their voices we mark a deepened richness, doubtless born of the various vicissitudes of daily existence which these gentlemen - and we too as citizens of this turmoiled globe - have weathered in the intervening years. Not too dissimilar, in fact,
from some of the vicissitudes detailed in those old Vendée songs. Plus 'ça change', right?

There’s a greater complexity and subtlety to their unique three-part harmonising, too. Their voices mesh in even stronger - almost telepathic - 'fraternité' than ever before: now commanding and mighty as a full-rigged counter-vessel, now gentle and lulling as a mother’s
cradle-croon, or as the whisper in a lover’s ear.

Three legendary figures of French traditional music, now sadly departed, preside as tutelary spirits over Compter les dents. They are: the late Claude Flagel, musician and ethnomusicologist; and the late Jean-Loup Baly of the well-known 1970s band Mélusine. Most of the album was recorded by Claude in the Brussels home he shared with his late wife Lou Flagel. The album is dedicated to the memory of Jean-Loup, Claude and Lou.

For the first time there are several guest instrumentalists working their magic to expand the Tartine de Clous sound. Jean-Loup plays a characterful accordéon on the song ‘La Veuve'. The other guests are: Maurice Artus (voice), Robert Thébaut (violin), Quentin Manfroy (piccolo, contrabassoon), Marceau Portron (cigar box guitar). Their contributions add even more conviviality to that which the trio of singers already share, a sensation which will doubtless be shared by those who happen to find a place in their lives for "Compter les dents".'

Liner notes by Alasdair Roberts.

In their new album Bagola, Trio Da Kali present newly composed songs accompanied on balafon and ngoniba, that provide a rich accompaniment to the spectacular voice of Hawa Kasse Mady Diabaté. She inherits her singing style from her father, the late Kasse Mady Diabaté, who was widely recognized as one of Africa"s all-time greatest singers and won a Grammy nomination in 2004. Hawa"s voice has an exquisite purity and expressiveness, with a wide emotional range. She is equally at home in the lively, 9/8 rhythms of the title track Bagola, a light-hearted critique of men in Malian society, to the soulful Orpaillage, a song that laments the destruction of land from gold-panning. Orpaillage was in fact composed on the spot in the studio, reflecting the creative chemistry between these three musicians. The musical director of the trio is balafon (xylophone) player Lassana Diabaté, born in Guinea into a well-known family of balafon musicians. His remarkable dexterity on the balafon earned him a place in Toumani Diabaté"s Symmetric Orchestra, and later on in the group Afrocubism (featuring Eliades Ochoa). He has collaborated with many musicians, including bluesman Taj Mahal on the album Kulanjan. With two balafons of 22 rosewood keys each, tuned to play chromatic scales, Lassana Diabaté achieves a perfect balance of rhythm, melody, harmony and virtuosic embellishment. David Harrington, leader of Kronos Quartet, compares him to none other than JS Bach. Underpinning the balafon with compulsive groove, is the large ngoniba, played with brilliant musicality by Madou Kouyaté (son of Bassekou Kouyaté and member of his group Ngoniba). Madou, the youngest member of Trio Da Kali, also adds rich harmonies with his deep breathy voice to the songs. Trio Da Kali were founded in 2013 under the initiative of the Aga Khan Music Programme, with the help of three-times Grammy-nominated music producer Lucy Durán. The Trio first rose to international fame with their sublime album Ladilikan (World Circuit Records 2017), featuring an unprecedented and multi-award-winning collaboration with Kronos Quartet, the legendary classical string quartet from San Francisco. Bagola is a showcase of Trio Da Kali"s entrancing and unique sound, only equaled by their magical performances on stage.

Toy Tonics Music Berlin presents "Para Mytho Disco". The 2nd "Kapote" album of label founder and creative director Mathias Modica.
Keyboarder, DJ, producer, music nerd, graphic designer, multi-instrumentalist, sub-culture impressario and artist (formerly known as Munk of Gomma records.)

Kapote & Toy Tonics
In the last years Kapote was in the spotlight mainly for building the Toy Tonics label with his friends. Developing a platform for new positive quality dance music with a human touch. Toy Tonics is the opposite of the dark, druggy Techno and Trance sounds of the last years.
The warm inclusive music of Toy Tonics represents a new vibe that a young generation of diverse, stylish and culturally intersted generation of dancers loves now. Kapote's Toy Tonics became the key label for that vibe. (In 2024 Toy Tonics made 150 Toy Tonics events in 18 countries. With more than 150.000 people dancing. 90 millions streams on their music.)
Toy Tonics is more than a music label: It's a audio - visual universe. A community, almost a movement.
Based on a new positive attitude and aesthetic diversity. Mixing musicianship with DJ culture, analogue music with electronic, ideas from the past with sounds from now. To create something new. Connecting dance music with graphic design, art and underground fashion.
Kapote and his gang release vinyl, posters, shirts, art fanzines and make exhibitions and partys.

Toy Tonics started in Berlin as a underground niche project. But now became the key label of the new house, wild style disco and organic dance music scene.
Probably one of Berlin's biggest electronic music phenomena along with Keinemusik and Live from Earth.

It went fast: 2020 Kapote's crew started to make small parties in Berlin's off spaces. The "Toy Tonics Jams". The parties became "talk of the town", and Berlin clubs like Griesmühle and Panorama Bar invited the crew. Then international clubs and festival called. Toy Tonics were invited to SONAR (playing the mainstage with Kaytranada and DJ Tennis), KALA festival, Montreux Jazz festival.
Now TT has a residency at Panorama Bar Berlin and sold out events in Europe leading clubs like Phonox in London, Rex Club in Paris, Tunnel in Milan.
Toy Tonics now is the reference brand of a new generation of music loving dancers. Similar to Gomma records, Kapote's former label (2003 - 2015) that was one of the key labels of the "indie dance" scene of the Y2K years (along with DFA and Output Records).

Kapote created a multi-cultural movement with graphic designers, photographers, illustrators from the Berlin scene.
They publish the Toy Tonics Pocket Poster magazine, posters and design shirts. They organize the Toy Tonics Pop Up Galleries mixing music and art. In underground venues in Berlin and in new gallery spaces and museums around Europe.
Toy Tonics has been invited by Palais de Tokio museum in Paris, Triennale Museum Berlin, Design week Milano to create events.
The new Kapote album
The 12 tracks have a very own style. Based on dance music, but going much further. "Para Mytho Disco' is a futuristic mix of sounds. It's far away from the dark monotone techno and trance music from Kapote's hometown Berlin. Instead, he creates warm friendly atmospheres full of sonic colours and little musical surprises.
Kapote's knowlege of music history and his backround as a jazz piano student and son of classic music composer is clearly inside this music. Before turning into a DJ and electronic music producer he has been playing in bands since he was 13 years old.
The album is full of emotional chord progressions played by Kapote on various keyboards. Sometimes reminding music from the past, without being retro at all. The basslines and melodies are inspired by jazz fusion from the 1970ies. And he programmed syncopated grooves that come from afro-american dance music. There are influences from Japanese electronic music (Yellow Magic Orchestra), from 1980s Synthwave and from 1990s electronica (like Squarepusher and Luke Vibert).

Kapote plays keys, bass, flutes and percussions, he plays synth solos and sings on a few tracks. The complexity of the arrangements makes this music never boring. Lot of melodies and solos that catch the listener. Colourful soundscapes that make you want to listen or dance to this album more, and discover details also after you heard it several times.

Kapote background

Before starting Toy Tonics, Kapote used to run a label called Gomma. He produced four albums under the name Munk and music for other artists.
He produced music with Peaches, Franz Ferdinand founder Nick McCarthy, with New York street art legend The Rammellzee, Italian actress Asia Argento, the first three albums of WhoMadeWho and worked with LCD Soundsystem (listen to "Kick out the chairs", the Munk song with James Murphy )
In those "Gomma days" Kapote aka Munk was also one of the main DJs for VICE magazine parties and made music for art projects and fashion brands (Margiela, Prada, Colette).
In 2015 he stopped Munk and Gomma and started Toy Tonics. He found young producers and helped to develop their sound (Coeo, Cody Currie, Gee Lane, Barbara Boeing, Sam Ruffillo). Later he founded the sublabel Kryptox to release music by Berlin based bands that make new forms of jazz or neo classical sounds.

Under the name Kapote Mathias didnt release much:
Only his Kapote debut album "What it is" (2019) and an EP called "Electric Slide" (2022) and a collabo EP with Italian producer Sam Ruffillo ("Robot Salsa").

An although his Munk and Kapote music was an underground phenomena his music has always been a favourite of many great people from the scene.
Supported by DJs like Harvey, Chromeo, Moodymann, Jennifer Cardini, Gerd Janson, MYD, Andrew Weatherall to Blessed Madonna, Justice and Laurent Garnier… to name just a few.

Mess Esque is an Australian duo who sound like they literally dreamed themselves into being, made up of Helen Franzmann (McKisko) and Mick Turner (Dirty Three, Tren Brothers). The two enjoy moving at an unhurried pace, but what: here"s their third album in less than five years! "Jay Marie, Comfort Me" feels a hemisphere away from Mess Esque"s first efforts, and a whole new atmospheric level above. The duo began as a correspondence course in 2020, swapping tracks remotely between Melbourne and Brisbane to experiment with pairing Mick"s guitar, keys and loops with Helen"s ruminative vocals. Their third effort arrives after the two actualised into the same space - that is, touring and performing together! - but they"ve continued the absentee ballot as before, collaborating from some 800 miles apart to write another great album. One with an edge... rocking, we daresay! Along with Keeley Young and Kishore Ryan from the live band, the album features cellist Stephanie Arnold and a couple of Australia"s living legends of percussion: Bree van Reyk and Mick"s ol" Dirty Three partner-in-crime, Jim White.

‘LIVE. SHIFT. DREAM.’ : three words for a first EP that invites you to embrace existence, shift gears when opportunities arise and keep your hopes and ambitions alive. That's what PAMELA is all about: electric energy, raw momentum, urgency. There's no time to get bogged down, it's all there in front of us, so let's make the most of it.



In this EP, each track is a facet of themselves, a distillation of their influences and raw energy. ‘Focused’ opens like an adrenalin rush, oscillating between desire and loss of control. ‘G.R.E.A.T.’ ? An explosive Britpop anthem, celebrating individuality with saturated synths and a heady riff. ‘IDNTKNWYT’ invites you to let go and dance without restraint. Then there's ‘Lover's Potion’, which reveals a softer, more intimate side, with a retro, hushed voice that's transporting.



And that's not all: ‘Full Sentimental’ is a powerful confession, where nostalgia becomes an outlet, while ‘Put out the Fire’ burns with urgency and sounds the alarm about the current climate situation.



Co-produced with Pierre Cheguillaume (who also produced Zaho de Sagazan), their tracks oscillate between LCD Soundsystem, The Cure, and Soulwax, blending into dance music tinged with indie rock and britpop. Showcasing their full power live, PAMELA will perform at La Maroquinerie (Paris) in March, after supporting Zaho de Sagazan on her Arena tour.



‘LIVE. SHIFT. DREAM.’ is more than just a start for PAMELA: it's an invitation to feel, to vibrate, and never stop.

Celebrating 40th anniversary of Yves Deruyter's musical career with this 10 x 12" Vinyl Box Set. Including tracks from F.U.S.E. vs LFO, Tronikhouse, Robert Armani, L.S.G., Edge Of Motion, Plastikman, The Prodigy, Ecstasy Club, and the master himselfYves Deruyter.



Yves Deruyter - 40 Years at the Pinnacle of the Night

Forty years. A rollercoaster of a musical career, meandering through five decades, leaving timeless marks on the collective dancefloor memory. Yves Deruyter is the exception that proves the rule. An icon behind the decks, celebrated far beyond national borders for his legendary sets, impeccable musical choices, and the anthems released under his name. The result of collective effort, where Yves, with his vision and unique touch, consistently left his mark-transforming good tracks into inescapable bombs that still resonate through time.

If you've spent forty years living to the pulse of music, the night is in your DNA. Yves Deruyter, a DJ to the core-the real deal. The man who bent the night to his will, dragging weekend vibes into the workweek like a warrior, a true master behind the turntables who made his people dance. His beats: the oxygen that generations lived on.

Yves sharpened his musical weapons in the early '90s within the iconic afterparty scene of Barocci and The Globe-places that became sanctuaries in Belgium's endless night. Here, die-hard dancefloor warriors, cutting-edge music lovers, and night owls from the four corners of the globe gathered. They willingly followed Yves' masterful mixing and his razor-sharp set construction. Clubs with a more conventional timeframe were the next step, with the iconic Cherrymoon as his home base for years-alongside endless guest DJ spots and global gigs. From there, the underground pulsed through Yves' hands and crates, reaching ever-larger crowds-without ever compromising for commercial or crossover sounds. Yves stayed true to his choices, lifting his audience to euphoric heights like a craftsman, armed with his hits, hidden gems, and freshly unearthed nuggets.

From the pounding energy of Rave City to the flippy, epic flashes of Calling Earth-tracks that not only captured the spirit of the times but conquered dancefloors worldwide. This isn't just music; it's a time capsule-a connection between generations and a reminder of the energy from a golden era.

With musical partners like Roel Butzen, Frederico Santini, M.I.K.E. Push, and more recently, Insider, Yves forged a sound that etched its place into rave and dance history. From The Rebel to The House of House, parts of Yves' musical taste have become immortal pillars of dance music heritage. In the early rave days, he topped Belgium's DJ rankings year after year, elevating every club he played to the highest echelons of popularity. The same held true for the records where his name appeared like a badge of honor.

From The Globe to the globe itself-it seemed almost written in the stars. Yves, thestar DJ, became one of the instigators of the electronic music storm that put Belgium on the global map-a storm that never subsided. Festivals like Love Parade, Mayday, I Love Techno, Nature One, and Tomorrowland saw Yves as a trusted force, effortlessly commanding crowds and turning dancefloors inside out. Forty years later, that storm still ignites partygoers, vibrates through dancefloors, and keeps entire generations moving.

Even today, Yves still holds a steady residency with Yves Deruyter and Friends at Club Moustache, where his concept always sells out. Here, both fresh talent and seasoned DJs deliver a killer blend of modern electronic dance music and timeless classics, creating an atmosphere that hooks the crowd every single time.

Because partying doesn't need an excuse. But forty years? That deserves the spotlight-not as a mere milestone, but as a showcase of timelessness. Music mutates, reinvents itself for new generations, yet retains the same impact as that very first time. Yves proves that forty is just a number, and relevance isn't about trends-it's about vision, energy, and an unmistakable touch. His sets? Indestructible. His sound? A heartbeat echoing through time.

And Yves? He doesn't live in the past. Today, Yves distills those four decades into a compilation capturing the essence of his career. Belgian beats, interpreted and refined into a sound that powered raves around the world. Ten vinyls featuring not just a fiercely curated selection that contextualizes the magic of his early days, but also new versions of three unbeatable anthems-potent hits designed to turn dancefloors upside down in wonder, without losing a shred of their soul. Yves remains a beacon in the night, a searchlight for that one perfect beat-always relevant, always chasing that magical moment.

Yves Deruyter-a name spoken in the same breath as the greats of the scene. A ten-vinyl compilation is more than a celebration; it's a well-earned trophy. As unique, indestructible, and uncompromising as the man himself.

Produced by Grammy Nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair, Clairo). Big Crown Records is proud to present Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s latest album Yarın Yoksa. The show stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Şimşek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message. They refer to themselves as “outernational” over international as they say it suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.” Derya, who sings and plays the bağlama, is German born to Turkish parents. Drummer Helen Wells is Berlin-based by way of South Africa while keyboard player Graham Mushnik and guitar/bass player Antonin Voyant are both French. The collective influences they bring to Anatolian music make for a completely unique and fresh sound that both pushes the genre forward and champions its rich heritage. Yarın Yoksa which translates to If There Is No Tomorrow delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing, and hope for change running throughout. The lyrics are poetic and rely heavily on symbolic language, metaphors, and storytelling while the music shifts track to track making each tune stand out on its own but work together perfectly as an album. “Cool Hand”, the first single released on Big Crown in September of 2024, is a beautiful juxtaposition of intensity and light-heartedness over a thoroughly infectious groove. The message is poetic and complicated, repeatedly declaring “I love you, I’m crazy about you” but ultimately finding a sense of peace through accepting a broken heart. “Direne Direne” is a protest song that embodies the struggle and tireless pursuit of justice encouraging people to resist oppression. Derya’s lyrics soar over the psych-soul musical backdrop as her story of personal struggle transforms to a universal call for resilience and strength. The slow and weighty vibe of “Yakamoz” lets onto the meaning of the lyrics even to those who don’t understand Turkish. It is a deeply moving song that captures the profound emotions connected to displacement and loss without knowing if you will ever return. The steady groove of the band, along with the anguished vocals paint a vivid picture of the devastation experienced by the protagonist who ultimately realizes that her roots are within her and anywhere she goes is her home. Nine of the tunes on the album are original compositions but they also take on three Anatollian folk songs with their own inimitable approach. The acapella introduction of “Misket”, a folk song from Ankara/Türkiye, will stop you in your tracks. The tune deals with death and how the living cope and continue a relationship with those who have passed away. Another traditional tune from Sivas that they put their signature sound to is “Hop Bico”, a tune about a playful character named Bico who is a symbol of vitality and spirit. The synth intro grabs your ear from the first note and the earworm chorus encouraging Bico to lead the group in celebration and embrace life through dance has the same effect on everyone who hears it. The band has taken a big step forward that you can hear on this record. Derya’s passion and authenticity is front and centre and the music is too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait till you hear them play it live… Upcoming Tour Dates (+More To Be Added): 18th March The Deaf Institute, Manchester / 19th The Jam Jar, Bristol / 20th Scala, London / 21st Norwich Arts Centre.

Produced by Grammy Nominated producer Leon Michels (El Michels Affair, Clairo). Big Crown Records is proud to present Derya Yıldırım & Grup Şimşek’s latest album Yarın Yoksa. The show stopping intensity of Derya backed by the psychedelic soul of Grup Şimşek with production by Leon Michels has yielded a stand out record that challenges genre with a broad appeal and a powerful message. They refer to themselves as “outernational” over international as they say it suggests a sound that’s more inclusive or “beyond borders.” Derya, who sings and plays the bağlama, is German born to Turkish parents. Drummer Helen Wells is Berlin-based by way of South Africa while keyboard player Graham Mushnik and guitar/bass player Antonin Voyant are both French. The collective influences they bring to Anatolian music make for a completely unique and fresh sound that both pushes the genre forward and champions its rich heritage. Yarın Yoksa which translates to If There Is No Tomorrow delves into deeply personal pain and collective resistance with a central thread of loss, longing, and hope for change running throughout. The lyrics are poetic and rely heavily on symbolic language, metaphors, and storytelling while the music shifts track to track making each tune stand out on its own but work together perfectly as an album. “Cool Hand”, the first single released on Big Crown in September of 2024, is a beautiful juxtaposition of intensity and light-heartedness over a thoroughly infectious groove. The message is poetic and complicated, repeatedly declaring “I love you, I’m crazy about you” but ultimately finding a sense of peace through accepting a broken heart. “Direne Direne” is a protest song that embodies the struggle and tireless pursuit of justice encouraging people to resist oppression. Derya’s lyrics soar over the psych-soul musical backdrop as her story of personal struggle transforms to a universal call for resilience and strength. The slow and weighty vibe of “Yakamoz” lets onto the meaning of the lyrics even to those who don’t understand Turkish. It is a deeply moving song that captures the profound emotions connected to displacement and loss without knowing if you will ever return. The steady groove of the band, along with the anguished vocals paint a vivid picture of the devastation experienced by the protagonist who ultimately realizes that her roots are within her and anywhere she goes is her home. Nine of the tunes on the album are original compositions but they also take on three Anatollian folk songs with their own inimitable approach. The acapella introduction of “Misket”, a folk song from Ankara/Türkiye, will stop you in your tracks. The tune deals with death and how the living cope and continue a relationship with those who have passed away. Another traditional tune from Sivas that they put their signature sound to is “Hop Bico”, a tune about a playful character named Bico who is a symbol of vitality and spirit. The synth intro grabs your ear from the first note and the earworm chorus encouraging Bico to lead the group in celebration and embrace life through dance has the same effect on everyone who hears it. The band has taken a big step forward that you can hear on this record. Derya’s passion and authenticity is front and centre and the music is too moving to deny. Yarın Yoksa is sure to captivate the hearts and minds of all those who hear it, and just wait till you hear them play it live… Upcoming Tour Dates (+More To Be Added): 18th March The Deaf Institute, Manchester / 19th The Jam Jar, Bristol / 20th Scala, London / 21st Norwich Arts Centre.

"Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee" said the famous boxer Mohammed Ali, in reference to his legendary strike. This punchline also works wonderfully in music, listening to Roseaux's third album. A French success story, created with all modesty and honesty by the Parisian trio: Emile Omar, Alex Finkin and Clément Petit.

The three musketeers of sound cultivate their know-how, now acclaimed by critics and an ever-growing audience since their first project in 2012. It took them time to take a step back and gain perspective in order to offer us a return that is both joyful and resounding.

Roseaux takes root on the banks of soul, folk, jazz, and songs from all eras, a cascade of inexhaustible sounds, where the three composers draw their inspiration and merge their experiences.

The leaves of Roseaux soar to the breath of wonderful voices, chosen with precision by the three friends, like that of the American singer Aloe Blacc, present since the beginning of the adventure, essential enchanter of the three episodes.

Conceived as a dreamlike escapade full of emotions, on the fringes of the massive, instantaneous and often disembodied production, Roseaux is a totally artisanal group, a sort of UFO in the French musical landscape, which operates on instinct and above all on desire.

Thus, Roseaux has become an expert in bringing together, for the duration of a record, the artists who specifically form the DNA of their host: captivating voices, a plot on the piano and cello, but also encounters and reunions, in a poetic and deliberately nebulous universe.

A welcoming nebula, where the listener is invited to listen and immerse themselves without hindrance, in a luxuriant, wild, exciting sound forest. This third album is the work of 3 music lovers, capable of switching roles: writing, arrangements, production, from which emerge this time, eleven tracks with chiseled melodies including three colorful and unusual instrumentals.

A journey between melancholy and euphoria, which led Roseaux to the ends of the planet, from the Caribbean to Europe via Africa to unearth other vibrations and unique performers: the captivating Grenadian-British singer Ala.ni, the little English afropop prince from Ghana, Ghetto Boy, and the disturbing Swedish Isabel Sörling, sign here a first flamboyant collaboration with the group.

While the talented Haitian-Canadian Mélissa Laveaux, the hypnotic Scandinavian singer Olle Nyman, the sparkling French-Canadian Anna Majidson and our remarkable national Ben, already present on the second part, still manage to create a surprise by revealing new aspects of their range.

Roseaux's voices are decidedly impenetrable and its magic is renewed today by making the strength of all these scintillating elements dialogue, to be discovered in a setting of softness and voluptuousness.

Nature is full of reeds, this one is unique.

The sounds, songs, and passages within Power Sucker are the very reason that Young Widows are still a band after an 11-year creative pause; they remain masters at making music with equal parts sonic and emotional weight. Young Widows have inspired scores of underground artists across the globe with their unique collage of noise-rock, hardcore, and post-punk and pioneering presentation. The Young Widows sound - or more accurately, the Young Widows feel - is in full battering ram motion on their fifth studio album. The heaviness of Power Sucker isn't mysterious. The Louisville, Kentucky power trio play their individual parts with such recognizable precision and style that once entwined together each completed piece becomes an integral part of the puzzle. The sizzling guitars, growling bass, and lock-tight drums rip through the pavement that Young Widows had previously laid to allow the most forward-moving vocal arrangements of their now two-decade career. Historical accomplishments aside, Power Sucker has the shock and wonder of a new band's debut album. After all, this is the regrouping of three passionate lifers once again sharing their undying love for the art of sound. No one and no thing can take those powers away.

The sounds, songs, and passages within Power Sucker are the very reason that Young Widows are still a band after an 11-year creative pause; they remain masters at making music with equal parts sonic and emotional weight. Young Widows have inspired scores of underground artists across the globe with their unique collage of noise-rock, hardcore, and post-punk and pioneering presentation. The Young Widows sound - or more accurately, the Young Widows feel - is in full battering ram motion on their fifth studio album. The heaviness of Power Sucker isn't mysterious. The Louisville, Kentucky power trio play their individual parts with such recognizable precision and style that once entwined together each completed piece becomes an integral part of the puzzle. The sizzling guitars, growling bass, and lock-tight drums rip through the pavement that Young Widows had previously laid to allow the most forward-moving vocal arrangements of their now two-decade career. Historical accomplishments aside, Power Sucker has the shock and wonder of a new band's debut album. After all, this is the regrouping of three passionate lifers once again sharing their undying love for the art of sound. No one and no thing can take those powers away.

Warm welcome to the label this time comes to the duo of producers from Netherlands called pH Project. The musical union formed by Pelle and Herra that are both have been doing what they do for many years and played alongside as well many admirable artists which you can find on the archives of the internet if the curiosity will get the best of you. The maestros of the project have provided us with 3 ready to tremor up the speakers cuts with their signature groove and knowledge that they have acquired in the trenches of rave during their activity on the scene. Finalising this 12” vinyl cut is Levat, the producer who doesn’t need introduction as his persona and non-stop dedication for music speaks for itself. Taking non-standard approach of taking stems from all the originals hence the name of the work is “Thritrakk”, combining the elements of all three tracks we have this dark electro monster audio gracing the B2 side. The work of a collaboration of styles and sonically dedicated minds have resulted into this EP “Obvitrip” coming to life for us to enjoy.

"10th Anniversary Edition Ghostface Killah, legendary Wu-Tang Clan member, invites you to rediscover the cinematic brilliance of 36 Seasons, his tenth studio album and unforgettable concept masterpiece.
Originally released ten years ago, this album tells the compelling story of Tony Starks as he returns to Staten Island after nine years, seeking a peaceful life but nding anything but. 36 Seasons is a testament to Ghostface’s storytelling genius and raw lyrical power.
To honor its 10th anniversary, 36 Seasons is being reissued in a range of special formats packed with exclusive bonuses. Fans can look forward to three vinyl editions, including a Deluxe Double Vinyl featuring all original tracks alongside instrumental versions."

The Austin, TX-based singer-songwriter—whose decades-long career has seen six full-length studio albums, three EPs, countless collaborations, and an illustrious supergroup project in Glorietta—spent a season of rest away from his focus on writing songs. In the wake of the end of a long relationship, he wanted to prioritize processing his grief as a human, not as an artist bleeding on the page. “I love all the records I’ve made in the past. But in making them, there was always the thought in the back of my mind of where and what it could get me. I made both creative and business decisions with a goal in mind... a goal that often never came. This time it was all about just the joy of making it, about having fun with it.”

The Marloes follow up the massive success of their debut album Perak by pressing two of the stand out tunes from the record on a 7". The A side 'Not Today' is right up there with the grooviest feel good songs you could ever play on a Sunday morning. Lead singer Natassya Sianturi reminds us to make space for ourselves no matter what life throws our way. From the message, to the music, to Natassya's gorgeous voice; this is a cool out, kick back, and enjoy anthem. The B side 'Over' starts out with a heavy drum break and evolves into an epic arrangement drenched in layers of gorgeous melodies that perfectly capture the havoc of a love affair that ends abruptly. Natassya's vocals soar over Raka's intricate production seamlessly as she tells a tale in three parts; attraction, intimacy, and decline that crescendos to an epic ending.

"10th Anniversary Edition Ghostface Killah, legendary Wu-Tang Clan member, invites you to rediscover the cinematic brilliance of 36 Seasons, his tenth studio album and unforgettable concept masterpiece.
Originally released ten years ago, this album tells the compelling story of Tony Starks as he returns to Staten Island after nine years, seeking a peaceful life but nding anything but. 36 Seasons is a testament to Ghostface’s storytelling genius and raw lyrical power.
To honor its 10th anniversary, 36 Seasons is being reissued in a range of special formats packed with exclusive bonuses. Fans can look forward to three vinyl editions, including a Deluxe Double Vinyl featuring all original tracks alongside instrumental versions."

This anthology follows Now-Again's Loving On The Flipside, issued more than a decade ago. And that anthology itself got its start in a different time, a decade even earlier - the era in which Now-Again's Egon and his friends chased down funk 45s and the odd LP for their testosterone riddled, aggressive sound. Often times the funk song on one of their chosen is would be the throw-away b-side, the hasty afterthought the band cobbled together the night before hitting - or while in - the studio because they'd put all of their energies into writing the amazing ballad that would ensure their entry in soul's history books. Every once in a while, that funk song they coveted could have been - in an alternate universe - a ballad. The Third Guitar's "Baby Don't Cry," El Pooks* "I Could Do The Impossible" and Spider Harrison's "Beautiful Day" all fit into this category. That realization notwithstanding, more often than not they shined over the ballads to get to the tough stuff. Then they started flipping those funk records over to find some loving on the flip side. Some marvellous tunes were there to be found. This is the long awaited follow up. Contained within this anthology are some of the greatest soul ballads that go sweet with a beat - or, to follow our tagline, epitomize "sweet funk." Most of these songs have never been compiled. Some have never been issued in any form. Some, like the Ledgends entry here, were sampled to great success (in that case for Freddie Gibbs and Madlib's "Deeper"). Some haven't been sampled, but, like Herb Johnson's entry, are patiently awaiting their day. It should go without saying that we're proud to present this music in good conscience; with the full participation of everyone but the most obscure names contained within. And, for those who we've not yet been able to contact, this is our message: We've found your brethren, we've placed them beside you on an album that we hope you feel is befitting of your collective contributions to soul music and now we're just waiting for you. Though the music you recorded is from the years past, vour time is now.

Also known as "Portland's Pillar Of Soul", Ural Thomas is a widely esteemed Portland based r&b singer-songwriter and musician, active since the 1950s. Still going strong over almost three-quarter century's worth of performing and releasing, Thomas' breathtaking oeuvre comes to a recent head on this latest LP+7" via Cairo, 'Nat Ural'. Eschewing his latest incarnation with backing The Pain (making up Ural Thomas and the Pain), which was formed after a long hiatus, we return to Thomas' solo sensibility here. A new LP backed up by a sneaky extra 7", Thomas' distinctive, homely brand of strutting vocal soul is once more put on display here.

The band is considered as a unique combination of the darkest sides of many
underground genres like grindcore, black/death metal, ambient, drone and of course
psychedelic music.

Tons formed in 2009 with members of hardcore bands from the 00's Turin scene (The
Redrum, Lama Tematica and NoInfo). Slow and heavy sounds take the place of
frenetic HC rhythms; the texts speak about weed in an ironic way, but also about a
certain tendency to esotericism that characterizes the city of Turin. In 2010 they
recorded a demo and in 2012 their first full length "Musinee Doom Session, Volume 1",
recorded by Danilo "Dano" Battocchio, was released for the Turin-based Escape From
Today (EFT050) and for the young Roman label, Heavy Psych Sounds (First non Black
Rainbows release, HPS005). In 2013 a split with Lento from Rome came out and Tons
began to plow the European venues, opening the stage for bands like Bongzilla,
Unsane, Church of Misery, Napalm Death, Pentagram etc ...

In 2015 the drummer Marco Dinocco left the band and was replaced by Andrea
Peracchia (Dogs for Breakfast/Slaiver). Paolo Paganelli (Woptime/Linea77) was also
added as lead guitarist. In 2018 the second full length of the band "Filthy Flowers of
Doom" was released for Heavy Psych Sounds Records, which would bring Tons again
around Europe in 2018 and in 2019. In 2021 they released a split record with the
mighty Bongzilla followed by a European tour together in 2022. On 7th October 2022
the band released a brand new album called "Hashension" and a repress for the 10th
anniversary of their debut album "Musinee Doom Session, Volume 1" with remastered
audio and a new cover artwork.

During these years Tons played in many important Festival, such as Desert Fest
London and Antwerp, Sonic Blast, Frantic Fest, Venezia Hardcore and HPS Fest.
QUOTE From the Band :"Three fun tracks for lovers of head banging who don't take
themselves too seriously like our friends Teo Segale (Rumore Mag.) and Ranch Sironi
(Nebula) to whom these songs are dedicated. "

This latest opus marks the band's studio comeback since 2018's "City Of Dope And
Violence", plus the opportunity to work with underground scene juggernauts like Tons
and Subsound Records and the consolidation of Alexander Lizzori as active producer
("Cyclops" / "2" era drummer and long time collaborator).

The band is considered as a unique combination of the darkest sides of many
underground genres like grindcore, black/death metal, ambient, drone and of course
psychedelic music.

Tons formed in 2009 with members of hardcore bands from the 00's Turin scene (The
Redrum, Lama Tematica and NoInfo). Slow and heavy sounds take the place of
frenetic HC rhythms; the texts speak about weed in an ironic way, but also about a
certain tendency to esotericism that characterizes the city of Turin. In 2010 they
recorded a demo and in 2012 their first full length "Musinee Doom Session, Volume 1",
recorded by Danilo "Dano" Battocchio, was released for the Turin-based Escape From
Today (EFT050) and for the young Roman label, Heavy Psych Sounds (First non Black
Rainbows release, HPS005). In 2013 a split with Lento from Rome came out and Tons
began to plow the European venues, opening the stage for bands like Bongzilla,
Unsane, Church of Misery, Napalm Death, Pentagram etc ...

In 2015 the drummer Marco Dinocco left the band and was replaced by Andrea
Peracchia (Dogs for Breakfast/Slaiver). Paolo Paganelli (Woptime/Linea77) was also
added as lead guitarist. In 2018 the second full length of the band "Filthy Flowers of
Doom" was released for Heavy Psych Sounds Records, which would bring Tons again
around Europe in 2018 and in 2019. In 2021 they released a split record with the
mighty Bongzilla followed by a European tour together in 2022. On 7th October 2022
the band released a brand new album called "Hashension" and a repress for the 10th
anniversary of their debut album "Musinee Doom Session, Volume 1" with remastered
audio and a new cover artwork.

During these years Tons played in many important Festival, such as Desert Fest
London and Antwerp, Sonic Blast, Frantic Fest, Venezia Hardcore and HPS Fest.
QUOTE From the Band :"Three fun tracks for lovers of head banging who don't take
themselves too seriously like our friends Teo Segale (Rumore Mag.) and Ranch Sironi
(Nebula) to whom these songs are dedicated. "

This latest opus marks the band's studio comeback since 2018's "City Of Dope And
Violence", plus the opportunity to work with underground scene juggernauts like Tons
and Subsound Records and the consolidation of Alexander Lizzori as active producer
("Cyclops" / "2" era drummer and long time collaborator).

Denude is made up of members from the bands Piglet, Murder In The Red Barn,
Fuiguirnet, and Credentials.
Recorded by Shane Hochstetler in Milwaukee, WI. Mastered by Carl Saff in Chicago,
IL.
Their debut album, A Murmuration of Capitalist Bees, was recorded with minimal
production over three days at Howl Street Recording in Milwaukee. Engineered by
long-time friend Shane Hochstetler (Child Bite, Call Me Lightning), the album captures
the raw, immediate energy of the band's live sound. With just 14 hours of live tracking
and very few overdubs, the result is a tight, visceral eight-track LP that reflects the DIY
ethos Denude embodies.
Its a grinding, strutting, semi-broken kind of sound, and honestly we love it- we think you
will too. It manages to feel heavy without relying on heaps of distortion or growled
vocals, which don't get us wrong, we love. But it's fascinating to hear Denude's unusually
limber take on what feels like real emotional weight."- Fecking Bahamas

Vinyl release of saxophonist Gary Smulyan's 2022 album 'Tadd's All, Folks'
This album is all about Tadd Dameron (1917 - 65), one of the most important
American jazz composer/musicians. The master baritone saxophonist and perennial
pole winner Gary Smulyan conceived the brilliant idea of recording Dameron
compositions with lyrics. The vocal part is phenomenally rendered by the young talent
Anais Reno. Three songs including the lovely This Night Of Stars have hitherto never
been recorded.
"While Smulyan solos brilliantly throughout, Reno is the real treat here." - Bill
Milkowski, DownBeat
"Smulyan here brings to light Dameron's heretofore unknown Library of Congress trove
of standard- quality off- Broadway gems." - Fred Bouchard, The New York City Jazz
Record

Yeah, legendary drummer Ginger Baker was in a trio with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce. But would it be sacrilege to suggest that perhaps that outfit was the not the, ahem, cream of the crop when it comes his career’s musical threesomes? For the Ginger Baker Trio, first heard on the 1994 album Going Back Home, featured Charlie Haden on bass and Bill Frisell on guitar! And that record lived up to its pedigree with a fascinating blend of British folk, Arabic-tinged melodies, and jazz, propelled by Baker’s astonishing jazz chops on his double bass kit (punctuated by some of his trademark tom-tom fills) and shot through with Haden’s melodic bass work and those impressionistic guitar textures that could only come from a Frisell axe. In short, if you’re a fan of any of these three guys, this album’s a must, and we’ve had it remastered for vinyl (by Mike Milchner at Sonic Vision) for its LP debut. Pressed on forest green vinyl and housed in a jacket with printed insert…limited to 1250 copies!

Demonstrating the poignant power of experience + human connection + innate musicality + operating in the present moment, Jeff Mills' Spiral Deluxe collective unveil their second album - The Love Pretender. Driven by the free expression and creativity of improvised performance, Spiral Deluxe is an electronic jazz fusion project comprised electronic music visionary Jeff, along with legendary keyboardist Gerald Mitchell (Underground Resistance/ Los Hermanos), Japanese rocker Yumiko Ohno (Buffalo Daughter/Cornelius) on Moog synthesizer and the Japanese bassist, adopted New Yorker, Kenji "Jino" Hino - son of Terumasa Hino, the world famous jazz trumpeter. Together, the four key players formed a band centred around completely improvised journeys through sound.

During their unrestrained performances, what Jeff describes as sonic "conversations" arose between the musicians, as they each contributed to full-length live shows, and studio sessions. Within the boundless parameters of freeform spontaneity, they developed an unspoken understanding of one another, finding balance and poise within the unplanned performances. The resulting recordings have been used for three releases so far: Two EPs, Kobe Session (2016) and Tathata (2017), and their debut album Voodoo Magic in 2018. With The Love Pretender, we're presented with another stunning collection of "tracks" extracted from one long improv session.

With each musician proficient in their specialism and, of course, an all-out music lover, the communication between the group members became almost telepathic. Very little preparation was needed, and their performances flowed naturally and organically. This can be heard, and felt, throughout The Love Pretender. Tracks like 'The Soloist' evolve effortlessly, each new shift subtly influenced by one of the musicians nudging the conversation into a different phase, and the rest responding accordingly, or vice versa. It's music that embodies the true nature of mindfulness and letting go of fear. In their unstructured, liberated cocoon the artists thrive and create musical moments that have, fortunately, been captured for us all to immerse ourselves in. Jazzy notes fill the air, combined with electronic bass, synthesised beats, sparkling keys and an all-round warm and welcoming atmosphere, with the slight edge you can only get from improvised performance.

Sylvain Luc's posthumous appearance on the album is of significance too. The French guitarist died in March 2024 at the age of 59. His natural flair adds another dimension to the album, bringing a touch of that laid back 1980s American California Coast feeling to tracks such as 'Society's Man'. These contributions to the LP, recorded separately, add character - a final sprinkling of humanity to complement the aliveness and presence of this body of work. Three other musicians also added their creative energy to the project. They were; TOKU, a Japanese jazz musician who specialises in wind instruments, especially the cornet, trumpet and flugel horn. And there's Masa Shimizu, who also has wide-ranging with the guitar, as well as being a producer.

Themes on the album include the optimism one can have by simply trusting the process and trusting that everything will work out in the end. By playing together in the way they do, Spiral Deluxe place their trust in the mystery of what will happen next. Getting comfortable with not knowing is key to a sense of peace with regard to the future and this energy is vital to their collective musical output. By embracing the notion of the unknown, you become an eternal optimist, living in the moment, rather than projecting into the future. This cultivates excitement, an antidote to anxiety.

Meanwhile, the title alludes to the shifts and changes that have occurred in today's society, whereby it's possible to achieve success through pretending. The superficiality, and falsehood, that can often be presented via social media, can lead to questions about what's real and what's not. From AI to the fake personas that populate the dominant platforms, The Love Pretender speaks to a process that is symbolic of the time we're living in. Behaviour that has become acceptable in today's world, which may not have been as welcomed a few decades ago. But this is part of the cycle of life...

Jeff's intention with this music is to present it in high-fidelity, to be listened to over and over and over again. In post-recording he worked for hours to ensure the audio quality was as high as it could be. The goal is to create music that people can live with their entire lives, from his solo work to these masterful improvisations. Music that comes to life, music that has a voice we can replicate with our own vocals. Expressive, unstructured, and alive...

With The Love Pretender Jeff Mills continues his mission to experiment with music outside the bounds of what is typically expected. It's freeing, enlivening, vibrant and uniquely human. As ever, Jeff's visionary outlook and bold approach to musical performance and recording has produced a body of work that epitomises his often revolutionary capabilities. There's no pretending here, just pure unadulterated sonic transmissions from a wonderfully daring, inspiring and optimistic ensemble...

The queen Ella Fitzgerald and the king Louis Armstrong first met in 1946 for the recording of "The Firm Fram Sauce", a song made famous the previous year by Nat "King" Cole. They had the opportunity to collaborate again in the studio for a few tracks in 1950 and 1952, but it was mainly between 1956 and 1958 that the duo was extremely active. Thanks to the impetus of producer Norman Granz, the star-studded partnership recorded at this period nearly fifty songs, considered masterpieces of jazz history. All these great standards were released on Norman Granz"s Verve label, with a dream cast: Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Ray Brown, Buddy Rich, and Louie Bellson. The grand finale took place in 1958 with their incomparable version of Gershwin"s "Porgy & Bess" conducted by Russell Garcia. For this Greatest Hits album showcasing the association of two geniuses, we have focused on the 1956-1958 period, choosing the most iconic standards and concluding this double vinyl on a high note with three excerpts from "Porgy & Bess".

At the start of the 60s, a new wave of gospel-influenced jazz started to emerge, with hits such as Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers' "Moanin'" and Cannonball Adderley's "Work Song" epitomizing this evolution in the genre. The terms "soul jazz" and "funky jazz" were coined as a way to describe this new sound that was making an impact in the US and also on the other sides of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

In 1964, Ray Charles made his first visit to Japan. Then, in 1968, Martha & The Vandellas and Stevie Wonder set foot in the country, followed by Sam & Dave in 1969, Ike & Tina Turner in 1970, and B.B. King in 1971. The TV show "Soul Train" also began airing in Japan in the early 1970s. A watershed moment happened in 1973 when Sammy Davis Jr. was cast in a TV commercial for Suntory whisky — and the influence of the US Black entertainment world had really landed, with soul, jazz, and funk artists becoming household names.

Nippon Columbia played a pivotal role during this turning point. The company had contracts with Buddah Records and Blue Thumb Records, releasing notable works by artists such as Gladys Knight & The Pips, Curtis Mayfield, The Crusaders, and The Pointer Sisters. At the same time, the label was also releasing several Japanese soul, jazz, and funk projects under the lead of music director Jiro Inagaki. Inagaki, a saxophonist who began his professional career in the early 1950s, honed his skills at U.S. military camps, where he shared his love of music with the Black servicemen. In the 1960s, he played with drummer Hideo Shiraki's band, which was widely considered to be Japan's representative group of the funky jazz movement. Later, Inagaki went on to pursue more cutting-edge sounds with his Soul Media project, including being a pioneering figure in the "jazz rock" genre. By working closely with Inagaki and his various musical projects, Nippon Columbia really placed the company at the center of an exciting and important period in Japanese music.

In 1965, Nippon Columbia opened a recording studio in Tokyo's Akasaka neighborhood. Akasaka was also home to the first ever discotheque in Japan, the legendary MUGEN, which ran from 1968 to 1987 and where many acts performed, including Con Funk Shun, the Bar-Kays, Ike & Tina Turner, B.B. King, Sam & Dave, Three Degrees, and Edwin Starr, as well as many local Japanese singers and musicians. This melting pot of creativity in the area led to the recording of many singles and albums by Japanese artists that were infused with the sounds of soul and funk. Most of these recordings were not available outside of Japan and remain rare and unknown musical gems. The selection you are holding in your hands is an explosive collection of 10 essential tracks released by the legendary Nippon Columbia label between 1969 and 1977, capturing the raw, unapparelled energy that was flowing through the air of the Akasaka streets at this electrifying time. Enjoy!

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180GWALP07 - Manufactured and distributed by 180g.

Following on from his stellar record store day 2017 double-pack, Dimitri is back with another clutch of indispensable Disco edits from his impressive archive for the legendary Salsoul label. Any self-respecting DJ or Disco-lover will be brimming over with excitement upon looking at this impressive selection of tracks, all respectfully and lovingly tweaked by Disco-Dim. Salsoul Orchestra's 'Ooh I Love It (Love Break)' kicks things off, a true blue classic, just gently touched in all the right places and extended in the best possible way. Following up is Skyy's total anthem 'First Time Around', a classic Garage groove and Dimitri's version is near perfect, again, re-touched by someone who truly understands what Disco all about! Essential stuff. On the flipside The Jammers - 'Be Mine Tonight', is another massive Garage smasher, here Dimitri almost edges Shep Pettibone's OG mix into the Boogie stratosphere, just incredible! It makes perfect sense that this amazing double-pack should finish on one of Dimitri's most sought after edits - Love Committee's 'Just As Long As I Got You', an epic slab of soulful, almost dark, Disco. Absolutely huge.

Samuel Locke Ward and Jad Fair are two of the most prolific musicians working today. Fair is a founding member of the band Half Japanese, and has released over 200 albums, including albums with Yo La Tengo, Daniel Johnston, Moe Tucker, Kramer, Teenage Fanclub, The Pastels, R. Stevie Moore, DQE, Tenniscoats, The Tinklers, Naomi Ishimaru, Jason Willett, Mosquito, and Strobe Talbot. Samuel Locke Ward has released over sixty solo albums as well as a myriad of collaborations with Bob Bucko Jr, Miracles Of God, SLW cc Watt (with Mike Watt) and the cult new age noise group Boundless Relaxation (with Joe Jack Talcum and The Bassturd). He is a cartoonist for Little Village magazine and like Jad Fair, his style musically and visually is wholly his own Pure Candy is the pair’s third album together following 2023’s Happy Hearts and Destroy All Monsters, both issued by Kill Rock Stars. Pure Candy is an album of love songs and is the feel good album of the Summer, Winter, Spring and Fall. The music was composed and performed by Ward who’s love of pop music and avant stylings offer seventeen unexpected turns over the course of a three minute song. The vocals and lyrics are by Fair, lyrics overflowing with words of love, joy, happiness, tenderness, hope and inspiration. Uplifting words for a time dearly in need of some upliftings. As with the previous two albums by Fair and Ward, this album was mixed and mastered by Jonathan Hansen and is being co-released on LP by Shrimper Records (who last worked with Fair on his collaborative three cassette box set Wonderful World) and Chicago’s Stationary (Hearts) Recordings.

Waxwork Records is thrilled to release PHANTASM Original Motion Picture Score by Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave. In celebration of the iconic Horror film's 45th Anniversary, this special triple LP features the complete score sourced from the original 1979 master tapes for the first time in any format, a full LP of never before released cues from the Phantasm score recordings sessions, and the newly re-mastered original 1979 score album.

Directed by Don Coscarelli, Phantasm has become a horror classic due to its surreal and unconventional storytelling. Filming on weekends over the span of a year, and working with a budget of only $300,000, Coscarelli and his crew created a bizarre, gorey, and entirely original horror film. Some of the most famous aspects of the film, like the floating silver orb, come directly from Coscarelli’s dreams, which give the film an even more ethereal feel. Composers Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave were inspired by the horror scores of Goblin (Suspiria) and Mike Oldfield (The Exorcist) to create the haunting sounds of Phantasm. Myrow and Seagrave were working with synthesizers in the early days of the instrument. Says Coscarelli, “The synthesizers we used back then were so primitive that you couldn't repeat something; you would program the synthesizer, which means setting all of these dials to create a sound, and you went back and tried to get it again and forget it - it was impossible.

"I recently received notice that our long-term film storage vault in the basement of the historic Howard Hughes Headquarters building on the corner of Romaine and Sycamore in Hollywood was being permanently closed. During the process of moving out our negative materials, I came across the original three reels of Ampex 456 analog tape used in the Phantasm score recording sessions. Listening now to the score, including the outtake tracks, I am impressed with how inventive and adventurous Fred and Malcolm were in their approach to scoring Phantasm."

Waxwork Records is excited to release the definitive PHANTASM Original Motion Picture Score by Fred Myrow and Malcolm Seagrave as a deluxe 3xLP with features including the expanded and complete score sourced from the original 1979 master tapes, never before released score cues from the Phantasm recording sessions, and the newly re-mastered original 1979 score album. Each disc is pressed to "Silver Sphere" metallic silver colored vinyl and housed in a heavyweight triple gatefold jacket. Also included are exclusive liner notes by Phantasm writer, director, and producer Don Coscarelli, an 11""x11"" insert, and full album artwork by Graham Humphreys.

The industrial treasure chest of Laurent Petitgand & Thierry Mérigout Geins’t Naït unit gets a third and final archival jag, playing to a spectrum of styles from misfit tape cut-ups to sludgy grooves and trampling sidewinds of the filthiest, sickest calibre.

The three volumes mining the Geins’t Naït Archive have parsed some 40 years of work for the most potent industrial blatz, culminating in some of the gnarliest and richest tackle on this final volume. As also highlighted on releases via Vladimir Ivkovic’s Offen Music label, it’s hard to fully surmise Geins’t Naït’s oeuvre, but you kinda know it when it hits. It’s industrial, or more specifically post-industrial, in the classic sense of everything after Throbbing Gristle and their famous label; buzzing with atonality and often heavily rhythm-driven, but not necessarily built for the club. In some senses, it's adjacent to freakier ‘floors in a way shared by the likes of Bourbonese Qualk or Din A Testbild, likeminded miscreants who emerged in TG’s shadow during the ‘80s.

‘Archives 3/3’ opens with a particularly Gallic slant on the paradigm in ‘Michel’, and shells a slew of thee crankiest gear that shares a certain tone and thrust toward trippy abstraction with Anne Gillis. ‘Abstrac 2’ finds them speaking in ogreish tongues on an uncanny waltz, before dialling up the pomp with near-EBM levels of muscularity and fanfare on ‘Poiro’, and unleashing reverse-looped heck like a La Peste joint in ‘GN is Good For You’. The keening pulse and nose attack of ‘Rappel’ reminds us of CHBB, and the evil slug of ‘Hate’ feels summoned from Parisian catacombs, whilst ‘Wladimir’ stands out for its phosphorous synth burn and prototypical Él-G poetry, leaving ‘Base Cour’ to souse the senses in distortion and barnyard squabble.

Actual Earth Music - Volume 1 & 2’ presents two caustic, yet alluringly unreal live sets from Canadian noise-rock entropy hunters Earth Ball. Following on from the group’s critically appraised ‘It’s Yours’ LP (released 2024 on Upset The Rhythm - UTR164) this release captures the band at the peak of their powers, playing live, composing spontaneously.
Side A features Earth Ball live at The Fox Cabaret in Vancouver, supporting Wolf Eyes on August 4, 2023. Jeremy Van Wyck from the band considers this “the gig that sent us into orbit, really. Causing Olson & Young to wax poetic about our interstellar jams to a fine bloke across the big sea. Upsetting our casual rhythm and forcing our hand. All that talk led to an LP, ‘It’s Yours’, and a full UK tour the following spring”.
Now, with the birth of this live series ‘Actual Earth Music’, it seems only fitting that Volume 1 should be this gig. It’s a doozy. Listening back is a pure revelation. Earth Ball whip up a vortex of thrashing wild energy, the ecstatic release is off the charts. “You don’t always catch every nuance of the jams as they come down. I mean, this one felt good, but upon listening back to the tapes, it sounded very good” confides Jeremy. “It reminded me of Von Trier’s Melancholia: the sound of a large sphere coming toward you to bring doom. However, this one reverses course, heading away to some other shore, bathing you in reflective bliss before saying goodbye—instead of ending humanity as we know it”.
Volume 2 occupies Side B of this LP, showcasing a collaborative summit from the second night of their recent Café OTO residency on May 21, 2024. This event featured Earth Ball laying down three separate sets—all collaborations. This second recording presents their opening performance and features pivotal UK improv luminary Steve Beresford on piano and free-jazz phenomenon Chris Corsano on drums.
Running Time: 42 mins

No matter how much of their filthy riches Munich’s oh-so shiny and smart glitterati are going to spend on generic pest control, they’ll never manage to exterminate SPINNEN (n.b. German for “spiders” – and also for “being bonkers” ;) Instead, SPINNEN will spread even further, they’ll form new networks, take over new corners, new spots, connect more musical dots with invisible, incendiary cobwebs.

Whereas these two SPINNEN – Sophie Neudecker (drums) and Veronica “Katta” Burnuthian (bass) – have been doing their spidery thing(s) in countless muggy, experimental corners of Munich for years (think bands such as Bombo, Uschi, Apian, The Living Object, Friends of Gas + other art ventures, tats, Schaufel & Besen Records…), the duo’s first full-length offering for Weilheim-based Alien Transistor sees them move on towards a warm kind of light – “Warmes Licht”. Inspired by Lambrini Girls, Peaches, McLusky, Amyl And The Sniffers, and all things loud and gain-heavy around their hometown, the album – obviously two body parts (A + B side), 8 legs (tracks) – is set to arrive in March 2025.

“Zusammen wachsen/Zusammen fallen,” meaning grow together/fall together feels like a fitting motto on opening track “Träume,” an initial onslaught of shouts, spiky basslines, crunchy chords, a whole lot of awesome friction in that lovely lower end. “Visionen folgen/Kämpfen und Erschaffen,” is another apt line while doing just that, fighting, creating, turning visions into soundscapes, into pure sonic fun & resistance. Putting even more pressure on the mosh pit with wordless “Wirken,” that titular warm light eventually breaks through towards the end of hypnotic “Moment”: The lyrics might talk about a calm state of mind – but these two are certainly not slowing down, not aiming for consistency, or for “making it”…

“Warm” has no drums, no message, it’s pure light, all playful organ hypnosis, paving the way for the b-side that opens with first single “Geister” (spirits/ghosts/genies): Arriving with a rough wind that immediately turns things upside down, it’s all screams and riffs, turbines and propellers – one of many moments that make you realize how bad you want to see this hi-octane duo live, how good it must feel to have them scare the shit out of your body (“Verscheuche mich aus meinem Körper”). They’re like two genies coming from the same smashed bottle, offering three wishes to those who’re lucky enough to listen (Fuzzy Noise Pop? Punk Catharsis? Rrriot Krautsound?).

Following a quick melancholy breather (“Lichter”), things once again get restless as they rush towards the punk finale via slow-burning demolisher anthem “Ermüdend”/“Immer wieder,” only to unleash one last battle cry, one last middle finger made of light and noise to the heated room (“Mäuse”) they’ve long taken over.

It’s certainly no coincidence that a certain square/fine/upstanding citizen named Margit O. gave Munich’s Bürgerpark Oberföhring a scathing 1-star review on Google Maps exactly four years ago – at the very moment that Sophie and Katta first met just there, which eventually lead to the formation of SPINNEN. The reason for O.’s negative rating: “Too loud”.

The third release on Small Steps comes from a German DJ and producer, DJ Balduin. “Everything” is a three-track EP that captures the fleeting moment of the light meeting the dark.

The dusky “Andever” sets the tone with the atmosphere of a starting journey, an endeavor that is both forward-looking and nostalgic.

“Somar” glides after, transmitting the cinematic vision of dreamland life that settles for the night to the intimate dance of ethereal voices. While “You” invites on a lush sonic walk along its warm bassline, straight into the dawn, shimmering with euphoria.

“Everything” is a melodic tapestry oscillating between real and imaginary, on the edges of the day and night, losing itself in the shadow of melancholia to be found again under the ray of hope.

Music to Watch Seeds Grow By continues its series of plant-inspired soundscapes with new work from Pittsburgh-based sound artist Davis Galvin. This composition focuses on the Delphinium Elatum, capturing the quiet drama of this striking perennial through carefully constructed ambient textures.

Where their previous work explored the complex electronic territories of the outer technoid reaches, here Galvin turns their attention to the subtle processes of plant growth. The piece unfolds gradually, much like the Delphinium's own journey from seed to flowering plant. Gentle drones and atmospheric elements mirror the plant's various growth stages, from its initial emergence to its ascent to heights of up to two metres. You heard it here first.

The music creates an environment for contemplation, designed specifically for the moments of sowing and tending to these magnificent plants. Galvin's approach, as with all things they turn their ear to, emphasises patience and attention to detail, qualities essential to both gardening and deep listening.

Formed in the anonymous town of Watford, northwest of London, in 1980, atmospheric quintet Sad Lovers and Giants was part of the bourgeoning post-punk scene. With a barely perceptible undercurrent of paisley psychedelia, the group’s jangling guitars, eerie keyboards, subdued beats, and brooding vocals put them somewhere between the Chameleons, Echo and the Bunnymen and early Cure. Epic Garden Music was the debut release on Nick Ralph’s Midnight Music label and this expanded edition comes with five bonus tracks taken from their first three singles – a must for all SLG fans and post-punk devotees.

Split Evolution from Chicago and released two singles. The first "Jumpstreet" (vocal/instrumental) on Wasp in 1978 (although copyright on the label states 1974 whilst publishing states 1978) followed by "If Only You Would Say (I Love You)" (vocal/instrumental) on Jumpstreet in 1984 as The Three Phases Of Evolution. Both pretty hard records to find and not even listed on 45Cat but appear to have been reissued by Magnetic Recordings in 2014 (both included below). Interestingly, on the label for the latter it states that it is from the LP "Jumsptreet" so perhaps an album was in the pipeline? They recorded a third single which only made it to a test pressing stage, as the full run was cancelled later on. This unreleased third single "Bedroom Eyes" / "Let Me Do It" is the one out in March on Canonnball Records. The only surviving copy was found by rare soul DJ Dave Thorley on a record hunting trip to the States in the early noughties.

Our 8th Anniversary release is totally, completely, wholeheartedly dedicated to LOVE. Written not to be a ballad neither to be a dancer “Bedroom Eyes” inevitably ended up being both, turning out in what I consider the definitive love song, up there with Sly, Slick and Wicked's Sho' Nuff. It just melts my heart. Warm basslines laying on a catchy drumming which anyone would likely mistake for an Enchantment groove. A man and a woman dueting like if they were actually laying in bed after a consuming day out, and finding relief in each other’s presence. The man, desperate for love, makes questions to which the woman answers in the choruses with a hidden prayer to stay together forever. All with mutual background voices and brass crescendos and strings pizzicatos counterpointing each others to make it a beautiful yet rough arrangement. Just pure Soul love heaven.

The first-ever vinyl reissue of 1988’s I Wanna Have Some Fun, perennial pop icon and pin-up Samantha Fox’s third album. The only British female solo artist to score three Top Ten hits on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1980s, Samantha made her name as the nation’s favourite Page Three girl before launching an enviable music career.

I Wanna Have Some Fun features Sam’s irresistible Stock/Aitken/Waterman-produced cover of Dusty Springfield’s ‘I Only Wanna Be With You’ (#16 UK, #31 US) the gold-certified, Full Force-helmed title track (#8 US) and the acidinflected club favourite ‘Love House’ (#32 UK). Samantha’s most danceable, transatlantic and eclectic set so far, I Wanna Have Some Fun reached #46 in the UK and #37 in the US, giving her a third consecutive gold certification. Pressed on striking transparent red vinyl with black and yellow splatters to complement the original aesthetic, this edition boasts painstakingly rebuilt artwork and a newly designed inner bag featuring full lyrics.

A strictly limitededition picture disc is also available. I Wanna Have Some Fun is reissued alongside Samantha’s 1986 debut, Touch Me, and her eponymous 1987 sophomore album.

The first-ever vinyl reissue of 1988’s I Wanna Have Some Fun, perennial pop icon and pin-up Samantha Fox’s third album. The only British female solo artist to score three Top Ten hits on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1980s, Samantha made her name as the nation’s favourite Page Three girl before launching an enviable music career.

I Wanna Have Some Fun features Sam’s irresistible Stock/Aitken/Waterman-produced cover of Dusty Springfield’s ‘I Only Wanna Be With You’ (#16 UK, #31 US) the gold-certified, Full Force-helmed title track (#8 US) and the acidinflected club favourite ‘Love House’ (#32 UK). Samantha’s most danceable, transatlantic and eclectic set so far, I Wanna Have Some Fun reached #46 in the UK and #37 in the US, giving her a third consecutive gold certification. Pressed on striking transparent red vinyl with black and yellow splatters to complement the original aesthetic, this edition boasts painstakingly rebuilt artwork and a newly designed inner bag featuring full lyrics.

A strictly limitededition picture disc is also available. I Wanna Have Some Fun is reissued alongside Samantha’s 1986 debut, Touch Me, and her eponymous 1987 sophomore album.

"The beauty of The Devil Makes Three is the way they take an old-time musical genre and, by putting their own imprint on it, turn it into something that lives and breathes anew, passing the torch to a new generation, just as stateside rock fans learned about the likes of pioneers Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly from the first wave of British Invasion bands. With their latest album, Spirits, the band continues this tradition by incorporating their signature punk, folk and bluegrass sound along with country and singer-songwriter leanings. “That’s what we set out to do. We wanted to use these musical forms to talk about current issues,” explains Pete Bernhard. “Folk music should be about what’s happening now, just as it was when Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan did it.” The song titles alone describe the band’s return to a stripped-down, drum-less sound and songs that reflect the ongoing struggle to survive amid the uncertainties of the current volatile climate: “Dark Gets the Best of You,” “Divide and Conquer,” “Ghost are Weak,” “Hard Times,” “I Love Doing Drugs,” “Poison Well” and “The Devil Wins.” The tracks were recorded at Dreamland, part of a converted church compound outside Woodstock in upstate New York which offered some haunted moments of its own, with plenty of spooky thunderstorms and lightning. “There’s definitely a theme of ghosts and death running through this album,” acknowledged Bernhard, who lost his mother, brother and closest childhood friend while making the record. “It also has a good amount of political material, a reflection on how divided people are these days, just trying to find common ground. Not being able to perform our music live led to some deep reflections.”"

Yellow & Black Vinyl. "The first three are innocent in a way, because we didn't have an audience when we were making them," Oberst says. "But from Lifted on, I was definitely aware of an audience. Lifted was well-received right away, and then everything happened with Wide Awake and Digital Ash." Those two albums came out simultaneously. And their lead singles - "Take It Easy (Love Nothing)," from the austere, remote Digital Ash, and "Lua," from the warm, folky Wide Awake - debuted in the top two slots on the Billboard Hot 100. "First Day of My Life," also from Wide Awake, would later be voted the Number One love song of all time by NPR Music's reader's poll.Bright Eyes had officially broken through. It was a heady, exciting time, but also fraught and tense, both because of the band's careening new fame, and because of the state of the world. When Bright Eyes made their Tonight Show debut in 2006, they chose to perform none of their shiny new hits, instead delivering a searing, harrowing rendition of their caustic anti-Bush anthem, "When The President Talks To God."These days, Oberst is still amusing himself by messing with the extremes Bright Eyes baked into this era's releases, extremes that reflected the polar, with-us-or-against-us, fractious feel of the times. The reworked Digital Ash tracks, originally so clean and elegant, are, on the companion EP, full of "harmonica and mandolins - folky vibes," Oberst says. While the analogue sweetness of the Wide Awake songs have been put through a detached nihilism filter.

Once again, Decca Records have been shining a light into the recesses of their vast archive to bring you 'The Decca Years 1963', a newly compiled collection of hits and rarities from the pioneers of British Pop music, available as a 45-song 2CD set, or a 22-song 'highlights' LP. Alongside big hits and familiar favourites from Brian Poole And The Tremeloes, Billie Davis, Kathy Kirby, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan, The Tornados, and Tommy Steele, we are excited to bring you some tracks that are being made available again for the first time in more than 60 years, and a few that have never been on CD before. Both formats come in eye-catching, retro style packaging that references Decca releases from the early '60s, and feature informative track-by-track sleeve notes.

Somehow familiar yet strange and uncharted too; you, infinite is a project born of a creative friendship spanning three decades, newly rekindled to produce a record of breathtaking majesty that speaks of lived experience and exciting potential. you, infinite reunites Jeremy Galindo and Raymond Brown, founders of acclaimed instrumental outfit This Will Destroy You, in a new collaborative project.

Somehow familiar yet strange and uncharted too; you, infinite is a project born of a creative friendship spanning three decades, newly rekindled to produce a record of breathtaking majesty that speaks of lived experience and exciting potential. you, infinite reunites Jeremy Galindo and Raymond Brown, founders of acclaimed instrumental outfit This Will Destroy You, in a new collaborative project.

VENTILATEUR is an instrumental project combining sounds from the vivid worlds of contemporary jazz and postpunk. The three-piece band, consisting of Iben Stalpaert on drums, Jasper Hollevoet on bass and Daan Soenens on guitar, uses angular rhythms and flowing melodies to construct compositions that embody both contrast and cohesion. Originally from Bruges, the band currently has Ghent as its homebase.

The trio released its self-titled debut EP on 22 March 2019. VENTILATEUR won awards at Fresh Fish, Red Rock Rally and Burgrock that same year and was one of the laureates of the then brand new Sound Track. Thanks to Sound Track 2020, the band received a residency at Het Entrepot in Bruges and a year of professional coaching from VI.BE and other national players in the music landscape.

In 2020, VENTILATEUR joined forces with young Ghent theatre collective Camping Sunset for the performance Happiness. The band composed the soundtrack for the play and also performed it live during the five-week run of the production. The music was subsequently recorded and released under the title A Soundtrack For Happiness at the Brussels label Sentimental.

In 2022, VENTILATEUR released its first full-length album with W.E.R.F. Records. Hoofdplaat, titled after the village near the manor house that served as its recording location, is the result of a long process of purification. VENTILATEUR presents the essence of their sound, stripped from all ballast.

VENTILATEUR balances on the border between the ‘niche’ world of instrumental jazz and the accessible world of the pop-rock circuit. From this position, the band aims to bring instrumental music to a wider audience. Apart from being purely intrinsically artistic, the trio's ambition is to excite a new audience for cultural participation and specifically the rich genre of jazz. Through their choice of accessibility within the experimental, the band aims to form a bridge between a wider audience and a musical world still too often labelled as ‘niche’. The musicians not only focus on the club and festival circuit, but have already written soundtracks for some short film projects and are also reaching out to the theatre world.

In its early years, VENTILATEUR was mainly known within the Flemish arts landscape on the Bruges-Ghent-Brussels axis. A soundtrack for Happiness and Hoofdplaat introduced VENTILATEUR to a new audience. Songs from the albums got airtime from Radio 1, Klara and other stations, and singles appeared in national playlists. The band’s music was also picked up by VRT, which used the single Nectar during several programs. In 2023, the band scored their biggest gig yet: Ghent Jazz on a podium curated by their label, W.E.R.F. Records.

VENTILATEUR as a project can count on the support of organisations such as W.E.R.F. Records, Cactus Music Centre, Het Entrepot and VI.BE. The band also has close ties with theatre companies such as Camping Sunset, Compagnie Cecilia and Ontroerend Goed and, of course, numerous connections within the Flemish and Brussels music scene.

"Whistle from Above" is David Grubbs" first Drag City release in over a decade and his first-ever instrumental album for the label. The suspiciously youthful Grubbs is four decades into his career, with former bands including Gastr del Sol, Squirrel Bait, and Bastro, along with a wild ride of collaborators including f.e. Bitch Magnet, Codeine, The Red Krayola, Royal Trux, Dirty Three, Will Oldham, The Underflow and The Wingdale Community Singers. "Whistle from Above" is the first solo collection David has released since 2017"s Creep Mission. During the 2020 shutdown, David played what he precisely quantified as "a shit-ton of guitar," more than he could recall playing ever previously. Reinvigorated by this period of enforced woodshedding, he produced a series of new pieces, mostly for guitar, but also a piano composition and an exceptionally eerie bit of musique concrète. Meanwhile, David was reconnecting with the Gastr del Sol archive, as a new collection of old performances was being prepared from extensive archival material. The duo magic of that storied collaboration (released in 2024 as We Have Dozens of Titles) left David hungry to play in this format again - as he had recently with Loren Connors, Alan Courtis, Manuel Mota, and Liam Keenan. These duo experiences showed David the path forward to complete this new solo material. Thus he sought out collaborations with folks he"s called "some of the musicians whom I adore most on the planet" - Rodri Davies, Andrea Belfi, Nikos Veliotis, Nate Wooley, and Cleek Schrey - and their stunning contributions flesh out Grubbs" innate, deeply person brand of minimalism. "Whistle from Above" is a colourful, compulsive set of instrumental pieces in which David and his chosen collaborators interact amid the steady roll of an expansive landscape based in the hypnosis of David"s immediately recognizable guitar style.

"Get nostalgic with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Hyperstone Heist Vinyl Soundtrack, the eighth release in a series of shellacious Turtles tunes.

The Turtles Mutate into Another Radical Form! Shredder steals the powerful Hyperstone to shrink New York City and it's up to you to teach that treacherous troublemaker not to mess with the fearless foursome!

Pick your favorite Cowabunga commando to slash through the 5 lawless levels of lambasting. Four levels each have 3 intense stages and the other is packed with brand new challenges that will make you hurl your pizza lunch.

All four way-cool dudes have their own all new uniquely powerful moves. Donatello's Hurricane Attack blows enemies away and Raphael's Vacuum Slice really sucks them up. Slice and dice through amazing 3-D effects and clobber the dweebs with your mondo body slams.

Three ninjutsu gnarliness never stops through the Manhattan's slimy streets, the sewers' most dangerous depths, or even on a ghost ship. Be ready to kick some shell because Leatherhead and Stone Warrior won't be happy to see you. And Rock Steady, Tatsu and Krang are cooking up a new recipe for Turtle Soup.

Pulverize shrink-happy Shredder before he pockets our whole planet!

Pressed on ETR Exclusive Pizza Variant (Limited to 300)"

“Do you still believe it?” John Ross asks that question after journeying through the wreckage. The genesis of Dulling The Horns goes back to late 2022, when Ross began workshopping new material during soundcheck on the ILYSM tour. Last summer, Wild Pink decamped to western Massachusetts to reunite with engineer Justin Pizzoferrato. Ross decided to record Dulling The Horns live in the room, in an effort to capture Wild Pink’s onstage style — rawer, grainier. Gone are the glimmering atmospherics and studio affectations of recent Wild Pink outings. Instead, Ross’ voice is haggard against the humid distortion coating every song. “I wanted to make economical songs,” Ross explains. “Music that is very much at its core three or four people rocking.” If before, Wild Pink took notes from Springsteen and Petty, they’ve now entered their Crazy Horse era. On Dulling The Horns, you can hear him rediscovering the fire in real time. Tropes discarded along the roadside, songs pulled from the formative DNA of rock music, all filtered through years of messy fog. “There is no answer to these problems,” Ross says, having eventually yielded. But as far Dulling The Horns is concerned, there’s at least one path forward: Burn it all away, and keep moving. The album was mixed by Alex Farrar in Asheville NC, mastered by Greg Obis in Chicago, IL and is out in October on Fire Talk.

1970s New York: determined to emerge from his powerful father's shadow and make a name for himself in Manhattan real estate, aspiring mogul Donald Trump is in the earliest days of his career when he encounters the man who will become one of the most important figures in his life: political fixer Roy M. Cohn. Seeing promise in young Donald, the influential attorney--who secured espionage convictions against Julius and Ethel Rosenberg and investigated suspected Communists alongside Senator Joseph McCarthy--teaches his new acolyte how to amass wealth and power through deception, intimidation, and media manipulation. The rest is history.

"Flam" is the 5th album from the ever-triumphant duo of Steve Gunn (guitar) and John Truscinski (drums, synths). They have spent the better part of the last 15 years assembling a singular and expressive discography representing their unique and sympathetic interplay. "Flam" sees the duo branch out and get a little more atmospheric than the prior LPs - track after track washes over you. There's slow burners here ("Fin"), fiery explosions ("Conviction") & journeys to the drift ("Felt"). Essential.

The NOW Yearbook series continues with the ultimate soundtrack to one of pop’s most dynamic years: 1998 - out February 14th! This collection brings together the biggest and most iconic tracks from the year, presented across three stunning coloured vinyl discs, pressed in neon violet with 43 tracks from the era and two CD editions available as a standard 4-CD set, and as a special edition 4-CD set in ‘hardback book’ packaging, which includes a 28-page booklet packed with notes about all of the 80 featured tracks that capture the unforgettable sounds from the year. Whether you’re reliving the hits or discovering them for the first time, this collection brings you the best from the singles charts of 1998.. Whether you're revisiting these unforgettable hits or discovering them anew, NOW - Yearbook 1998 brings you the best from the singles charts of 1998!

The Seeds of love is the third studio album by Tears for Fears.The album was released in September 1989, entering the UK Album Chart at No.1 and would be certified Platinum by the BPI within three weeks. In the US, the album peaked at no.8, and was also certified Platinum. The album also reached the top ten in various other countries around the world.

The album contained the Singles: Sowing the Seeds, Woman in Chains, Advice for the Young at Heart and Badman’s song, upon release it was seen (and still is) as one of the greatest albums of the 80’s

First released over 30 years ago, this EP, as with Volumes 1,2 & 3, is where The Future Sound Of London started in 1991, these tracks under their pseudonyms. All four tracks were instrumental in establishing a new genre of electronica within dance music. They were ahead of their time and extremely progressive, and here three decades later they are making an impression. All four tracks are iconic, and big influences to the hardcore scene that followed. This edition of The Pulse EP is the first reissue in this original vinyl form since 1992, those initial pressings now expensive on Discogs. Genuine underground hardcore/rave history on vinyl to obtain one more time, all sounding as fresh today as it did back in the early 90s.

"This album is a superb collection of Frank and friends from a part of Frank’s career that’s long been underrated. Here, Sinatra scales the jazz summit with Louis Armstrong on “Birth Of The Blues” and does three electrifying collaborations with one of his favorites, Ella Fitzgerald. Ella’s voice is at her best in each. Rival Elvis Presley gets the Chairman’s respect on a wonderfully playful meeting-of-the-icons medley of “Witchcraft”/”Love Me Tender.” The tunes are bright and lively and many benefit from Nelson Riddle’s arranging genius. Frank and Dean are great, improvising and playing off one another as always. But wait until you hear “Together” in which Bing joins Dino and Frank for a happy, hilarious threesome.

Aniara Recordings presents the third and final chapter of the Genius Of Time Vocal Series. Genius Of Time aka Arkajo & Dorisburg close up this special series with three more infecting house grooves: The A-side brings vocalist Ashar Khan with the vibrant cuts You Make Me and Magnified. On the flip side Matinda's joyful energy elevates the sublime track Kinetic.

Raw, violent, and catchy, Blitz’s 1982 debut album sounded like a shot of pure rock and roll through the violence of the English working class. Made up of two punks and two skinheads, with a lot to say about violence and football, Blitz appealed to all kinds of lowlifes, who finally had a voice for their generation. This new version of the long out-of-print classic includes three bonus tracks (two from the ‘Carry On Oi!’ comp and one from the ‘Total Noise’ comp).

W/CYA are proud to introduce the first release of Amygdala. A three tracks EP entirely produced by themselves, including a special collab with the brillant Brooklyn's voice of IDA fLO aka Florence Ida Dabokemp.

The A side with the solo track "Forever Joy" is a deep dive into the classic 90's house sounds crafted with a futuristic vision on the modern techno style. The B1 and B2 tracks follow the same line of the A side, offering a more complexed and articulated image of the idea behind the
label identity. A true dancefloor burner that must be in your bag.

Rising indie soul artist Sevens announces the release of his highly anticipated debut album, Sincerely, Sevens, on February 21, 2025. At just 24 years old, Sevens emerges as a compelling voice in the contemporary soul scene, blending indie soul, neo-soul, and jazz into a collection of sincere, heartfelt songs.

With a distinct baritone voice and a gift for storytelling, Sevens explores themes of love, growth, and introspection throughout the 9-track record. His philosophy is simple: less is more. Crafted over a span of three years, much of the album was created in Sevens' bedroom, showcasing his skills not only as a songwriter and vocalist but also as a multi-instrumentalist and producer.

Sincerely, Sevens captures the artist in his purest form—a deeply personal work that touches the soul. From sparse, intimate arrangements to warm, groove-infused instrumentation, the record embraces vulnerability while exuding timeless charm.

The album features contributions from trusted collaborators: Boris Van Overschee (co-producer / Delv!s, Portland) Willem Ardui (additional production / Blackwave.) and David Poltrock (additional keys)

Tobie Speleman expertly handled the final mix, ensuring every note resonated with clarity and purpose.

Reflecting on the album, Sevens shares: “I wanted to feel more with less. I wanted to evoke, I wanted to touch. Parts of me I’ve never gone. It is honest, it is true. It is me.”

With Sincerely, Sevens, the young artist solidifies his position as one to watch—an emerging voice with both depth and authenticity.

"‘man oh man !’ is the sophomore 11 track album from indie singer-songwriter Martin Luke Brown.

Marking a significant new era in both his personal and musical life, Martin tackles a myriad of themes; self-awareness and personal growth, treasured friendships, swept-off-your-feet romance and gut wrenching heartbreak - all with a laidback, indie singer-songwriter sound that naturally shapes the album into three linear phases: the end of a relationship, new beginnings and the consequential feeling of accepting change.

Described by Martin as a ‘time capsule’, each track on the album was written and recorded in one day, making for a raw and honest snapshot of Martin’s life experiences at the time. Instrumentation is simple and recorded with producer and friend Matt Zara using almost exclusively analog technology – tape machines and vintage mics, a messiness that the duo embraced from the get go.

Martin has released over 100 songs as either a co-writer or a producer, with BTS, Dylan, Jacob Banks, Gavin James, Sam Tompkins,James Smith, Sody andJack Kane. He has also seen a wealth of success as part of pop supergroup FIZZ alongside Orla Gartland, dodie, and Greta Isaac, earning widespread praise from the likes of Rolling Stone UK, Dork, DIY, Clash & more."

Bursting forth from the darkness of this pre-apocalyptic winter comes 'The Cabanists', the first release of an improvisational project of the same name, comprising three members of the UK's seminal avant-rock band, Nøught. Garnering a cult following since their initial self-titled debut, Nøught became known in the London experimental underground for their tightly orchestrated yet highly complex compositions, ranging from heavy atonal riffage to mesmerizing and hypnotic meditations. 'The Cabanists' builds on Nøught's musical language and are a boundary-pushing trio fusing intricate guitar riffs, dynamic keyboard textures and explosive percussion into a sound that defies convention. Featuring James Sedwards on guitar (most recently known for his involvement with the Thurston Moore Group and This Is Not This Heat), Luke Barlow on keyboards (who co-runs Copepod Records with musician Alex Ward) and Bo Mapper on drums, the band recorded their groundbreaking material during an extended session at London's Lonely Man Studio, marking a defining moment in their musical journey.

With influences spanning progressive rock, experimental jazz and post-punk energy, The Cabanists weave a sonic tapestry that is as cerebral as it is visceral. They challenge standard rock and jazz norms while crafting deeply resonant soundscapes, inviting listeners into a thrilling journey of sound and intense emotion.

Prepare to lose yourself in the intricate chaos and undeniable groove of 'The Cabanists' - where every note is a revelation.

Bob Balch here. When Gary Arce mentioned that Yawning Man was gonna record and we should do another round of Yawning Balch jams I was super stoked. I'll always jam with those guys. Once the invite was extended I knew I had to drop some money on new pedals. Haha. Not that I don't have enough already but jamming with Yawning Man means you have to build a massive pedal board and try to get the most "out there" sounds you can. At least that's what it means to me. Another aspect is once we start jamming I like to improvise riffs but keep them in mind so I can return to them throughout the jam. It was an honor to share a few hours playing with those dudes and I'm always surprised how much material we get out of it. Volumes 3 and 4 were recorded in one five hour session April 20th, 2024 in Joshua Tree, CA.

Transparent Blue Vinyl.Limited to 300 copies. Bob Balch here. When Gary Arce mentioned that Yawning Man was gonna record and we should do another round of Yawning Balch jams I was super stoked. I'll always jam with those guys. Once the invite was extended I knew I had to drop some money on new pedals. Haha. Not that I don't have enough already but jamming with Yawning Man means you have to build a massive pedal board and try to get the most "out there" sounds you can. At least that's what it means to me. Another aspect is once we start jamming I like to improvise riffs but keep them in mind so I can return to them throughout the jam. It was an honor to share a few hours playing with those dudes and I'm always surprised how much material we get out of it. Volumes 3 and 4 were recorded in one five hour session April 20th, 2024 in Joshua Tree, CA.

Johnny and Edgar Winter - Together: Live (1976) is the first ever album featuring both brothers, Johnny Winter (guitar, vocals) and Edgar Winter (saxophone, vocals). Released just three months after Johnny Winter’s Captured Live!, it is composed entirely of rock and roll and soul standards. This album is a chance to hear The Edgar Winter Group (Edgar on saxophone, Rick Derringer on guitar, Dan Hartman on piano and Chuck Ruff on drums) playing with Johnny Winter’s band (Johnny and Floyd Radford on guitar, Randy Jo Hobbs on bass and Richard Hughes on drums) together on a same stage. The album was live recorded at San Diego Sports Arena and Swing Auditorium.

This MOV release comes as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on white marbled coloured vinyl.

The exceptionally named Panty Soaker Sound System bursts onto the scene here with a powerful debut EP on their own self-titled label. 'Hormones' marks the inaugural outing and is a track that ignites the floor while exploring self-empowerment and inner desires. It has picked up early praise from Honey Dijon and is a full-throttle and steamy, erotic house sound that is sure to become a bit of a winter anthem. The EP includes three acid-infused original mixes, followed by the Prosumer HorMoans Remix which is a dark stomper with prickly 303 lines and a heavy groove. For those craving a harder vibe, the LUXE Dark Room Remix delivers a broken-beat reimagining with high-energy that takes you to new heights.

The first-ever vinyl reissue of perennial pop icon and pin-up Samantha Fox’s self-titled 1987 sophomore album. The only British female solo artist to score three Top Ten hits on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1980s, Samantha made her name as the nation’s favourite Page Three girl before launching an enviable music career.

Samantha Fox boasts five hit singles: the Stock/Aitken/Waterman favourite ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now’ (#8 UK), the memorable Full Force collaboration ‘Naughty Girls’ (#3 US), ‘I Surrender (To The Spirit of the Night’, ‘I Promise You’ and ‘True Devotion’. Developing Samantha’s sound with a compelling mix of pop, rock and hip-hop stylings, the album made #22 in the UK and #51 in the US, gaining her second straight gold certification. Pressed on striking transparent caramel vinyl with gold and silver splatters to complement the original aesthetic, this edition boasts painstakingly rebuilt artwork and a newly designed inner bag featuring full lyrics.

A strictly limitededition picture disc is also available. Samantha Fox is reissued alongside the 1986 debut album, Touch Me, and 1989’s I Wanna Have Some Fun

The first-ever vinyl reissue of perennial pop icon and pin-up Samantha Fox’s self-titled 1987 sophomore album. The only British female solo artist to score three Top Ten hits on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1980s, Samantha made her name as the nation’s favourite Page Three girl before launching an enviable music career.

Samantha Fox boasts five hit singles: the Stock/Aitken/Waterman favourite ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now’ (#8 UK), the memorable Full Force collaboration ‘Naughty Girls’ (#3 US), ‘I Surrender (To The Spirit of the Night’, ‘I Promise You’ and ‘True Devotion’. Developing Samantha’s sound with a compelling mix of pop, rock and hip-hop stylings, the album made #22 in the UK and #51 in the US, gaining her second straight gold certification. Pressed on striking transparent caramel vinyl with gold and silver splatters to complement the original aesthetic, this edition boasts painstakingly rebuilt artwork and a newly designed inner bag featuring full lyrics.

A strictly limitededition picture disc is also available. Samantha Fox is reissued alongside the 1986 debut album, Touch Me, and 1989’s I Wanna Have Some Fun

The first-ever vinyl reissue of the classic 1986 debut album from perennial pop icon and pin-up Samantha Fox. The only British female solo artist to score three Top Ten hits on both sides of the Atlantic in the 1980s, Samantha made her name as the nation’s favourite Page Three girl before launching an enviable music career.

Touch Me features four hit singles: the international smash ‘Touch Me (I Want Your Body)’ (#3 UK and #4 US), ‘Do Ya Do Ya (Wanna Please Me)’ (#10 UK), ‘Hold On Tight’ and ‘I’m All You Need’. Immediately establishing Samantha’s signature pop-rock sound, on its original release the album hit #17 in the UK, going silver, before reaching #24 in the US with a gold certification. Pressed on striking black vinyl with white and pink splatters to complement the original aesthetic, this edition boasts painstakingly rebuilt artwork and a newly designed inner bag featuring full lyrics. A strictly limited-edition picture disc is also available. Touch Me is reissued alongside Samantha’s self-titled second album and 1989’s I Wanna Have Some Fun.

Oceanside Countryside is the latest of Neil Young’s great “lost” albums to be released as part of his Analog Original Series (AOS). The album was recorded from May to December 1977, preceding the release of Comes A Time in 1978. The two albums share the same country/folk sound, and three songs (“Goin’ Back,” “Human Highway” and “Field of Opportunity”) appear on both albums.

The vinyl release of Oceanside Countryside includes some tracks that are on the CD of the same name in Neil Young’s Archives Vol. III. However, this track list is how Oceanside Countryside was originally planned to be released and finally will be made available on vinyl for the first time ever. Recorded on tape, these are the original mixes done at the time of recording.

As Young states, “This analog original album, recorded in 1977, was unreleased at the time. These songs are the original mixes done at the time of the recordings. I sang the vocals and played the instruments on Oceanside, in Florida at Triad studios and Malibu, at Indigo studio. I sang the vocals and recorded with my great band of friends at Crazy Mama’s in Nashville on Countryside. I hope you enjoy this treasure of an Analog Original recording as much as I do.”

Brother II is an incredible synth boogie band from the early 80's made up of brothers J. and M. Soso. The title You was born is a true masterpiece of the original boogie funk sound of the 80s when synths dominated the sound of the music scene. The excellence and flow of the bass line that moves all the atoms in the hips paired with the present and dominant synth electronic atmosphere makes this title as one of the first three letters of the boogie alphabet. So fans of the original synth boogie genre, don't waste time and order this forgotten boogie gem right away.

In the neon-lit underbelly of Vilnius, where the pulse of the city syncs with the rhythm of the cosmos, Lithuanian sound architect Tourman emerges with his debut EP on Trance-Atlantyk entitled “Identification Mentale.” This electrifying release is a masterclass in neo progressive house soundscapes, featuring three original tracks and one hard-hitting remix.

The EP kicks off with „Restricted Airspace”, igniting senses with its relentless drive and pulsating bass. The track is a cybernetic symphony, weaving together glitchy synth lines and hypnotic beats that propel you into the heart of a digital dystopia. Embracing a darker, more introspective vibe, “Digitalog” is a proper roller that dances effortlessly between the realms of emotion and energy.

The title track boldly attacks your auditory membranes with its earwormy synth stabs, echoing the familiar yet exhilarating sensations of a sonic awakening. This cut also serves as a true manifesto for the modern trance movement, capturing the essence of euphoria and nostalgia in one exhilarating ride. The last word on the EP belongs to the polish power duo Penera, who transform the original title track into a hard-hitting, uncompromising dancefloor stomper that effortlessly blends hardgroove energy with trance nostalgia. Their remix amplifies the intensity, layering driving beats and electrifying synths that explode with energy.

Colin McCann, Brian Gossman, and Eric Fiscus periodically return to the grid from the remote mountains of Northern California to document their evo/involution as Vulture Feather. Touring the states throughout much of 2024, they brought the sharpened machine back to Tim Green's Louder Studios to capture their second album, It Will Be Like Now. In literary terms, the record is a work of man versus nature, except man and nature are both secret identities of a third, unnamed thing. Tears and the ocean and death are the main characters, and the initiated may get the sense that these too, belong to the absolute. It all ultimately resolves as a terrifying and beautiful love story. Sonically speaking, It Will Be Like Now reports from a place where PiL and Jah Wobble never parted ways, where Johnny Marr righted the ship, where songs only need one part: the good part. The heads will know McCann and Gossman from their time in the prehistoric Don Martin Three (recently re-issued catalog by Numero Group) and later, Wilderness (Jagjaguwar). While prior efforts are beside the point, this is undeniably the sound of people who have been making music together for 25+ years. Glistening as much as howling, the guitar and vocals function as duet, delivering The Only Story Ever Told over a concise and thunderous rhythm section. It's the sound emulating from everywhere, all the time, through thick carpets of clouds, reverberating off canyon walls, through troubled waters, and finally to your devices, your ears, your heart, if you choose to hear it.

Mutant, in partnership with Netflix, are proud to present Graham Raynold’s score to Richard Linklater’s film HIT MAN.

A Romantic Comedy Noir, loosely based on the true story of a nebbish philosophy professor named Gary Johnson who moonlighted as an undercover police officer, HIT MAN is Richard Linklater and Glen Powell’s meditation on identity. Linklater, a filmmaker who has shapeshifted many times over his storied three decades of storytelling, has reteamed with his frequent music collaborator Graham Reynolds, to produce a jazzy, romantic, dark, and playful score.

Reynolds has worked in each of these modes before with Linklater, but never all at the same time. It stands defiant in contrast the version of the Gary that we meet at the beginning of the film - allowing the character to meet the score on its level by the time we approach the twisted finale. This score proves that genre, like identity, can be a limitation placed on both films and film music.

This physical release is limited to 500 copies worldwide, and features a forward by Graham Reynolds and packaging designed by Mutant co-founder Mo Shafeek.

Legendary Welsh stoner rock / doom metal band Acrimony is triumphantly re-releasing their monumental debut-album “Hymns To The Stone”. This sonic masterpiece was originally released in 1994; it combined bone-crushing riffs, psychedelic overtones and a visceral connection to both 1970s hard rock and the emerging sludge and doom scenes of the ‘90s. The album - with the 2019 mix and mastering by James Plotkin - was already included in the long sold out vinyl box set “The Chronicles Of Wode”, but never as a stand-alone re-release. “Hymns To The Stone” has a gigantic cult classic status and it’s often admired as a defining release in the stoner rock and doom metal scenes. Over three decades this album has built ad devoted fanbase. As one of the pioneering stoner rock bands in the UK with their raw, riff-heavy sound and deep love for the psychedelic and the smoking weed culture, Acrimony set a standard that influenced countless bands in the genre. “Hymns To The Stone” reminds fans old and new why Acrimony remains a cornerstone of heavy music. Don’t miss your chance to relive - or discover for the first time - the transcendental power of Acrimony’s debut-album! Vinyl.

Whereas Lewis used his transformative talents to newly illuminate renaissance man George Washington Carver onJesup Wagon, the saxophonist does the same here for gospel- music force of nature Mahalia Jackson. And this time it's personal, because Lewis lived her music growing up, nurtured by a grandmother who had received Mahalia's singing like a bolt from above. Much more than a tribute, this work is"really a three- way conversation between Mahalia, my grandmother and me."

The challenge was to turn these songs into jazz, the 21st century variety. What James and the band (William Parker- bass, Chad Taylor- drums, Kirk Knuffkecornet, Chris Hoffman-cello) conjure with this music is miraculous.

The CD & LP editions also exclusively include the contemporaneous suite, "These Are Soulful Days", JBL's first composition for strings; performed with the Lutoslawski Quartet. It is included as a 2nd disc on CD version & via an exclusive download card with the LP

DREAM DANCE 96Die Dream Dance Vol. 96 steht in den Startlöchern und sorgt bei allen Dance und Trance Fans für Entzücken. Dream Dance 96 erscheint im hochwertigen Digipack auf 3CDs mit den größten Trance und Dance Hits unserer Zeit.Auch das Marketing-Paket lässt keine Wünsche offen: Koop mit "sunshine live", sowie eine massive Online Kampagne inkl. Bannern, Facebook und Youtube Werbung, uvm.DREAM DANCE 96 - folge dem Delphin!

Emmanuel Mario returns to Karaoke Kalk with his third album under his Astrobal moniker for the Berlin-based imprint. »L’uomo e la natura« (»Man and Nature«) sees the prolific drummer and producer, who has worked with artists such as Laetitia Sadier and label mate Pink Shabab, take a different musical route than before. The French electronic music composer pays homage to the spirit of library music while also making concessions to different strains of pop and even classical music. With only two of the ten songs putting words to the music, »L’uomo e la natura« is a masterful exercise in the evocation of atmospheres: expressing much while saying very little outright—show, don’t tell.

The album was born out of a desire to push the envelope. »I wanted to make music that was both pop and ambitious in its chord progressions as well as surprising in its construction,« explains the Paris-based artist. Taking inspiration from library music artists such as Alessandro Alessandroni or Bruno Nicolai as well as the more cosmic strains of electronic instrumental music, he strove »to create a soundtrack that would immediately bring to mind outer space.« The first of the three singles released ahead of the full album, »L’abeille pourpre,« captures this spirit with funky rhythms and an overjoyed interplay of different melodies, all tied together by wordless yet terminally catchy vocals.

The second single, »Miami 2064,« traverses through many different moods in its six-minute run-time: Starting off as neo-noir synth-wave piece, it then proceeds to pay its dues to the masters of the cosmic music tradition such as Tangerine Dream or, of course, Jean-Michel Jarre before slowly descending back to Earth with guitars and dreamy synthetic vocals, playfully punctuated by a plethora of wistful melodies. It is the perfect encapsulation of the open-ended approach Mario follows throughout the entire album, taking full creative licence in regards to songwriting and arrangements. »I wanted to surprise myself,« he shrugs. He succeeded.

»L’uomo e la natura« rewards multiple listens not only emotionally, but also intellectually. »I also wanted to talk about politics and ecology, because it’s impossible not to,« Mario notes. Some of the track titles express this more openly than others and the two title tracks sung by Mario and Nina Savary use French and Italian lyrics, respectively. However, as a whole the album leaves things open to interpretation. Does »The End of Capitalism« sound elegiac or triumphant? And what do you actually make of this musical vision of the Floridian metropolis, whose mere existence is threatened by climate change already today, four decades from now? Mario doesn’t necessarily answer these questions—he doesn’t tell, he shows.

Recorded in 1997, Mountain Top features the commanding vocals of Tony Roots, backed by the legendary Firehouse Crew and produced by the visionary Fada Waz (Clifton Carnegie). This record’s release was driven by the people, evidenced and encouraged by the countless wheel-ups and sing-alongs during King Original’s international tour dates over the last three years whenever this seminal recording was dropped in the set.

Tony Roots, known for his cultural and spiritual themes, delivers a powerful vocal performance, reminding us that life’s most important journey is overcoming obstacles to find ‘Jah Love on the Mountain Top.’ This message is as relevant in today’s fast-paced, easy-come-easy-go consumer culture as it was when recorded three decades ago.

The Firehouse Crew renowned for their work with iconic acts like Luciano and Sizzla—shine brightly on this riddim, with the MPC drum machine-centered sound of 90s Jamaican roots reggae. An up-tempo 4/4 steppers beat layered with rich analogue textures and soulful instrumentation defines this timeless recording.

The first of many collaborations between Studio 55, Before Zero Records, and Footsie, the King Original legacy continues into the future, honouring the enduring contributions of Fada Waz and his collaborators.

Clifton Carnegie aka Ras Wazair aka Fada Waz - Clifton Carnegie, known as Ras Wazair, founded King Original Sound System in 1973, establishing it as East London’s foremost reggae sound. Operating under his Studio 55 moniker, he collaborated with legends like Johnny Osbourne, Barry Brown, Michael Prophet, Cornell Campbell, and Frankie Paul through imprints such as Original Sounds, Studio 55, and Original International. A mentor to many of the UK’s top sound systems and a key figure in London’s RasTafari community, Ras Wazair’s connections with prominent Jamaican artists, bands, and producers like Fattis Burrell ensured that Jamaican music remained an influential force in the UK sound system scene.

King Original
Founded in 1973 by Fada Waz, King Original Sound System shaped East London’s reggae scene for over two decades. Fada Waz and his son Footsie—a UK Grime pioneer who in later years expanded the legacy through his KO LP series and sold-out King Original mixed-genre events at London’s top venues—worked together until Footsie assumed full control following Fada Waz’s passing in 2021. Having worked with artists such as Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys, The Prodigy, D-Double E, Wiley, and Skepta, Footsie’s dedication to King Original has reinvigorated the legacy that underpins all UK bass music—the reggae sound system. Joining Footsie is his brother, Wazair’s last born Ras D also Jah Model, and long-time collaborator Sir Spyro, producer of two UK number-one hits with Stormzy and son of UK reggae stalwart Nerious Joseph. Armed with cutting-edge QSS sound system technology, King Original continues to set trends, shaping the future of UK bass music.

Tony Roots
Hailing from Manchester, Jamaica, in the 1980s, Tony Roots emerged alongside iconic figures like Garnet Silk and Tony Rebel. While his peers remained in Jamaica, Tony moved to the UK, where he went on to release ten albums and numerous singles, including hits like Grow Your Natty Dread Locks and Hola Zion. A steadfast champion of Rastafari, Tony has collaborated with legends such as the Firehouse Crew, earning worldwide respect and a devoted following within both the reggae community and the UK sound system scene.

The Firehouse Crew
Formed in 1986, The Firehouse Crew became a cornerstone of the 1990s roots-reggae revival. Initially associated with King Tubby’s Firehouse label before establishing their own, the band rose to prominence through collaborations with producer Philip “Fattis” Burrell at Xterminator Records. Their contributions to timeless albums like Luciano’s Where There is Life highlight their extraordinary musicianship. Over the years, The Firehouse Crew has backed iconic artists such as Sizzla, Buju Banton, and Beres Hammond, cementing their legacy as masters of roots reggae.

Berlin’s Moses Yoofee Trio have confirmed details of their first new material since their 2023 mini-album, Ocean. ‘WHIP.wav’ will be released digitally on October 18, 2024, and represents the first taster for their debut full-length, MYT, set to be released by Nils Frahm’s LEITER on February 7, 2025. The German group recorded much of the album over ten days in April 2024 at Glaswald Studios, in the countryside outside Stuttgart, before returning to Berlin to polish the results and record two further tracks at LEITER’s Funkhaus studio. Available on vinyl and via all digital platforms, the album was produced by the trio with long-time collaborator and mixing engineer oh.no.ty. ‘WHIP.wav’, the original version of which was previously shared to social media to great response, is a perfect showcase for the band’s unique brand of sophisticated jazz, its laidback summer grooves lit up by Moses’ fluid piano lines, while drummer Noah Fürbringer’s deft rhythms lock in with Roman Klobe-Barangă‘s understated bassline. At just 100 seconds long, it’s also as succinct and straightforward as MYT’s title – and indeed many of its tracks – which reveals a lot about the Moses Yoofee Trio. The new album’s tracks display a remarkable determination to distil their work to its essence, allowing their prodigious talents and graceful versatility to flourish in uncluttered surroundings. Their goals, they state concisely, are “emotions, moments and bangers”, and careful attention was paid to arrangements to ensure nothing superfluous made the cut. Before coming together as a band, all three members were already deeply involved in the music scene, touring, recording, and producing for a wide range of artists and bands. They connected in 2020 when Moses met Roman at Berlin’s Jazz Institute, and it was the latter who suggested they jam with his friend Noah, who was living in southern Germany at the time but frequently visited Berlin. Amid the extended lockdowns of the Covid-19 pandemic, the trio embraced the chance to fully immerse themselves in the creative process. Since then, Moses Yoofee Trio have cultivated an extraordinary reputation for their shows, and this year they won the German Jazz Prize’s prestigious Live Act of The Year award. Recent highlights include a 2,500-capacity Elbjazz Festival booking beside Hamburg’s harbour, a riotous appearance at London’s Jazz Festival, and an intimate gig before 200 people at the German capital’s now redundant Tempelhof Airport on the rooftop of an air traffic control tower. Despite their own work as a trio, all three musicians remain busy elsewhere, with Moses, like Roman, often working with chart-topping Berlin-based Peter Fox, a frontman for reggae/dancehall/hip hop crossover act SEEED, and accompanying him on his extensive solo tours. Noah, meanwhile, plays with another renowned artist, German-American rapper Casper, as well as Sweden’s acclaimed Petter Eldh and German comedian / actor / musician Teddy Teclebrhan.

MIDLIFE CRISIS! - Something as unusual as a Swedish "supergroup" in the genre of '77 Punk Rock.

Urrke (Maryslim, Bizex-B), Dregen (Backyard Babies, The Hellacopters, Mike Monroe Band), Robban Eriksson (The Hellacopters, Strindbergs, Winnerbäck, Syl Sylvain), and Måns P Månsson (Crimson Shadows, Wrecks, Maggots).

In 2004, they first put their wild heads together and recorded three old punk classics, released on a vinyl EP. The band went on to release three more EPs (the latest one in 2018). Now, everything is being released on ONE fantastic collection via Wild Kingdom Records. By the way, Dregen is currently making waves on Swedish national TV with the popular series "Så Mycket Bättre".

Hold on to your hats folks!

Sound Like: Heartbreakers, Slaughter & The Dogs, PF Commando, early Damned, The Saints, UK Subs, Dictators, etc oldschool Punkrock.