Buscar:tik

Jamie Tik Tok Taylor leaves us this parting gift of gnarly, 'avin it, upbeat Acid Techno, - his last EP signed before his tragic, untimely passing. 4 tracks of cheeky 303 fuelled rave malarchy from the true Anarchist Insider!!

Tik Tok Taylor gets Snazzy Caz on vocals to create 2 anthemic bouncy Acid Techno bombs in 'Free N Ravin' and 'Bit Of This', whilst Finland's Kari brings some gnarliness to the Tik Tok groove, and some tongue-in-cheek samples on 'Filthy Punk Rockers', whilst adding some classy deeper elements to their non-trance version of 'Couginator'. All in all another classic SUF release!

2023 Repress

More 303 madness from the likes of Tik Tok feat. Lady Reload on the A-side and Mobile Dogwash on the flip!

Classic Acid Techno, the first full EP on SUF from one of the leaders of the nu school

Dark Green Vinyl

2022 Repress pink vinyl

4 killer tracks from System Rejects, Tik Tok & Brentus Maximus, Austin Corrosive & Tassid. Keep your eyes peeled cos these are gona go quick

2022 Repress purple vinyl

repressed !

Emotional Rescue celebrates a decade of reissues by again pulling deep from the well with the first of several French avant albums over the coming year. The self-styled "Ethno-Industrial" Vox Populi! present their 1989 Aither album, remastered and repackaged with love nearly 30 years later.

Initiated by artist Axel Kyrou in 1982, Vox Populi! was soon joined by long term collaborator Pacific 231 on a series of coldwave/industrial cassette only recordings. Things changed considerably, however, with the meeting of the siblings, Mitra and Arach in 1984.

The consequential use of "traditional" instruments and, especially, his wife Mitra's Persian folklore vocals gave a specific tonality, incorporating the band's expanding passion for oriental sounds, electronics and psychedelic music.

Involving numerous musicians and friends in often-spontaneous studio sessions, the melting pot of varied cultural backgrounds added ethnic, electronic, concrete music, funk, dub and experimental flavours.

This feeling of the subjective absence of the artist was achieved via a communal way for making music, but still with an aim to entertain while leading the listener to experience something unique - mind elevating, non-egotistical, ethereal music - all pushing the intellect towards a more artistic transparency.

Welcome to Aither.

"Spoki (Ghosts) is the sound of an artist putting their private world to tape. Of exploring and pushing the limits of themselves and technology to realise the music in their head. Recorded in Riga between 1988-2011.
.
As Ingus Bauškenieks himself explains: My own world differs a little from my friends' tastes. And - as my father said - the collective art is not art at all.

The music of Ingus Bauškenieks is both deeply private and completely alien. Experimental yet happy to celebrate pop influences such as Engelbert Humperdinck, Simon & Garfunkel or Fleetwood Mac. It is shaped by the artist's engagement with technology and his strive to put to record his 'own world'.
As Ingus explains, it is the sound of him: doing what I like to do.'

Label from London's E1S acid techno dj Acid Steve. Feat. The OB1, Acid Steve, Sterling Moss & Darc Marc and Tik Tok!

Tik Tok / Rhythm Logistics / A.P. / Chris Liberator - Drive & Rides, Surge, This Is It, Heads Down

Tip on sleeve.

Latin Grammy-Winning Producer Pupillo Unites Global
Artists on his new album

Co-produced by Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys), featuring collaborations with Rodrigo
Amarante, Carminho, Adrian Younge, Gaslamp Killer, Cut Chemist, Hervé Salters, and more
Drummer, percussionist and producer Pupillo, one of the most influential figures in Brazilian
music and a four-time Latin Grammy winner, releases his first original album through the Los
Angeles–based label Amor in Sound. The record brings together an impressive and diverse
group of collaborators from Brazil and abroad. Amor in Sound is run by Samantha Caldato,
the project’s executive producer and creative director, and Mario Caldato Jr. (Beastie Boys),
who co-produced the album alongside Pupillo. The project was developed in a free,
experimental environment, allowing the artist to explore the many rhythmic and sonic
territories that have shaped his career — from Northeastern Brazilian traditions to jazz, hip
hop, and cinematic soundscapes. Listen here.

The album features special appearances by Brazilian artists such as Céu, Rodrigo Amarante,
Agnes Nunes, Amaro Freitas, Davi Moraes, Alberto Continentino and Pedro Martins,
alongside a strong roster of international collaborators, including Carminho, Gaslamp Killer,
Loren Oden, Adrian Younge, Cut Chemist and Hervé Salters (known for his work with
General Elektriks). The album’s 12 tracks were further enriched by contributions from
Jeremy Gustin, Roberto Schilling, and other musicians who make Amor in Sound Studios in
Los Angeles a place of creative exchange.

Beyond his work as the drummer of Nação Zumbi, Pupillo has built a prolific career as a
producer and collaborator with some of the most important names in Brazilian music,
including Gal Costa, Nando Reis, Erasmo Carlos, Céu, and Otto, helping to shape the sound
of multiple generations. This trajectory has earned him four Latin Grammy Awards.
From Pernambuco, Pupillo is also an acclaimed composer for cinema, having written
soundtracks for films such as Arido Movie and Blue Blood (directed by Lirio Ferreira), The
Assailant (directed by João Daniel Tikhomiroff), among others. This cinematic sensibility
permeates the album, which unfolds like a film, moving through richly textured soundscapes
that cross continents and musical traditions.

WRWTFWW Records is proud to present THE GENTLE PEOPLE - Soundtracks for Living (Expanded Edition), ?the ultimate Lounge/Chill Out classic from 1997, reborn! Available as a limited edition white vinyl 3LP in heavyweight 3-panel gatefold sleeve.

When The Gentle People first glided into the mid-90s on clouds of strings, sugar and sine waves, they sounded like visitors from another, more glamorous planet. Signed to Richard D. James and Grant Wilson-Claridge's cult label Rephlex, this multinational "E-Z-Core" lounge unit took the aesthetics of 50s/60s easy listening and exotica and gently smuggled them into 1990s club culture.

Soundtracks for Living was their defining statement: an album that "takes the lounge scene and runs away with it entirely… blissful and heavenly," as one contemporary review put it. Imagine KLF's Chill Out or Space growing up on French 60/70s pop, bossa nova, soundtracks, vocal harmony groups, library music and easy listening then slipping out for a late-night date with dub, ambient techno and bubble-bath pop. That's Soundtracks for Living: a record that can score cocktail hour, 4am taxi rides, and daydreams in headphones with the same effortless grace.

The Gentle People - Dougee Dimensional, Laurie LeMans, Valentine Carnelian and Honeymink - began in early-90s Brixton, throwing dress-up theme parties before taking their audio-visual universe into the studio. For them, music was "a way of life": soothing to the ear, rich in pop hooks, and pitched somewhere between the playfully idiotic and the hyper-intelligent. Their debut on Rephlex was the single "Journey", later blessed with a shimmering Aphex Twin remix that pushed their sugar-coated sound even further into outer space.

This Expanded Edition of Soundtracks for Living finally gives this glambient lounge-pop milestone the treatment it has always deserved. Spread lovingly across 3LP, it features new mastering from the original sources, allowing every harp glissando, string swell and analog squiggle to float in high-fidelity widescreen. The core album is complemented by a bonus 12" of unreleased and rare material, offering a deeper dive into the Gentle world: alternate takes, lost interludes, and secret soundtrack cues for lives not yet lived.

Crucially, "Journey" appears here in its original version, Gentle Instrumental and the cult Aphex Twin remix, reuniting band and labelmate in one place and underlining the quietly radical nature of the project: this was lounge music that could sit next to braindance, acid and IDM and still steal the scene.

Pressed on limited edition white vinyl, Soundtrack for Living (Expanded Edition) invites long-time fans and new listeners alike to step back into The Gentle People's universe - a place of fondue parties, bubble chairs, star-lit elevators and endlessly rewinding sunsets, where "the pathway to the stars" is never quite out of reach.

In an era that often reduces the 90s to big-room bangers and grunge guitars, Soundtracks for Living remains a quietly subversive reminder that the decade was also about imagination, camp, softness and utopian possibility. As later writers have noted, The Gentle People weren't just a curiosity on a weird label; they became unlikely icons of a whole loungecore moment, gracing TV, compilations and magazine spreads, and proving that tenderness could be as futuristic as any drum machine.
In conjunction with this release, WRWTFWW has also unearthed The Gentle People's Peel Sessions, a 4-track EP from their 1997 BBC on-air performance, available on vinyl for the first time ever !

On Lila, his debut LP, Moroccan artist Karim presents a series of undulating electronic rhythms laser-etched into tessellated form: drumless techno from the pre-Sahara, built for communal psychic expansion.

Drumless, yes, but not percussionless. There are shakers, castanets, stabs, plonks, thuds. There are insistent basslines propelling forward, pulsing with energy, rippling in time. There are tones interlocking, rolling, fluttering, pattering. Dancing within, around, between each other. Considered in terms of sheer geometry, Lila is a techno record, unmistakably. But it sounds quite unlike any other techno record you've heard lately.

To write the album, Karim borrowed from the music of the Gnawa, a religious-spiritual musical tradition descended from West African peoples brought to Morocco as slaves hundreds of years ago. Now integrated deeply into Moroccan culture, the centerpiece of Gnawa music is the lila—or "night," in Arabic—an all-night-long ritual of rhythm designed to induce participants and musicians alike into a healing trance state. Which, if you're a dedicated raver, may sound familiar, yes?

Crafted entirely with modular synthesizers, Lila conjures a range of textures and moods. The show opens with "Bakh," a blissful exercise in beatlessness, clear and crystalline. On "Philipoussis," "Kiyex," and "Sonic," arpeggiated synths approximate Gnawa chants while interlaid percussion keeps time in multiple meters. "La" and "Kille" pulse in half-time, ideal for creative mixing. "Joul à lèvre" bristles with electricity, the sound of a charged lightning rod. "Pamil," woozy and lurching, feels like being shipwrecked on a forgotten island. Last and absolutely certainly not least, on the final track, "Miloir," Karim faces West and unleashes the album's only kick drum for a ten-minute psychedelic techno masterpiece. The mind warps; the body moves. 

Lila is released on Tikita, Karim's own record label, founded in 2014. Tikita's discography, spare but tightly curated, features artists from across the globe pushing outwards into techno's deepest reaches. Karim's album pushes even farther. Listen for yourself.

One of electronic music’s most sought-after names, producer and DJ KETTAMA today announces the release of his long-awaited debut album, Archangel, out 3rd of October. The announcement arrives in tandem with new single “Sort It Out” featuring Clouds, and a landmark moment in his career: his biggest ever London headline show, taking over Brixton Academy on Saturday, October 4th, followed by an expansive tour across Europe, North America, and Australia.



A decade in the making, Archangel is the definitive statement from KETTAMA (Evan Cambell), the Galway-born, London-based artist. The 15-track project is a powerful blend of hard-house energy, trance-inflected euphoria, hip-hop sample-based attitude, and unmistakable emotional depth—sonic signatures that have placed KETTAMA at the cutting edge of contemporary dance music.



The album showcases a curated roster of collaborators who reflect KETTAMA’s reach and relevance across today’s underground and mainstream scenes, including Interplanetary Criminal, Fred again.., Clouds, Prospa, DJ HEARTSTRING, Shady Nasty, SØLV and seantommy. Their contributions amplify the project's scope, offering a multi-sided view into KETTAMA’s musical universe.



Among its early singles, the Interplanetary Criminal collaboration “Yosemite” is a high-velocity anthem marrying speed-garage grit with ecstatic rave melodies, while his track “Air Maxes” with Fred again.. And Shady Nasty blends introspective vocal sampling with wide-eyed club emotion. On “If U Want My Heart” with DJ HEARTSTRING featuring KLP, the ensemble channels high-energy trance, breakbeats, and vocal euphoria into a soaring anthem that fuses emotional intensity with peak-time club energy. Meanwhile, his collaboration with Clouds, released today, “Sort It Out” dives headfirst into industrial-techno territory, conjuring a dark, cathartic energy destined for warehouse euphoria. And reigning as one of the undeniable anthems of the summer so far, “It Get’s Better (Forever Mix)” delivers euphoric waves of uplifting synths and relentless rhythm, bringing an irresistible surge of energy that’s become synonymous with this summer’s club moments.



Archangel has already found a home on the world’s biggest stages and radio airwaves, with early support from key tastemakers including Jack Saunders, Danny Howard, Sarah Story, and Tim Sweeney. Simultaneously, a grassroots groundswell continues to bloom across social platforms—where viral snippets and show footage capture the visceral reaction of a fast-growing, global fanbase.



This year, KETTAMA has elevated his status to a full-blown festival phenomenon, performing at major stages including Coachella, Glastonbury, Creamfields, Portola, Seismic, and ARC Festival, to name a few. In June, he played to 20,000 people in Belfast for a b2b with Chris Stussy—one of the UK’s largest DJ events in recent memory—and is currently mid-way through a 16-week Ibiza residency at Amnesia, playing every Monday night throughout summer. Full list of upcoming live dates can be found below.



Perhaps the clearest signal of his surging popularity is the jaw-dropping response to his upcoming Boiler Room live set, with over 15,000 fans signing up to attend— the set’s release is now highly anticipated as a time capsule moment in a breakout year for the artist.



KETTAMA’s rise to prominence has been anything but conventional. Eschewing the traditional gatekeepers of the industry, KETTAMA cultivated an underground following through the likes of SoundCloud and TikTok, where raw uploads, bootlegs, and viral edits generated a tidal wave of grassroots momentum. Over the years, these platforms became launching pads for a fiercely loyal global community, drawn to his unfiltered energy and boundary-pushing sound. This subversive path to recognition has made him not just a fixture of the scene but a symbol of how new-generation artists can forge success on their own terms.



From his humble roots in the Irish underground to the world stage KETTAMA is now pushing the limits of what a next-gen DJ-producer can achieve. With Archangel, he fuses the sound of his native ‘G-Town’ with a futuristic vision that’s unapologetically global—marking a creative milestone that cements his place among electronic music’s most compelling voices.

Liepāja’s Elektrons is a contemporary electronic music compilation on vinyl, bringing together artists connected to the Baltic city of Liepāja. The LP features eleven original tracks that reflect the diversity and vitality of the local electronic scene — from deep techno and liquid funk to experimental ambient, IDM, and broken beats. Across the record’s two sides, Liepāja’s Elektrons brings together a diverse constellation of producers shaping the city’s electronic identity. The A-side features Cliché, Nejauši, Kristaps Puķītis, DJ KEDA feat. Ieva Dreimane-Sidare, BAZIITS, and NiklāvZ feat. Kenji, moving fluidly from intricate IDM textures and atmospheric experimentation to liquid funk rhythms and high-energy drum’n’bass. The B-side continues the journey with Ksenia Kamikaza, Eque, OMIROS, ALTER V and Existal, exploring deep and peak-time techno, minimal house and progressive sonic structures.

The debut album from online sensation Ricky Montgomery, Montgomery Ricky, turns 10 on April 1st of this year. It has racked up over 2.2 billion streams thanks to Platinum indie-pop hits "Mr. Loverman" and "Line Without a Hook," and both songs are set to hit 1 billion streams each before the end of 2026. Since blowing up on TikTok during the pandemic, Montgomery Ricky has averaged 1M streams per day. This year, Ricky is set to release Montgomery Ricky +3, an upcoming EP of previously unreleased songs from the Montgomery Ricky era of music that Ricky has revisited.
This release features "Oh My My", a song that features the same second verse from "Line Without a Hook", and the cover art for the release will be sketches of the album that are previously unreleased.

Macclesfield 3-piece Cassia make their extremely welcome return with the announcement of their most ambitious release yet in new studio album everyone, outside - out April 11th.

The album marks a bold new chapter, and recently served up a tropical-tinged first offering in ‘heat’ - with today serving a superb Round Two with the stomping, insatiable, hook-laden new single ‘friends’.

everyone, outside takes Cassia’s sound to new heights. Written fresh off the back of two years of relentless touring, the band channelled every ounce of their renowned live energy into the album, returning to a studio they built themselves in Macclesfield, after creating their previous album in Berlin. The journey provided an added twist, recording the majority of tracks live on TikTok, giving fans a unique, inclusive experience to be part of the process.

The album’s title is a metaphor for embracing your truest self and reflection of a band who are at their happiest outside. It’s a message that speaks to the idea of reconnecting with nature and Britain’s finest summers. As frontman Rob explains, “That title, ‘everyone, outside’ started as a song about how weird it is that we stay inside all the time when being out in nature always makes us feel better. Over time, it came to mean more than that - like a metaphor for being your truest, most natural self, unburdened, like when no one’s watching.”

Drawing influences from a host of genres and cultures, everyone, outside reveals Cassia’s venn diagram of global sounds and intimate storytelling. A trip to Mexico during the writing process injected the record with a new energy, while their time spent in their new space back home gave the band a freedom to try new instruments, new sounds, acquire new tools to hone their production skills - and to simply have fun and explore. “The time we spent in Berlin taught us so much, but coming back home to Macclesfield allowed us to really focus on making something that felt like it came from us. No distractions, just pure creativity,” says drummer Jacob Leff.

Cassia’s rise has been impressive. From their early days busking the streets of Cornwall to playing major festivals, touring the world and receiving critical acclaim from BBC Radio 1, Radio X, The Independent, Rolling Stone UK, Clash & many more, the band has carved out a unique niche. Their sound, influenced by the African music Rob’s father introduced him to, combined with the indie heritage of nearby Manchester, combines the positivity of bands like Foals and Vampire Weekend, with the jazz-tinged afrobeats of Fela Kuti and Ebo Taylor.

After signing to Distiller Records in 2018, the band gave up their full-time jobs and ventured to Bath to record their debut album, Replica. Tracks such as ‘Right There’, ‘Drifting’ & ‘100 Times Over’ have amassed millions of streams, seeing the band sell out multiple headline Tours both in the UK and Europe. Playing to a homecoming capacity crowd at Manchester’s O2 Ritz, as well as sold out headline shows at London’s KOKO & The Garage, the band have accrued a huge, loyal following and their live shows earned them a nomination for Best Live Act at the AIM Awards alongside Idles and DMA’s, as well as making them the winners of Reeperbahn’s Anchor Award in 2022.

Cassia will tour the UK in May 2025, playing songs from the new album and some of their biggest tracks - headlining Leeds, Bristol, a newly added night in Southampton, a special Manchester homecoming, Glasgow, Birmingham, & a huge show at London’s HERE @ Outernet - dates below & Tickets Here. The band will also take things Stateside this year for their first ever run of headline shows in the US & Mexico.

Der bahnbrechende Titel ,Je te laisserai des mots" ist der erste französischsprachige Song, der mehr als eine Milliarde Streams auf Spotify erreicht hat und im Laufe der Jahre erheblich an Popularität gewonnen hat. Der Titel hat mehr als 50 Milliarden Aufrufe und 20 Millionen Kreationen auf TikTok erzielt, darunter emotionale Kreationen, Coverversionen und mehr. Er hat genug Streams gesammelt, um in 29 Ländern Platin-Status und in 34 Ländern Gold-Status zu erreichen. In den USA wurde er mit Doppelplatin ausgezeichnet.

Originally produced by Visnadi with vocals by Janice Robinson,

this 12-inch includes the re-edited "original club mix,"

and for the first time on vinyl, remixes by Paul Morrell and Michael André & SMB.

Over 13 million streams on Sound Cloud,

over 10 million views on YouTube,

over 50 million plays on TikTok in the last few months.

Legendary dub techno artist Paul St. Hilaire (AKA Tikiman) announces new collaborative album, marking 10 years of Kynant Records



Building on the success of Paul St. Hilaire’s landmark solo album for Richard Akingbehin’s label Kynant in 2023, w/ The Producers switches up the formula to pair St. Hilaire’s with a different producer on each track. Referencing fellow dub techno pioneers Mark Ernestus & Moritz von Oswald’s acclaimed album w/ The Artists as Rhythm & Sound, St. Hilaire flips the concept to feature as the lone vocalist.



Over the album’s nine tracks, St. Hilaire offers a range of conscious song-writing and headtop musings, such as the spoken-word dread of “What’s This” or the sparse call-to-action of “Send Them On”. The record weaves through all shades of contemporary dub evolutions, showing the vocal range and versatility of St. Hilaire. w/ The Producers is yet another essential record in St. Hilaire’s unmatched discography.



The producers were curated by label owner and DJ Richard Akingbehin to give the new album a future-facing feel and mark 10 years of Kynant Records. Akingbehin sourced beats from luminaries such as Digital Mystikz boss and dubstep trailblazer Mala or elusive Chain Reaction artist Shinichi Atobe. They sit alongside some of the most exciting names in recent electronic music - Batu, Gavsborg, Azu Tiwaline, Priori, Cousin, Russell E.L. Butler, Aurora Halal and DJ G - all of whom bring different elements of dub techno into their productions.



w/ The Producers finds Kynant Records bridging the original voice of dub techno with the genre’s new wave. It’s a statement of intent from the label, which began 10 years ago with deep, hypnotic techno and has veered gradually towards more dubwise sounds

2026 Repress

&Me, the chunky critter, did it again! This hypnotic one-off was stoically crafted to be lifted into the next dimension with thousands of people. Where the hospitality of all-encompassing love and euphoria awaits with arms raised and eyes closed.

Mano le tough found the original Muddy Funster so boring that he ran out of cigarettes. Even as a non-smoker! With his congenial version of this evergreens, this deranged pig forces his cranky perception on us and takes us into a mystical world in which no two stones are alike, but whose unique construction represents an earthquake-proof pyramid of love whose dimensions have perfect relationships to the size of the earth and to mathematical laws. Illumination feat Roísín Murphy as Mano Le Toughs needs A Birra Light Remix persistently pulls us music-loving dance muffins under the disco ball with all the TikiTaka tricks in the book, only to let us go and spin gloriously free at the crucial moment. So beautiful, we dance, wow.

2026 Repress

The long-awaited sequel to Ophidian's cult classic Blackbox (2003) arrives: "Blackbox: Kasamaan" picks up where the original left off, and strays further into the darkness.
Expect Industrial Hardcore and Hard Techno with grinding, distorted kicks, warped percussion, detailed rhythms and intricate sound design, all while being cloaked in haunting, eerie atmospheres.

defaultbox returns with its 20th release entitled "020".

This various artists compilation brings together five carefully selected tracks by Karenz, Gockel, TIKOA, 10.000 BC, and aem.aze, each rooted in a shared vision of deep, functional techno rhythms and subtle dub-infused textures.

The release comes on a limited run of 50 transparent blue splatter copies alongside the regular black pressing.

We’re proud to present the first-ever official reissue of Rold Lebo - "Dansez Otiere" — a folk-jazz treasure from 1986, originally released in the Republic of Congo on vinyl and cassette (self-released on small quantities). This vinyl gem revives the energy and elegance of a rare record, now brought back into the light — a timeless work, finally restored to its full glory.

This album alternates between the call to celebrate the ancestral homeland and cultural identity and poignant ballads about love, exile and homesickness. It is a work that is both intimate and cosmic. Finally restored to its full glory, it returns on vinyl for the first time since its initial release.

This is an essential restoration — a sophisticated synthesis of Congolese Folk-Jazz, subtle soul, and deeply introspective rhythms. Recorded in the 80s, the album channels a timeless spirit, exploring multilingual themes of ancestral identity, the melancholy of exile and the delicate games of love.

Rold Lebo’s music is a profound emotional capsule — once overlooked, now revived for a new generation of listeners eager to explore the sophisticated sounds and resonant stories of the Republic of Congo.

The second chapter after “neverlost”, “closer” blends samplebased production with classic songwriting – like a sonic mosaic of warmth and groove. Lyrically “hippiesque,” Sepalot explores natural beauty, unity, equality, and self-determination. Guest features shine: Blu delivers sharp lyricism, and Illa J surprises
with soulful vocals on “My Own Way.” For fans of The Avalanches, Caribou, and Madlib – Closer is lush, human, and unforgettable.

Sepalot is one of those rare artists whose sonic palette refuses to be boxed in. His music exists in the fertile space between multi-layered sophistication and playful unpredictability – a quality rooted in his eclectic upbringing. From skate-punk beginnings to soul all-nighters, from obsessive vinyl digging to
deep immersion in hip-hop’s golden era, Sepalot has carried the art of sampling like a badge of honor. His beats are mosaics – meticulously pieced together fragments of sound forming an intricate whole. Beyond the studio, he’s explored these influences as DJ, producer, and live performer, leading the
Sepalot Quartet across Europe’s jazz festivals, and more recently with his experimental band Tikhet alongside Angela Aux

With “closer”, the upcoming second chapter following his 2023 album “neverlost”, Sepalot distills his broad musical world into a sample-based yet song-driven statement. The production feels warm and tactile – think needle-on-vinyl crackle meeting modern songwriting clarity. Lyrically, it’s “hippiesque” in the best
way: themes of natural beauty, unity, democratic awareness, equality, and spiritual introspection weave through the tracklist.

The guest list is just as inspired: legendary wordsmith Blu delivers razor-sharp verses, while Illa J – brother of the late J Dilla – steps away from his signature rap to surprise with soulful vocals on “My Own Way.” Together, they amplify the album’s humanist core, balancing groove-heavy production with
lyrical depth.

Fans of artists like The Avalanches, Caribou, DJ Shadow, or Madlib will find plenty to love here, but Closer carries its own unique fingerprint – a testament to Sepalot’s ability to merge hip-hop grit with songwriting grace. If “Neverlost” was a map, “Closer” is the destination: lush, thoughtful, and deeply human.
Highly recommended for anyone ready to hold hands, open their mind, and let the beat guide them.

With Stronger, her third EP, Mira Ló continues her rapid ascent within the French electronic scene. A cathartic project born from a period of personal upheaval, this EP is both a cry of resilience and a celebration of club culture as a space for healing. The Paris-based queer producer and DJ turns pain into creative force, and the dancefloor into refuge, release, and rebirth. Across four emotionally charged tracks, Stronger traces the contours of a club where one rises through the energy of the beat, the warmth of a caring community, and the affirmation of self through sound and movement. “This EP is my response to a very dark period in my life. I chose to turn pain into strength, to stand back up through music, and to reconnect with joy, intensity, and the collective. Each track follows a movement, of a body rising, a heart beating stronger, a soul regaining its light. Stronger is also a tribute to those who carried me when I could no longer stand on my own. It's proof that even in chaos, we can rebuild together.” Mira Ló The first chapter of this inner journey, “Riser” is a house track filled with enveloping melodies, ethereal pads, and organic chords that create a suspended sonic space. Its steady pulse and warm basslines evoke a rising from within. “I wanted this track to feel like a build-up, like breathing again. It's about that moment when you feel you're ready to rise once more, even after a fall, like a gentle but powerful wave,” says Mira Ló. With its R&B textures, pop-infused touches, and radiant production, “Brighter” glows with warmth. It captures the return of inner clarity, the rediscovery of joy and ease. Made to bring people together, it’s Instagram | Youtube | TikTok | SoundCloudboth immediate and heartfelt. “It’s a song about shining again, after the dark. I wanted something full of light and simplicity, a track that speaks to the heart and makes you want to dance without thinking.” A personal and introspective nod to the French Touch, “Higher” is driven by filtered basslines and hypnotic grooves. It channels a sense of euphoria that builds gradually, almost meditatively, like a joyful vertigo. “This track is about finding euphoria again, that moment when music lifts you beyond yourself. I grew up with the French Touch, and this is my way of coming back to it with my own voice.” Closing the journey, “Louder” is the most assertive track on the EP. Inspired by the UK bassline and garage scene, it bursts with percussive, punchy energy. This is where everything comes into full light, bold, unapologetic, and free. “I wrote Louder as a statement: I’m here, I exist, and I won’t stay silent anymore. It’s about partying as self-affirmation, as a joyful, powerful scream of identity. Meant to be played loud. Very loud.” Mira Ló, born Ana Lopez, is a queer producer and DJ based in Paris. Drawing from the full spectrum of club music, her sets and productions blend melancholic emotion with a unique, high-energy, euphoric touch - inspired by artists like Disclosure, salute, and Sammy Virji. From her early days playing in Parisian bars and intimate clubs, she quickly rose to the lineups of top French venues and festivals such as Peacock Society, Marvellous Island, and Lollapalooza - extending her reach across Europe and even to Chicago. She’s carved out a strong place for herself within the new wave of the French electronic scene, leaving a lasting impression with every appearance. In 2023, she released her debut EP Memories and was featured in Apple Music’s “Women In Electronic” series. That same year, she became a resident at Sacré in Paris, before unveiling her second EP Tribute To Chicago in 2024. She returns in 2025 with her third release, Stronger - once again proving she’s one of the most promising artists shaping the future of electronic music.

DJ Support: Peggy Gou, Chris Stussy, Jamie Jones, Solomun, TSHA, Eliza Rose, and others

Following a breakout summer, “The One” is now getting a vinyl release.

The track became a viral hit on TikTok, amassing over 5.5 million lifetime engagements, and has solidified its status as one of the year’s defining dance anthems — surpassing 14.6 million streams and continuing to grow rapidly across platforms.

Included on the vinyl release are the acclaimed remixes from HAAi, Bashkka, and Obskur that have further expanded the track’s reach.

With a Grammy nomination and club backing from global tastemakers including Peggy Gou, Chris Stussy, Jamie Jones, Solomun, TSHA, Eliza Rose, and others, “The One” continues to dominate both the underground and mainstream dance scenes.

“The One” — a summer anthem that shows no signs of slowing down.

‘Açid Blüüs Räägs Vol.2’ is the latest evolution of the sound of last year’s Volume 1. The debut album was described by Joe Banks for Shindig! Magazine as; “Shivering slabs of drone blues transcendentalism…a burning junkyard of sheet metal blues… Hot stuff.” Volume 2 builds on the skronk blues guitar, sax and electronic drones of it’s predecessor, to explore cosmic free jazz, concrete exotica and dub, channelling influences of Moondog, Terry Riley, 75 Dollar Bill and Wolf Eyes. Playing like the imagined film soundtracks to a dystopian, re-wilded, post eco crash world in the style of Tarkovsky's ‘Stalker’ and ’Solaris’, Jodorowsky's surreal desert western ‘El Topo’, or the early novels of JG Ballard. This new collection sees the addition of minimal analogue drum machine loops as well as live instrumental contributions from the new players of the ever evolving Invocation band, plus some superstar guest contributors.
Featuring five brand new tracks, including the forthcoming single; ‘Cosmic Fanfare’, has already picked up BBC 6 Music support from Gideon Coe. The new album was mixed by Alex McGowan (aka Captain Future) of Space Eko Studios and features Invocation band regulars Rick Jensen of Apocalypse Jazz Unit, Skronk and Oneirologist on sax and bass clarinet, Will Emms aka Tiki Eerie on melodica, horns and claviola, plus special guest appearances from Duke Garwood on clarinet and Mikey 'Moondog' Chestnut of Snapped Ankles on bass synth. “….Acid fried kosmiche blues meets drone raag transcendentalism”. Jonny Halifax is a primitivist free blues outsider, sonic shaman of the acid fuzzed lap steel guitar, demented blower of the howling harmonica of doom. His new band project now combines avant swamp blues heaviosity with kosmic free jazz experimentalism in a fluid collective of godless raag brut improvisations - sonic visions of an hallucinatory apocalyptic near future. Inspired by Henry Flynt’s avant bluegrass experiments fusing country blues with eastern acoustic musical stylings, Spacemen 3’s contemporary sitar music, and the monolithic drone doom immersion of Sunn 0))), THE JONNY HALIFAX INVOCATION build hypnotic instrumental soundscapes using lap steel and homemade slide guitars, harmonica and alto sax. Underpinned by layers of acoustic and electronic drone instruments and fed through an arsenal of pedalboard electronics that would make Kevin Shields weep, the blues are transmogrified, unhinged, reduced and re-imagined as intoxicating, trance-inducing, feedback-drenched noise paintings. THE JONNY HALIFAX INVOCATION follows Jonny’s junkshop skronk blues one man band Honkeyfinger, and the Julian Cope endorsed gospel fuzz psychedelia of Jonny Halifax & The Howling Truth, whilst not forgetting his ambient drone metal side project; Deathenteredinerror. His musical CV also includes studio contributions to tracks by Andrew Weatherall’s Two Lone Swordsmen, UK metal behemoths Orange Goblin, Heck and Melting Hand.

How about a volley of hydraulic heaters from one of Denmark’s finest?

Already a man of many projects, both on the label side and in the studio, Natal Zaks has minted a brand-new alias… Enter Aquafaba, the ocean floor operator kicking it on a subaqueous tip.

Not many moving like this today. Properly submerged techno, masterful and ultra-essential by Aquafaba, self-monikered after the starchy, liquid byproduct of cooking chickpeas. Patrick Star would be proud for sure.

From Aarhus to the deepest ocean trenches in pursuit of that fathoms-below sound. Nods to the Midwest – chiefly mid-’90s Robert Hood and Cajmere’s ‘Percolator’ – felt in parts, but it’s also riddled with ultra-engrossing detail. Zaks goes heavy with the effects as tracky rollers are propelled to new mesmeric heights, even allowing for a moment of proper widescreen ascension.

Heads-down dynamixxx in full effect as we harness immense hydraulic power. Eschewing instant dancefloor gratification, Zaks emerges with tension and funk, like only the finest strains of techno can achieve.

Für einige ist Pavement die vielleicht größte Band der Welt, oder zumindest Nordamerikas, ganz sicher aber die beste Band der amerikanischen Westküste. Nun veröffentlicht die mindestens mal Kultband ein "Best of"- Album für alle die, die sich immer noch Fragen wer zur Hölle eigentlich Pavement sind. "Hecklers Choice", so der Name des "Best of" leistet dabei Aufklärung und führt den Hörer aus dem Tal der Ahnungslosen in einen Garten Eden voller blühender Gitarren-Feedbacks und sprießender Indie-Riffs. "Hecklers Choice" ist die bereits zweite "Best of"-Kompilation der Band. Es ist schließlich mehr als ein Jahrzehnt vergangen und man kann nie genug gute Pavement-Songs kompakt in der Sammlung besitzen. Als "Quarantine the Past" 2010 erschien, gab es TikTok noch nicht. Diese neu überarbeitete Titelliste berücksichtigt alle viralen Seltsamkeiten der letzten Jahre ("Harness Your Hopes"), und repräsentiert gleichzeitig die zeitlosen Stücke, die über Generationen hinweg fester Bestandteil von Playlisten und Mixtapes für Liebhaber der Band geblieben sind.

Overmono, die Brüder Tom und Ed Russell, feiern ihren bislang größten Sommer mit ihrer Neuinterpretation von High Contrasts legendärer Drum"n"Bass-Hymne "If We Ever". Erstmals bei ihrem Headline-Set auf dem Love Saves The Day präsentiert, entwickelte sich der Track nach dem Glastonbury-Auftritt rasant zum viralen Phänomen - mit Millionen von Views auf TikTok, YouTube und Instagram sowie unzähligen Fan-Kommentaren, die eine Veröffentlichung forderten. Selbst High Contrast wurde auf die Welle der Begeisterung aufmerksam und nahm Kontakt mit den Russell-Brüdern auf. Spätestens bei Boomtown bestätigte sich: Dieser Song ist nicht nur die Festival-Hymne 2025, sondern wird auch in den Clubs und auf den Dancefloors weit über den Sommer hinaus nachwirken.

Unearthed from the Crammed Discs vaults after nearly four decades (Originally recorded in 1987), a hidden gem finally sees the light. Maurice Poto Doudongo’s The Lost Album arrives on vinyl for the first time—limited to 500 copies, with printed inner sleeve featuring release notes and photographs.

Back in the hazy margins of late-’80s Brussels, where boundary-blurring sounds were seeping through the cracks of pop music, a young autodidact named Maurice Poto Doudongo was crafting music that didn’t quite belong to any scene. Born in Kinshasa and growing up in Belgium, Maurice was a sonic nomad—raised on Franco, Miriam Makeba, and Tabu Ley Rochereau, transfixed by James Brown and Prince, and shaped by the fertile collision between African music and experimental electronics occurring all around him.

Leaving school at 16 to concentrate on music full-time, he began recording on borrowed 4-tracks, using cardboard boxes for percussion, and absorbing whatever sounds the airwaves served him: “Music has no frontier,” he says. “You take what you like. Prince, Fela, Papa Wemba—there is no contradiction. It’s all part of the sound.”

The result? A record that’s equal parts analog drum machine funk, homegrown Afro-pop futurism, and new wave R&B-informed synth poetry. Marc Hollander, founder of Crammed Discs, met Maurice through his friend and associate, musician/producer Vincent Kenis and quickly recognized the spark. The two began working in earnest, preparing tracks intended for a full-length release that, for reasons lost to time and memory, never materialized—until now.

Marc remembers: “The album was never completely finished. “Bolingo” was the only track that came out on a Crammed compilation at that time… and the rest sat on the shelf for decades until we started opening the Crammed vaults.”

Maurice recalls the session as being, “like an unstoppable current”. Listening now, the Lost Album feels both of its time and well beyond it. While tracks like “Momo” sound not a million miles away from the slinky and sophisticated Balearic pop ambience of Wally Badarou’s Echoes album, "Passport Train" shakes itself loose of any genre boundaries, veering into free-form Afro-electronica and tough electronic rhythm. Others pulse with a sweet and soulful groove that suggests dance floors dreamed of but never reached.

In decades hence, Maurice never left music, and the music never left him. Now working mainly as an arranger, he describes his job as being like that of a musical psychologist: “Someone comes to me with their sound, and before anything I have to understand their mind and heart,” he explains. That same intuitive fluency can be heard across this entire album—music that listens before it speaks, that absorbs before it asserts.

This reissue is more than a remastering. It’s a second breath. Sourced from cassette roughs and 24-track demos, carefully restored with Maurice’s blessing, and released as a complete album on vinyl for the very first time, The Lost Album isn’t lost anymore.

It just took nearly 40 years to find its way to you. - Editions de Lux

Architectural steps up in Tikita with two long mind bending tribal trips

A timeless classic - coming up on nearly 20 years since the original 12's were released and the very first time this LP has collectively been available on wax. (over 15 years since last in circulation)

This edition was remastered to analog perfection from the Grammy award winning ears @Stardelta Mastering. paying close attention to every finite detail - this album has never sounded so alive!

A multidimensional sound experience; it's like taking a swim in an analogue ocean and being immersed into the deepest end of the Mariana's Trench. Sonic Submersion of the Highest Order!

Credits:
Written & Produced by Steven Hitchell.
Vocal & Rhodes Performance by Paul St. Hilaire (Tikiman), courtesy of false tuned. Published by Basic Channel Publishing. (BCP)
Additional Mastering, Mixing and Engineering by Mark Richardson @ PrairieCat/Metropolis Mastering, Chicago, USA. (2007-2009)
Remastering and Lacquer cutting by Stardelta, UK. (2024)

The House phenomenon of recent years captured in a very nice double vinyl package - Featuring some of the greatest artists of the genre: Kosheen, With U, David Guetta, Bob Sinclar, Themba, Pat Thomas, Ebo, Taylor Sasson, Armin Van Buuren

BIG ONE AGAIN with Tetrabass crew ! Full nuskool dancefloor tribe sound !!!

- 2025 repress -

French artist Guillaume Labadie, better known as I Hate Models, started to play "Toro" in his sets at the beginning of 2022, a track that was originally released in 2011 and has been through a variety of different versions, styles and audiences. The Mexican producer Andre VII created the original remix and I Hate Models edited a speeded up version to fit into his playing style that got a huge response from clubs around the globe. The track has exploded on social networks, bringing a new buzz to this classic with its unofficial version, going viral on Tik Tok, generating thousands and thousands of videos and reaching Spotify's Top 50 Viral tunes organically, we are happy to release the edit officially on Mushroom Pillow.

28th April 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the release of David Bowie’s STARMAN, the first single from THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS. To celebrate, Parlophone Records is proud to announce release details to mark the album’s Golden Jubilee.

On 17th June 2022, 50 years and one day after the original U.K. release date, THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS will be issued as a limited edition 50th anniversary half speed mastered LP, cut by John Webber at AIR Studios.

THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS is the breakthrough album that catapulted David Bowie into the international spotlight. Over the past 50 years it has remained a touchstone record, growing in stature with each passing year. It is now ingrained in popular culture, its undeniable influence spanning musicians from Arcade Fire to Lady Gaga, to Harry Styles’s androgynous fashion sense to Noel Fielding’s shirts on The Great British Bake-Off to Ziggy make-up challenges on Tik-Tok.

David Bowie laid to rest the Ziggy Stardust persona in July 1973 at his infamous last show with the Spiders From Mars at London’s Hammersmith Odeon, but Ziggy’s impact reverberates to this day.

Reissue of the 1983's classic Messages From The Stars by British Electronic Funk outfit, The Rah Band.

Released in 1983, "Messages From The Stars" by The RAH Band—AKA multi-instrumentalist and producer Richard Anthony Hewson—emerged as a modest club hit, peaking at number 42 on the UK charts. Four decades later, the song has been rediscovered and revered as a cult classic, transcending time and generations. This reissue celebrates The RAH Band’s pioneering sound and the track’s unexpected rise from obscurity to international acclaim, largely thanks to devoted selectors and fans who never let it fade away.

Created on a Roland SH5 synthesizer in Hewson’s home studio, the track’s iconic vocals, spontaneously delivered with playful innocence by Hewson’s then-wife Liz, proved to be a masterstroke, with her warm, conversational tone giving the track an authentic charm. The interstellar lyrics, cosmic synth-line and funky bassline combined are addictively catchy, undoubtedly contributing to the track's success as a crossover boogie-funk classic.

The RAH Band’s resurgence owes much to DJs like DāM-FunK and Martin Iveson (Atjazz), who introduced "Messages" to new audiences in the ‘90s and ‘00s. DāM-FunK recalls discovering the track in the late '90s and making it the centrepiece of his sets, with crowds demanding repeat plays during his iconic Funkmosphere nights in Los Angeles. Fast-forward to 2019, “Messages” was selected as the opening track on pop superstar Frank Ocean’s ‘Blonded’ radio show and playlist, fuelling the track's viral explosion on TikTok in 2020 and sparking a relentless, enduring internet popularity that continues to this day.

Hewson, now in his eighties and residing quietly near the Sussex coast, continues to create music every day in his garage-turned-studio, using the original vintage gear that once brought "Messages From The Stars" to life. Enjoy this slice of space-disco history, where messages from the past have made their way to the present.

Hello, Do you read me?
I have a message
A message from the stars

400,000+ creations on TikTok with 1 Billion+ views and 20 Million streams on Spotify. Sunship's remix of Friendly Pressure continues its resurgence. Radio One, Capital, Kiss FM in the UK as well as many top Dance stations around the world have been re supporting the record.

Now a brand new 2024 version is here with added bass and a new arangement that has been filling dance floors all summer.

“Wild Boy …” is a reissue of the well-known 2016 release curated by Brian Chidester, renowned researcher and biographer of Eden Ahbez. Especially for this album, Brian wrote an interesting text about Abi’s life, which definitely became the decoration of the release.
With the new 2020 re-release, we went a little further and kept what is commonly referred to as studio cuts. It’s a few more minutes in the studio with ahbez himself, full of emotion and life. In addition, to the delight of fans, the edition includes an additional composition Nature Boy (Mantovani Orchestra).
Especially, it is worth noting the outstanding mastering prepared from practically decomposed tapes by the Grammy-nominated Jessica Thompson, which guarantees the deepest and warmth possible sound. Jessica a huge ahbez fan and we’re highly appreciated for what she has done to save his music for the future.
Eden Ahbez is definitely at the origin of psychedelic music and this release can be taken as further proof. Over the past twenty years, the iconic figure of the world’s first hippie Eden ahbez has become famous primarily for his 1948 song “Nature Boy”, praising universal love, and his amazingly solo album from the 1960s called “Eden’s Island” – one from the first concept albums in the history of music and probably the first psychedelic music album. “Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez” deepens understanding of the origins of the psychedelic movement in the 1950s.
The disc contains a musical selection of works by Eden ahbez himself, written by him in the period after Nature Boy. The inclusion of songs such as “Palm Springs” – Ray Anthony Orchestra and “Hey Jacques” by Erta Kitt gives the listener the chance to discover for the first time the little-known recordings of world-famous artists composed by Eden ahbez. Through “Wild Boy” and “Surfer John” you can hear the author’s handling of absurd rock and exotic experimentation, as well as sweet psychedelic pop like Monterey (with Paul Horn on flute). Overall, Wild Boy: The Lost Songs Of Eden Ahbez offers an overview of the lost works of 1949-1971 with seven unpublished recordings and eight rare singles.
If in 2020 you are missing the hallucinogenic content in Eden Ahbez, it amazingly makes up for that deficiency with simple chords, expansive arrangements, and lyrics about travel, relaxation, free love, and spirituality. Thus creating the standard of psychedelic music. Eden Ahbez’s songs weren’t only fantasy and his personal philosophy was the real thing that he lived.

reviews:

“This carefully and extensively researched compilation culls covers by top notch mainstream artists juxtaposed with unreleased Eden recordings. What might sound like a mixed bag is actually more like a chronological, musical non-fiction novel about Eden Ahbez. While Eden was writing hundreds of songs and performing live and making recordings in various styles, his songs were also being picked up by popular artists like Nat King Cole and Eartha Kitt who recorded with a more polished mainstream style. There are also some early rock n roll style recordings here. Eden’s professionally recordings often end up as Novelty Pop records such as “Child of Nature” and “The Clam Man” but if you read between the lines and listen to the lyrics it is pretty eye-opening that he is singing about Eastern-religion-style and pre-hippie philosophies about being at one with the planet Earth.
All of this is explained in the lengthy liner notes inside the lp along with a few choice photos that establish Eden as a founding father of Southern California mystic/psychedelic music.” – Tiki_News
“Eden Ahbez’s life philosophy was summed up in the lyrics of his most famous song, “Nature Boy,” a 1948 hit for Nat King Cole: the song describes a “strange enchanted boy” who wanders the world in search of truth. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn,” he concludes, “is to love and be loved in return.” Ahbez was a pre-cursor of California’s beatniks and hippies, and an exalted icon of ex-otica via his rare 1960 album Eden’s Island. Beyond “Nature Boy” and Eden’s Island, though, there were nu-merous lesser-known Ahbez record-ings. Ahbez biographer Brian Chidester has been doing an exemplary job of archiving and documenting that catalog of work. The Exotic World of Eden Ahbez (reviewed in UT#38) appeared a few years ago, gathering together 14 Ahbez-related rarities” – Ugly Things

Decide ist das zweite Studioalbum des amerikanischen Schauspielers und Singer-Songwriters Joe Keery unter seinem Pseudonym Djo.
Das Album des Stranger Things-Stars wurde bereits 2022 veröffentlicht, erlebt aber aktuell einen zweiten Frühling aufgrund des TikTok-Hypes um den
Song "End of Beginning". Das Album ist bereits sehr mehreren Wochen in Albumcharts vertreten, End Of Beginning ebenfalls seit mehreren Wochen
in den Singlecharts.

This original crossover dance and chart hit from 2005 gets two standout reworks from Hannah Wants and Jakkob which will set it up to be huge this summer all over again. The original is a Tik Tok staple with over 4000 creations and has catapulted this classic to the next generation. Hannah’s new rework has already been spun at the Ibiza openings, with constant pressure over the summer planned. The new Jakkob reworks is hot off the press, and if flipped with the updated original and never before released Sunrise mix.

The video will be shot at Amnesia Ibiza with a full release pending, however these limited promo copies are your first chance to snap up this monster!

Die in der Nähe von Philadelphia geborene Lizzy McAlpine wurde bekannt, nachdem sie ihre eigenen Songs und Coverversionen auf Soundcloud und YouTube veröffentlicht hatte. Im Jahr 2020 veröffentlichte sie ihr erstes Album "Give Me A Minute", mit dem sie sich als aufstrebende Künstlerin etablierte und Tausende von Fans begeisterte. Im Jahr 2022 ging ihr Song "Ceilings" auf Tiktok viral und eroberte die Charts auf der ganzen Welt. Lizzy hat auch mit Niall Horan, Noah Kanan, John Mayer, FINNEAS und Jacob Collier zusammengearbeitet und sich in der Folk-Pop-Indie-Akustik-Szene einen Namen gemacht. Die 24-jährige Amerikanerin präsentiert nun "Older", eine neue Single, die ihr gleichnamiges drittes Opus ankündigt. Die Platte wurde in Los Angeles von Lizzy und Mason Stoops (Ryan Beatty, Del Water Gap) aufgenommen und produziert, mit einer zusätzlichen Produktion von Ryan Lerman von Scary Pockets, Jeremy Most (Emily King, Norah Jones) und Tony Berg (Taylor Swift, Boygenius)

Nach den ersten Charterfolgen von Kollegah, Favorite und Shiml folgt der zweite Labelsampler von Selfmade Records, "CHRONIK II", auf dem auch Selfmade-Neuzugang Casper erstmals vertreten ist.Auf 18 Tracks erlebt man die vier höchst unterschiedlichen Rapper Casper, Favorite, Kollegah & Shiml in Höchstform, sowohl solo, als auch auf gemeinsamen Songs. Nachdem die erste Hälfte des Samplers in erster Linie nach vorne geht und Spaß macht, werden gegen Ende auch sanftere Töne angeschlagen.Mit Olli Banjo, Marteria, Edo Maajka, Farid Bang, MontanaMax & SunDiego konnte man sich außerdem erstklassige Features an Land ziehen, die "CHRONIK II" endgültig zur Pflicht für jeden Deutschrap-Fan machen!Produziert wurde der Sampler zum Großteil vom mehrfachen Gold- und Selfmade-Hausproduzenten Rizbo, sowie von Newcomerproducer TiKay One. Weitere Produktionen stammen von Bjet, Alper, Joshimixu & Mauvais Garcon."CHRONIK II" macht die Ausnahmestellung von Selfmade Records im Deutschrap eindrucksvoll deutlich. Wer glaubt, deutsche Rapmusik sei nicht mehr interessant, wird hier vom Gegenteil überzeugt. Nie war ein Labelsampler vielseitiger und musikalisch hochwertiger.Neben der CD liegt "CHRONIK II" als besonderer Bonus die DVD "Selfmade Vol.1" bei. Diese DVD ist keineswegs nur Beilage, sondern ein vollwertiges, eigenständiges Produkt mit 2 Stunden Material. Sie enthält neben einer ausführlichen Tourdokumentation, Studioimpressionen und nie gesehenem Making Of-Material exklusive Einzelbeiträge aller Künstler. So sieht man etwa Casper als Reporter auf der Berlinale oder Favorite bei einem außergewöhnlichen Konzert in einer JVA.

Between improv, pop and r&b abstractions, and contemplative balearics, Sam Gendel and Ugné Uma “Tam tikri objektai erdvėje” subtly meanders through a fragile and forward cosmos both inward and out.

Sam Gendel and Ugnė Uma’s Tam Tikri Objektai Erdvėje album sketches a layered, melismatic and intertextual view on what both performers define as a lightness of being. Ugnė Uma’s musical stance is influenced by experimental poetry and Lithuania’s 20th century underground music scene - jazz and folk, resulting from the liberation of the country’s independence movements. Sam Gendel, from Los Angeles, is a saxophonist and producer, proficient on more instruments than the saxophone alone, whose recorded work both solo and collaborative has brought him acclaim as a vital new voice in modern jazz and beyond.

Tam Tikri Objektai Erdvėje is Lithuanian and translates as Some Particular Objects in Space. The six tracks on the album stand for every letter of the word Saturn. They sketch out a sound palette both fragile and full of forward momentum. With hints of improv, sampling their own recorded work and sounds of a childhood’s Yamaha Portasound PSS-290 synth into abstractions of pop and r&b, some of these tracks reach an almost balearic feel, the more contemplative end of it. With lyrics delving into cosmic phenomena, Tam Tikri Objektai Erdvėje is an album about space, whether cosmic or inward or the one in between. It easily surpasses the sum of its influences and the materials and tactics used to produce it.

In apartheid-era South Africa, gospel music provided solace and served as a tool for covert communication to circumvent the censorship of the settler regime. By the 2010s, South African gospel, deeply ingrained in the soul of Soweto, assumed a new role—as a heartfelt cry against persistent failures and shortcomings, a cry mourning a South Africa that never materialized.

A new South Africa needed a new gospel sound.

In 2016, nine young men from different parts of Diepkloof, a celebrated neighbourhood brimming with talent within Soweto's sprawling township, came together to form the sound of a new South Africa under the name Diepkloof United Voice.

Diepkloof United Voice's music has gone viral multiple times on TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook, garnering between 60,000 to 2 million views. The comments section displays flag emojis from Brazil to India, showcasing the global reach of their music.

This album was recorded on site in Soweto, in an abandoned classroom of Lebowa Elementary School in Diepkloof Zone 3, where the choir rehearsed for years. Amid rolling blackouts, Diepkloof United Voice poured their heart, soul, and vocal chords into their debut record, combining classic South Africa gospel, Soweto's own kasi soul, American blues, and Zulu flavor, to present the contemporary gospel sound of a changing South Africa.

The promise of a new South Africa might finally be realized, as Diepkloof United Voice guarantees the country's future is guided by the truth, uttered with each gasp of breath from their inimitable voices.

Warehouse Find!

Cynosure presents the fifth installment in the Focal Point Compilation series. This time with a focus on various studio collaborations with Mike Shannon, featuring recorded sessions from Mathew Jonson to Ricardo Villalobos. A diverse selection of works ranging from a smooth 100 bpm house with the Mole & Hreno to a rolling deep techno at 127bpm with Matt & Mark Thibideau. Mike pulls a few gems out of the recording vault to share on a stunning triple vinyl gatefold package.

Greetings from TROPIKA! The Tikiyaki Orchestra’s fifth album is a soundtrack with many interpretations. Sometimes, an idyllic paradise. Sometimes, a place of danger and intrigue. The jetsetter, the beachbum, the lounge lizard, the international man of mystery, the alluring wahine, the soldier, and the suave - they all co-exist in Tropika, represented by their own musical escape. Enjoy your stay!

'World' is the debut album dreamt up by Barcelona based DJ / Production duo Memorial Home. Comprising of Paul Roux (France) and Jeremy Pinchasi (Belgium), 'World' is the exciting result of their shared desire to push the limits of their own brilliant musical foresight. It's an ambitious 20 track longplayer which effortlessly showcases the incomparable sonic space shared between both musical masterminds.

Sitting somewhere just to the left of Nicolas Jaar, Radiohead, Massive Attack, Mike Dehnert and Ostgut Ton, Memorial Home has managed to craft an album absolutely unique to their sound, impossible to categorise and sure to catch the attention of music lovers of all shapes and sizes. Techno without a dancefloor, experimental electronica fit for the warehouse raves. It's an exciting, perfectly confusing album which simply works wonderfully.

Heavily textured in incredible atmospherics, dub effects and crisp, clear percussion, 'World' spreads over an excellent array of individual tracks full of groundbreaking musical magic. Incorporating a stunning fusion of live instrumentation and electronic craftsmanship, 'World' is an audio adventure into emotive soundscapes, with a clear focus on the subtle saturation of melancholy. It's a soundtrack for a dystopian film yet to be written. A sonic painting for the coming winter months where the trees are all but dead and frozen; and the ground a thick layer of glowing white snow.

Memorial Home are the founders of the independent label Rapid Eye Movement, which has seen a breadth of incredible EPs riding the balance between experimental Techno and introspective electronica. They first met by random chance in their newly adopted home of Barcelona, Spain. This unexpected encounter quickly developed into a full-fledged musical kinship through their shared interest in crafting cinematic, experimental techno music. Each release from the label and duo showcase their clear passion to unearthing sounds beyond the expected. With their debut LP about to drop, the future is looking certain for the duo, the label, and the changing face of modern day electronic music.

2026 Repress

Deadbeat & Tikiman's occasional collaborative performances have since blown the minds of many audiences

Deadbeat. Tikiman. Infinity. Dub. A quadrangle of such obvious statement and perfect musical inference may very well never have been uttered for those of the wholly weeded out persuasion. Indeed, when the great book of Dub music is written the names Scott Monteith and Paul St Hilaire will undoubtedly figure highly in its chapters devoted to recent years. Monteith, the last great prodigal son of the doctrine handed down from the Blue Mount of Lord Scratch and King Tubby, St Hilaire the undisputed voice of a generation, those fanatical warrior monks, followers of the most Holy House of Ernestus and Von Oswald incarnate.

Having developed a fast friendship from their very first meeting in Montreal at the premier Micro Mutek event a decade ago, Deadbeat and Tikiman's occasional collaborative performances have since blown the minds of audiences from Berlin to Tokyo and many points in between. No great surprise then that their first album length venture is a Tour de Force of Dub music of the highest order.

Nearly a year in the making, the genetic code of Deadbeat's Infinity Dubs series gets shot through with a Dreader than Dread Kingstonian logic, hi hats dropping back from the three to the one, Tikiman at his most militant, poetic, fierce, and flowing. These are the recordings of two lions uncaged, and none who bare witness shall escape their fiery judgement.

If music is truly eternal, here be two voices which shall echo in infinity with all the weight, reverence, and dire power unleashed with every tectonic bass hit, and every whimsical turn of phrase. And if these eight burnt offerings are any indication of what happens when these two sit down for a session of smoke and reasoning, here's hoping they choose to do it frequently. Dub without end. Ad Infinitum.

The second season of the funny and heartfelt fiction series by Flo Van Deuren and Kato De Boeck takes us along as Bibi and Ama move on to the next chapter of their lives and into their new, unexpected home: an old daycare building. With school no longer providing structure and their wallets running on empty, they dive headfirst into adulthood.

This results in eight new episodes that, like the main characters, have grown up, yet remain just as hilarious and moving as ever.

With the second season of Roomies, the show’s award-winning music makes its return. This time with a powerful soundtrack featuring Eefje de Visser, Ategha (Ahlaam Teghadouini) & Mickael Karkousse (Goose), Maria Iskariot, and Porcelain ID.

“(Tijdbom) Tikkend” is a dark, electronic track that feels like a constant run: sometimes away from the other, sometimes right toward them. It captures the feeling of running out of time, losing each other, and wanting to reconnect. That push-and-pull dynamic felt like a perfect fit for Roomies, where relationships, drama, and fun are always intertwined. - Eefje de Visser

“Whatever Happens” came together in a very organic way, and you can hear that in the track. Raw, genuine, and effortless. What’s unique is that we hadn’t even met until a few days before. Ahlaam walked into the studio and said, “I’ve prepared something.” That opening line alone was fantastic and immediately showed confidence and courage. “Perfect,” I thought. Then we turned the volume up to maximum, and I listened as Ahlaam sang right by my ear. Instant goosebumps! - Mickael Karkousse

Wenn sich hunderte kraftvolle, bewegende Stimmen mit der markanten Stimme von Tiken Jah Fakoly vereinen, wird Reggae zu einem wahrhaft universellen Klang. Ausgelöst wurde dieses besondere Projekt durch einen viralen Moment: Ein Live-Video seines Auftritts mit dem Chor des Festival des Nuits de Champagne verbreitete sich in wenigen Tagen millionenfach und sorgte weltweit für Begeisterung. Die Resonanz war so überwältigend, dass Tiken Jah beschloss, auf diesen Wunsch des Publikums zu reagieren. Das Ergebnis ist dieses außergewöhnliche 7-Track-EP, aufgenommen mit zwei Chören: einem in der Champagne (Frankreich) und einem in Abidjan in seiner Heimat Côte d"Ivoire. Die Live-Arrangements verleihen seinen bekanntesten Songs eine neue emotionale Wucht, die Spiritualität, Energie und Gemeinschaftsgefühl auf magische Weise verbindet. Mit eindringlicher Botschaft, großer Wärme und musikalischer Weite zeigt dieses Projekt erneut, warum Tiken Jah Fakoly zu den wichtigsten politischen Stimmen des modernen Reggae zählt. Ein kraftvolles, erhebendes Erlebnis.

Mental baile future-funk.
Impossibly, round two ratchets through higher gears than round one. The cutting and scratching skills are brutally imperious, by turn eviscerating in split seconds a trembling flock of far-flung musical prey. Out of the wreckage looms the apotheosis of apocalyptic Techno Scratch terror; the ebulliently vengeful prophesy of forebears like Grand Wizzard Theodore and the Knights of the Turntable.
Blisteringly hot.

'A sequel. An escalation. Pressure spikes from bar one: future facing, low-latency. A firmware update for the body.
'Cuts bite into cuts. Fragments swarm, collide, die out. Drums stumble untile they speak; samples crop up without names and leave without warning. Momentum is the one and only rule. Unpredictable, gridless, post-genre.
'From Tik-Tok feed to vinyl: born digital, cut for the floor. The glitch grows a body, develops a nervous system.
'Match it or get out of the way. Damned be the ones that are stuck on tradition.'

Following the recent worldwide success of “Otsukare SUMMER,” the analog edition of HALCALI’s debut album “HALCALI BACON,” originally released in 2003,
is now set for release 22 years later. The name “HALCALI” comes from combining the two members’ names, “HALCA” and “YUCALI.”
The album was fully produced by O.T.F, the production team of RYO-Z and DJ FUMIYA from RIP SLYME.
“HALCALI BACON” includes a diverse lineup of tracks such as “Otsukare SUMMER,” produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka (FPM)—a song that has surpassed 4.5 billion
views on TikTok and is generating global buzz—and their debut track “Tandem.” After more than two decades, the HALCALI wave is once again ready to sweep
the world

Distant Clouds Grey Vinyl. Das siebte Album von Teen Suicide ist das erste richtige Album der Band seit ,honeybee table at the butterfly feast", das durch Songs wie ,you were my star" wieder Aufmerksamkeit bekam, der auf TikTok richtig abging. Teen Suicide wurde 2010 als Nebenprojekt von Sam Ray gegründet und hat sich nach und nach weiterentwickelt, während es ein leidenschaftliches Projekt blieb. Seit 2017 gehört Kitty Ray zur Band, und 2022 wurde die Band mit dem Beitritt des Schlagzeugers Niko Wood offiziell zu einem Vollzeitprojekt. Gemeinsam begann das Trio mit dem Schreiben und Aufnehmen ihres kommenden Albums ,Nude descending staircase headless". Das Album stellt eine Reihe von Premieren für die Band dar: ihre erste Platte, die in einem professionellen Studio aufgenommen wurde, ihre erste Veröffentlichung, die als Vollzeitband geschrieben und aufgenommen wurde, und ihre erste seit 2012, auf der durchgehend ein festes Schlagzeuger zu hören ist. Es markiert auch den Beginn eines vollständig gemeinsamen Schreibprozesses zwischen Sam und Kitty Ray, die 2016 geheiratet haben und von Grund auf an der gesamten Platte mitgearbeitet haben, wobei sie sich sowohl das Songwriting als auch den Gesang aufteilten. Von Sam Ray als ,bisheriger Höhepunkt der Karriere" der Band beschrieben, erkundet Nude descending staircase headless das endlose Streben nach Erfüllung durch Kreativität und verknüpft Motive von Tod und Wiedergeburt mit Themen wie der Freude trotz großer Verluste. Das Album sieht das Selbst nicht als isoliertes Objekt, sondern als einen einzelnen Strang in einem größeren, miteinander verbundenen Netz. Zu den herausragenden Tracks gehören ,Idiot", das sich an direktem, wörtlichem Storytelling orientiert, und ,Spiders", bei dem Kitty Ray den Gesang übernimmt und eine düstere feministische Unterströmung in die übergeordnete Erzählung des Albums einbringt. Musikalisch lässt sich die Band von Künstlern wie Nirvana, Radiohead, Shellac und Helmet inspirieren und greift die Intensität und Experimentierfreudigkeit des Heavy Rock der späten 80er und 90er Jahre auf. Ihre jüngsten Tourneen mit DELTA SLEEP unterstreichen einmal mehr, dass Teen Suicide zunehmend Einflüsse aus Math Rock und Metal in ihren sich weiterentwickelnden Sound einfließen lässt.

Distant Clouds Grey Vinyl. Das siebte Album von Teen Suicide ist das erste richtige Album der Band seit ,honeybee table at the butterfly feast", das durch Songs wie ,you were my star" wieder Aufmerksamkeit bekam, der auf TikTok richtig abging. Teen Suicide wurde 2010 als Nebenprojekt von Sam Ray gegründet und hat sich nach und nach weiterentwickelt, während es ein leidenschaftliches Projekt blieb. Seit 2017 gehört Kitty Ray zur Band, und 2022 wurde die Band mit dem Beitritt des Schlagzeugers Niko Wood offiziell zu einem Vollzeitprojekt. Gemeinsam begann das Trio mit dem Schreiben und Aufnehmen ihres kommenden Albums ,Nude descending staircase headless". Das Album stellt eine Reihe von Premieren für die Band dar: ihre erste Platte, die in einem professionellen Studio aufgenommen wurde, ihre erste Veröffentlichung, die als Vollzeitband geschrieben und aufgenommen wurde, und ihre erste seit 2012, auf der durchgehend ein festes Schlagzeuger zu hören ist. Es markiert auch den Beginn eines vollständig gemeinsamen Schreibprozesses zwischen Sam und Kitty Ray, die 2016 geheiratet haben und von Grund auf an der gesamten Platte mitgearbeitet haben, wobei sie sich sowohl das Songwriting als auch den Gesang aufteilten. Von Sam Ray als ,bisheriger Höhepunkt der Karriere" der Band beschrieben, erkundet Nude descending staircase headless das endlose Streben nach Erfüllung durch Kreativität und verknüpft Motive von Tod und Wiedergeburt mit Themen wie der Freude trotz großer Verluste. Das Album sieht das Selbst nicht als isoliertes Objekt, sondern als einen einzelnen Strang in einem größeren, miteinander verbundenen Netz. Zu den herausragenden Tracks gehören ,Idiot", das sich an direktem, wörtlichem Storytelling orientiert, und ,Spiders", bei dem Kitty Ray den Gesang übernimmt und eine düstere feministische Unterströmung in die übergeordnete Erzählung des Albums einbringt. Musikalisch lässt sich die Band von Künstlern wie Nirvana, Radiohead, Shellac und Helmet inspirieren und greift die Intensität und Experimentierfreudigkeit des Heavy Rock der späten 80er und 90er Jahre auf. Ihre jüngsten Tourneen mit DELTA SLEEP unterstreichen einmal mehr, dass Teen Suicide zunehmend Einflüsse aus Math Rock und Metal in ihren sich weiterentwickelnden Sound einfließen lässt.

SIMPLETON, the third album from multi-platinum indie-rock singer/songwriter YOT CLUB, dismantles the utopian view of the American suburbs, treating finely manicured life as a mirage. Across its 13 tracks, the LP wrestles with how curated feeds and predictable routines can blur, and even erase, empathy and responsibility, creating a world where difficult questions and harsh realities are easy to ignore. In 2019, Ryan Kaiser started Y ot Club in his college dorm, crafting a lo-fi, classically cool indie rock sound grounded under a dreamlike haze. Two years later, his breakthrough single “YKWIM?” quickly reached viral status on TikTok (today, it’s been streamed more than 1 billion times) and has since taken him around the world at festivals like T reefort, Kilby Block Party and Pitchfork Paris

"Tunupa", the second album by Bolivian band Radio Cutipa is out now on Rey Record (Peru)! Radio Cutipa fuses native Bolivian music with electronic soundscapes, mixing past and present in a unique musical experience. Radio Cutipa's second album, "Tunupa," fuses Bolivian musical roots with electronic soundscapes, creating an experience that connects the past and present. Released under the Peruvian label Rey Records and distributed worldwide by Vampisoul (Spain), this independent project seeks to position electrofolk as one of the region's most innovative expressions. "Tunupa" represents the encounter between the ancestral and the contemporary. Inspired by Bolivia's sacred landscapes, the album narrates a spiritual and sonic journey through rhythms such as Andean cumbia, electronic huayño, Bolivian rap, and high-altitude soundscapes.

Auf dem Kontrabass zu singen: für Marc André das höchste Ziel seiner Kunst. Mit seinem Album Mirage gibt der 23-jährige Kontrabassist aus Frankreich nun sein beeindruckendes Debüt bei Warner Classics. In einem abwechslungsreichen Programm – von bekannten klassischen Meisterwerken bis zur atmosphärischen Filmmusik – offenbart er das poetische Potenzial, aber auch die rebellischen Seiten seines Instruments. Dass Marc André andere Menschen für den schwergewichtigen Fünfsaiter begeistern kann, den er seit seiner Kindheit spielt, zeigt nicht zuletzt seine enorme Medienreichweite: Mehr als 327.000 Follower bei Instagram und 2,4 Millionen Likes bei TikTok sprechen eine eindeutige Sprache!

Singer, songwriter, and producer Absolutely will release her highly anticipated sophomore album Paracosm on February 20, 2026, via Epic Records. A kaleidoscopic mix of pop, electronica, jazz, and R&B, the album features previously released singles “Goodbye Glitter,” “I Just Don’t Know You Yet,” and “No Audience,” each offering a window into the record’s emotional and sonic scope. From the viral, piano-pounding transformative catharsis of “I Just Don’t Know You Yet” — which sparked standing ovations on tour and millions of TikTok views last summer — to the cinematic introspection of recent single “No Audience,” praised by Rolling Stone as “an invitation to create purely for yourself,” Paracosm cements Absolutely as one of the most compelling new voices of her generation and 2026’s de facto artist to watch.

Spanning dance and indie movements since their formation in Liverpool at the end of the last millennium, Ladytron have earned a unique position by carving out new sonic and conceptual space, and refusing to abide by formula or trend. In the early 2000s, the fiercely individual group were placed at the forefront of the so-called electro-clash scene (which now enjoys another revival), but with time, they came to appreciate the pop cultural moment that they had reluctantly become part of. The new album follows a period of renewed cultural presence for the band. Their 2002 single "Seventeen" unexpectedly went viral on TikTok, introducing Ladytron's sound to a new generation and amassing hundreds of thousands of fan- made clips. Their legacy was further acknowledged recently with "Destroy Everything You Touch," one of their most celebrated tracks, featured in the GRAMMY- nominated original Motion Picture Soundtrack of cult movie Saltburn, reaffirming Ladytron's enduring appeal

For the first time in more than a decade, Paul St. Hilaire (AKA Tikiman) presents a solo album – 100% Tiki.

Over his 30-plus year career, St. Hilaire has become one of dance music’s quietly legendary figures. Born and raised in Dominica, he moved to Berlin in 1994 and has lent both his voice and his musicianship to some of the most iconic electronic music from the German capital – and beyond. Renowned for his collaborations with Moritz von Oswald and Mark Ernestus (AKA Rhythm & Sound), he has also appeared on records with Deadbeat, Rhauder, Larry Heard aka Mr. Fingers and Stereotyp (G-Stone Recordings), amongst others.

However, few know the extent of St. Hilaire’s compositional and technical mastery. From his home studio in Kreuzberg, which includes an extensive collection of vintage hardware, self-built instruments and notebooks scribbled with endless lyrics, he has created a vast archive of material spanning ambient dub, avant-jazz, lush techno and lovers rock.

Tikiman Vol. 1 is a heady, downtempo tour de force of patois metaphors on education, displacement and personal vs. global histories, as is evident on slippy album opener “Bedroom in My Bag”: Mister, mister / Where are you going? / I’m heading for a faraway land / What are you having in the bag in your hand? / Help us to understand / He said, I’ve got my bedroom in my bag.

Overall, the album’s lyrics reflect on life between Berlin and Dominica, specifically St. Hilaire’s hometown of Grand Bay, where he has worked with various musicians famous for the island’s different genres of carnival music. St. Hilaire himself always favoured the island’s more “discrete” music, developing a sonic synergy between two different geographical strains of groove and minimalism, and combining them with foundational Caribbean mixing techniques, which provide the basis for his songwriting and distinct
baritone.

Tikiman Vol.1 offers a rare insight into St. Hilaire’s complex artistry, from the eyes-down grooves of “Little Way” and the guitar-heavy digi dancehall experiment “Keep Safe,” to the subtle hypnosis of “Ten to One” and the softly crashing synth waves of closer “Three And A Half”, evoking not only beaches but also coasts and borders. It’s a fitting expression of both the breadth of St. Hilaire’s work, as well as his history as one of the few black, Berlin-based artists who, despite remaining largely overlooked, has influenced the city’s electronic music culture since its beginnings.


Credits
Written & Produced by Paul St. Hilaire
Mastered by Stefan Betke
Artwork by Grant Gibson

Kynant Records was founded in 2015 by Richard Akingbehin, a British-Nigerian radio programmer (Refuge Worldwide), music writer and DJ. Originally specialising in deep techno and featuring artists such as Cio D’Or, Terrence Dixon and Donato Dozzy, Kynant has since launched a sub-label Kynant EX which focuses on ambient, dub and experimental electronics.

YONAKA return with their turbo-charged second studio album, Until You’re Satisfied. Self-recorded with band member Alex Crosby at the production helm, alongside a little help from Dimitri Tikovoï (Placebo, The Libertines), the Brighton rock-trio come together as a unified force over 13 tracks. Until You’re Satisfied is a joyful reclamation of themselves, wrestled from the brink and shaped into their truest form yet. “Fragile in places and a circus in others”.

Mute welcomes German synthesizer and producer duo Felsmann + Tiley to the roster with the release of their new album Protomensch. Out February 13, 2026 on limited edition black vinyl packaged in a special gatefold sleeve featuring a mirror foil lamination on the inner panel revealing a ‘self-portrait of the protomensch.’

On Protomensch (German for “proto-human”), Felsmann + Tiley blend shimmering synthwave, pounding trance, and introspective IDM with synth-pop-infused tracks featuring guest vocalists including London’s Pet Deaths and Australian artists The Kite String Tangle, Woodes, and Laius.

This juxtaposition between sentient beings and machines permeates the whole album – right from the duo’s manifesto introducing us the highly intelligent yet irrevocably shortsighted and downright tragic character of Protomensch – the cover artwork featuring turtleneck wearing chimpanzee, futuristic music videos, and stark social media aesthetics to seated, next-level live-shows involving collaboration with dozens of visual artists.

Despite their online ubiquity, sparked in part by their viral reinterpretation of label-mate M83’s “Solitude,” which has been used over 1 million times on TikTok and high-profile syncs on shows including Young Royals (season two), the BAFTA-winning crime thriller Top Boy (season three), and Amazon’s The Better Sister, Felsmann + Tiley have lingered largely on the periphery, their origins cloaked in quiet anonymity, until now. With the release of Protomensch, Felsmann + Tiley present their fully realized artistic vision and step into the spotlight.

The dreamy harmonising of Everything But The Girl. The propulsive urgency of The Strokes. The lilting folk-pop of The Coral. The introspective songcraft of Belle and Sebastian. The bittersweet, lyrical side-eyes of The Beautiful South. Vona Vella have all these elements and so many more, all weaving together to form a contemporary sound both gossamer delicate and fiercely robust. Since their eponymous debut album in 2023 (released on Strap Originals, Pete Doherty’s label), the seed of their signature sound – wistful indie-pop harmonies, exquisitely blended male/female vocals – has not so much grown as erupted through the dream-pop meadow into a towering, flowering beanstalk.

Today, with their second album Carnival, the former indie-pop duo have spectacularly evolved into a dynamic five-piece band, with key musical contributions from the musicians they’ve so successfully toured with over the last two years, drummer Jake Bott (who they’ve known since they were 17), bassist Claud J Melton (who they found on TikTok through a search for a female bassist), and guitarist Dexter Howell (a friend of a friend). As a five-piece, their innate pop sensibilities are now newly bolstered by a confident, thrilling propulsion, izzy and Dan, still the main songwriters and vocalists, are thrilled with the sound, where the possibilities are endless. Vona Vella may be names after two flowers, but there’s nothing twee happening here.

West Mineral returns with lushly amorphous actions by Shiner, Pontiac Streator & Ben Bondy aka Shinetiac; together fused for an immersive flux of vapoured dub, chopped and droned Billie Eilish, and fidgety algorithmic jams.

There's not a single, specific sound you can peg to the West Mineral axis at this stage in the label’s evolution - it's rather a set of shared aesthetics that freely bend into various interconnected shapes. Shinetiac's contemptuous, critic-baiting gear is the ideal example; on their last album, 2023's 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost', skittery, ketamized IDM sparkled over Spice Girls samples and the Foo Fighters' 'Everlong' was transmuted into Sneaker Pimps-style trip-hop. 'Infiltrating Roku City' might be a little less blatant with its out-and-out poptimism, but it takes a similarly dim view of conservative "big ambient" snobbishness. Just a few minutes of 'Bluemosa' should be enough to let you know what's up; the overall character of the sound is hazed, with frozen pads and garbled, dubbed-out voices smudged into a mess of effects and samples. But it sups up different nuances as it wriggles, absorbing scampering breaks, dizzy acoustic guitar strums and half-heard wordless vocals, flipping in the third act to emerge from its shell as minimalist balearic folk-pop - something like Bon Iver doing 'Electric Counterpoint'.

Brooklyn's Shiner, Philly's Pontiac Streator and Berlin-based Ben Bondy navigate the labyrinthine streaming landscape, guided by their own private experiences of mindless doom-scrolling and cruising the darkest corners of YouTube. They formulated 'Infiltrating Roku City' while they were rehearsing last year and spent the winter stitching together various recordings and jams into a layered, dry-witted commentary on our algorithmic reality. Laden with inside jokes and refried memes, it's surprisingly elegant gear; handling the most unseemly elements like sonic recyclers, earnestly repurposing pop and nostalgia to create an atmospheric echo of contemporary reality.

Screwing Chief Keef's enduring 'Citgo', 'Clublyfe (hulu)' emphasises the original's AFX-pilled euphoria with Robert Miles-style piano hits, replacing Young Ravisu's brittle 128kbps trap rhythm with a glitchy rattle that picks up dembow spikes as it rolls. 'I Hate Being Sober' vaporises the Chicago drill pioneer's 'Hate Bein' Sober', blocking out his voice with glitchy, downsampled interference and elasticated Rhodes. The trio team up with Orange Milk's goo age on the sublime 'Crisis Angel', catching a ray of Malibu's sunshine in the process, and reduce Billie Eilish's voice to a Romance-does-Celine cinder on 'Billie', stretching it to fit next to gassed Future ad-libs and swooping 808 Mafia sub womps. And although the album takes a murky diversion on 'Roku Axes Ultra’, and a cloud-stepping centrepiece ‘Purelink’ in homage to the eponymous dubbed ambient dynamos, it's back on course with 'Jiafei (NETFLIX)', taking aim at TikTok bot videos and welding screams from Florida metal band Underoath to AI-strength vocal curlicues.