quête:to

With Flame Folclòre, Cocanha continues reclaiming Occitan folklore as a living, political and embodied space. For Lila Fraysse and Caroline Dufau, folklore is neither decoration nor nostalgia. It is a site of struggle, where narratives, identities and imaginaries are constantly renegotiated. Drawing from fragments of traditional Occitan music, the duo composes, reshapes and rewrites. Ancient melodies intertwine with original texts in a contemporary language that echoes both subversive Occitan memories and present-day struggles. The voice becomes a chronicle of now, a way of inhabiting the present. Driven by hypnotic polyphony and the deep pulse of stringed tambourines, the album embraces a minimal, physical and grounded aesthetic. Repetition acts as propulsion, dance as function. Cocanha"s practice is collective by nature: to gather, to move, to fuel a joyful struggle around reclaiming the commons. Produced by Raül Refree, Flame Folclòre intensifies the dialogue between memory and transformation. Voices strike, revolve and respond, opening a circular space where folklore is no longer frozen but alive and burning in the present.

Water Sign is the debut EP from producer and instrumentalist John Silas: a five-track suite that moves fluidly between peak-time dance and inward reflection. Deeply aligned with the open-eared ethos of NYC’s Love Injection Records, the release channels house and jazz into an emotive personal chronicle shaped by movement, memory, and community.

At its thematic center is “Boundaries,” a dynamically arranged dance-floor meditation that begins with piano, 4/4 kick and restless hi-hats before blooming into radiant synth work reminiscent of classic disco auteur Patrick Adams. Midway, the track shifts—electric piano, whistles and percussion reframing the groove into what Silas calls “hues of vulnerability.” The result mirrors the arc of love, release and renewal.“Cyber Dreams” leans into lush escapism, buoyed by surging keys and impassioned flute from Domenica Fossati, while a remix from Detroit mainstay Patrice Scott (Sistrum Records) adds unmistakable Motor City weight. “Foster Child” nods to Silas’ hero, the late Paul Johnson with exuberant Chicago spirit, and “Nasty” delivers a concise workout featuring Marquinn Mason’s robust saxophone.

Water Sign reflects Silas’s trajectory—from a childhood steeped in Soul Train, coming of age with hip hop, to MPC craftsmanship, his Detroit musical family and present-day Brooklyn—into a deeply personal record equally suited to discerning DJs and deep listeners.

Noko is a Gda?sk-based (Poland) band operating at the intersection of jazz, electronics, and club music. Their sound grows out of improvisation, but instead of following a traditional jazz narrative, it focuses on trance, repetition, and the physicality of rhythm. The band's sound is built on a fusion of acoustic instruments-trumpet, saxophone, double bass, and drums-with electronics and synthesizers. The result is a dynamic structure that works just as well at jazz festivals as it does in a club setting. ?oko's second album is a sonic residue suspended somewhere between a jazz festival and a Berlin techno club. KO is a form of recycled jazz and electronics that opens up wide, cinematic landscapes for the listener. It's deeply physical music, driven by a trip-hop groove that keeps things grounded while allowing the mind to drift into less obvious territories. For this release, ?oko invited two outstanding artists who add a unique character to the whole. Novika brings her signature dreamlike calm, while the voice of Maciej ?winiarski appears in a song about death, closing the band's improvised journeys. This is a personal record the band wants to share with you.

Equal Vision Records, Dine Alone Records, and The Flatliners are thrilled to announce the release of Cold World, the Juno-nominated Canadian punk quartet’s brand new studio album, arriving Friday, May 8. The album is available now for pre-order / pre-save / pre-add. Where 2022’s New Ruin wrestled with the inherited damage left behind by the previous generation, Cold World confronts that legacy as something more distant — a ghost, a fading memory. If New Ruin captured the rage of realization, Cold World lives in the aftermath of clarity. Welcome to the future. Leading the charge is first single “Good, You?”, a snotty, tongue-in-cheek anthem that takes aim at toxic masculinity and the all-too-familiar fear of opening up about our feelings. Fans can watch the Jeff Powers-directed music video on YouTube and stream the track now on all platforms. Light Grey Marble available limited to 250 Rude Records Exclusive.

RATTUS' furious sophomore album from 1984 reissued in May Rattus is one of the most legendary Finnish hardcore punk bands. Formed in 1978 and split up in 1988, Rattus returned in 2001 and are setting venues ablaze to this day. Uskonto on vaara was originally released on Poko Rekords in 1984. It's a furious album with nine killer songs; an aggressive and intense ride, a true classic in its genre. Svart Records reissued the album in 2012 and after fourteen years it's about time to bring it back to the streets with black and limited color vinyl editions. "RATTUS combustion, startling adrenaline speed and hammerhead blows of power. Featuring the new high-velocity rasping vocals of Annikki, RATTUS virtually sweep forth with sharp-edged earloads of riveting force and disorderly rapidity. Brilliant Finnish hardcore, unhesitant and explosive assaults of raw nitro energy." -Pushead, Maximum Rocknroll #7, July/August 1983

RATTUS' furious sophomore album from 1984 reissued in May Rattus is one of the most legendary Finnish hardcore punk bands. Formed in 1978 and split up in 1988, Rattus returned in 2001 and are setting venues ablaze to this day. Uskonto on vaara was originally released on Poko Rekords in 1984. It's a furious album with nine killer songs; an aggressive and intense ride, a true classic in its genre. Svart Records reissued the album in 2012 and after fourteen years it's about time to bring it back to the streets with black and limited color vinyl editions. "RATTUS combustion, startling adrenaline speed and hammerhead blows of power. Featuring the new high-velocity rasping vocals of Annikki, RATTUS virtually sweep forth with sharp-edged earloads of riveting force and disorderly rapidity. Brilliant Finnish hardcore, unhesitant and explosive assaults of raw nitro energy." -Pushead, Maximum Rocknroll #7, July/August 1983

Steve Louw’s 2026 album, Traces Of The Flood, is a ten-track sonic adventure where each track etches into your aural subconscious. Having retained his collaboration with career-long friend and critically acclaimed producer Kevin Shirley (Joe Bonamassa, Black Country Communion, Beth Hart, Joanne Show Taylor), Traces of the Flood celebrates his rich contribution and commitment to Steve’s talent. The musicians that appear on the past four records, from Headlight Dreams to Traces of the Flood, are a band in every sense.

Green vinyl, limited to 300 copies. "Water Ritual" is the second jam we did during a five-hour session in Joshua Tree on April 20th, 2024, at Gatos Trail Studios. I had just picked up a new pedal called "The Fable," and it's all over this track. It's a delay with all kinds of crazy repeat options. When we mixed it, I wanted portions of the song to have a '70s dub reggae feel. So Dan at Gatos hooked up his Echoplex to the board and nailed that sound. Jamming with the dudes from Yawning Man is always a blast, and I'm stoked they invited me. Thanks, Gary, Bill, and Mario! Bob Balch

2026 Repress

Inner City Sound Archives is the work of a small crew of obsessive DJs, diggers, and archivists. For years, they hunted lost reels — digging through basements, flea markets, forgotten storage rooms — until they uncovered a batch of mysterious acetate tapes. No credits, no labels. Just cryptic handwriting and the hiss of time. What they found were raw, extended disco cuts — played once or twice at underground NYC loft parties in the late '70s, passed hand to hand among a tight circle of selectors, then lost to history. Now, after painstaking transfers and full analog remastering, these tracks are back. Unpolished, hypnotic, physical. Restored with love. Cut loud. Pressed right. For our debut release: six unreleased NYC disco bombs, presented in their original long versions across Sides A & B. Once championed behind closed doors by the likes of Larry Levan, Francis Grasso, Steve D’Acquisto, Walter Gibbons, and Richie Kaczor.

Never Sleep charity tape series lands in the Athens on Spree for an era defying multi genre workout from 2005.

Prototype Reaktor methodologist Errorsmith blows the dub techno expectations away with a mix released on his website and limited CDR that aligns itself as much with early Jackmaster or Diplo sensibilities as much as it does "Ron Hardy - Live at the AKA" purist panache.

Recorded rapid fire Errorsmith sets the trends with liquid gold Dancehall, Jitterbug club, Grime and acidic Ragga.

Challenging any Traxsource ambassadorship, complex concordance for the Soulsee pundit. Covalent bonding tones with granular paced blends, mystical loop rearrangements, combilising genre metamorphosis and "DANCE ON THE KITCHEN TABLE" NRG. Errorsmith switches gears, sets the expectations high and flows like the river Fuldas on a summer's evening

A beautiful nano moment that allowed Berlin to breathe from a different musical atmosphere and dance to a less fixated rhythm.

All proceeds go to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) who provide humanitarian care in crisis situations across the globe.

Six hard-hitting tracks, without unnecessary breathing space. The spectrum is wide, the trajectory crystal clear: from muscular Hard Dance to incisive Techno, reaching into the more radical territories of Hard Techno. Each track strikes with precision, alternating massive kicks, abrasive textures, and pressure-building rises that compress the space before impact. Direct, efficient, surgical.

An undeniable classic in Manu Kenton’s catalogue, “Arkanoid” is reborn in a revisited version by Wex 10. The remix injects additional tension, sharper and more cutting, transforming the track into a formidable weapon calibrated for peak-time intensity. A rework faithful to the original DNA, yet propelled into a more explosive dimension.

True to its identity, Mekanik Records delivers an EP that condenses power, tension, and club efficiency. No unnecessary detours, no artifice. Just the essentials: rhythm, energy, impact.

Français

Mekanik Records rallume la mèche et, cette fois, l’étincelle éclate d’un rire nerveux. Avec “Hi Hi Hi Hi Hi Ha Ha EP”, Manu Kenton livre un manifeste en six déflagrations, façonné pour les nuits denses et les dancefloors sous haute tension.

Six titres percutants, sans respiration superflue. Le spectre est large, la trajectoire limpide : de la Hard Dance musclée à la Techno incisive, jusqu’aux zones plus radicales de la Hard Techno. Chaque morceau frappe avec précision, alternant kicks massifs, nappes abrasives et montées sous pression qui compriment l’espace avant l’impact. Direct, efficace, chirurgical.

Classique incontournable du répertoire de Manu Kenton, “Arkanoid” renaît dans une version revisitée par Wex 10. Le remix insuffle une tension supplémentaire, plus tranchante encore, transformant le titre en arme redoutable calibrée pour les pics d’intensité. Une relecture fidèle à l’ADN original, mais propulsée vers une dimension plus explosive.

Fidèle à son identité, Mekanik Records signe ici un EP qui condense puissance, tension et efficacité club. Pas de détour inutile, pas d’artifice. Juste l’essentiel : rythme, énergie, impact.

From dancefloor anthems to deep, soulful grooves-pure contemporary fire - a stunning fusion of soul, jazz, hip hop, and funk from Spain's most exciting artists presented in volume 5 of Sampladelia series. The Groove Family kicks off the compilation, Sampladelia 2025, with a dancefloor banger, while Carlos Abril takes us on a soulful journey, and producer Blunted Soul dives into instrumental hip hop infused with funk. From Jerez, Maestro Mutante delivers a distinctive sound full of contemporary soul, while Sr. Zambrana blends jazz, hip hop, and Japanese influences. Smart K., from Vigo, brings his signature Spanish-sung R&B, and guitarist Juanma Montoya proves that soul-funk and flamenco accents are a perfect match. Karmasound mixes jazz with electronic textures, MrFoxMad pays an elegant tribute to Roy Ayers, and Malage delivers a killer track for the dancefloor. Laboca joins Flavia Beaká with experimental, conscious hip hop, and to close the compilation, Pablo Torti represents the new wave of Spanish contemporary jazz. Enjoy this new volume of Sampladelia series!

Swan is a warm, melodic, and emotionally direct album, blending guitars, pedal steel, and synths, with wry, heartfelt songwriting reminiscent of MJ Lenderman and David Berman- but with a distinctly antipodean voice. Fazed on a Pony is the alt country/indie rock recording project of New Zealand songwriter Peter McCall. Swan is his second full-length album. On swan McCall sings with emotional immediacy, warmth, and wit about living honestly in the face of inevitable uncertainty and disappointment. McCall's mix of wry humour, sincerity, and melodic instinct has drawn comparisons to MJ Lenderman, David Berman, and Sparklehorse. However, Fazed on a Pony lives within its own antipodean aesthetic and sound. Sonically, swan sees Fazed on a Pony expand from the Pavement-esque tuneful indie rock of previous releases to include pedal steel, fiddle, drum machines, and synthesizers. While there is a diversity of style, the album is rooted in the hallmarks of McCall's music: uplifting and catchy guitar lines that serve the song, paired with arrangements that feel both comfortable and surprising. Where the lyrics tell a sad story, the music betrays that it might just be okay in the end.

You On Repeat is a bittersweet indie pop album shaped by warmth, immediacy, and unfiltered charm, recorded over a summer weekend on Sweden's west coast. Jangly and distorted guitars meet lo-fi textures and disarming melodies, rooted in a DIY '90s indie spirit. Moving fluidly between noise and tenderness, the record balances raw emotion with finely crafted hooks. Fort Not, the Swedish songwriting duo of Robert Carlsson and Fredrik Söderström, return with their new album You On Repeat on Meritorio Records. Joined by bandmates Philip Gates, David Hansson, and Joakim Björnberg, the group recorded the album over a hot summer weekend in a barn near Sweden's west coast - an environment that left its mark on the record's warmth, immediacy, and unfiltered charm. You On Repeat is a bittersweet indie pop record where jangly and distorted guitars, lo-fi textures, and disarming melodies meet. Rooted in a DIY spirit inspired by '90s indie rock and classic pop songwriting, the album moves fluidly between noise and tenderness, urgency and ease, capturing a band equally attuned to raw emotion and crafted hooks. Long regarded as one of Sweden's best-kept indie secrets - as praised by Swedish music magazine GAFFA - Fort Not are ready to step fully into the light. With You On Repeat, that secret is finally revealed. FFO - Guided by Voices, Beat Happening, The Clean, Pavement, Television Personalities, Daniel Johnston.

Born in Wroc?aw. Known and liked as a member of the Wroclaw-based duo Skalpel. Much less known and liked as the author of several solo albums that illustrate and explore different states of consciousness: Breslau (solo debut released on Ninja Tune) - the frenzy of war, Dream Logic - the meanders of dreams, Delirium - psychedelic hallucinations, Fyodor - religious exaltation and ethical illusions. On the album "Refleks", he explores the state of consciousness of an old digger and beatmaker. He lives in Wroclaw.
About Refleks:

Refleks is tender and free. Of the two meanings of this word in Polish, I choose the one that is a reflection of light on a river. Hypnotic and never monotonous, brilliant and charming, with depth slumbering beneath. The whirlpools we encounter on the album are only slightly cunning; they are rather playful. Although one can look into the abyss, it is not greedy-it allows you to stay on the shore and does not consume you unconditionally.
In some tracks, it even throws you out: you think you're still riding that slide-a tunnel you think is endless-but it ends safely and suddenly in the grass. In the plush. As if a momentary wind carried you away, only to stop at the least expected moment, finding yourself in a completely new yet seemingly familiar space-time-at home, which is not yours, yet not foreign either. While the titles clearly suggest Wroc?aw-based situations, in my opinion, we are moving on a higher level of intimacy and abstraction. On the waves of the ether, the forgotten element of everything that cannot be measured, weighed, or counted. What we know for sure, but might only seem so to us. In the hospitable cosmos of a well-settled head.

he voice of the 1983 soul smash “Love Town” features on these two songs recorded in 1995 but only released now for the first time. Booker Newberry III was an original member of 70s soul group Sweet Thunder (“Everybody’s Singin’ Love Songs”). Mike Stevens is the UK sax player who in the early 90s collaborated and played on productions for Wag ‘Ya’ Tail (a version of “Expansions” released as ‘Xpand Ya Mind’) and Dreaming A Dream (a version of “Mister Magic” with Solar DJ Louie Martin) before joining Take That as a regular musician and Music Director.
In 1995 Booker was visiting the UK and worked on sessions which remained unreleased until now. A cassette of the songs was given to soul DJ Richard Searling in the early 2000s, and his plays over the years has lead to an insatiable appetite for them to come up. “Just Can’t Give You Up” was originally by Mystic Merlin, “I Can’t Forget About You” a soul gem Ronn Matlock first released in 1979, now both given the powerful Booker Newberry III vocal treatment only he could give.

2026 Repress

ANNE & SERA J return for the second edition of their Symbiosis series on Mutual Rytm.

ANNE, known for potent techno on the likes of Soma and Hardgroove, and Nechto and Life In Patterns associate Sera J, have had standout years that have seen them put out a stream of essential club tracks. They are partners in both life and music, and the first volume of 'Symbiosis' on SHDW's Mutual Rytm imprint was their first release together. Delivering an honest representation of their innermost feelings, having also contributed to the label's 'Federation Of Rytm III' VA in February, this new six-track EP (plus bonus cuts) presents a 'mature and refined connection between their souls'.

The second instalment of 'Symbiosis' reflects not only their deep personal connection, but also their collaborative synergy as musical peers with the same goals. The EP captures the essence of their mutual artistic journey and showcases the strength of their bond both in life and through their shared creative vision - to create a storyline through sounds coming from their souls and convey a narrative that many listeners may find relatable.

SERA J kicks off with the lithe and melodically elegant techno of 'Your Soul Is Art' which will have both heart and heels dancing. 'Illusions' is a more heavy and dubby cut with paired back grooves and pulsing synths, while 'Glacial Pace' is an urgent deep techno roller with turbocharged stabs and huge icy hi hats locking you into a trance.

ANNE steps up on the B-side with 'Floating Waves' exploring physical, chunky drum funk and raw synth textures. 'Planetary Dust' is a dark and moody astral techno journey to the stars, before 'Sweet Seventeen' brings a more melodic cut with a sense of hope and joy in the bright pads that shimmer above the glitchy grooves.

Both artists also offer two digital bonus cuts with SERA J's 'Syncrosonix' and 'Space Velocity' delivering perfectly reduced minimal techno monsters, while ANNE's 'Gentle Loop' and 'Starburst' are interplanetary trips with widescreen cosmic synths.

Straight from Byron’s lab, The Actual Proof EP rides that soulful deep-house lane with live‑feeling keys, dusty drums and basslines built to lean on a big system. Jazz spirit, hood attitude and late-night club energy all locked into one heavy wax document for real groove addicts

Experience ‘stardust’ like never before with this stunning limited edition coloured vinyl. Spin Freya Skye's sensational vibe, including her viral anthem "silent treatment", and let every note shimmer with starry energy! Each vinyl comes with an exclusive Freya Skye poster for every fan to enjoy! Available on translucent cobalt blue vinyl.