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Kings Chamber reached out to us and sent us a box this latest 7" release (edition of 100) - containing a very wicked cut by Streetboxxer (Samo DJ & Hidden Operator) (giving us good '0800 dub' vibes with added doses of casiotone fun) and there's a great counteraction on the B side, with this murky, murky remix by Beneath.

This disc's been on repeat - addictive stuff.

Edition of 100, hand-stamped.

For many years now, the comparative of epic has simply been EPICA. Since their formation in 2002 and their quick ascension to stalwarts of symphonic metal noblesse with trailblazing masterpieces “The Divine Conspiracy” (2007) or “Requiem for the Indifferent” (2012), Dutch metal titans only knew one way: Up. Especially with their last three releases “The Quantum Enigma”, “The Holographic Principle” and this years’ “Ωmega”, forming a metaphysical trilogy that’s both alpha and omega of all things symphonic metal, EPICA became rightful monarchs of a genre they themselves helped made become a global phenomenon.

Yet, as every other band, EPICA couldn’t take their latest installment of breathtaking cinematic grandeur to the seven corners of the world as they would have normally done. You know why. Thus, plans have been made and visions fulfilled to produce a once-in-a-lifetime event that couldn’t be further away from yet another streaming show. What EPICA unleashed upon the world on Saturday, June 12th, 2021, was a monument to their music, their career, and their enduring legacy as forebears of a whole genre. Now finally being released on Blu-ray and DVD and various audio formats, “Ωmega Alive” is the EPICA show of your wildest dreams, brought to life by blood, sweat, tears and a healthy dose of megalomania. Think Marvel meeting Cirque de Soleil in a Tim Burton universe.

Celebrating the release of their gargantuan new opus magnum, „Ωmega“, the streaming event saw fans from over a 100 countries flock to the screens to witness a show that has proven to be the defining moment in EPICA‘s concert history. A show that’s nothing short of the band’s most explosive performance to date, brought to life with an enormous production on an ever-evolving stage setting that’s full of visual surprises. For the first time ever, EPICA performed songs like ‘The Skeleton Key’ or the insanely monumental “Kingdom of Heaven Part 3” from “Ωmega”, alongside the band’s most popular songs, rare songs, fan favorites and huge surprises. “What started as a basic idea to do an online release show for “Ωmega” quickly spiraled out of control and became our most ambitious project to date,” creative director and keyboard wizard Coen Janssen says. “As usual, we wanted to push the boundaries, explore the limits, and think outside the box. We found ourselves back in our happy place. This concert film, our ray of light for you in the dark times that we have all been living in.”

For half a year, the band worked tirelessly on a show that’s been setting a new standard for concert films and streaming events. “What we wanted to do was the ultimate EPICA show where we could fulfill every dream we ever had, where there was room for all the ideas, effects and props that are just too big to be taken on tour.” Far from your usual streaming concert, the band developed a trademark feature called a “living backdrop.” Coen explains: “We built another stage right behind our stage where lots of things were going on the whole time. And we meant that very literally,” he laughs. “Every song got something extra, something unique that was fitting its world.”

He can say that again: Elaborate visuals, tailor-made videos and graphic effects, fire, and flames on a Nibelungen level, dancers and actors, artistic performances or fire performers all add to the aura of symbolism and cinematic splendor, setting the stage for a band that can’t be happier to finally bring their new album to life, harmonizing wonderfully and giving their A game for a show to remember. “It was so great finally playing with the band again, actually standing on stage with them. Boy, did we miss this,” Coen emphasizes and adds: “We also built a pretty cool new stage with some fire-breathing snakes and lots of rotating elements. Good thing is, we might also take it on the road when we can finally tour again.”

Until then, “Ωmega Alive” will be a more than efficient remedy against no-concerteritis – for bands, fans, and crew alike who all look back on an extra-long dry spell. Divided into five acts as there are letters in EPICA and “Ωmega”, each part gets a different theme, look, and feel, complemented with references to the history of EPICA, the symbolism of the band and the videos they did. It’s, in short, the best show they ever did, a two-hour spectacle spanning their storied career up to their latest endeavors and graced by Simone Simons’ breathtaking a-cappella rendition of ‘Rivers’ from “Ωmega” complete with choir, easily the most emotional and achingly beautiful moment in their entire career. Frankly, you don’t see this on a normal tour.

What EPICA brought to life here with the help of 75 artists and crew members is a testimony to their burning will to take their band ever higher – even now, in the darkest of times we ever had to endure. Let “Ωmega Alive” be your ray of light as it was theirs, a journey into the heart, body and soul of one of the most passionate and visionary metal bands alive today.

Renowned Finnish jazz innovator and band leader Iro Haarla takes a detour towards progressive rock Iro Haarla Electric Ensemble to release their debut album in October Known for her large number of works in the field of acoustic free jazz, Iro Haarla is a notable Finnish pianist, composer, arranger and band leader. Now, having inked a deal with Finnish cult label Svart Records, Haarla takes an eye-opening sidestep towards progressive rock. Her new band consisting of renowned Finnish musicians, Iro Haarla Electric Ensemble weaves a vastly colourful world of sound around Haarla’s peculiar melodies, and welcomes us to new sonic territory: a vibrant world where black music influenced rhythms, acoustic instruments, analog synthesizers and spacelike, valiant electric guitars converge. In her long career as one of the most distinctive creative powers in modern scandinavian jazz, Haarla’s history includes both the works with her past life partner Edward Vesala (d. 1999) and an extensive repertoire of her own innovative solo works, recorded for the renowned ECM Records. For What Will We Leave Behind - Images from Planet Earth Haarla has put together a band whose musical expression is strong and profound. The rhythm of the music lies in the dynamic hands of bass player Ulf Krokfors and drummer Aniida Vesala, and together with Sami Sippola’s (Hot Heroes) responsive tenor saxophone and Finnish rock legend Jukka Orma’s (Sielun Veljet) imaginative ability to dive into new dimensions with his electric guitar, What Will We Leave Behind grows into an unforgettable experience for both prog rock and jazz enthusiasts. Out on the 29th of October 2021, the Iro Haarla Electric Ensemble debut is a homage to nature - our common planet and home. Inspired by nature, the album is also a cry for help in the age of natural disasters and depletion of natural resources around us. “I admire nature’s grand beauty, which arises from extreme phenomena and the battle for survival. The thread of life is unbroken”, Haarla says. Each album track portrays a place on Earth: between the humane opening track The Song We Loaned From Our Children and the hopeful closing track What Will We Leave Behind? vibrates a variety of soundscapes from lakesides, oceans, glaciers and rainforests, all the way to the winds and rumbles of mountains and man-made cities. Adding even more depth to the musical themes and landscapes, the album’s cover art was picked up from environmental art pioneer Teuri Haarla’s photo collection.

This collection of 12 luk thung* songs from the 1960s-70s, all produced by Surin Phaksiri, is a superb showcase of cross-genre/multi-national fertilization, with Latin, jazz, western pop, Indian and Japanese music seamlessly melding with the musical culture of Isan (northeast Thailand), which is strongly rooted in Laotian culture; indeed, the Isan language, as featured in these songs, is a form of Laotian. Esteemed producer Surin Phaksiri, an Isan icon, always strove to drive Thai music forward, with innovative techniques and open ears, introducing international elements as well as Lao influences, including the use of the khaen. Many of the singers here, all famed and respected, have Lao roots, and it is predominantly through music that the Isan Lao-Thai culture has entered the Thai national consciousness. These lovely and joyous songs are, for the most part, previously unavailable outside of Thailand; more than half are first-time reissues. The wide range of songs here includes covers of Japanese folk and pop songs, a paean to marijuana, proto-Thai funk, a ramwong-style** dance tune, a cover of a Bollywood classic, some straight-ahead luk thung, a unique Indian-style luk thung, and a gorgeous answer song to a movie hit. An array of gems, available on vinyl and CD, with English translations of the lyrics and Soi48’s liner notes. Cover art by Shinsuke Takagi (Soi48)

* Lukthung: A musical genre whose name means ‘country person’s song’ or ‘children of the field’. The name became established in the latter half of the 1960s and now has the status of a national genre of popular song unique to Thailand. The lyrics of luk thung songs deal mainly with the rural idyll, comparisons between the city and the countryside, life in the big city and current affairs. There are certain typical traits to the music, but no official musical form.

** Ramwong: A unique form of Thai dance music, fostered as a means of promoting national pride and unity. Similar to Japanese Bon Odori, participants form a circle and dance together. The term can refer to the particular style of music, or the actual dance.

Editions Mego is proud to welcome Powell to its roster with a bizarre and strangely emotive new LP of synthetic computer works entitled Piano Music 1-7.

Via his own Diagonal Records imprint, his work on XL Recordings and, most recently, the opening of audio/film platform A Folder afolder.studio, Powell has firm footing in the contemporary electronic landscape. During a wry and obstinate musical life he has twisted myriad synthetic forms into shapes that explore and expand upon the districts of post-punk, techno, noise + computer music, and in the the last year alone he has released four albums of hi-def abstractions, each inspired by a formalisation of music proposed by Iannis Xenakis.

As an extension of this intense period of work/research/play with stochastic functions using probabilities to compose music, various processes emerged that Powell then began to apply to more traditional musical events. Where ordinarily in his work the probabilities and relationships are used to define parameters such as wave-shape, folding, FM, filter modes etc., he now began to use them to create musical formations and visual scores that could be played back using any software/MIDI instrument one of these can be seen on the rear cover of the LP release. While mapping out this cartography of relations, he used a basic Grand Steinway sampler as a placeholder instrument; the longer the process went on, though, the more he began to embrace the acoustic properties of the synthetic piano and make it the bedrock for this new constellation of work.

Piano Music 1-7, subtitled 'Music for Synthetic Piano and Assorted Electronics', consists of seven different synthetic islands strung together into a single composition. All were composed using the aforementioned processes that allowed Powell to play a piano, even if he never learned to do so with his hands. After all, 'In writing electronic music,' Robin Mackay once wrote, 'you also have to direct the invention of new tools.'

At times the piano skips gleefully over shadowing synthesis, whilst at others the synthetic sheets swarm and envelope the keys. The interplay between the two create a fantastical alternate reality, a cosmic machine in which time is eroded, shrunk and expanded, like a wax upon which operations and relations are inscribed or engraved. Many of the pieces express a playfulness or optimism verging on vitalism, as bundles of piano notes dance and interpolate with a never-repeating range of electronic gestures. The feel is of a brightly coloured flower-bed in various stage of bloom. This interplay of the artifical acoustic and the electronic builds on the pioneering processes developed by David Behrman in works such as Leapday Night, and Piano Music 1-7 could also be posited as a modern take on Conlon Nancarrow's investigations for player piano. Similarly, the razor-sharp sonic properties and unfolding of non-human events recall the computer works of Xenakis and the surgical precision of Mego mainstay Florian Hecker.

Recorded in late 2020, these new Powell works propose not just a bold and bright vision of electronic music but serve also as a map with which, for 35 minutes at least, we can navigate our way out of the current milieu. As the artist himself remarks in the sleeve-notes, '. . . What emerged from this fog or soup for me were ideas and processes that felt affirmative and life giving — sensations I had always hoped to convey in my music. Perhaps the optimism or positivity I felt at these musical events unfolding, these clusters and knots tumbling in different directions across time, can also be felt by you.'

UK label Wisdom Teeth returns with its third long-form offering - Sculpturegardening: a new LP by Mexico City-based artist and producer, Tristan Arp. Incorporating elements of ambient, glitch, microhouse and downtempo, it’s an otherworldly record populated by knotty modular textures, blossoming floral melodies, tight pointillist rhythms and glossy acoustic instrumentation. The record was born from a process of “collaborating with machines”: using modular synthesisers to generate probabilistic melodies and rhythms, with the artist taking on the role of sculptor and curator. Throughout, the boundaries between the organic and digital are playfully blurred: we hear synthesisers played by guitars; emotive and distinctly human melodies generated by modular circuits; digital percussion drummed by hand; and live cello processed with a digital finish. The results sometimes recall Roman Flügel at his most colourful, or Benge’s meandering synth workouts, and even at times echo the dubbed-out cello experiments of Arthur Russell.But really sculpturegardening occupies a sonic world of its own, born from a unique web of happy accidents and incidental arrangements. The record’s bright colours and subtle rhythms make it a fitting follow-up to K-LONE’s 2020 LP Cape Cira and Facta’s 2021 LP Blush, and place it neatly alongside the work of label mates Duckett, Benoit B, Steevio and Iglew.
“With sculpturegardening, my concept was to approach music like gardening. I collaborated with machines inspired by the way a gardener collaborates with the earth. A gardener creates the conditions for the plants to come to life and develop on their own. In a similar way, I created a set of conditions and probabilities for the music to make itself. Who is making the music here? “A sculpture garden to me can be a really beautiful environment of balance between randomness and order––between nature and human interaction. Things that are either extremely organized or completely random tend to not resonate with us. On the other hand, something very interesting happens when a balance between the randomness and organization is struck. I invented this verb sculpturegardening to represent creating with the aim of this balance, and the with the aim of building a world in which each piece is a zone, or a sculpture in a garden.” The record will be twinned with a physical iteration - a sound installation at an exhibition curated by Tristan Arp titled Nada Se Pierde; Todo Se Transforma. The show opens on 9th October in Mexico City at Avant.dev. The physical sculpture garden will be a collaboration with Mexican sculptor Pablo Arellano. The sound installation will centre around a 4-channel audio system that gives voice to different sculptures and allows visitors to create a mix of the sounds depending on their position in the garden.

Originally recorded in 1986

featuring Nate Morgan and Horace Tapscott

Finally on LP as originally intended:

Straight from the 1/2” MASTER TAPES (All Analog Cut)

With Unseen Photos from the recording session

Tip-On Sleeve

Insert with Liner Notes by Mark Weber



First official Nimbus vinyl release of this classic album. LP cut directly from the 1/2” Master Tapes, this is, without a doubt, the definitive version of “Sharps and Flats” … the sound is akin to sitting in the control room while the band recorded, very detailed and deep in presentation and articulation. One of the very best (and also very last) studio recordings that Tom Albach undertook in the USA for his Nimbus label… this album sat in the vaults for many years before a cd was issued in the early 2000’s. (Unfortunately, the Cd and subsequent versions were sourced from a dubious DAT transfer which was 4 generations removed from the master tapes (at best).) This is really the first opportunity to hear the album as it was originally intended… Featuring a tip- on sleeve with session photos and a great shot of Jesse from the original cover shoot, and an insert with a new essay by Mark Weber.

Fine Place is a new duo comprising Frankie Rose (Vivian Girls, Crystal Stilts, Dum Dum Girls) and Matthew Hord (Running, Pop. 1280, Brandy). Based in Brooklyn, NYC together they’ve crafted a crystalline full length of nocturnal, electronic pop music that charts a way out the post-global, cyberpunk dystopian environment it was crafted in. Their debut album This New Heaven drenches minimalist song structures in post-industrial washes of sixstring delay and gothic post-punk synths. Presiding over it is the most evocative, emotive vocal performance Frankie
Rose has committed to tape to date.

Following Hord’s relocation from Chicago, the pair wanted to explore new avenues apart from their respective bands or solo projects. “The sound we were going for was an attempt to capture the dystopian feel of New York during a period of desertion by the wealthy. It was produced in a time-frame saturated in both uncertainty and serenity, and the soundscapes we created felt fitting and almost organic as a response to our surroundings. The title also reflects this in an arguably literal, maybe even satirical way.” Sonically, Fine Place references the pioneering mid-to-late 80s pioneers of icy melodrama The Cure and Cocteau Twins, while reflecting both the individuals’; music trajectories thus far. Modular synthesis triggers rhythm boxes and fluttery arps chirp around clanging 808-patterning as Rose’s reverb-laden vocal layering envelops the remaining headroom. The result is massive; a towering, shadowy music that embraces darkness while offering Rose’s bright vocal as chinks of light in the cracks; the production filling the head space of the beholder with preternatural imagery and emotional resonances that are real but not quite defined.

The title song propels forth out of the fog, scintillating with delayed guitar before the reverb-immersed vocal injects the human drama. The chorus constantly teases a big release but holds back creating a taut, dynamic tension. Cover Blind’s slow march makes full use of Rose’s layered vocal sinking and emerging from Hord’s bank of synths. Stand out It’s Your House is pure honey pouring from the speaker on a bank of of arps and near-hymnal vocal layering, a syrupy light offering in the mist. It’s an emotive highlight that only increases as the album progresses; Impressions Of Me is the Lynchian ballad that glides onward into the sunset. The album finishes on a choice re-interpretation of the 1989 track The Party Is Over by Belgian group Adult Fantasies, one of the great over-looked ballads of the era given an almost ecclesiastical makeover by Matthew Hord and Frankie Rose in 2021.

Says Hord: “This record was an incredibly challenging endeavor to make, as I had just come home from a European tour with another music project and wanted to invest into and focus on this collaboration with Frankie. I essentially reimagined how to approach writing basic sequences with the synthesizers I had been rehearsing and performing with for months prior to make something more accessible and pop- like for Frankie to build upon. Frankie is an unsung hero when it comes to mixing, and she was constantly mixing down and processing elements of the tracks to create different atmospheres as we forged forward with every song.”

This New Heaven is an ecstasy of sorts, a half-dream in the border between sleep and daylight.

Humanoid strikes back on De:tuned with a remastered version of the pioneering 1988 crossover UK number 1 Dance Single "Stakker Humanoid". This major influential UK acid house cut has been breaking down UK culture barriers since its original release. Humanoid's music was also used in Stakker "Eurotechno", now housed in The Museum of Modern Art located in New York. De:tuned have invited personal favourites Autechre, Luke Vibert and Mike Dred to rework the new and uncompromising update "sT8818r" (previously released on DE:10.08) to complement the classic original. Prepare to have your mind blown once more!

The impeccable Ian Anderson at The Designers Republic created all the graphic work. Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis and pressed on 180 gr vinyl. Stay tuned!

clear magenta vinyl
Humanoid strikes back on De:tuned with a remastered version of the pioneering 1988 crossover UK number 1 Dance Single "Stakker Humanoid". This major influential UK acid house cut has been breaking down UK culture barriers since its original release. Humanoid's music was also used in Stakker "Eurotechno", now housed in The Museum of Modern Art located in New York. De:tuned have invited personal favourites Autechre, Luke Vibert and Mike Dred to rework the new and uncompromising update "sT8818r" (previously released on DE:10.08) to complement the classic original. Prepare to have your mind blown once more!

The impeccable Ian Anderson at The Designers Republic created all the graphic work. Mastered by Matt Colton at Metropolis and pressed on 180 gr vinyl. Stay tuned!

The vanguard of the Polish psychedelic heavy rock scene returns
with a brand new album! Continuing to defy expectations and
challenge what it means to be a “stoner” band, Weedpecker have
crafted a new masterpiece. After several fundamental lineup
changes in the past years, fans of
Weedpecker were left wondering
what might become of the band’s
newest incarnation. “III”, their
last outing from 2018, was the
final one with longtime bandmates
Bartek Dobry, Robert Kulakowski
and Grzegorz Pawlowski (the first
of whom is remaining founding
member Piotr Dobry’s brother).
In 2019, the band gave a very brief
glimpse into their new lineup featuring
members of Dopelord, Major
Kong and Belzebong while on
a short tour. The most surprising
change was the switch from dual
guitars to a full-time keyboardist.
So much for history, where does
this take us to now with the new
album?
“IV” is a deep, vividly textured IV” is a deep, vividly textured psychedelic
rock record with tons of
layers begging to be picked apart
upon multiple spins. Beginning
with the driving opener “No Heartbeat
Collective”, the song immediately
beings new elements into
the mix. Etherial keys and twisting
guitar lines meld in harmony,
giving way to chunky riffs. Moving
forward, “IV” continues to surprise
with mellow psychedelic gems
reminiscent of early Tame Impala,
blistering Oh Sees-esque rock
bursts and of course the trademark
melodic heavy riffage.
Former co-lead guitarist Bartek
has teamed up with the band
in the position of engineer and
producer, while also lending his
arrangement skills. This combination
of new input and experimentation
has led to the most radical
Weedpecker record thus far, a
killer album which will doubtless
make a late entry for 2021’s album
of the year.
Available on 180gr. transparent
yellow LP including download card
and on CD.

Following their recent solo releases Soniscope (Dauw) and Cells #5 (Important Records), Berlin-based multi-instrumentalist Midori Hirano and Tokyo based string experimentalist Atsuko Hatano have teamed up for their first collaborative full-length: Water Ladder. An intense, multilayered continuation of earlier collaborations (Atsuko was featured on Midori’s debut LP back in 2006), the foundation for this new collaborative album was laid when they shared stages in Berlin (Ausland) and Japan in 2019. Working remotely at first, they later recorded parts of the album in Nara’s snoihouse (using omnidirectional polyhedral speakers).

“As we rallied back and forth with our recordings in the process of creating this album, unanticipated fluctuations and irregularities emerged, coming together into a kind of music with a unique resilience and buoyancy that cannot be confined to existing molds. It was as though we had built a Water Ladder to bridge the gap between us,” explains prolific composer and viola player Atsuko Hatano, who’s been busy recording solo and with colleagues such as Jim O’Rourke, Eiko Ishibashi, Mocky, Tatsuhisa Yamamoto, Takeo Toyama, and Anzu Suhara (Asa-chang & Junrei).

Kyoto-born, Berlin-based Midori Hirano, who’s also been releasing music under her MimiCof moniker, adds multiple instruments to the ever-changing sonic landscapes of Water Ladder – an album defined by suspenseful and seemingly suspended compositions that often feel like floating in midair, a sensation the musicians compare to “that distinctive feeling you get from riding a high-speed elevator, where you can no longer tell whether you’re going up or down.”

Devoid of birdsong, the late summer air is nevertheless full of buzzing, whirring, hissing sounds on foreboding album opener “Summer Noise,” a cinematic intro with slow-moving piano chords and an ominous build-up over the course of its sprawling eight minutes. Elsewhere, sudden bursts of viola cut through nighttime peace (“Nocturnal Awakening”), followed by “Cotton Sphere” – which makes the sensation of floating in midair complete: harmonies and melodies rise and form to fall apart again, leaving only trails of previously defined space shimmering in their wake…

Whereas the title track truly explodes half-way in, the final “Cascade” brings closure to the electro-acoustic six-track collection: the floating continues, but the interlocking musical planes are no longer ruffled or rippling, no longer torn in many directions at once. Instead, the sonic streams merge and eventually disappear like ephemeral water falls after heavy rain or sudden snowmelt.

“Water cannot retain its form on its own, and can take any shape as effected by external forces. Its movements cannot be captured by eyesight alone: A body of water that appears to be crashing down into a deep, bottomless waterfall could actually be rising up very slowly into midair,” says Atsuko. “This is an invitation for you to cross the ever-transforming Water Ladder built between Midori and myself.”

Grey Marbled Vinyl

North American bad boys ATIC & Exosphere turn up the heat on US-based DJ Trace's 117 imprint. Trench Terror & Animals push sound design to the edge, with the aim to punish the dance floor. Available December 3rd on grey marbled vinyl.

In most any Dungeons & Dragons adventure worth
completing, the hero must come face-to-face with
themselves in some form - a cursed, mystical mirror that
reveals all that our hero is and is not; a reflection in some
Blood River that displays for our hero the monster they
have become; a doppelganger that reveals how much our
hero has changed since the beginning of the adventure.
 So, as their year-long 25th Anniversary campaign enters
its final chapter, Jagjaguwar must also confront their
former self. They’re going all the way back to the
basement of the sushi joint in Charlottesville; all the way
back to when they were just a haphazardly made zine; all
the way back to the original mantra which served at
Jagjaguwar’s early guiding force. The Sentimental Noise
echoing through the caverns of self-discovery is tender
and deafening.
 The label have uncovered new and unreleased work from
some of their earliest friends like Drunk, Manishevitz and
Bevel. They’ve called upon necromancers like Norway’s
Jenny Hval, Jagjaguwar legends Wilderness and
Bloomington post-rock heroes Tammar. Mysterious noise
mongers like Canada’s Wold and Oslo’s Some Nerve have
delivered on their promise to absolutely split skulls open.
There are two loving tributes to Patron Saint of Jagjaguwar
John Prine. And they have unearthed two songs from
Atsushi Miura, who once upon a time allowed founder
Darius Van Arman to book shows in the basement of the
sushi restaurant he ran. He dedicates one song to Darius
and in the other, humorously lambasts the college town he
called home for all those years. Today Jagjaguwar dies;
tomorrow Jagjaguwar is reborn.
 Double LP on metallic silver vinyl.

Back in 2004, Vampisoul was extremely honoured to play a role in the return to recording of the legendary Joe Bataan, which fully materialized in the lauded 2005 album "Call My Name", written and produced by Daniel Collás.After being out of print for a while, the LP has now been revamped featuring new artwork and liner notes written by Andrew Mason and Daniel Collás, plus photos from the sessions.

“This whole project grew out of a song called 'Cycles Of You', which I had written around 2000-2001 with the guitarist and bassist of my band at the time, Easy. The chord progression and vocal melody really reminded me of Bataan, and it occurred to me that it wouldn't be impossible to get him into the studio to do a guest vocal if we ever recorded it. I had met Bataan a few years before at a small, family-reunion style show at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in my neighborhood, where he not only still sounded great, but was also gracious and easy to talk to.

He was agreeable, so we decided to turn it into a Joe Bataan session and do 'Cycles Of You'. The funny thing is, 'Chick-A-Boom', a live favorite with Easy, was hastily added so we could have a B-side, but it ended up chosen to be the A-side of the single. When I got the opportunity from Vampisoul to do a full album, I was hoping Bataan and I could write some songs together, but our schedules proved tough to coordinate. I figured the best way to go about it was to do most of the work and just have him come sing on it. I thought this might be a little weird for him, since he is used to writing and producing most of his own records, but he was open to it.

The reactions to this album were gratifying. Diehard fans accepted it as a welcome addition to the canon and regularly compared it to some of my favorite records of Bataan's. At one point a New York radio station's listener poll listed two songs off of the album in the top ten of all-time best-loved Joe Bataan songs, and Ry Cooder enthusiastically mentioned "Call My Name" in a Wall Street Journal interview.” Daniel Collás, producer of "Call My Name".

Recorded in a pool house surrounded by an evergreen oak tree forest just outside of Madrid; musician and composer Oliver Patrice Weder’s second artist album ‘The Pool Project’ combines textural and meditative sounds that touch on global influences from jazz, ambient and modern composition. In conjunction with the album, Spitfire Audio has released ‘The Pool Project’ sound library, inviting composers and producers to reimagine, recreate or completely pull apart Oliver’s sound world to facilitate their own vision. Capturing the unique acoustics of the pool house, the library is presented in Spitfire Audio's award-winning, easy-to-use plug-in and features a range of controls and effects. While ‘OPW’ was inspired by constant movement and travelling, ‘The Pool Project’ had quite a contrary motivation. Oliver explains “After making my debut album, it was clear for me that it was only the beginning of a long journey. I enjoy the process and idea of creating something deeply personal and connected to the situation I am in, a snapshot of time so to speak, so I had to start writing a second album sooner or later. I love change and find it very inspiring to creatively adapt to my surroundings and circumstances to see what comes out at the other end. I spent the lockdown time living in a countryside cottage just outside of Madrid, surrounded by holly oak trees. The combination of this and seeing my one year old daughter grow up, as well as expecting another baby boy, created a very unique and fruitful environment to draw inspiration from.” Confirmed press/radio: Future Music - Album review Electronic Sound - Album review Scala Radio -Ambient Track of the Week Scala Radio - Session Track/Interview Reviews: "Rich in beauty and emotion… one of the finest modern composers around" - 8/10, Future Music Mag "Sounds like a warm oasis of calm" - 8.5/10, Higher Plain Music Achievements: Recorded and toured across Europe with various bands including psychedelic rock band Time for T. Composed for the BBC. Lead composer at Spitfire Audio. In 2017, Oliver co-scored the feature film ‘The Haunted’ and made a vlog style series Inside the Score with Spitfire Audio, documenting the entire process — from meeting the director, to seeing the film shown at various international film festivals. Released OPW, a sample library and album, in 2019 with SA Recordings x Spitfire Audio. Interview with MusicTech.

Hailing from the almighty Midwestern USA is Richmond, Indiana’s very own WOLFTOOTH – offering a colossal slab of genuine, proto-metal influenced heaviness with a deep dose of doom essence and addictive stoner riffage to boot. In the same vein as their previous releases of subterranean acclaim, Wolftooth (dubbed a “best of” 2018 via Doom Charts) and Valhalla (2020), the band’s latest release and label debut, entitled Blood & Iron, continues the band’s journey through a treasure trove of fantasy-themed lyrical influences – exploring mystical and often treacherous themes of mythology, lore and legend with a focus on sorcery, battle and non-stop adventure! Recorded, mixed and mastered by longtime producer Jeremy Lovins, Blood & Iron is a true nod to classic, feel-good American heavy metal with modernized flair, providing an escape for the listener that hits hard without ever feeling pretentious or aloof. BLurb IG1: Burgeoning WOLFTOOTH have already performed with the likes of Black Label Society, EYEHATEGOD and more, and their live onslaught is matched by their storytelling prowess! On new single “The Voyage”, the noteworthy Indiana four-piece tells a Viking saga of success, reaping the rewards of a prosperous invasion. Fists will be pumping within the first few notes of the track as it gallops forth to victory, dosed with chugging riffage, soaring vocals, piercing basslines and powerful melodies. Blurb IG2: Heavy metal unit WOLFTOOTH have already performed with the likes of Black Label Society, EYEHATEGOD and more, and their live onslaught is deftly matched by their unforgettable epics! Thrash-injected "Broken Sword” begins with a galloping riff that will have listeners ready for the adventure to come, as WOLFTOOTH tells the story of a warrior so battle-worn, he’s utterly unbeatable! As he lays waste to all in his path, the band charges forward with soaring guitar melodies and an addictive chorus. Blurb IG3: Echoing the tale of Moby Dick, Blood & Iron opener “Ahab” begins ominously, beckoning the listener to join WOLFTOOTH’s pack with isolated guitar before bursting into a sticky, metallic blues jam. The track reverberates the likes of classic and modern greats like Black Sabbath and Pallbearer while maintaining a unique trademark, impressing from start to finish with a psychedelic intertwining of haunting guitar melodies, glorious vocals and winding riffage.

“Victory in Blood” is the band's first studio album in over 10 years and offers fresh material for the first time after the highly acclaimed 2018 EP "Annihilation". The new longplayer can be counted as another milestone in the long band history of UNANIMATED and proves that they are still true masters of Nordic Black/Death Metal with insane melodies! The truly incredible artwork and layout was handled by none other than Daniele Valeriani (Mayhem, Triptykon, Behemoth, Dissection, etc. – just to name a few). The vinyl version comes in a Ltd. Gatefold 180g. 2LP, with an Etching on Side D, Art Print and 12-page LP-Booklet. This exclusive vinyl edition also includes a cover version of Brazilian metal legends Sarcofargo, which will be only available on this format. The CD version comes as a 6-panel Pocket Pac eco-friendly enclosure with 12-page CD-Booklet. Also available as digital album.

No Bragging Rights are releasing a brand new self titled album. As a band we still felt we had more to say. Life took us all in different directions which made writing difficult. Anthony (Tron) joining the band was the spark and the resource we needed to start writing. Daniel would drive 2hrs to Tron’s studio in Tacoma to write and send the demo’d ideas. I was in my last year of undergrad so I would write lyrics/melodies over my Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks. We hit the studio in January which was the first time Martin had seen Daniel or Tron since our last show in 2016. We feel that we were able to bring new elements to our sound without sacrificing our identity as a band.

BBE Music is excited to present the long awaited, eponymous debut album from the USA/UK partnership of JTronius and Maverick Quest, aka Sons of the Sun. Delivered remotely following a chance meeting on music-tech networking app ‘Brapp’, the ingenious pair sent files back and forth between Texas and South East London to manifest their shared vision for ‘Sons of the Sun’. Remarkably, the duo are still yet to meet in person. A respected solo artist knighted by Bootsy Collins as an official ‘funkateer,’ Berklee College graduate JTronius is an extravagant entertainer, entrepreneur and lifestyle brand. Self-dubbed The Guvna of the Galaxy, he brings his swaggy, soulful style to all his endeavours. He has shared stages with LL Cool J, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Pharrell, Busta Rhymes and Damian Marley and is an accomplished actor, appearing in a number of successful Hollywood feature films. Genre-blending record producer and multi-instrumentalist Maverick Quest grew up immersed in the aesthetic of hip hop. But in an environment where flipping loops from vinyl was standard, developing his musicianship to create his own sounds was radical, a move that paved the way for his signature sonic. He has previously performed with and produced for Guru, Grandmaster Flash, Ice T, Ibibio Sound Machine, Solo Rosa and Portico Quartet to name but a few, and is firmly rooted in the epicentre of the burgeoning South East London jazz movement. Sons of the Sun’s debut long player features a host of luminary guests and musicians from all over the globe, including guitarist Dai Miyazaki (Bilal, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Tye Tribbett), keyboard player and vocalist Matt Cusson (Christina Aguilera, Brian McKnight), singer Ayesha Brooks (The Voice, Season 6), saxophonist & flautist Jelani M. Brooks (Ghost Note, RC & The Gritz, Erykah Badu), Boston rapper Madame Cruz and Scottish horn collective The Brasscats, among many others. Mixed by Grammy-nominated Clinton “Ubiquity” McCreery and mastered at Grammy-awarded studio The Carvery, this album inks an impressive first chapter in the story of Sons of the Sun.

Hot on the heels of her standout debut single ‘Cool Kid’, hotly tipped 17-year-old YALA! Records signee Cathy Jain has today shared the title track from her highly anticipated forthcoming debut E.P ‘Artificial’

Echoing the modernist pop of Billie Eilish, the production flair of Frank Ocean’s more soothing moments, and Lana Del Rey’s nostalgia for the recent past; ‘Artificial’ is a hazy, sun-kissed, R&B-tinged alt-pop track that stands Cathy out as a unique new voice.

Cool Kid immediately made an impact at Radio 1 with the track added to their coveted Introducing playlist; garnering big on-air talk ups from Annie Mac, Clara Amfo and Greg James, while Jack Saunders subsequently named it as his Next Wave pick. Further radio support came from Lauren Laverne and Steve Lamacq at 6music. Whilst glowing write-up’s from NME, Clash, and Line Of Best Fit added to the groundswell of support from leading industry tastemakers.

Bumps Per Minute is a full-throttle reinvention of the traditional fairground dodgems, from Mercury Award-shortlisted composer, producer and musician Anna Meredith. The music is part of the DODGE installation, which can be experienced until 22nd August at Somerset House.

For Bumps Per Minute, Meredith has collaborated with BAFTA-winning sound artist Nick Ryan to design a bespoke tracking technology so that every thump, bump and swerve of the 18 dodgems around the track can trigger a separate composition. This results in a kind of ultimate shuffle where high octane music and ideas compete for airtime and each performance is unique. The installation will occur approximately every hour at DODGE through the day/evening.

The idea for Bumps Per Minute came about when the composer was thinking about what might be a more pandemic friendly replacement for the ice rink at Somerset House where she has her studio. The idea grew from there and now this summer DODGE is taking over the main courtyard at Somerset House, featuring a full smorgasbord of Yinka Ilori designs, DJs, food, drink and of course, dodgem rides.

Today, Meredith announces that she will be releasing a special extended cut of her material via Moshi Moshi out on the 15th July 2021. Bumps Per Minute: 18 Studies for Dodgems will feature full-length individual musical identities of all 18 dodgems – each one a bold and distinct musical track in its own right as well an intro and outro track (voiced by comedian Rob Broderick).

The key to both the dodgems themselves and the release is a user ‘driven’ triggering and shuffling of the material. Meredith encourages the listener to ‘take the driving seat’ and jump from one track to another, mirroring the real dodgem ride, shuffling and curating their own listening experience via the virtual interactive dodgems page or their preferred listening platform.

Bumps Per Minute: 18 Studies for Dodgems explodes out of the starting gate with Meredith’s uncategorisable sound and signature energy, combining fairground wildness with a healthy dose of the nostalgic electronics of old school gaming.

During the course of quarantine, while doing multiple live streams to support Blue Note Tokyo and New York, Hiromi composed the 'Silver Lining Suite'. It is a piece for piano, two violins, viola, and cello which is separated into four movements: 1. Isolation 2. The Unknown 3. Drifters 4. Fortitude. In the past Hiromi has recorded all of her studio records in the US but given the pandemic and nature of this work, the 'Silver Lining Suite' is her first album recorded in Japan. The album was recorded by Mick M. Sawaguchi of Mick Sound Lab, mixed and mastered by Robert Friedrich at Five/Four Productions. In addition to the 'Silver Lining Suite' the album includes five other songs all composed by Hiromi, two of which are completed versions that originally where part of Hiromi's 'One Minute Portrait' video series that showcased one minute duets with artists such as: Avishai Cohen, Steve Smith, Simon Phillips, Robert Trujillo, and more.

Brown Marbled Vinyl

Following many visionary outings such as "Inhuman Series Vol 1.2.3.4" released on New Flesh Records in 2012, "Days of Dissent" released on Killekill in 2016 (repress soon) talking about the rebellion of the World and the moving "Abandon In Place" LP released on New Flesh Records in 2018 telling about the destruction of Earth by the Humans, French producer Umwelt presents his very first cinematographic yet conceptual album on his own label New Flesh Records.

Titled "Subversive Territory", this much anticipated opus sees the founder of Rave Or Die imprint exploring a post-apocalyptic world via twelve haunting songs spreading their infectious melodies and gloomy atmosphere throughout.

Don't expect any beat here as this experimental-ambient manifesto will dive you into the famous tense and dystopian universe Umwelt is building year after year. As visual as auditive, this heartbreaking masterpiece comes illustrated by Yann Legendre. This French illustrator and art director is the father of numerous beautiful illustrations for magazines, books in the movie & music industries. He is the brillant creator of great comic "Flesh Empire" edited by Casterman in 2019.

Working on his forthcoming comic "Vega" anounced for 2022 by Albin Michel, Yann Legendre joined Umwelt for this perfect matching of two arts and two artists offering us this esthetic collaboration. At the end who can say who is illustrating who: the illustrator or the musician? "Subversive Territory" sounds like the perfect soundtrack of a frightening and nottoo-distant future where humanity has collapsed! Fans will appreciate to collect two coloured vinyls in a trifold sleeve.

Hailing from the almighty Midwestern USA is Richmond, Indiana’s very own WOLFTOOTH – offering a colossal slab of genuine, proto-metal influenced heaviness with a deep dose of doom essence and addictive stoner riffage to boot. In the same vein as their previous releases of subterranean acclaim, Wolftooth (dubbed a “best of” 2018 via Doom Charts) and Valhalla (2020), the band’s latest release and label debut, entitled Blood & Iron, continues the band’s journey through a treasure trove of fantasy-themed lyrical influences – exploring mystical and often treacherous themes of mythology, lore and legend with a focus on sorcery, battle and non-stop adventure! Recorded, mixed and mastered by longtime producer Jeremy Lovins, Blood & Iron is a true nod to classic, feel-good American heavy metal with modernized flair, providing an escape for the listener that hits hard without ever feeling pretentious or aloof. BLurb IG1: Burgeoning WOLFTOOTH have already performed with the likes of Black Label Society, EYEHATEGOD and more, and their live onslaught is matched by their storytelling prowess! On new single “The Voyage”, the noteworthy Indiana four-piece tells a Viking saga of success, reaping the rewards of a prosperous invasion. Fists will be pumping within the first few notes of the track as it gallops forth to victory, dosed with chugging riffage, soaring vocals, piercing basslines and powerful melodies. Blurb IG2: Heavy metal unit WOLFTOOTH have already performed with the likes of Black Label Society, EYEHATEGOD and more, and their live onslaught is deftly matched by their unforgettable epics! Thrash-injected "Broken Sword” begins with a galloping riff that will have listeners ready for the adventure to come, as WOLFTOOTH tells the story of a warrior so battle-worn, he’s utterly unbeatable! As he lays waste to all in his path, the band charges forward with soaring guitar melodies and an addictive chorus. Blurb IG3: Echoing the tale of Moby Dick, Blood & Iron opener “Ahab” begins ominously, beckoning the listener to join WOLFTOOTH’s pack with isolated guitar before bursting into a sticky, metallic blues jam. The track reverberates the likes of classic and modern greats like Black Sabbath and Pallbearer while maintaining a unique trademark, impressing from start to finish with a psychedelic intertwining of haunting guitar melodies, glorious vocals and winding riffage.

A full length collaboration from DUANE PITRE and ELEH. PITRELEH use high resolution analog and digital tools to create music utilizing natural vibrations and harmonics as rhythm and melody. Inspiration is drawn directly from vibrational waves (sound, gravity, water). The electronics, of which both pieces are constructed, are tuned using pure intonation which utilizes the prime numbers: 1-3-5-7. The debut live performance of Pitreleh was recently presented at the Issue Project Room in Brooklyn as well as the Museum Of Contemporary Art in Cleveland.

Kinlaw & Franco Franco follow up their cult debut album with this new, hi-grade blast of fvct-up cyberpunk rap & rawness entitled 'Mega Dopo Mega' (including 12" sized, 6 page comic book sleeve), via Avon Terror Corps. Mastered and cut by Lewis at Stardelta. Comes with 12" size, six page comic book sleeve.



[c] A3 The Chase [Digital Footprint]

Bristol's loudest and fiercest duo Bad Tracking step up on home turf via ATC as part of the double drop, giving us their debut album, jammed with unhinged sonics, raw & industrial at its core. But contained within the fury, there's a definite heart, soul and musicality contained within, setting it apart from 'just another noise album' - it's a special one. Mastered and cut by Lewis at Stardelta. Served in printed sleeve, designed by Kin40k.

Repress

Arad, real name Dara Smith, first joined the VOITAX catalogue in June 2020. Back then, the Irish artist served us up with "Radiance Haze" - a 6-track EP, spanning from heavy-hitting breaks to the ethereal ambience, with heavy features of Smith's vocals. Known for his multidisciplinary vision on music, he has also previously made seminal moves with his work as one half of Lakker, alongside Eomac, dropping groundbreaking music on heavyweight labels such as R&S, Blueprint and Stroboscopic Artefacts. For his second EP on VOITAX, Smith now returns with five beautifully crafted tracks that he titles "Augmented Fantasy". While following a similar approach, he does not fail to expand his repertoire of celestial dream-like atmospheres, which he carefully surrounds with a whole variety of vocals, and accurately placed broken drum patterns. In addition to his own singing, Arad also presents two impressive collaboration tracks, in which one of them features the voice of Stine Omar, also widely known as one half the Berlin-based pop duo EASTER. Driving rhythmics and processed, grainy vocals turn this piece into guaranteed hit material. Another collaboration with the befriended vocalist and music producer Nina Hynes serves as a touching closing chapter for this brilliantly produced, eclectic 5-tracker. All pieces are perfectly glued together while keeping their very individual character and soundscapes. The listener is certainly left with an augmented fantasy, as well as a curiosity to hear more to come from the Irish talent.

LP+Buch

Limited Edition Deluxe Version comes with 50 page children's book inspired by the album. Written by Francine Prose and illustrated by Omar "El Oms" Juarez. The colored vinyl is red. Fresh off of their 2020 offering Adult Themes, El Michels Affair is back with a new full-length release. Titled Yeti Season, this newest album has everything we've come to expect from EMA's patented cinematic style of instrumental soul music. Where Adult Themes inspired a soundtrack to an imaginary film, Yeti Season brings us to a different place in time_with new inspirations. Taken with Turkish-styled funk and an almost Mumbai-esque take on soul, El Michels Affair offers us a different kind of drama and imagination with Yeti Season. If you've been following along, this shouldn't be viewed as too far a departure for El Michels Affair. The first single off of Yeti Season showed their hand back in 2018. A double-sided banger, that release brought the musical textures to the fore that dominate this record. The first song, titled "Unathi," is fully realized with the beautifully haunting-yet-hopeful vocals of Piya Malik, formally of 79.5_another Big Crown artist. Singing in Hindi, Piya's ethereal voice is telling us to work and strive together toward progress. Even if you don't understand her language, you can still hear the urgency of purpose, creating a lasting vibe that sits on top of it all. Leon Michels explains that Piya had a vital influence on this record: "When Piya started singing in Hindi, she had a different voice, a different tone. I knew we had to do something together." And so Piya appears on three other songs on Yeti Season: "Zaharila," "Murkit Gem," and "Dhuaan." Each providing particular signatures to the album. "Zaharila" is a building and changing love song punctuated by blaring trumpets, driving drums, and Piya's pleading lyrics. While the more upbeat "Murkit Gem" opens with a fuzzed out, Wu-Tang-esque baseline that buoys Piya's stylings. The psychedelic guitar and Piya's changing tones and textures singing about an all-consuming love are what pushed "Dhuaan" on to the second single from Yeti Season. There is also a vocal appearance from Shannon Wise of The Shacks, yet another Big Crown artist. Her song called "Sha Na Na," lies more in the familiar EMA vein: melodic, hypnotic, soulfully visual. But between Shannon's airy singing, the jumpy baseline, moody vibes, the active drum lines, it sounds like a pensive walk home after a strangely dramatic night. So what is Yeti Season? It could be more of a feeling than an actual place or time of year. It's a heavy album_as evidenced by the signature musicianship and dramatic vocal expressions. But it's also a hopeful record, with phrasings, textures, and chord changes that hint at something better_or fuller_coming our way. You hear it in songs like "Ala Vida," with its stabby, pulsing chords laying a bedrock for EMA's bright, atmospheric horn lines. Or even in "Fazed Out," which leaves you with a feeling of determination, a striving for resolution even though the driving, march-like song structure should accompany some conquering army. This persistence has to come from the fact that Leon Michels and company finished this record during the lockdown. It was a tough and troublesome time. But look at what has come of it: Yeti Season_a record of high and heavy drama, but also one of hope and promise. It may take a year like 2020 behind us to find hope in a winter big footed creature like a Yeti, but that's where we are.

Actress and singer Julie London is best remembered in pop terms for her much-covered classic ‘Cry Me A River’, a Number 9 US hit in 1955 and a Number 22 UK success two years later. But as this compilation shows, there was much more to the girl than one impressive song

In 1977, in the midst of a period of political turmoil and social unrest that went down in Italian history as "years of lead", screenwriter and director Massimo Pirri made a film no one else had the courage to make: Italia: ultimo atto? (Could It Happen Here?). Here, Pirri explores the controversial (and, in the 70s, very current) topic of left-wing armed struggle. He does so through a storyline that is almost prophetic: in the film, a mysterious ultra-leftwing armed group plans and executes the killing of the Ministry of the Interior; in 1978 Christian Democrat leader and former premier Aldo Moro was kidnapped and killed by the Marxist-Leninist Red Brigades).

The violence of Pirri's storyline is fully captured by the score composed by Lallo Gori, who uses obscure synths, analog keyboards, and dry-sounding acoustic drums to create an extremely tense and frenzied soundscape of electronic textures.

The result is an album that combines dark, haunting jazz-funk with ambient atmospheres and suspenseful electronic sounds, and which ends up sounding like an instrumental proto-hip hop record where Moog synths take the lead together with drums.

At the time, this must have seemed like a low-budget, ramshackle soundtrack – essentially, a B-movie soundtrack. Indeed, the extensive use of electronic sounds was meant to compensate for the lack of acoustic instruments, such as the bass or (alas!) brass, which were replaced by keyboards and MiniMoog synths. Today, however, Lallo Gori's odd and minimalistic style of arranging makes this score sound unexpected, avant-garde, and innovative. In short, modern and contemporary.

Previously unreleased in any format, all tracks have been remastered from the original master tapes.

Mainly known to DJs for the funk groover "Te Queria", Rota-Mar is the first solo album by the charismatic Zéca do Trombone. During a vertiginous career which started in the late 60s, Zéca was a permanent member of Wilson Simonal's band, toured with Luiz Eça's Sagrada Família (alongside Joyce, Naná Vasconcelos, Nelson Angelo and others), recorded the seminal Brazilian funk "Coluna do Meio" for his joint effort with Roberto Sax, and played and recorded for some of the big names of Brazilian music such as Tim Maia or Martinho da Vila. Particularly for samba artists such as Alcione, Leci Brandão or Moreira da Silva, Zéca do Trombone was the trombonist of choice.

Rota-Mar displays the work of an established musician who has nothing to prove. Impregnated with Zéca's characteristic voice, the songs draw inspiration from the sea, love and bohemian life, and let us all dream of what life in Rio the Janeiro was during that time. "Te Queria", penned by Zéca's childhood friend Elízio de Búzios (known for his highly collectable funk/boogie single "Tamanqueiro") is the obvious highlight, although we believe the real beauty of the album lies in the relaxed sea-side groove and MPB in the rest of the songs, including Zéca's superb take on Martinho da Vila's "Manteiga de Garrafa".

This is a high-octane tribute to jungle, footwork
and bass beats, with a BPM that rarely drops
below 150BPM and studded with names key to all
genres.
 It respects both the birth of the scene, with
inclusions like the late legend DJ Rashad and
former footwork dancer RP Boo, as well as its
current locality, pointing to a trio of uber cool US
producers in New York’s AceMo and Kush Jones,
and Miami-based duo INVT.
 Fellow Londoners Tim Reaper and Worldwide
Epidemic take in the latest of the UK scene, along
with label Time Tunnel who deliver remixes of
tracks from the glory days of rave.
 Driven, proudly black, gay and outspoken,
SHERELLE co-runs the established jungle label
Hooversound, while 2021 saw her launching new
label Beautiful, a platform for supporting black and
LGBTQI+ artists.

"Therapy? are an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland. The band was formed in 1989 by guitarist-vocalist Andy Cairns from Ballyclare and drummer-vocalist Fyfe Ewing. Their line-up was completed when the band recruited Larne bassist Michael McKeegan. Nurse was the first record by Therapy? for A&M (their first of 4 for the label), it was released in 1992 and moved the band to a more industrial sound. The album reached no 38 in the UK album charts. The album had the breakthrough single Teethgrinder which got to no 30 in the UK charts, its mixes appear on the CD bonus disc
This version comes with a bonus disc of demos, B-Sides and live material curated by drummer Michael McKeegan and mastered by Andy Pearce; the original album uses the master by Harvey Birell that was used on the acclaimed Gemil Box. The booklet contains a new sleeve note by Ex Kerrang editor Paul Brannigan who has interviewed the band about the album and the time period around it."

Undersound marks its 20th release with a collection of tracks from Scatterbaux. While the producer has a few sparse releases online, he displays considerable dexterity on these hardware jams. The A-side heavily features the classic 303 synth and opens with “Ghosts On The Wing”, where the artist is experimenting with an 8 bar acid pattern overlayed with dreamy leads and pads. This is followed by “Acid Squabble”, where two 303 lines bounce off each other exchanging their filter positions conveying a range of feelings and emotions. The B-side follows with “Chamber 27”, an electro jam with 808 drums and a driving 101 bassline. The EP closes with the fast paced “Womp Bucket”, with its evolving drum patterns and emotional overtones, completing a showcase of the producer's signature acid tinged style.

The original Soundtrack to Greek-German director Nikias Chrssos’ new feature, ‘A Pure Place’, scored by John Gürtler (Eigenlicht, COUNTER019), with his studio partner Jan Miserre, and featuring a track by chameleonic British artist Shackleton.

The script for A Pure Place had a dizzying effect on John Gürtler & Jan Miserre; their minds reeling with the possibilities.

From Persian sheep bells, Chinese sheng, prepared trombone, quarter-tone piano, a beaten-up cembalo, hand percussion, and a room full of synthesizers, embryonic compositions and experiments came to life early on in the project.

An electro-acoustic extravaganza, the soundtrack for A Pure Place takes a deep bow towards the many magnificent composers and scores from the late 60s and 70s where orchestral arrangements met with tape loops, psychedelia, and instruments from across the globe. Listening to that era of film music, anything seems possible.

The minimalist tones of ‘Ritual Bells’ set the dial to weird in the opening sequence of the movie, whilst ‘The Island’ makes use of ambient vocals recorded through an oil drum, gently introducing one of the score’s main themes with a distant quarter-tone cembalo.

Acclaimed British artist Shackleton’s eerie original version of ‘Fust’s Song’ (also included) was a tonal keystone for the entire soundtrack. Gürtler and Miserre translated his psychedelic electronic blueprint, layering acoustic instruments and bottom-heavy percussion in their ‘Paradox Paradise’ production style. The vocals, written by Chryssos, and sung by the cast on set, capture the sonics of the actual crypt-like space where cult leader Fust addresses with his following.

‘A Glimpse of the Other Side’ speaks of love and death in a 70s-indebted composition reflecting John and Jan’s shared love for melancholic and suspenseful chord progressions. Meanwhile, the sparkling synths of ‘Athens’ - the children discovering neon-lit civilisation after years confined on the island - transplant us to an entirely different era.

Greek artist Maroulita del Kol features heavily throughout - her choir of vocals on ‘Erotica’ were recorded late at night in the studio foyer, capturing its unique tiled reflections and concrete reverb.

On ‘Purification’ Maroulita’s voice guides us alongside a Moog bass drone, building to an ecstatic climax, whilst she also features in the film’s disco-centric ending credits on ‘Gatoula Mou Mikri’.

For their 9th release Slam City Jams welcomes the fabulous Manuel Darquart to the family!
After brilliant releases on imprints like Wolf Music or Coastal Haze and recently getting remixed by the Italo-House legend Don Carlos, we are happy to have the duo on the label with their „Down 2 Dance“ EP. Originally from New Zealand but now living in London, Manuel Darquart bless us with a record full of balearic bliss, backed with a dope remix by Tech Support.
We are kicking things off with the title track, a deep, yet uplifting Italo-House tune: „Down 2 Dance“ is full of sweet chords, perfectly cheesy sax stabs and this catchy vocal cuts we just can’t get out of our head. On „Cultivating Yucca“ Manuel Darquart maintains the Italian vibe but
gets even more balearic with warm pads, some muted trumpets and of course: The slight sound of the ocean.
On the flip things get interesting with „Prince Of The Rinse“: Distorted 808s paired with a funky lead that builds up steadily and finally dissolves into a wonderful synth solo. A tune that reminds of the early Funkineven on Apron Records. To round this record off, we invited
Londons finest Tech Support to give the title track his remix treatment: He added his signature 80s sound to the original and perfecftly stripped back the tune to its essentials, with gated snare drums and little synth blips. What more can you ask for?!