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DJ Support: Marco Faraone, Victor Ruiz, Marco Carola, Cristian Varela, Joseph Capriati, Mauro Picotto, Ilario Alicante, Wehbba, Konrad, Anna Tur, Joris Voorn, Anna Reusch, ANELA

Indira Paganotto and her ARTCORE imprint stand out from the crowd with an exponential sense of uniqueness, front-running pioneers of the new Psy-influenced techno boom. Indira’s upcoming release ‘Gypsy Queen’ is another perfect example of how she has garnered so much love and support for her unique vibe and ethos to date.

Title track ‘Gipsy Queen’ begins in eccentric fashion. A gentle strumming of flamenco guitar lines, a distorted chorus of castanets and an enchanting vocal open the track to remain a key feature throughout waves of razor-sharp synths and hurtling drums sequences. The dips in pace are beautifully accompanied by the stirring vocals but before long the flamenco influences are overrun by the trance-tinged techno Indira is famous for. The out of body like energy summoned by the strings and haunting effects of ‘Vendetta’ offer a different audio experience to that offered by the EP’s title track. With a visceral intensity that becomes more acute following each drop there are several curious effects and tones at play to make for a somewhat dramatic techno heavy melody.

Opening the flip side is ‘Heaven Is For Warriors’ , this comes in hot with thumping drum grooves and crisp percussive drive, supplemented by ominously celestial undertones and rave-inspired musicality throughout-a sinister tirade of punchy electronic grit, marching to a racy tempo built for peak-time sets. The release closes on ‘Requiem’, further playing on the darkened divine theme throughout the EP. Beyond its atmospheric intro, you’re greeted with a marauding flurry of watertight Techno goodness layered with synths, sirens, pads and much more.

There’s no denying Indira’s oneness when considering groundbreaking techno talents; This EP serves as a solid reminder of her commitment to trailblazing a path into the genre’s new and exciting age.

Warehouse Find!

As I-Robots launches a new compilation series that celebrates the roots and influences of Italo disco in Turin and the Piedmont region, the Opilec Music boss also offers up various singles from it with some special remixes and edits. After an EP from Johnson Righeira last summer comes the latest one featuring the legendary Captain Torkive and two of his tracks as well as some special versions by I-Robots. Captain Torkive is Daniele Torchio, an Italian artist active in the late seventies & early eighties who got his nickname from a love of UFOs and space, in fact the titles here are inspired by the Superman DC Comics classic.
He has worked with the likes of Valero Liboni and all the material here is officially licensed from Ponzo Records master tapes. His tracks here are some of the most rare 7" Italo space disco tunes from Turin's rich history and feature synthesizers and electronic effects that he made himself, as well as guitars and keys he also played. Up first comes the I-Robots 1979 Reconstruction of Flying Saucers To Krypton which marries both tunes into a lush retro space odyssey that shimmers and rockets through the cosmos with live drums and jangling bass. Rounding off the A side is 1979 original version of Krypton' which is just as dazzling and spaced out with layers of synths and arps all sounding squelchy beneath some robot vocals. Kicking off the B side is the I-Robots 1979 Space Reconstruction of Flying Saucers To Krypton that strips some of the layers and keeps one lead synth line and some ascending spaceship sounds, as well as a lovably loose groove that really stomps along with real character. Last but not least is the original 1979 version of Flying Saucers, a cosmic tune with sci-fi sounds and melodies shooting about above big disco grooves with the keys and synths that carries you away to another galaxy. This is another essential package from Opliec Music that shines a light on an artist and era that deserves all the attention it can get.

Hospital Records’ jazz-infused drum & bass supplier and Goldfat Records co-founder Mitekiss drives into 2021 with his ‘Night Bus Stories’ EP, with four brand new tracks that are some of his best work to date.
Following on from the triumph of his ‘Objects To Push’ EP which received support from legendary figures including LTJ Bukem and DJ Fresh, Mitekiss’ latest release is profound and from the heart.
’City Angels (feat. Milo Merah & RSWT)’ beckons with sombre guitar licks and piano chord progressions drenched in melancholy. Milo Merah lays down captivatingly sincere vocals as he proves himself to be one of London’s rising musical talents. Nottingham born and bred, MC and vocalist RSWT showcases his deep-rooted musical ability as his vivid bars are flawlessly intertwined amongst Mitekiss’ orchestral strings.
Trickling ride cymbals and soulful keys set the scene on ‘Rain (Falling Down)’ as Mitekiss’ love for jazz eminently shines through. Mr Porter graces the track with a sublime vocal hook which drifts above delicate drums and off-beat bass notes.
In honour of the night bus on which he was a frequent traveller, Mitekiss exposes his deeper and darker side on ‘N68’. Tearout breaks, moody synth drones and a ruthless bassline make a mind-bending sonic imprint demonstrating Mitekiss’ diverse range of production mastery.
Teaming up with esteemed talent Javeon who’s no stranger to vocalling an array of drum & bass anthems, ‘Ring Alarms’ is a raw and irresistible stepper that encompasses enchanting melodies and warm flourishes.
Beyond his latest ‘Night Bus Stories’ EP, Mitekiss continues to demonstrate his taste-making abilities through the running of his very own label, Goldfat Records, which has proven to be ahead of the curve by putting out some of the most forward-thinking and sonically diverse drum & bass this year. With previous releases also on Shogun Audio, Skankandbass and his own Goldfat imprint, Mitekiss is building up a solid discography which is guaranteed to set the precedent for the sounds of tomorrow.

The opening track to the Alan Parsons Project’s Eye in the Sky remains the most recognized instrumental in sports—fanfare inseparably tied with introducing NBA legend Michael Jordan and his six-time world-champion Chicago Bulls mates before games, and still used by many teams as an energy-raising prelude. Indeed, the subdued grandiosity, cosmic bluster, and lights-out wonder of “Sirius” sets the table for the band’s smash 1982 album, whose hallmark smoothness, lushness, and balance extend to the music’s exquisite song writing, dreamy emotions, and underlying orchestral scope. Credit for the record’s craft, cohesiveness, and accessibility also falls to Alan Parsons and creative partner Eric Woolfson’s knack for recruiting session pros that translate their visions with unquestioned feeling—particularly, vocalists who include former Zombie leader Colin Blunstone and soul singer Lenny Zakatek.

Mastered from the original master tapes, Mobile Fidelity’s RTI pressed 180g 45RPM 2LP version of Eye in the Sky features succulent warmth, magnificent balance, low-end heft, and see-through transparency that take you into the studio with Parsons at Abbey Road Studios. Each note seems perfectly placed, every sequence painstakingly considered. Boasting front-to- back depth, concert-hall-level separation, realistic presence, and bang-on accuracy. This release will test the capabilities of the world’s finest stereo systems. There’s more information, more texture, more nuance— more of everything to be experienced. British progressive rock would never again sound so sophisticated, suave, or steady.

UK Bass titan and Swamp 81 label boss Loefah makes his Teklife debut with Jump Start, three new tracks full of raw house energy. Taking cues from the Chicago tradition of feral 909 jams, these pummelling rhythms are met with eerie atmospheres and haunting speech. The late ghetto house godfather DJ Deeon adds his touches to the title track, stretching its acid squelches out and taking them even farther into space. It’s pure warehouse music, trippy yet ominous, perfect for getting lost in a dark corner at a rave.

Acid Jazz's announcement of the 30th anniversary 2LP remastered edition of Mother Earth's The People Tree is a momentous occasion for fans of acid jazz and soul music alike. Originally released in 1994, this album holds a significant place in the genre's history, blending elements of soul, funk, and folk-tinged rock from the 70s with a modern twist. The special edition reissue boasts the original album, along with three previously unreleased tracks and six making their vinyl debut. Remastered from the original analogue recordings, this release promises to breathe new life into the beloved classic. Featuring guest appearances from iconic artists like Paul Weller, Dee C Lee and Simon Bartholomew of Brand New Heavies, The People Tree is a testament to the collaborative spirit of the acid jazz scene. Notable bonus tracks include the previously unreleased alternative version of 'Apple Green,' an alternate take on 'Illusions,' and the title track itself. First-time vinyl cuts offer fresh perspectives on tracks like 'Jesse' and 'Slide Sweet Baby,' adding depth to the listening experience. The album's presentation is equally impressive, with a beautiful 'wide-spine' layout, printed inner sleeves, and insightful notes from label-founder Eddie Piller, accompanied by unseen photos from the original cover shoot. Overall, this anniversary edition of The People Tree is a album worth your time as it often selected for one of the best examples in the genre.

LOS ANGELES—To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the celebrated Talking Heads and Jonathan Demme’s concert film Stop Making Sense, the set will be re-released as a 2LP and 2CD/Blu-ray set this summer.

Released last year, the sold-out Deluxe Edition of the soundtrack will return as a 2-LP black vinyl on Rhino and 2-LP crystal clear vinyl at retail. Both variants feature a 12-page booklet with liner notes from all four band members –Tina Weymouth, David Byrne, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison—and band photos. The 2CD/Blu-ray version includes the entire 28-page booklet from last year’s Deluxe Edition and a Dolby Atmos mix of the complete concert, mixed by Jerry Harrison and E.T. Thorngren, who also mixed the original release. Both will be available on July 26. Pre-order now.

The band appeared together for a sold-out screening and Q&A last night at the Pantages Theater, the same theater at which Stop Making Sense was recorded. They were joined by Blondshell, who performed “Thank You For Sending Me an Angel.” Another special screening with the band will occur in Brooklyn at the King’s Theater on June 13, with the Q&A hosted by Questlove and The Linda Linda’s performing “Found a Job.” The two events cap off a banner year of celebrations for what many consider to be the best concert film of all time.

The inspiration for Stop Making Sense came when director Jonathan Demme saw Talking Heads perform during the band’s 1983 tour for Speaking in Tongues. Afterward, he approached them with the idea of making the show into a concert film. They agreed and worked together over the next few months to finalize the details. Ultimately, Demme filmed three shows at Hollywood’s Pantages Theater in December 1983 to create Stop Making Sense.

The concert film presents a retrospective of the band up to that point, with a performance that weaves together songs from all six of its studio albums. The show progresses methodically, opening with Byrne onstage performing “Psycho Killer” alone with a drum machine. After each song, he’s joined by a new band member until Weymouth, Frantz, and Harrison are all on stage with him. The group continues to grow throughout the concert as members of the stellar touring band are added: keyboardist Bernie Worrell, percussionist Steve Scales, guitarist Alex Weir, and backup singers Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt.

The band performs 18 songs in Stop Making Sense, including its recent single at the time, “Burning Down The House.” That summer, the song was in heavy rotation on radio and MTV, helping the song become the band’s first top 10 hit in America. It was, however, a different song from Speaking in Tongues that was destined to deliver one of the film’s signature moments. Talking Heads would perform “Girlfriend Is Better” wearing the now iconic, oversized suit inspired by costumes worn in traditional Japanese theater. For good measure, a picture of David Byrne in the suit also graces the album cover.

Stop Making Sense focuses mainly on music by Talking Heads but does include a few songs recorded outside the band: “Genius Of Love” by Tom Tom Club, “What A Day That Was” and “Big Business” from Byrne’s 1981 album, The Catherine Wheel. Limited edition vinyl versions of both of these albums, along with Harrison’s The Red And The Black, were released for this year’s Record Store Day.

When it arrived in September 1984, Stop Making Sense was an artistic and commercial triumph. The film had people dancing in theatre aisles, and the soundtrack sold over two million copies. Just last year, the Library of Congress added Stop Making Sense to the National Film Registry in recognition of its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance.

Weymouth praises Demme as a collaborator: “…Jonathan was a very enthusiastic, highly adaptive, and imaginative guy who was just as good a listener as he was a talker and collaborator. From the get-go you just got the impression he was as flexible as he was disciplined. Being team players, that boded well for a great relationship and a great film!”

Harrison says the film still holds up today: “To me, Stop Making Sense has remained relevant because the staging and lighting techniques could have been created in a much earlier time period. For example, Vari-Lights, lights with motors to re-aim them, had just come into vogue. Had we used them, there would have been a timestamp on the film, and it eventually would have felt dated...The absence of interviews, combined with the elegant and timeless lighting, created a film that can be watched over and over.”

Byrne says it’s interesting that this album was – for many people – an introduction to Talking Heads. “We had done a live album before this, but coupled with the film, and with the improved mixes and sound quality, this record reached a whole new audience. As often happens, the songs got an added energy when we performed them live and were inspired by having an audience. In many ways, these versions are more exciting than the studio recordings, so maybe that’s why a lot of folks discovered us via this record.”

Frantz recalls the sheer joy surrounding the entire Stop Making Sense experience. “I’m talking about real, conscious, transcendent joy… I’m talking about what the Southern gospel people call ‘getting happy,’ which means ‘to be filled with the Spirit.’ That is what happened to us onstage every night, and from my seat behind the drums, I recognized that this was happening to the audience too. Joy was visible in front of me and all around me every night.”

Weniger als ein Jahr nach ihrem Album „Through and Through“ kehrt Baby Rose mit „Slow Burn“ zurück, einer Sammlung von Songs, die ihre Klangpalette von progressivem R&B zu einer raueren, reichhaltigeren und weitläufigeren Linse amerikanischer Musik erweitern. Hier behauptet sich Rose nicht nur als einmalige Sängerin, sondern auch als formidable Songwriterin, die die Punkte verbindet, an denen Muscle Shoals auf Psych trifft, Psych auf Jazz, Jazz auf Americana, und die richtigen Musiker bringen alles zusammen. Produziert von BADBADNOTGOOD, fanden Rose und die Band eine sofortige und scheinbar endlose Quelle der Inspiration; was als Einleitung begann, wurde zu einem Tag, zu einem Song, zu einer Nacht, zu „Slow Burn“. Baby Rose war bereits eine kraftvolle Performerin - sie kann die Bühne mit Robert Glasper teilen, ohne in Schweiß auszubrechen, oder einen epischen Film wie Creed III, für den sie den Abschlusssong sang, mit stählerner Zuversicht beenden. Als Rose sich das erste Mal mit BADBADNOTGOOD traf, war sofort eine Verbindung da, und gemeinsam nahmen sie die Leadsingle "One Last Dance" gleich bei diesem ersten Treffen auf. Es war Roses erster Freestyle-Song, und er brachte entscheidende Teile ihrer Vision auf den Punkt. "Ich wusste schon immer, dass es neue Räume und Sounds gibt, in die ich vordringen kann", erklärt Rose. "Ich war schon immer an verschiedenen Sounds interessiert, die diese raueren Texturen einbringen." Während die Geschwindigkeit ihrer Zusammenarbeit Rose begeisterte und überraschte, waren das Potenzial und die Endergebnisse es nicht. "Wir haben uns schnell bewegt", sagt sie, "und es war wirklich wie ein Wasserhahn. Sobald wir “One Last Dance“ hatten, wurde klar, dass alles fließen würde." Die Songs auf „Slow Burn“ wurden zum Teil von Roses Erfahrungen inspiriert, die sie auf den Fahrten zwischen den Wohnorten ihrer Familie machte: dem Lärm und Chaos von DC und der ruhigen Landschaft von Carolina. Rose drehte die Musik auf und ließ ihre Gedanken schweifen, um Raum für innere Monologe und imaginäre Dialoge zu schaffen, die man sonst vielleicht nicht zu hören wagt. Diese Momente haben etwas Verträumtes, und sie schwelen auf Slow Burn: Erinnerungen verlieren ihre Realität, Gefühle ersetzen Geschehnisse. Der Titeltrack zum Beispiel setzt sanfte, schlendernde Drums gegen Roses lyrische Wiederholungen, während sie diesen Erinnerungen - manche leben, manche fühlen - mit geduldigem, beharrlichem Verlangen nachspürt. Das herausragende "One Last Dance" kommt als Liebeslied getarnt daher, ist aber eigentlich eine Ode an eine verlorene Freundschaft und ein imaginärer Traum von einem weiteren Tag wie in alten Zeiten. Die Realität verschwimmt wieder mit dem Gefühl, der Gesang geht in ein Wiegenlied über, und BADBADNOTGOODs Bassist Chester Hansen bringt diese traumhafte Qualität in einen schleichenden, vorsichtigen, aber liebevollen Unterton. Tatsächlich haben die meisten Songs auf „Slow Burn“ dieses schleichende, schattenhafte Gefühl, als würden sie auf Zehenspitzen daherkommen: intim, aber ein wenig gefährlich, zärtlich, aber ein wenig geheimnisvoll. So vollständig und überzeugend dieses Werk auch ist, Slow Burn weist auf einen größeren, höheren Aufstieg in Baby Roses Zukunft hin.

Things are getting better is a bold statement to make in a time when the world seems to be on the verge of world war 3 and the cost of living is rising beyond most of our reach. Five years ago when I started the Voices of Creation with Jack I knew the world would need new songs, new mantras and prayers for this new day that is dawning. We would need more faith, we would need love, we would need vision, and we would need each other. A part of every beginning is an ending, this is an observable law of nature. So it is with unyielding faith and a hopeful heart that I look out at this world and find reasons and ways to keep moving forward with love; making music that echoes with the sparks of this new world I’m working to see come into view. Things may be falling apart, old ways of being becoming unsustainable; death, war, chaos, genocide, famine, and floods; symptoms of the internal combustion of a society wracked with fear and given more access to weapons than to their own feelings.

This collection of songs are my testimony in a way, a sonic exploration of finding my faith and figuring out how to use my faith to navigate life and this great big old world after losing family (my mother Betty and my brother Keith) and in a way losing my sense of hope for what my future could even be. Through the writing and singing of these songs I healed myself of the doubt and mistrust of the unknown. I found a way to forge my faith into what is now a mighty sword of song, community, and ministry with the intention of healing myself and others. I’ve always felt as though melody and language were tools that could be agents of change and healing if used with intention and integrity. To witness the expanding joy and shared purpose grow within the choir and to see the contagious nature of faith and togetherness through our rehearsals and shows showed me how necessary it is to the human experience. This has been truly revelatory, further anchoring me in what I feel my purpose is on the planet; and that is to sing and bring to life more joy, peace, love, community, unity, faith, and praise. With more of those energies flowing around the planet, things will surely get better and better and better…ad infinitum. Word to Nina, Jimmy & Betty, and all my angels and ancestors riding wit me. We still here and God is still good.

"An artist's duty, as far as I'm concerned, is to reflect the times." Nina Simone

Warehouse Find!

Available for the first time on vinyl, Whitney Houston's The Preacher's Wife: Original Soundtrack Album is the best-selling gospel album of all time. Released on November 26, 1996, the album features songs performed and produced by Houston, who also starred in the film. From the moment you press play, your heart will move to soul-stirring vocals like the hauntingly beautiful "I Believe In You and Me," and the spiritual "Joy To The World," "I Love The Lord," and "Step By Step." The album features guest artists including Shirley Caesar, the Georgia Mass Choir, and Houston's mother, the legendary Cissy Houston. This 2LP vinyl features a new essay by producer Mervyn Warren and fan testimonials of love.

This 10th Anniversary Edition will be one pressing and then gone, the album is remastered, pressed on Transparent Red Vinyl, features new sleeve art by Cold War Steve, comes with a fanzine and a flexi disc featuring an unreleased track.

Pleasure Planet’s kaleidoscopic debut album has been a long time coming, but good things come to those who wait. Developed over years of late-night studio improvisations, ‘Pleasure Planet’ is an affectionate and colorful patchwork of the New York City-based trio’s knotted influences that’s suspended between the rave and the chill-out room, weaving glistening pads and chunky basslines into vocal earworms and warm, saturated rhythmic cycles. Bandmates Andrew Potter, Kim Ann Foxman and Brian Hersey enter into a lysergic dialog with their discrete personal musical histories, drawing inspiration from vintage EBM, ambient music and heady early ’90s West Coast rave sounds and launching these classic elements into a transcendent new sonic universe.

Celebrated DJ and producer Foxman was a lead singer of Hercules and Love Affair when she first ran into DC rave veteran Potter, and the two rapidly realized their musical interests overlapped. So when Potter was recording with his studiomate Hersey, a NYC underground club scene mainstay, and they needed to bring in a vocalist, the choice was simple. Working together was a refreshing, freeing experience for the three seasoned artists, and the more they experimented, the closer they became; Foxman ended up moving into the studio, and Pleasure Planet was manifested into existence. “We’re like family,” says Potter. “We’re always on the same page – we couldn’t make this music solo.”

For Foxman, the open-ended jam sessions provided her with a chance to try something new, a few steps from the dancefloor-forward DJ tracks she’s best known for producing. And as the trio pooled their adolescent rave memories, reflecting on them with more mature ears, they began to develop the signature sound that was first heard on the Throne Of Blood-released ‘Animals’ 12″. Pleasure Planet aren’t trying to re-capture the past, but suggest a poetic contemplation that layers their recollections and musical obsessions into a hypnotic sci-fi dream. Harnessing a self-described “Aladdin’s cave” of analog and digital gear that help galvanize the timeline, they bridge the gap between avant-pop and icy bleep techno, curving suggestive words through lattices of tightly-engineered electronics.

On ‘Endless’, Foxman’s voice is echoed into a glistening haze that hovers around ethereal pads and tense, electroid pulses. Slow-moving and evocative, it’s a track that capture the open endedness of post-rave euphoria, touching the afterparty but moving far beyond the material world. She’s more recognizable on ‘Alien’, the album’s most upfront track, singing in a glassy, upper-register coo over urgent bass bumps, taut guitars and florid electronic atmospheres. “Are you an alien, or are you an angel?” she asks, fractalizing the borders between genres. And the band’s sense of cosmic togetherness bubbles to the surface on ‘Saved by the Bells’, a meditative after-hours experiment that diminishes the pulsing beats for a moment to bring out a spectrum of interconnected, serpentine melodies.

Modular bleeps and echoing percussion anchor the swooning ‘Planet Love’, one of Pleasure Planet’s most recent compositions and one of the album’s most outwardly psychedelic cuts, while the urgent and anthemic ‘Go With Madness’ steps back towards the main stage, evaporating Foxman’s memorable calls into a thumping procession of analog drums and squelchy, acidic bass tweaks. But they save the best for last, tugging at the heartstrings with ‘Remember (In Dreams)’, a giddy spiral of blipping synth arpeggios and haunting, reverberated chorals. It’s the perfect way to conclude an album that cryptically gestures towards the vulnerability of friendship, celebrating the shared experiences that result in some of the most meaningful memories of all.

Whisper it quietly, but Andrew Meecham’s ninth album as The Emperor Machine, Island Boogie, may well be the long-serving producer’s strongest set to date. Of course, all his albums ripple with vintage synth sounds, colourful lead lines, dub-flecked electronic disco grooves and lashings of cosmic intent, but this one just feels a little more special. Island Boogie is certainly special. Meecham’s “most personal” full-length to date, it was inspired by his experiences at the Rotation Garden Party – a beloved micro-festival promoted by a group of friends (including sometime Bizarre Inc and Chicken Lips partner Dean Meredith), renowned for the quality of its custom-built Klipschorn soundsystem. “The album’s title sums up the vibe that you get from Rotation,” he explains. “It may be held in a landlocked venue but it gives a wonderful sense of isolation – it is an audiophile paradise.”

Meecham road-tested rough versions of the album’s eight tracks at Rotation 2023, with the feedback and dancefloor reaction guiding the sound and arrangement of the final mixes. Fittingly, Meecham will return to the event to showcase the album at Rotation 2024 this July. Given the inspiration he’s drawn from previous editions of the festival, that will be a very special occasion. Musically, Island Boogie offers the most fully functioning and expertly constructed expression of The Emperor Machine sound yet, a style Meecham describes as “electronic cosmic disco-boogie”. It’s a sound that takes cues from early ‘80s NYC punk-funk and dub disco, vintage electro, proto-house and left-of-centre synth-boogie, but one that’s instantly recognisable to those who have followed Meecham’s career over the last three decades.

Island Boogie also sees Meecham continue his blossoming working relationship with Severine Mouletin, whose stylish and distinctive vocals previously graced his popular ‘Dance Por Amor’ and ‘Your Own Style’ singles. Here Mouletin features on four tracks: the acid-flecked retro-futurist wave-boogie of ‘La Cassette’ (featuring additional percussion by Rupert Brown); the infectious, bleep-sporting headiness of recent single ‘Devoilez-Vous’; and the squelchy analogue synth-funk of ‘Wanna Pop With You’ and ‘Vas-y-Le Chat’. Meecham also finds space for a cover of Fox’s 1976 pop-rock classic ‘S-s-s-single Bed’, one of the Stafford-based artist’s all-time favourites. His version, featuring headline-grabbing lead vocals by Michelle Bee and guitar from Dave Atherton, re-imagines the track as a subtly Chic-influenced slab of infectious electro-pop rich in kaleidoscopic synth sounds, sing-along choruses and shuffling drums.

The instrumental foundations of the classic Emperor Machine sound come to the fore on the album’s three other cuts. There’s the jazz-funk-flecked warmth of the LP-opening title track; the sparse squelches, bleeps, TB-303 style bass and brightly coloured electronics of ‘Walk The Dog’; and the exotic, slow-motion cosmic electronica of ‘Cha Murrah Etem’, a warm but poignant affair dedicated to his late father. Heady and intoxicating, with hints of Balearica and digital reggae, it offers a fittingly beautiful and tactile conclusion to Meecham’s most expressive and accessible album yet.

Wendell Harrison, who reiterates his passion as a jazz musician with the "Rebirth" label name on this album, is joined by his friend Harold Mckinney, another leader of the Detroit jazz scene, on the brilliant "Winter" (M1), a piano-driven opening number. The opening number "Winter" (M1), with the brilliant piano of his friend Harold Mckinney, who is also a leader of the Detroit jazz scene, is followed by "Love Dream" (M2), a light Brazilian jazz song that blends Leon Thomas' warm vocals with a bossa flavor, and the spiritual and freaky "He's He's He's He's He's" (M3), which is a powerful bluesy tune. He's The One We All Knew" (M3), a spiritual and freaky tune that Wendell blows with great gusto. The second half of the album continues the momentum, with the fusion-like title track "Reawakening" (M4) with Wendell's flute playing a light, mellow melody, and the percussive beat and horn section intertwining in all directions to create the jet-black funkiness of "Tons & Tons Of Ofamp" (M5), which is a great example of the jazz sound of the band. Tons & Tons Of B.S." (M5), which is a performance of maturity! He also performed "Where Am I," a Wendell Harrison song that was featured on the Tribe-era classic "An Evening With The Devil," in an innovative arrangement featuring Leon Thomas' vocals, as if tracing his own career. It is a masterpiece suitable for the launch of the new label "Rebirth"!

Cold is the self-titled debut studio album by Jacksonville-based rock band Cold and was originally released in 1998. Discovered by A&R man Fred Durst (from Limp Bizkit), Cold burst onto the scene with their self-titled album, a potent blend of raw emotion, haunting melodies, and powerful instrumentation. Led by vocalist Scoot Ward, the band quickly garnered attention for their introspective lyrics and intense live performances. The singles culled of the album ""Go Away"" and ""Give"" showcased Ward's ability to convey deep-seated emotions with raw honesty, while tracks like ""Confession"" and ""End of the World"" captivated listeners with elements of alternative rock, metal, and post-grunge into a cohesive sonic tapestry. Cold is available on vinyl for the first time and includes an insert.

2024 Restock

Lovely work from Marisa Monte – perhaps a bit sweeter than some of her earlier stuff, but pretty darn catchy, and with some excellent production by Arto Lindsay! The tracks have a mellow breezy feel, with a compressed production style that includes a lot of flanged-out guitar, subtle electronics, and warm acoustic touches. As with most of Marisa's albums, the record's filled with work by famous guest stars – like Joao Donato, Arnaldo Antunes, Marc Ribot, Carlinhos Brown, and others. Titles include "O Que Me Importa", "Nao E Facil", "Perdao Voce", "Abololo", "Gotas De Luar", and "Agua Tambem E Mar".

'The Masquerade Overture' war das Album, das Pendragon 1996 zu größerer Popularität verhalf. Es verkaufte sich über 90.000 Mal und wurde zu einem Maßstab für melodischen Progrock in den 1990er Jahren. Das Album wurde ursprünglich als 2-CD-Set mit den zusätzlichen Titeln 'Schizo' und 'King Of The Castle' veröffentlicht. Diese beiden Fan-Favorites sind seit 1997 nicht mehr erhältlich, und wurden nun nochmals diesen 2LP-Reissue beigefügt. Das aufwendig von Simon Williams illustrierte und wertig verarbeitete Gatefold kommt inkl. fester bedruckter Inner Sleeves sowie einer Lederoptik! Die Band tritt im Juli beim 'Final Night Of The Prog'-Festival als Headliner auf.

ACT OF CREATIONs intensives, komplexes und kompromissloses Melodic-Death-Metal-Album "Moments To Remain" fängt die Energie der Band perfekt ein und wartet mit einer massiven Soundwand auf, die stets genügend Raum für die feinen Nuancen des ureigenen Bandsounds lässt.

"Moments To Remain" kann man als die Fortsetzung der letzten drei ACT OF CREATION Alben verstehen, dennoch sollte man es als eigenständigen Release betrachten.
Das ganze Album beruht auf dem Konzept, einen kompletten Tag Revue passieren zu lassen und über bestimmte Themen nachzudenken, während man am Wasser sitzt.
Das Ergebnis ist ein Album, welches trotz aller Komplexität keinerlei Kompromisse bei der Durchschlagskraft eingeht und somit den Hörer auf eine hochemotionale Reise durch die musikalische Welt von ACT OF CREATION einlädt.

Seit mehr als zwei Jahrzehnten verfolgen Dr. Dog ihre Hingabe an die Alchemie des Musikmachens. Als es an der Zeit war, ihr elftes Studioalbum aufzunehmen, wählte die aus Philadelphia stammende Band einen vielschichtigen Prozess aus, der eine tiefere Synergie zwischen den fünf Mitgliedern (Bassist Toby Leaman, Lead-Gitarrist Scott McMicken, Rhythmusgitarrist Frank McElroy, Keyboarder Zach Miller und Schlagzeuger Eric Slick) erforderte. Diese Reise begann mit einer gemeinsamen Session in einer Hütte in den Wäldern von Pennsylvania, von wo aus Dr. Dog sich nach und nach ihren Weg zu dem fröhlich-unbefangenen Psych-Rock ihrer neuen, selbstbetitelten LP bahnten. McMicken übernahm bei "Dr. Dog" zum ersten Mal in der Geschichte der ausgesprochen egalitären Band das Ruder als Produzent, abgemischt wurde das Album vom mehrfachen Grammy-Gewinner Matt Ross-Spang (Jason Isbell, Drive-By Truckers). Getreu dem eklektischen Geist, der die Band schon immer beseelt hat, wechseln die 11 Tracks auf "Dr. Dog" von Soul über Surf-Rock bis hin zu symphonischem Pop mit einer Ausgelassenheit, die durch die wiederbelebte kreative Energie beflügelt wurde. Ihr erstes komplettes Album seit "Critical Equation" von 2018 zeigt Dr. Dog als eine Band, die noch immer, nach über zwanzig Jahren ihrer Karriere, zusammenwächst und sich weiterentwickelt.

Die psychedelischen Hardrocker WORSHIPPER haben mit ihrem dritten Album "One Way Trip" ihren grandiosen Balanceakt zwischen klassischem Hardrock und Old School Heavy Metal perfektioniert, dem die Truppe aus Boston, Massachusetts durch eine gesunde Dosis Psychedelika zu einem rauschenden Höhenflug verhilft. Sowohl Rock als auch Metal drehen sich vor allem um die Hooks und Riffs der Gitarren, die das amerikanische Quartett als echte Leckerbissen in üppigen Portionen auftischt. Textlich werfen WORSHIPPER einen kaleidoskopischen Blick auf den menschlichen Zustand durch eine psychedelische Linse. Dabei wurde die Reihenfolge der Tracks durch den psychologischen Horror Thriller "Jacob's Ladder (In der Gewalt des Jenseits)" beeinflusst, in dem ein Veteran des Krieges in Vietnam von Flashbacks und monströsen Visionen geplagt wird, durch die das Album ein loses zirkuläres Konzept erhält. Als WORSHIPPER im Jahr 2014 gegründet wurden, war es für Sänger und Gitarrist John Brookhouse, Schlagzeuger Dave Jarvis, Bassist und Backgroundsänger Bob Maloney und Gitarrist Alejandro Necochea von Anfang an klar, dass sich ihre neue Band angesichts der hohen Konzentration gleichgesinnter und talentierter lokaler Kollegen deutlich abheben musste. Mit dem Ziel, etwas aufregend Neues auf den Tisch zu bringen, setzte die immer noch intakte Originalbesetzung auf makelloses, berauschendes und wuchtiges Material, mit einem Fokus auf das Schreiben von echten Songs mit eingängigen Melodien, unheimlichen Gesangsharmonien und Doppelgitarren-Großtaten. WORSHIPPERs Talent für eingängiges, episches Songwriting blieb nicht lange unbemerkt, und schnell hatten die Amerikaner einen Plattenvertrag in der Tasche. Es dauerte nur wenig länger, bis die universell gepriesenen Alben "Shadow Hymns" (2016) und "Light in the Wire" (2019) für weltweite Bekanntheit sorgten. Mit "One Way Trip" können WORSHIPPER nicht nur die hohen Erwartungen erfüllen, die an ihr drittes Album geknüpft waren, sondern die Bostoner haben hörbar Spaß daran, genau das zu tun, was sie am besten können: Großartige Songs für ein Album schreiben, das nur Volltreffer enthält!

Esteemed musical chameleon Brendon Moeller, renowned for his highly respected work in Deep Ambient, Dub Techno and a myriad of variations on these themes - turns his hand to 170 for Samurai Music.
Vacuum is the first fruits of this collaboration and encompasses a cross section of his approach to the tempo. Dub-wise 170 that hints at a deeper version of autonomic, but ultimately invents a new sound that only Brendon and his analogue dungeon could conjure. 30 years of mastering the art of the deep filtered through an all new tempo lens.
Vacuum is a gentle 6 track record that will become a close companion to those tuned to, or open to embracing the rewards of Brendons impeccable sound design and mastery of immersive, minimalist warmth.
Breathe it in

40 years after its original release, a new and expanded version of ‘Goot From The Boot’ is here to stay! It was 1984 and the newborn Florentine label Spittle Records launched his manifesto, with a killer selection of Italian underground bands verging on the Hardcore/Punk firmament and the New Wave ‘end of the spectrum’. This new version contains three bonus tracks, including “V’Oi!” by Skulls, which could not be included in the first pressing due to a postal delay. Finally we put things in the right place. An essential piece of Italian Hardcore and New Wave history.

Having spent the last decade evolving into one of dance music’s most sublimely effective producers, CWPT is delighted to welcome Theo Kottis at the peak of his powers, delivering a further four tracks that demonstrate a playful mastery of widescreen sounds for wide-eyed dancefloors.

Capturing the light still shining from his beloved ‘Lighthouse’, finally released earlier in 2024 via Dekmantel and escalated into notoriety thanks to support from trusted selectors such as Ben UFO, Francesco Del Garda and our own Palms Trax, title track ‘Rain’ retains a similar, blindingly authentic nineties reverence, finding ecstasy in a wash of cascading synths, powerful plunges of sub-bass and layer upon layer of elasticated everything.

The Scottish producer’s positive education in the foundations of club music with real personality makes itself known without indulgence; a belief in the subtle tweaks and imagination of classic tech-house, alongside a welcome flirtation with the over-the-top elements that create something potentially anthemic. In this regard, ‘Benirras’ proves to be pure pleasure for dancers who love to be toyed with, its stripped back opening giving way to slowly-escalating, wobbly-jawed hysteria.

On the flip, ‘Grazie’ proves as cordial as its title, a warm and refined slice of sleek house minimalism, a roller with Alfa Romeo sensibilities. Things take a more aquatic turn on ‘Lowkey’, a logically headsy conclusion that sees Kottis sensually bounce the word ‘electro’ around in that very style, its slower tempo and wider space allowing the impressive intricacies of his productions to float up for fresh air.

A1 - Wireframe
Label stalwart Aural Imbalance returns to Spatial with the dreamy Wireframe, opening with a sea of beautiful ambient padwork which ushers in a sumptuous, brisk Circles break pattern to the forefront. A myriad of light touch samples & effects twist and twirl over the composition with a fantastic 808 bassline that complements the show-stealing breaks, completing another exquisite collage of atmospheric bliss.
A2 - Hollow Sun
Another fine exploration in atmospheric serenity, Hollow Sun opens with light hats and high-pass filtered breaks which develop into a thick, weighty slice of breakbeat bliss. Like a gentle breeze on a warm summer night, the tapestry of airy melodies beckon the listener into a realm of sonic wonder, the breaks, bass and effects crafting the kind of inimitable soft yet danceable atmosphere Aural Imbalance has truly mastered in his Spatial guise.

AA1 - Distant Stars
Mixing up the vibe with flowing keys and metallic undertones in the intro, heavy old-school breaks with a dense analogue kick drum seize the limelight as Aural Imbalance showcases an impressively subtle break editing skillset with Distant stars. While a knowing aura of elegance and grace build an ethereal soundscape with the padwork, the breaks playfully jostle in the mix towards a clean DJ-friendly outro. Sublime.
AA2 - Eclipse
Low-pass break filtering and an introspective, slightly tense atmosphere introduce Eclipse, before a real treat to the senses unfolds as heavy breakwork thunders hard into the mix with crisp snares and rolling drums. It's a symphony of light and shadow, of tension and release as Aural Imbalance continues to expand his incredible repertoire of sound on Spatial, rounding off another superb explorative EP
Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Something Amazing" is a love song about finding magic in the everyday moments of a relationship. An ode to 90’s r&b, best heard with the windows down and someone you love in the passenger side. Inspired by the warm, super sunny feeling of Lucy Pearl, SAULT, and Moonchild, this Relyae produced track for Ariel is a love song about the time after you fall in love. That calm complete feeling you get when you really trust and connect with someone. This is RnB/Soul/Pop singer Ariel's Mello Music Group debut.

Coming And Going is the fifth release from Mas Aya, pseudonym of acclaimed Nicaraguan-Canadian composer, producer, and musician Brandon Miguel Valdivia. Over the past twenty years Valdivia has emerged as one of the most prolific and respected musicians in Canada.

In 2021 Valdivia's breakthrough LP as Mas Aya, Máscaras, ushered in a new era. With warm reception from the likes of Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, the New York Times, and NPR it shed new and long-overdue light on his inventive compositional outlook.

Coming And Going is the follow-up to Máscaras and, much like its predecessor, it represents yet another colossal shift in Mas Aya's creative journey.

The fact that its title is so evocative of flux is no mistake; it's an album that teems with subtle contradiction and restless intrigue, all the while carving pathways toward the reconciliation of these opposing sonic and thematic forces.

It's this very plurality that makes Coming And Going Valdivia's most intimate and personal effort to date. The music reflects upon community, family, the nature of home, and spirituality

2018 veröffentlichte die Berliner Band "Eiscafé Venezia". Ein raues Emo-Album, das beim Hamburger Micropunklabel Amöben mit sozialen Ambitionen (AMSA) erschien. Auf und vor vielen DIY-Bühnen wurden dazu Körper gewippt und Purzelbäume geschlagen. Dann war es lange still. Aus dem Nichts kommt nun ein zweites Album. Brachial, deutschsprachiger Emo-Punk, ein bisschen Screamo und kluge Texte.

Ursprünglich 1998 nur auf CD und Kassette herausgegeben, beinhaltet diese klassische HEART-Compilation die legendären Hits der wegweisenden Rockband und Mitglieder der Rock and Roll Hall of Fame aus den Jahren 1975 bis 1983. Zu den Highlights gehören Songs wie "Barracuda", "Crazy On You" und "Magic Man", sowie die exklusive Aufnahme "Strong, Strong Wind", geschrieben von Diane Warren, speziell für diese Kollektion. Erstmals erhältlich als Doppel-Vinyl und neu gemastert von hochauflösenden Originalquellen.

At the latest with the release of the albums "Zauberberg" and "Königsforst", in the mid-1990s, one associates GAS, Wolfgang Voigt's very own artistic cross-linking of the spirit of Romanticism and the forest as an artistic fantasy projection surface, with intoxicatingly blurred boundaries of post-ambient infatuation and the impenetrable thicket of abstract atonality. The distant, iconic straight bass drum marching through highly condensed, abstract sounds taken from classical music by the sampler or modulated accordingly, and the enraptured gaze through pop art glasses into the hypnotic thicket of an imaginary forest, manifested over the years this unique connection of audio and visual, which to understand fully, then as now, would be neither possible nor desirable.

Quite the opposite. The album GAS - DER LANGE MARSCH once again invites us to follow the deep sounding bass drum, to give in to its irresistible pull into a psychedelic world of 1000 promises. In the process, the journey leads us past stations of memories sounding from afar, from "Zauberberg" to "Königsforst" and "Pop", from "Oktember" to "Narkopop" and "Rausch", back and forth, now and forever.

Way. Destination. Loop. - Forest loop.

No beginning. No end.
Spätestens mit der Veröffentlichung der Alben „Zauberberg“ und „Königsforst“, Mitte der 1990er Jahre verbindet man mit GAS, Wolfgang Voigts ganz eigene künstlerische Vernetzung mit dem Geist der Romantik und dem Wald als künstlerische Fantasie-Projektionsfläche, rauschhaft verschwimmender Grenzen von post-ambienter Betörung und dem undurchdringlichen Dickicht abstrakter Atonalität. Die entfernt, durch stark verdichtete, abstrakte, der Klassik durch den Sampler entnommene oder entsprechend modulierte Klänge marschierende, ikonische gerade Bassdrum, der entrückte Blick durch die Pop-Art Brille hinein in das hypnotische Dickicht eines imaginären Waldes, manifestierten über die Jahre diese einzigartige Verbindung von Audio und Visuellem, die ganz verstehen zu können, damals wie heute, weder möglich noch wünschenswert wäre.

Ganz im Gegenteil. Das Album GAS - DER LANGE MARSCH lädt uns einmal mehr ein, der tief tönenden Bassdrum zu folgen, ihrem unwiderstehlichen Sog hinein in eine psychedelische Welt der 1000 Verheißungen nachzugeben. Dabei führt die Reise vorbei an aus der Ferne klingende Stationen der Erinnerungen von “Zauberberg” bis “Königsforst” und “Pop”, von “Oktember” bis “Narkopop” und “Rausch”, vor und zurück, in alle Ewigkeit.

Weg. Ziel. Loop. - Waldloop.

Kein Anfang. Kein Ende.

"Science, Not Fiction" ist eine fesselnde Auseinandersetzung mit
Wissenschaft, Spiritualität und Religion, und wie sie die Menschen
bestimmen und beeinfl ussen. Die 10 Tracks des Albums werden wie
immer von Sänger Ben Ward souverän artikuliert und von Orange
Goblins unverkennbar eingängigem, aber oft täuschend kompliziertem Heavy-Metal-Donner im Stil von Black Sabbath untermauert.

Three decades after Travis Tritt launched his music career, the Southern rock-influenced artist continues to stay true and relevant to country music fans across the globe. A Marietta, Georgia native, Tritt incorporated his life long influences of Southern rock, blues and gospel into his country during a honky-tonk apprenticeship that lead him to Warner Bros. in 1989. Tritt's albums, seven of which are certified platinum or higher, have ammassed more than 30 million in career album sales, two GRAMMY Awards, four CMA Awards, an invitation to become a member of the world famouse Grand Ole Opry and a devoted fan base that fills venues. The release of PROUD OF THE COUNTRY celebrates the album that started it all and include 11 cuts from this unearthed gem.