quête:wat

En Esch's corrosive new album decimates both standards and dance floors alike.

Anyone familiar with industrial luminary En Esch and his essential work in groups like KMFDM and PIG knows he is no stranger to political statements through his art. Now, on his first LP in eight years, Dance Hall Putsch, Esch decimates your standards and dance floors with vitriol. With carefully-sown and complimenting features from fellow KMFDM alumnus Raymond Watts, Guenter Schulz and Mark Durante, plus Vas Kallas (Hanzel und Gretyl), Mea Fisher and Erica Dilanjian (Lords of Acid), Hope Nicholls (Pigface) and more, Dance Hall Putsch delivers everything an industrial fan could want. From opener "Get Lost," with its categorically punishing industrial-metal riffs to the slicing EBM electronics of "Yum Yum Beauty & The Nasty Thief," it's all here and in no less than four languages throughout. En Esch's signature rasp is often contrasted by the sparkling vocals of his female counterparts, and the album is lush with brutal honesty, humor, and even a bonus En Esch-lullaby.

"I began work on Dance Hall Putsch in the early days of Covid-19. I was trying to create an upbeat, rather positive and very danceable album to leave the pandemic days behind us. Then it happened that a war began near where I live with tens of thousands of civilians killed and wounded so far. Everyone was caught by surprise and it influenced me, especially lyrically. "This current conflict is just 500 miles away from Berlin, and while that does not make it more horrific than other wars, it is very close to home. From living with this 'war next door,' the album turned out much more sinister than originally planned. It became a rather political album that reflects on the senselessness and nastiness of all the current wars around us. It's always the innocent and those who hold no power that suffer the most. Their fate isn't always death, but many times indescribable and long-term suffering. We must not forget them or turn a blind eye. "I’m very pleased that I had the opportunity to collaborate with different and interesting colleagues here. Thanx everybody for your interest in my musical works and for your love and support."

Esko is more than a producer, he is also a versatile writer and artist. Add to that the fact that he is the label owner of Van Klasse and it is clear that Esko has secured a prominent place in the Dutch Urban scene with these successes.

This artist had #1 hits with, among others, 'Ride Or Die' with Josylvio and 'Huts' with The Blockparty, Mouad Locos, JoeyAK, Young Ellens & Chivv. The single 'Hey Girl' together with Josylvio and Hansie conquered Spotify, the counter now stands at more than 48 million streams. His album 'Beats By Esko' took first place in the Dutch Album Top 100, in honor of this release Esko made history with his 'Beats By Esko' 101Barz Mega Session. After a tough period, Esko was ready to go into the studio and make new music purely based on feeling. The result of these sessions is his album 'FENIKS' and this title hits the nail on the head. According to Greek mythology, a phoenix represents rebirth and Esko now also feels reborn. His new music is more mature, more serious and has a message. This can be heard in the singles 'Jongen Van Bodem', 'Breng Mij Terug' and 'Platzak', which were released this year, with more than 9 million streams, which offer an insight into the past period.

By releasing open and honest music, Esko hopes to encourage listeners who are currently experiencing the same thing. This vinyl of the album 'FENIKS' features collaborations with Josylvio, Jonna Fraser, KA, Fresku and Glennis Grace, among others.

Esko is more than a producer, he is also a versatile writer and artist. Add to that the fact that he is the label owner of Van Klasse and it is clear that Esko has secured a prominent place in the Dutch Urban scene with these successes.

This artist had #1 hits with, among others, 'Ride Or Die' with Josylvio and 'Huts' with The Blockparty, Mouad Locos, JoeyAK, Young Ellens & Chivv. The single 'Hey Girl' together with Josylvio and Hansie conquered Spotify, the counter now stands at more than 48 million streams. His album 'Beats By Esko' took first place in the Dutch Album Top 100, in honor of this release Esko made history with his 'Beats By Esko' 101Barz Mega Session. After a tough period, Esko was ready to go into the studio and make new music purely based on feeling. The result of these sessions is his album 'FENIKS' and this title hits the nail on the head. According to Greek mythology, a phoenix represents rebirth and Esko now also feels reborn. His new music is more mature, more serious and has a message. This can be heard in the singles 'Jongen Van Bodem', 'Breng Mij Terug' and 'Platzak', which were released this year, with more than 9 million streams, which offer an insight into the past period.

By releasing open and honest music, Esko hopes to encourage listeners who are currently experiencing the same thing. This vinyl of the album 'FENIKS' features collaborations with Josylvio, Jonna Fraser, KA, Fresku and Glennis Grace, among others.

Na de comeback plaat van 2021 'Is er iets?', is Madou terug met de EP, 'Engel', net op het moment dat Vera Coomans 75 jaar wordt.
De afgelopen 3 jaar speelde Madou op vele mooie plekken en is de band ook uitgebreid: Mattijs Vanderleen (Marble Sounds, Tommigun) op drums en Marc De Maeseneer (Lady Linn etc...) maken nu ook deel uit van de band.
Hoogtepunten waren Dranouter in 2022 en de uitverkochte AB 'Rewind' show in september 2022 met de re-release na 40 jaar van de eerste Madou plaat op vinyl.

Al die concerten gaven goesting en Vera begon Wiet en Thomas naar nieuwe songs te vragen.
Die nieuwe melodieën leidden tot nieuwe verhalen die nieuwe liedjes werden. Een beetje zoals Randy Newman deed op 'Little Criminals'. Filmische verhalen, muzikale kortfilms, als je wil, een beetje zoals Randy Newman deed op 'Little Criminals'. Maar hier heeft elke song een verhaal met een vrouw als hoofdpersonage.

In november 2023 kreeg Vera telefoon van Gorik van Oudheusden, aka Zwangere Guy.
Hij was op zoek naar muziek voor de TV-serie, 'Putain' waaraan hij werkte, en hij vroeg ons of hij wat nieuw materiaal kon horen. Vera en Thomas speelden in de ICP studio in Brussel een akoestische versie van 'Engel' voor Zwangere Guy en Chuki Beats en die reageerden meteen enthousiast. 'Engel' staat ook op de soundtrack van 'Putain' in een prachtig strijkersarrangement van Wiet Van De Leest.

In mei 2024 trok Madou een paar dagen naar de Jet studio in Brussel en namen ze de EP 'Engel' op onder leiding van Peter Van Laerhoven.

De EP:

Engel:
Gaat over de onvermijdelijkheid van de dood. Vera Coomans:' Als je 75 bent, dan probeer je je in verloren uren wel eens 'de overkant' voor te stellen en wie je op een dag zal komen halen. Of je hem zal herkennen ook. En of het spannend wordt.

Waar het beter was:
Een vrouw wordt wakker uit een nachtmerrie in een nog bangelijkere realiteit.

Koude Voeten:
Waar maanziek zijn toe leiden kan, of hoe je verloren kunt lopen in je eigen hoofd.

Myanmar:
Hoe troostend en het kan zijn om verloren te lopen in je eigen hoofd.

Mooie Dag:
Een mooie dag maar met weerhaken.

Gebroken Glas:
Wat eerst 'Bovary' als titel had, werd uiteindelijk 'Gebroken Glas'.

Madou:
Vera Coomans: zang
Wiet Van De Leest: piano, viool, altviool
Thomas Devos: gitaar, bas, zang
Louis Van De Leest: keyboards, synths, beats
Mattijs Vanderleen: drums, percussie, beats
Marc De Maeseneer: saxofoon

Madou speelt ook live:

NEVER-BEFORE-RELEASED RECORDING of the Sensational and Banned Turkish Theater Play by James Baldwin and Engin Cezzar, Istanbul 1970
Licensed by Gökhan Akçura, author of Engin Cezzar's autobiography, who was personally entrusted with the original master tape by Engin Cezzar.

"One of the most shocking and daring plays staged in Turkish theaters was banned by the Istanbul Governorship on February 7, 1970. The ban on the play, which was watched by 30,000 people in 60 days, did not last long." - Turkish Press, 1970

Meticulously restored from the original master tape, remastered and cut by Shawn Joseph at Optimum Mastering, Bristol, UK.
Includes liner notes by Zeynep Oral (James Baldwin's assistant and journalist), Gökhan Akçura, Okay Temiz, and record producer Erinç Güzel (Caz Plak İstanbul).

In 1970, Turkish theater owner Engin Cezzar produced James Baldwin's groundbreaking play about gay relationships in a 1970s Istanbul prison setting. In 1969, jazz musician Don Cherry, visiting Istanbul with Okay Temiz to record an album, reunited with Baldwin and contributed music to the production. The recording session followed extensive discussions and featured performances by Cherry and Temiz, heightening the play's tension.

An unearthed free jazz masterpiece from 1970s Istanbul.

• Originally released in 1971

• Pressed on clear purple vinyl

• Includes newly enhanced version of the original poster

Indulge in the allure of Reiko Ike, Japan's first adult film star, with the 1971 release, "Koukotsu no seka", now reissued on stunning clear purple vinyl.

This iconic Japanese "sexy jacket" album features a captivating photo from the Toei film "Gendai Poruno-den: Senten-sei Inpu.

"Included is a meticulously recreated poster, a coveted collectible that can fetch tens of thousands of yen in its original form.

Get ready to sail into the vibrant rhythms of Romperayo with their new single, "La canoa del soldado," now available on Little Beat More!.

Romperayo brings a fresh take on Colombian tropical music by blending traditional coastal sounds with essential electronic elements and mixing nostalgic tropical vibes with modern beats.

The single also features a remix by Captain Planet with his fusion of global roots music adding a unique danceable twist to the original track.

Let’s paddle on Romperayo’s eclectic sounds and get your hands on the limited 7-inch vinyl that will carry you through sun-drenched landscapes and the bursting stream of millennial water flows.

Pedro Ojeda: Drums, percusion, composition, mixing.
Ivan Medellín: Accordion
Marco Fajardo: Clarinet
Nicolas Eckardt: Bass
Juan Manuel Toro: Synth
Recorded by Daniel Michel at MamboNegro Studios, Bogotá, 2023

Remix produced and mixed by Captain Planet

Master by Simone Squillario
Artwork by Michael Boulton

Hitting Number 1 in 19 countries on release, Hackney Diamonds marked the return of The Rolling Stones as their first original studio album since 2005’s A Bigger Bang.

The album includes the GRAMMY nominated lead single Angry alongside Sweet Sounds of Heaven featuring vocals from Lady Gaga and keys & piano from Stevie Wonder.

Late drummer Charlie Watts features on two tracks, ‘Mess It Up’ and ‘Live By The Sword’ alongside Bill Wyman. The album also includes collaborations with Paul McCartney & Elton John.

This special limited edition 1 year anniversary 2LP version of Hackney Diamonds includes Live at Racket NYC featuring the 7 tracks the band performed at the intimate launch event in New York on 19th October 2023 with debut live performances of Angry, Bite My Head Off, Whole Wide World and Sweet Sounds of Heaven with Lady Gaga. The 24 page booklet includes photos from the performance by Kevin Mazur.

Debut collaborative album from Troth, the Nipaluna-based duo of Amelia Besseny and Cooper Bowman, and kindred spirit and legendary Mancunian free-form guitarist Jon Collin. A lavish dreamscape conjuring the dramatic beauty of uncharted mountains and streams, it documents both the crystilisation of ideas first shared during an Australian encounter in early 2023 and years of mutual appreciation.

Troth’s sonic universe, a constellation of drifting atmospherics, bedroom pop impulse and modern classical motifs, is deeply intimate and never rushed. Recent sides Forget The Curse and Idle Easel and live performances supporting the likes of Maxine Funke and Treasury of Puppies have seen Besseny’s soaring, celestial voice take centre stage, delicately adorned with Bowman’s synthesiser flourishes and homespun instrumentation. At their heart lies Bowman’s tireless collaborative instinct: his decade-long involvement in the Australian underground and his countless musical outfits (including contemporary trio Th Blisks, with Besseny and Yuta Matsumura).

Summer 2023 saw the duo host two shows for Collin in their former home of Mulubinba, regional New South Wales. Collin is perhaps best known for his playing, deconstructing and reconfiguring of the guitar and other stringed instruments, realised in solo works on his own Early Music and Winebox Press imprints, and collaborations on a trio of albums with Demdike Stare and live sessions with Sarah Hughes and Bill Nace. His unique style of playing, sometimes delicate, at other times frictional, refutes expectations of traditional instruments and fits perfectly within both Troth’s ethos and their lush sonic mise-en-scène.

The objects of devotion perhaps symbolise the group’s devotion towards each other during their music-making process, and the fruits from which they are borne. “I think, any music I have a hand in, is a dialogue with by the people I'm making it with. It's an ongoing conversation between people and sound”, reflects Bowman. The sacredness and ominousness of remote Tasmania is just as affecting, the interplay of Besseny’s haunting vocal washes, Bowman’s sparse instrumentation and Collin’s ritualistic strum evoking the eeriness that lurks beneath the seemingly limitless Australian landscape. “When I think about it, it sounds like being together at the bottom of the Earth. Watching, listening and playing together with no-one else in sight."

"Deep In The Blue" ist das siebte Studioalbum der US-Emo-Band Tiny Moving Parts aus Benson, Minnesota, bekannt für ihren eigenwilligen Stilmix aus Emo, Math, Alternative und Power-Pop. Gegründet 2008, standen TMP bislang bei Triple Crown Records und Hopeless Records unter Vertrag und veröffentlichen ihr neues Werk nun in Eigenregie via Many Hats. Direkt im Anschluss startet ihre US-Tour und für 2025 stehen Gigs u.a. in Europa an.

Chapter 3 der erfolgreichen Compilation-Serie. 14 moderne Kraut-Elektronik-Tracks (3 davon exklusiv und vorher unveröffentlicht) inspiriert von Kraftwerk, Can, Neu!, Cluster, Klaus Schulze und vielen anderen. Kuratiert und zusammengestellt von Compost-Künstler Fred und Luna. Die Collage auf dem Cover wurde - wie schon auf Vol. 1 und 2 - exklusiv von der fantastischen Künstlerin Norika Nienstedt aus der Kraut-Metropole Düsseldorf gestaltet.

Rainer Buchmüller aka Fred und Luna ist leider nach langer Krankheit im Januar 2024 verstorben. Er war ein herzensguter Mensch, begnadeter Künstler, Freund und Wegbegleiter. Wir trauern sehr um ihn. Rainer Buchmüller hatte uns ein paar Tage vor seinem Tod das Tracklisting für Vol. 3 (und auch schon Ideen für Vol. 4) geschickt, mit der Bitte, dies posthum zu veröffentlichen, es würde ihn sehr freuen, wenn seine Fans und alle die es noch werden, ein „Lebenszeichen“ von ihm erhalten. Gar nicht einfach oder im Grunde unmöglich, den Begriff „Kraut“ stilistisch zu beschreiben. Dennoch begeben sich Compost Records und Fred und Luna auf eine Zeitreise, um die unterschiedlichen Elemente deutscher elektronischer Musik der 1970er- und 1980er-Jahre und ihre Auswirkungen auf die neuere deutsche und weltweite Musikszene zu entdecken. Nach dem großen Erfolg von Volume 1 und 2 knüpft Vol.3 stilistisch an seinen Vorgänger an, und darüber hinaus – da dies eine der Grundideen der Reihe ist – das musikalische Spektrum Schritt für Schritt um neue krautige Elemente erweitert.

Parisian production duo Radio Cargo steamroll onto Shall Not Fade with the killer 'Like You Move' EP!

Like You Move EP showcases why the Paris duo are one of the most exciting names to watch in the current French dance music scene, their debut for Shall Not Fade is a luscious blend of groovy breaks, dreamy synths and warm basslines, all merging together to create a stunning body of work.

'Distorted Clamor', the latest full-length album from legendary Spanish ambient composer Suso Saiz. Marking his eighth release with our label, the album showcases Saiz at his spellbinding best, continuing a prolific creative phase in a career that spans over 40 years.

Building upon 'Resonant Bodies' and 'Nothing Is Objective', his most recent full length releases for Music From Memory, Saiz's dedication to experimentation and conceptual approach to sound lie at the centre of 'Distorted Clamor'.

Discussing his process and the concept behind the album, Saiz says: “Thousands of beings cry out for their lives, for the sustainability of their habitats, for their future. Their

clamouring together generates a distorted, deafening and incomprehensible noise. Trying to go deeper into that distortion and understand all the voices and discover the strength and beauty in all of them. This was the first image I had when I started composing Distorted Clamor. Can distortion and all those sounds (clicks, clips, ticks, tocs, pluks, crashes) that we normally discard, generate beauty? This question has also accompanied the entire whole project.”

The transit of sound through various materials is also central to the work, with Saiz using water, wood, and metals as filters and sound-transforming pedals. The album was created without the use of synthesizers, relying entirely on acoustic sounds that were transformed in an unnatural way to achieve something completely new.

Spanning eleven compositions, Saiz's mastery of timbre and ability to paint layers of sound with the subtlest of touches stand out unmistakably to the listener. As always, his radiant drones are a nest of hidden feelings; they glisten with complex emotions and textures, teasing out moods of vulnerability and hope.

Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

With this second record Shoko unveils a new genre called “Onsen Music”. Each track invites you on a relaxing journey, much like soaking away your troubles in the steamy hot waters of a traditional Japanese spa (Onsen). The variety of songs mimic the variety of onsens, some are salty and scorching, some are smooth and clear, some are bubbly and colorful, and others are a refreshing dip into crisp clear waters. In every instance, there's a sense of satisfaction as soothing and delightful as the tracks themselves. This ode to “relax”, while remaining irresistibly danceable, is filled with good vibrations, melodies and hooks that go straight to the heart, saxophone playing virtuosity, intricate electronic compositions, vocals that make us dream of new worlds, and beats that could keep us on a dancefloor all night long.

Shoko Igarashi was born in Yamagata Prefecture, Tsuruoka city, Japan. An accomplished tenor saxophonist, she is also a versatile flautist and plays alto and soprano saxophone fluently. She has already made her mark as both an arranger and a composer. Shoko grew up surrounded by dreamlike landscapes of abundant nature in the snowy countryside of Tsuruoka, a mysterious and surreal region renowned for producing the best quality rice in Japan, where she says, “the water and the air feel the purest," and where mountains and shrines overflow with ancient mysticism.

Recorded one and a half years after his magnum opus Music For Animals—described by PopMatters as “a musical waterfall of monumental proportions”—Nils Frahm shares a new live album, due for release by his LEITER label on December 6. In what’s becoming a tradition, it follows 2013’s Spaces, a Pitchfork Album of the Year taped at shows over the preceding 18 months, and 2020’s Tripping With Nils Frahm, also released as a film. The latter, arriving in the wake of 2019’s All Melody and its 2020 companion, All Encores, was recorded during shows in Berlin’s grandiose Funkhaus Saal 1, once the largest studio in the former GDR’s radio complex. Paris, nonetheless, is Frahm’s first live album from a single night, March 21, 2024, and contains ten tracks over a running time of 84 minutes

In C and Rainbow in Curved Air get all the ink (inc?), but its own somewhat subtle way, 1980’s Shri Camel, the last of the three brilliant albums Terry Riley recorded for CBS, is every bit as groundbreaking as its hallowed predecessors. Not content to rest on his laurels as a minimalist master, Riley studied with Hindustani classical singer Pandit Pran Nath during the ‘70s; by blending that Eastern influence with his own experiments in just intonation (where tuning is dictated by equal mathematical intervals rather than the “tempered” tuning familiar to Western music), Riley made an album whose shimmering textures (played through a specially modified Yamaha organ) seem to change with one’s own breath or thought, like the reflection of rippling water on rock. And while Shri Camel is far more demanding and ultimately rewarding than any “New Age” recording, one definitely gets the sense that its ever-evolving, ecstatically hypnotic rhythmic and harmonic patterns are massaging the brain’s neural circuitry, leaving one refreshed, relaxed, and, yes, maybe even a little smarter than before listening. First LP reissue and long overdue!

Joe Henry’s 13th studio album “Invisible Hour”, recorded over four days in July 2013 at Henry's personal studio in California, tells a captivating story about resilience and the redemptive power of love.This record features several of his closest musical companions, including The Milk Carton Kids as well as Lisa Hannigan, who co-wrote the title track along with Henry and best-selling novelist Colum McCann. Now available on 180g black double vinyl for the first time, the 2024 reissue includes three special bonus tracks: Two alternate demo versions of “Slide” and “The Glorious Dead”, originally released on Henry’s 2017 record “Thrum”, as well as the previously unheard demo “News From The Great Wide World”.

Recorded quickly between John Cale producing Patti Smith's Horses and his going out on an Italian tour, Helen of Troy became Cale's third and final studio album for Island Records - This re-issue faithfully replicates the original 1975 Island Records UK release and is pressed onto high quality 180g vinyl. Helen Of Troy is a raw, fascinating listen. The title track with its horns and spoken word is one of Cale's best: after the sweet bubblegum of "China Sea", the album gets increasingly stripped down the acoustic guitar and piano of "Cable Hogue" and the punkish cover of The Modern Lovers' "Pablo Picasso" have long been favourites on the album. "Leaving It All Up To You" in which Cale becomes increasingly disturbed garnered controversy at the time and was actually removed from later pressings of the album because of its references to the Manson murders. Cale never lost his ability to shock. Taking its title from the opening line of Johnny Cash's "I Walk The Line", "I Keep A Close Watch", a track Cale would record again several years later, with its Robert Kirby-arranged strings and horns, is the closest Cale has veered toward a power ballad. It is a work of great beauty among all the jagged edges of Helen Of Troy.

"Aguaturbia" (1970) is an essential album to understand the construction of what we know today as Chilean rock. This very influential album is raw and dynamic, featuring heavy rhythms, distortion, and exceptional phased female vocals reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane. It comprises original compositions and electrifying renditions of songs brought to fame by the likes of Tommy James & The Shondells, The Beatles and, of course, Jefferson Airplane elevating these classics to new heights of intensity and rhythmic allure. We are thrilled to make this outstanding LP available again after many years out of stock. Aguaturbia's debut album was originally released in 1970 and showcases one of South America's most significant psychedelic bands from the late 60s and early 70s. Their influence in their native Chile -and beyond- was groundbreaking. It was played live in 1969 on 3 tracks, and it became an icon of transgression due to its unbridled musical aesthetics and cover art that - for the time of its irruption - meant a clear defiance of the conservative logics lived in Chile, which saw in the nudity of the cover a challenge to morality and good manners. The album is raw and dynamic, featuring heavy rhythms, distortion, and exceptional phased female vocals reminiscent of Jefferson Airplane. Guitarist Carlos Corales shines and when he played solos at the gigs, the effect on the audience was silence and euphoria at the same time, they couldn't believe what they heard. Everything was done with a professional attitude. In fact, Carlos Corales (guitar) and Willy Cavada (drums) were both professional musicians who had made a previous career in rock and roll bands. The LP showcases breathtaking moments, like Willy Cavada's masterful drum solo in 'Ah Ah Ah Ay' captured flawlessly in a single take. Dive into the sensual psychedelic journey of 'Erotica,' where Denise's alluring vocals dance harmoniously with Carlos' electrifying guitar. Plus, don't miss their thrilling renditions of 'Somebody to Love' and 'Crimson and Clover'-each track elevating classics to new heights of intensity and rhythmic allure. This album is more than music; it's an invitation to experience sheer auditory bliss! "Aguaturbia" is an essential album to understand the construction of what we know today as Chilean rock.