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Brånd is one weird/post black metal act from the Upper Austrian town of Linz.

Started off in 2015 as a solo act by Vritra (also in Kringa and Weathered Crest) with the need for a form of expression free from perfection or boundaries, over the past ten years the ever-evolving project ventured into various soundscapes, from crude black metal to lo-fi ambient and from ferocious post-punk to psych downer rock, all while splitting releases with extreme underground torchbearers like Absolute Key, Calvary and Rosa Nebel.

Joined by musicians to evolve old and new ideas, Brånd debut full-length album grew from 4-track demos gathered over the last decade to become an album of richly arranged songs from all over the fields of interest, breaking from their lo-fi tradition to new horizons.

To describe thoroughly “Tåg & Nåcht” is possibly the hardest task to do, given all the influences that are skilfully intertwined and perfectly balanced. In this witches’ brew the most schooled listeners will hear some angular post-punk à la Gang Of Four sustaining pagan declamations in the vein of Fenriz folk metal excursus Isengard. Straight forward dark anarcho punk assaults are mitigated by almost new age juxtapositions. Traces of 70’s German krautrock like La Düsseldorf are melted into a heavy metal cast, while wind instrument raids that are equally James Chance and Death In June seem to drop when least expected.

The sound is crunchy and surprisingly warm, contrary to what one might expect of a band emerging from a black metal background. But right now, Brånd is so much more than this: they can master a wide range of sounds that span from 70’s space rock, passing through 80’s post-punk and UK82, reaching 90’s black metal and 2000’s blackgaze, all in one incredibly coherent album. If this sounds too good to be true, suit yourself and press Play.
Split released with Tour De Garde in US/CA.

In the world of Smote, going further out means going inward. Less a metaphysical journey into inner space, more a physical journey into the ground itself, converging with its roots and vibrations. What's more, a journey right to the heart of its principal architect's daily experience. Smote's fifth release for Rocket Recordings, and their deepest, most fully realised to date. Forged from repetition and mantric intensity and possessed of formidable psychic fortitude, this album prove that the only retro-chic Smote indulge in is liable to go back several centuries. The megalithic monomania of last year's A Grand Stream set a formidable precedent, and Smote's live shows in its wake have gradually built a reputation as visionary seers building audial monuments by cranked amplification and atmospheric intensity alike. Yet these five gnostic serenades offer portals and paradigms anew. Continuing Smote's exploratory mission into heaviness in all its forms. Songs From The Free House sees Foggin exploring a variety of new avenues. Therefore, whilst listeners might align the pantheistic forays into drone-based abandon with previous travellers like Earth and Om, the influence of folk songs and legends, as well as electronic music make their presence felt. "I've been listening to heavy electronic stuff like Puce Mary and The Body" adds Daniel, "Stereotypically guitars are often seen as the instrument for "heavy" music, but the sheer force that's available from electronics is something that will crumble most guitar centred music." Elsewhere a more melodic vocal based structure is writ large amidst these rites and revelations, particularly on The Linton Wyrm, which proceeds from devotional chant to a potent conclusion, also inspired by Foggin's everyday surroundings. Wrought from the earth, transposed to the ether, and now shared with the world at large, this album marks a transcendental journey where Smote render ancient and modern indivisible. Just as traditional music is passed down through generations, Songs from the Free House is where the primal collides with the eternal.

Having already toured the UK/EU supporting the likes of Gregory Porter, Jools Holland and The Teskey Brothers, alongside selling out multiple headline shows in the UK and EU (Ronnie Scotts in London, Unterfhart Jazz Club in Munich and Jassmine in Warsaw among others), she's also co-written with the likes of Caro Emerald, Ruby Turner and Roberta Campos, and broken through to new territories via national radio play-listing in The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France and Italy, as well as having strong radio support from BBC Radio 2, 6 and Jazz FM. Kat's third album 'What Happens Now' is a collection of timeless yet contemporary beautifully crafted songs with lyrics that cut to the core. Inspired by artists such as Emily King, Lake Street Dive and Raye, alongside legends Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin and Carole King that Kat grew up listening to, 'What Happens Now' is an amalgamation of her influences underpinned by her inimitable tone.

Toronto’s Ducks Ltd. (formerly Ducks Unlimited), the bright jangle-pop duo of Tom McGreevy (lead vocal, guitar, bass, keyboards) and Evan Lewis (guitar, bass, drum programming), accomplish the impossible. The pair craft songs that play to very specific inspirations without drowning underneath them—immediately evidenced on their critically acclaimed EP, Get Bleak, and sharpened on Modern Fiction, their debut LP. “The Servants, The Clean, The Chills, The Bats, Television Personalities, Felt,” Evan rattles off. “Look Blue Go Purple is one I reference a lot with our production.” Echoes of ‘80s indiepop abound, but they never overwhelm. This is not a nostalgic record, after all, nor is it a derivative one. Instead, across 10 cheery-sounding songs, Ducks Ltd. explore contemporary society in decline, examining large scale human disaster through personal turmoil (hence the title, taken from a university course called Gnosticism and Nihilism in Modern Fiction, influenced by Graham Greene novels. Bookish indie fans, look no further.)

Writing the album was intimate. Tom drafted the nucleus of a song on an unplugged electric guitar and brought it over to Evan’s apartment, where the pair sat in his bedroom, placing percussive beats from a drum machine under nascent melodies, passing a bass back and forth, adding organs and bridges where necessary. “It’s computer music trying extremely hard not to sound like computer music,” Tom jokes. Fearful that limited and expensive studio time would kneecap the project creatively, eroding their charming naivete, the pair re-recorded the album in a storage space owned by Evan’s boss. Ornamentation through collaboration followed: there’s Aaron Goldstein on Pedal Steel in the Go-Betweens’ “Cattle and Cane”-channeling interlude “Patience Wearing Thin,” Eliza Niemi on cello (“18 Cigarettes,” a song loosely inspired by a 1997 Oasis performance of “Don’t Go Away”), and backing harmonies from Carpark labelmates The Beths (on an ode to friendship at a distance, “How Lonely Are You?,” “Always There,” and on the sped-up Syd Barrett stylings of “Under The Rolling Moon.”) While in his native Australia due to covid-19, Evan worked closely with producer James Cecil (The Goon Sax, Architecture in Helsinki) on Modern Fiction’s finishing touches—at one point, in the mountains of the Macedon Ranges in Victoria, recorded a string quartet (featured on “Fit to Burst,” “Always There,” “Sullen Leering Hope,” “Twere Ever Thus,” “Grand Final Day.”)

It’s danceable, depressive fun, with some relief: in “Always There” and “Sullen Leering Hope,” Modern Fiction’s faithful heart. “There’s a tendency in my writing, because of my world view, to be very bleak.” Tom explains. “A quality I don’t always see in myself and really appreciate in others is the courage to go on.” And yet, the record manages resiliency—enough for pop fans to fall in love with.

That musical vision comes fully into focus on Gypsy Blue Revue, a collaborative project with acclaimed violinist, vocalist, and songwriter Anne Harris (Keb Mo & Taj Mahal, Otis Taylor, Cracker): a blend of songwriting styles and instrumental chops, set to a backdrop of Southern soul, roadhouse blues and rock, and eclectic folk music, recorded "all in one room, playing together. We just wanted it to sound like we do live."

A kickstart without brakes – straight into the heart of the German-speaking rock scene with performances at Rock am Ring, Rock im Park, Lollapalooza, and more. And all of this completely independently – without a label, without a booking agency, without a producer. Because wasting time was never on the agenda for the punk & alternative trio from Frankfurt since their very first performance in May 2023 at the Warsteiner Band Contest, which they won right away. If we ended the band description at this point, everything would sound perfect. But if you take a closer look at the dozen singles that Friends Don't Lie have released in just 18 months, you'll discover a second layer: vulnerable lyrics about self-doubt, fears, and big emotions. At the same time, it becomes clear that the band also takes a political stance. It's about discontent – against racism, resentment, selfishness – against all forms of hatred. Friends Don't Lie are thus becoming the voice of a generation, as we last saw with acts like Kraftklub and Casper. In May 2026, Uncle M Music will release their long-awaited debut album, Zenit der Dramaturgie. Ten German-language rock/punk songs that set the bar extremely high and bridge the gap between Donots and Kraftklub.

2026 Repress
A notoriously jaw-dropping folk-funk classic, long treasured by the Balearic fraternity, the self-titled LP from the brothers Batteau nevertheless remains a criminally underheard gem. Appealing to fans stuck on Ned Doheny's scorching blue-eyed soul as well as Gene Clark's rich country-rock, it's an honour to present the first officially licensed vinyl reissue of this undoubted masterpiece of proto-Yacht-Rock.

Like a forgotten piece of baroque folk caught in 1973, Batteaux's eponymous album somehow sounds magically timeless. A full 45 years after the fact, it remains a mystery as to why they weren't better known. The lush production and virtuoso playing conforms with the ruling aesthetic of the time - well-crafted, melodic songs performed with precision and balance - whilst the shimmering AOR atmosphere and sun-dappled vocal washes align neatly with the best Crosby, Stills & Nash records.

Throughout, the beautifully penned tracks hold traces of Jimmie Spheeris, America and Seals & Crofts. The immaculately orchestrated percussion and additional instrumentation (electric piano and fiddle to name a few) are performed by perennially celebrated West-Coast cats including Tom Scott, John Guerin and Andy Newmark.

It's no surprise that the heavenly "High Tide" is such a Balearic touchstone. A free soul aqua-space groover, its sophisticated rhythms predict the swing of CSN's canonical "Dark Star" by a full four years. An alternative measure of its enduring magnificence can be gauged by MF Doom sampling Paul Horn's wonderful version, subsequently used by Ghostface Killah.

The highlights are many and memorable. Gorgeous opener "Tell Her She's Lovely" is the perfect example of the addictive, melody-driven songwriting which really should have earned them stardom. Moody ballad "Living's Worth Loving" is nothing short of heartbreaking whilst the chugging elegance of "Wake Me In The Morning" showcases their bewitching harmonies. The hypnotic yearning of "Lady Of The Lake" is an exquisitely string-drenched, piano-laced favourite that achieves a peculiar strutting-funk. It's that good.

This lovingly curated reissue enables a long overdue reappraisal of the hitherto buried genius of Batteaux. The serene aqua artwork which adorned the original jacket - their father worked on a dolphin-human communication project in Hawaii, hence the infamous design - and sumptuous inner sleeve have been faithfully restored. Whilst, with access to the original tapes, Simon Francis' sensitive mastering elevates the sound throughout and, as ever, it has been pressed at a reassuringly weighty 180g.

The Bug Club sind mit einem neuen Album zurück. Seit ihrem letzten Album sind ganze sieben Monate vergangen. Wo waren sie denn? Every Single Muscle, das fünfte Album der Band, ist das dritte, das von Sub Pop, dem angesehenen Label des walisischen Duos aus Seattle, veröffentlicht wird. Seit Very Human Features, das im Juni 2025 rauskam, sind die Lieblinge von BBC 6 Music und KEXP auf ihrer Nonstop-Tour quer über den Atlantik geflitzt, wie sie es früher auf der Severn Bridge gemacht haben. Verschiedene Festivalauftritte im Sommer haben sie davon abgehalten, Urlaub zu machen - wer braucht schon Urlaub, wenn man in Wales lebt? - bis es Zeit war, wieder ins Songwriting-Studio zu gehen. Das ist wahrscheinlich immer noch ein Schlafzimmer in Caldicott, das von einem Windhund namens Ted frequentiert wird (aufgepasst - er taucht in einem der Songs auf). Die Songwriter Sam (Gitarre, Gesang) und Tilly (Bass, Gesang) sind immer bescheiden und behaupten sogar, dass sie während des Songs ,It's Our Manager David" nur ,herumsassen und nichts taten". Das ist eindeutig eine Lüge. Every Single Muscle startet mit ,Miss Wales 2012" voll durch und bezieht sich dabei auf einen Wettbewerb, den sowohl Tilly als auch Sam tatsächlich gewonnen haben. Es ist der erste von vielen Tracks auf dem Album, die weniger als zwei Minuten lang sind, und gibt den Ton für das bisher punkigste Album von The Bug Club an, das sowohl an die kurzen, knackigen Snaps ihrer allerersten Singles als auch an das Grunzen ihrer jüngsten Veröffentlichungen erinnert. Das Album ist so vollgepackt mit Riffs und eingängigen Hooks, dass Sam tatsächlich um Erlaubnis bittet, im zweiten Track ,A Good Day For Dying" ein Solo einbauen zu dürfen. Er bekommt zwei Sekunden Zeit. Glücklicherweise fragt Sam später noch einmal und bekommt mehr Zeit. Auf achtzehn Songs gibt's genug klassisches Gitarrenspiel von Sam und Tilly, um selbst die lautstärksten Bug Club-Fans zufrieden zu stellen und die Behauptung der Band, sie seien ,nur technisch versiert auf ihren Instrumenten", klar zu widerlegen. Dieses Album ist ein Beispiel für effizienten Maximalismus - so wie wenn dein Vater das Auto für den Urlaub vollpackt. Bring mit, was du willst; der Platz ist knapp, aber sie kriegen es irgendwie rein. Zu den Texten: Während ,Very Human Features" hervorragend alltägliche Dinge aufzeigte und ihre Absurdität hervorhob, schauen The Bug Club auf ,Every Single Muscle" genauer auf sich selbst. Allerdings nicht so sehr auf introspektive Weise, sondern eher so, wie ein Außerirdischer ein gefangenes Exemplar auf einer intergalaktischen Trage untersuchen würde. Horrorfilme haben ihr ,Body"-Subgenre, jetzt bekommen auch Garage-Rock-Alben ihres. In einem völlig neuen Sinne des Wortes selbstbezogen, wird die menschliche Form und Verfassung im Laufe des Albums aus jedem Blickwinkel beleuchtet und untersucht. Wir spüren eine surreale Distanz zum Selbst, die den allgegenwärtigen, von Langeweile geprägten Humor hervorbringt; im letzten Song verkündet Sam, dass er ,es satt hat, ein Mensch zu sein". The Bug Club scheinen dem Konzept, ein Mensch zu sein, fast misstrauisch gegenüberzustehen - als wären sie in einem Kostüm aufgewacht, das sie nicht anziehen wollten und nicht ausziehen können. Ist drei die magische Zahl? Wahrscheinlich nicht. Aber Every Single Muscle - das dritte Sub-Pop-Album von The Bug Club - kommt dieser Vorstellung nahe genug, um den durchschnittlichen seltsamen Menschen davon zu überzeugen, dass es so sein könnte.

Ten years ago, Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. planted his flag. Released on February 19, 2016, King of Memphis wasn't just a debut studio album; it was a bold declaration of independence and a flawless blueprint for self-made success. To celebrate a decade of this foundational Southern rap masterpiece, Paper Route Empire is honoring Young Dolph’s legacy with a series of exclusive, limited-edition 10th Anniversary vinyl variants.

Before King of Memphis, Dolph had already built a massive underground following through a relentless run of mixtapes. But this official debut elevated him from a local hero to a national powerhouse.

By bypassing the major label system and releasing the project entirely through his own Paper Route Empire (PRE), Dolph proved that undeniable talent, relentless hustle, and business savvy were all you needed to take the crown. The album peaked in the Top 50 of the Billboard 200, an incredible feat for a fiercely independent artist at the time, and cemented his status as a CEO who called his own shots.

King of Memphis is all killer, no filler. Over 11 tracks, Dolph's signature slow-flow delivery and larger-than-life charisma glide over heavy-hitting, trap-defining production from a legendary lineup of producers, including Mike WiLL Made-It, Zaytoven, TM88, and Cassius Jay.

With zero guest features, the project relies entirely on Dolph’s magnetic presence. From the motivational hustler's anthem "Get Paid" to the menacing confidence of "Let Me See It" and "Royalty," the album plays like a victory lap for a self-made king.

Der Ambient-Loafergaze-Soundtrack für interdimensionale Reisen. Zusammengestellt aus rauschenden Kassetten, die zwischen 1991 und 1995 auf vier Spuren aufgenommen wurden, erschien Lovesliescrushings zweites Album ,Xuvetyn" im Jahr 1996 und erlangte etwa 30 Jahre später den Glanz einer Legende. Diese Doppel-LP-Ausgabe befindet sich in einem Tip-On-Cover, illustriert mit den abstrakten Fotografien von Melissa Arpin und Scott Cortez, sowie einem Textblatt mit den Liedtexten in Elbisch und Englisch zum Mitlesen. ,Eine verwirrend schöne Wolke aus Neon-Drones und Stimmen von der anderen Seite. Musik, die Sie umhüllt, in der Sie verschwinden können." - Jefre Cantu-Ledesman

Philip Glass, the great American composer, was already in his mid-30s before his first album appeared, and then only because he produced the double LP himself. Music With Changing Parts was the inaugural release on his own Chatham Square imprint in 1971.

At this point, Einstein on the Beach, Glass' first opera, was still five years away. Yet in Changing Parts, one can already hear much of his vocabulary in full bloom: the buoyant arpeggios, the melding of electronic and acoustic instruments, the elongated drones of human voice, the primary emphasis on pulse (an interest he shared with fellow composer Steve Reich) and the ecstatic potential inherent in repetition.

The album features the original Philip Glass Ensemble – the composer himself, along with Jon Gibson, Dickie Landry, Art Murphy, Steve Chambers and Robert Prado – playing Farfisa organs and woodwinds as well as Barbara Benary on electric violin.

As Glass describes in his memoir Words Without Music, he secured a $500 interest-free loan for the recordings' initial release from the Hebrew Free Loan Society – an organization intended to help immigrants from the Old World upon arrival in the US. Though Glass was merely the grandson of immigrants, the venture wasn't far off the society's charter as Changing Parts helped usher in a new world of sound that would become known as Minimalism.

Chatham Square went on to release albums by other composers in Glass' circle, including Gibson and Landry. The label was named after the Manhattan intersection where Landry had a studio and the ensemble rehearsed.

Born in Baltimore in 1937, Glass first moved to New York to attend Juilliard at just nineteen, having already graduated from the University of Chicago. A staple of the Downtown scene, he can perhaps be appreciated as akin to the likes of sculptor Richard Serra or filmmaker Jim Jarmusch: mavericks who became major cultural figures entirely on their own terms.

This first-time vinyl reissue reproduces the original side-breaks and gatefold sleeve.

2023 Backstock

New album of one of the biggest Reggae/Dub french soundsystem starring MacGyver, Rooty Step & Pupajim (who worked with Alpha Steppa, Biga Ranx, High Tone, Mungo's Hi-Fi ...).

Since their inception at start of the 2000s, Stand High Patrol have rocked sound systems to their own riddim, assimilating and re-purposing the codes of the genre in their own unique style. From tiny bars in Brittany to huge festival stages, on independent radio or across national airwaves, the crew have quietly trod their own path, never compromising their core value of independence. Connoisseurs have long recognised Stand High’s credentials both as a dub group and a leading sound system, but they stand out from the crowd because of their ability to deliver the unexpected, whether live or on record. Their ability to draw such a diverse audience is testament to this atypical approach to making music.

In 2020, almost 20 years since their humble beginnings, the collective presents their fifth album, “Our Own Way”. As with their first two albums “Midnight Walkers” and “Matter Of Scale”, now considered as classics in their genre, this new opus asserts itself as the latest representation of the crew’s versatile approach to crafting sound. Their music, a blend of its own known as “Dubadub”, has always borrowed influences from multiple sources, and over the course of their career their roots in dub and reggae have intertwined with hip-hop, jazz, new wave, trip-hop and numerous other genres. The ‘Dubadub Musketeers’ have never ceased experimenting, forever seeking to increase the sonic territory they cover, day after day. Both live and recorded, they’ve made it a point of honour to never offer up the same thing twice. Any resemblance that “Our Own Way” might bear to those first two albums is a consequence of this obvious creative continuity, rather than of going “back to basics”.

In contrast to the last two Stand High Patrol records, the hip-hop inspired “The Shift”, or the Bristol indebted “Summer On Mars”, “Our Own Way” doesn’t have a unifying concept or theme. Rather than being limited to a single aesthetic, the LP pays respect to the entire canon of Jamaican music, all unified under Stand High’s inimitable production values. With the wealth of experience gained during the recording of their last two records, the collective decided to aim for a freer project, letting themselves be guided by their own music and their own instincts. The end result is a musical portrait of what Stand High Patrol is in the present moment.

The tracks that make up the new LP burst out of the studio, each born out of unbridled, impulsive creativity. Previously unheard compositions and specially re-tooled dub plates have been assembled into a tracklist that shifts and moves like a classic Dubadub Musketeer live set. Each step of the process has been refined by years of practice : composition, effects, and the final mix. Throughout “On Our Way”, the brutal dub stepper, though still a favourite for sound system sessions, is noticeable by its absence. Instead, it’s the full weight of the crew’s reggae heritage that’s expressed in the mix. It's not just the depth and weight of each tune that strikes the listener, but also the spaces heard between the notes that grab and hold their attention.. The sense of a trip, whether musical, internal or geographic, is omnipresent throughout the LP, linking each track to those before and after. “Our Own Way” finds Stand High Patrol exploring as usual, yet also narrating their journey as they’ve rarely done before.

As keyboard maestro James Taylor arrives at his 40th year leading his Quartet, he has re-signed with his original label Acid Jazz and is embarking on a series of the most radical projects he has ever worked on. Following his first classical album ‘Shadows and Dreams’ earlier this year, he brings the Quartet together for a remarkable new album. ‘Te Deum’ sets the ancient, 4th-entury Christian text to intense jazz, funk, and Latin grooves. The music sees the James Taylor Quartet working alongside the children of the Benenden Chapel Choir, and a guest horn section and legendary Acid Jazz percussionist Snowboy. Lead track ‘Have Mercy On Us’ mixes Brazilian samba with Gregorian chants, ‘The Comforter’ sounds like a Donald Byrd with voices Blue Note Records experiment, and last year’s radio favourite ‘Wildflower’ mixes bossa nova with sunshine pop harmonies and a positive message. The JTQ is on tour throughout the year - as he always is and will be worth catching live.

Re-Release auf clear, purple marbled Vinyl.

Personified, reinvigorated, and re-imagined!

Tech-metal outfit FALLUJAH expand horizons and solidify their position as one of America’s most exciting artists on their new album, Xenotaph, through Nuclear Blast. The Bay Area-based quintet’s confidence in the lineup that made their previous album, Empyrean (2022), such a resounding success—earning high marks from Metal Injection, New Noise, and Guitar World—has been reconfigured slightly, with guitarist Sam Mooradian (INHALE EXISTENCE, SAM MOORADIAN) and drummer Kevin Alexander (DISEMBODIED TYRANT. BROUGHT BY PAIN) bringing their jaw-dropping musical proficiency to the fold, as vocalist Kyle Schaefer, guitarist Scott Carstairs, and bassist Evan Brewer enter a new chapter with FALLUJAH. Moored by singles ‘Kaleidoscopic Waves,’ ‘Labyrinth of Stone,’ and ‘Step Through the Portal and Breathe,’ Xenotaph is FALLUJAH personified, reinvigorated, and re-imagined.
As a details-oriented record Xenotaph benefits from moments of low tension, atmospheric delight, and Schaefer’s winged clean vocals. This
dynamic isn’t particularly new to Fallujah, but the group spent considerable time honing what each song needed—from blast-laden speed runs and jazz-fusion solos to vocal restraint and brutality—which resulted in a brighter, more exhilarating experience. Musically, it truly feels like the listener is embroiled in the album’s sci-fi concept and Peter Mohrbacher’s stunning cosmogonic cover art, which is aesthetically in line with his previous covers (Dreamless and Empyrean) for FALLUJAH. Close encounters with ‘Step Through the Portal and Breathe’, ‘Labyrinth of Stone,’ and ‘Kaleidoscopic Waves’ spark wonder and stimulate the soul.

What"s new for the first time in over a decade? Squirrel Bait"s self-titled 12" EP and Skag Heaven in the black. In "85-"87, their screamin" teenage psycho dilemmas stood way out in the emerging field of metal damaged hardcore punk. "Kid Dynamite" would ring in your head like a #1 single that had just unseated "Sun God" from the vaunted top spot. Every week. Anthems for the freaks! It happened fast. After a couple of records, guitarists David Grubbs and Brian McMahan split for Bastro and Slint (and Gastr del Sol and The For Carnation, respectively) With Grubbs went bassist Clark Johnson, original Bait batterie mate Britt Walford joined McMahan in Slint. Leaving only the stuff of legend: records eternally exploding with youthful feels through all the endless winters and summers of hearts and minds. Repressed, Squirrel Bait can now continue to dialogue with the young in the creation of new useful and unforgettable experiences. For the children of tomorrow as well as your own damn selves, get copies now.

What"s new for the first time in over a decade? Squirrel Bait"s self-titled 12" EP and Skag Heaven in the black. In "85-"87, their screamin" teenage psycho dilemmas stood way out in the emerging field of metal damaged hardcore punk. "Kid Dynamite" would ring in your head like a #1 single that had just unseated "Sun God" from the vaunted top spot. Every week. Anthems for the freaks! It happened fast. After a couple of records, guitarists David Grubbs and Brian McMahan split for Bastro and Slint (and Gastr del Sol and The For Carnation, respectively) With Grubbs went bassist Clark Johnson, original Bait batterie mate Britt Walford joined McMahan in Slint. Leaving only the stuff of legend: records eternally exploding with youthful feels through all the endless winters and summers of hearts and minds. Repressed, Squirrel Bait can now continue to dialogue with the young in the creation of new useful and unforgettable experiences. For the children of tomorrow as well as your own damn selves, get copies now.

Celebrating three decades of geek-rock history, Nerf Herder returns with Nerf Herder redux, an acoustic reimagining of their seminal 1996 self-titled debut originally released on Arista Records. Produced by the legendary Joey Cape (Lagwagon), this 30th-anniversary collection breathes new life into fan favorites, featuring stripped-back versions of the hit single "Van Halen" and the streaming powerhouse "Sorry." With a tracklistbolstered by refreshed takes on "Golfshirt," "Diana," and "Nosering Girl," the album serves as both a nostalgic deep-dive for longtime fans and a fresh entry point for the band's massive digital audience. Nerf Herder's enduring cultural footprint_from composing the iconic Buffy the Vampire Slayer theme to lead singer Parry Gripp's Emmy-winning career and 2 million YouTube subscribers_ensures a multi-generational appeal. Having shared stages with titans like Weezer, Circle Jerks, and Reel Big Fish, the band maintains a loyal, active fanbase. This release arrives ahead on their European 30th Anniversary Tour in late May and early June.

ounded in 1992 by the larger than life, Scottish punk-rock poet laureate, Mr Paul McKenzie, this merry band of miscreants has spent more than three decades circumnavigating the globe to bring the McKenzies gospel to an ever-expanding throng of rebels, scallywags and ne'er do wells. There's not many bands that can boast of a 30+ year career as staggeringly adventurous, wildly tempestuous and utterly death-defying as The Real McKenzies. It would be a serious mistake to write them off as just another Celtic punk band (they’ve been around longer than the Dropkick Murphys after all). They are an unstoppable juggernaut of touring mayhem. A ferocious troupe of insanely talented minstrels, storytellers and entertainers melding traditional acoustic and electric instruments to create a sound like no other. Their list of accolades is long. From sharing the stage with the likes of NOFX, Rancid, Flogging Molly, Metallica and Shane McGowan to appearing in film, books and video games to early releases with the almighty Fat Wreck Chords, their legendary status only continues to grow. On Yer Bike is an absolute beast of an album. A newly revitalized and laser-focused Paul McKenzie has never sounded better and his longtime bandmates have never been tighter. Boasting thirteen epic tracks, including the Sawney Bean trilogy (a trio of songs about Scotland's most infamous cannibal highwayman), the songs rage across topics including but not limited to love, literacy, historical sagas, eating sardines with your mother and, of course, cannibalism. Soaring bagpipes, heart pounding percussion and ultra melodic shoutalong Celtic punk rock are the orders of the day and are delivered piping hot from one of the most respected and adored pioneers of the genre.

Underneath his mysterious metal mask, MF DOOM hides the cachet underground legends are made of. After his first group KMD’s sophomore album Black Bastards was shelved by Elektra in 1994, and his blood brother Subroc — one half of the sibling rap duo — passed away, surviving frontman Zev Love X slowly mutated into the supervillain MC known as MF DOOM, and the rap world is better for it.

The 1999 release of Operation: Doomsday marked MF DOOM’s official debut, reintroducing a mysterious figure who would soon become one of underground rap’s greatest voices. Within its 19 tracks, Operation: Doomsday reveals the confluence of DOOM’s tragic past, personal interests and daring creativity. His clever rhymes and remarkable schemes stood out against the landscape, and every sound he touched — from cartoon theme songs, to ‘80s soul, to rap classics and more — got reinterpreted into something brand new and surreal.

Decades later, MF DOOM is still celebrated for all facets of his work and influence. In the face of tragedy, DOOM re-infiltrated the rap game on his own terms, and crafted an instant cult classic. Operation: Doomsday stands as a testament to the power of betting on yourself against all odds.

Reissued! Transcendence through repetition beamed via an aesthetic vision steeped in mystery: welcome to the world of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne's Smote, an entity opening up uncanny new psychic pathways. `Genog' - the outfit's second release on Rocket Recordings following 2021's eerie transmission `Drommon' - shows that Smote's elliptical casting of bleak magick is only growing more powerful as it gathers momentum. The brainchild of Daniel Foggin, Smote has evolved seemingly of its own volition. "I had the idea for years" he relates, "I love Pärson Sound, Träd, Gräs Och Stenar, Traditional Irish Folk and all sorts of different Drone and Folk music. It was simply finding the opportunity to sit down and get recording. A very heavy influence that affects Smote is fantasy as a genre, and the atmosphere that can be created via story-telling." The musical approach of Smote may have started out as a resolutely DIY one, yet from the humble origins of bedroom and rehearsal room recordings, the band has now become a full-fledged and powerful live band, whose appearances at festivals like Roadburn, Le Guess Who and Brave Exhibitions have already caused a considerable stir.The five vivid extrapolations on Genog conjure differing spiritual realms, yet combine and coalesce to offer one unified vision, building furious momentum in a manner that unites the pastoral with the arcane and otherworldy. Earthy, ritualistic and richly cinematic in aspect, Genog is an avatar guiding the listener to dark and beguiling imaginary landscapes. 2026 bone colour vinyl repress

The epitome of a modern artist, Jana Bahrich does most things herself, no matter how painstaking - writing, producing, directing, often hand painting t-shirts the day of shows when the band have run out of merch. This has helped give her band Francis of Delirium a unique identity, with her rock confessionals breathing a new life in to the genre and her paintings creating a striking design aesthetic. Released as she was finishing high school, 2020’s single 'Quit Fucking Around’ was a great introduction and it remains one of her most enduring songs.

Shortly after it’s release, she signed to artist-first indie Dalliance Recordings (Gia Margaret, HighSchool, lilo) and three EPs - All Change (2020), Wading (2021), The Funhouse (2022) and a striking debut album - Lighthouse (2024) - on and Jana has Francis of Delirium flying. While the EP’s fizzed with promise, her debut album Lighthouse landed its punches. Seeking a more vulnerable and open sonic palette, she wove in pop elements to create anthems that celebrated heartbreak and love. Lead singles ‘Real Love’ and ‘First Touch’ were the first tracks she made with an outsider - working with GRAMMY winning producer Catherine Marks (boygenius, The Killers, Wolf Alice) - while the rest of the album was produced by Jana herself and day one collaborator Chris Hewett. The critics were impressed too - “Bahrich’s choruses, almost every one, are lumpin-your-throat gorgeous.” NME; “Jana Bahrich seems too young for this tremendous debut’s ambitious anthems.” Uncut; “A rewarding experience that captures a talented, young artist at the crossroads between adolescence and adulthood." Paste. Live, Francis of Delirium are Jana (guitar and vocals), Jeff Hennico (bass) and Denis Schumacher (drums). Together, their brilliant quiet-loud dynamic and tight interplay only elevate her songs and over the last 5 years, they’ve toured across Europe and North America, playing headline shows, festivals and tours with the likes of Blondshell, Briston Maroney, The Districts, Horsegirl and Soccer Mommy. They’ve also supported The 1975, Alanis Morissette, DIIV and Wolf Alice.

Last summer saw a memorable UK tour with Bôa, the 90s band resurrected by a huge TikTok moment for their track ‘Duvet’. There was a real sense of excitement for these shows with young crowds snaking outside every venue hours before doors and bringing the sort of energy Jana thrives on, she road tested new material to an overwhelmingly positive response, giving her the impetus to go and finish album two. An artist who seeks to connect with her listener on a deeper level, it’s no surprise then that she’s made hope and inner strength central themes on her new album, Run, Run Pure Beauty. Jana says the title track is “an imagining of the world after it has been destroyed by humans and technology. Thrashing against what humans have left behind, ultimately the pure beauty of nature wins out.”

Wanting to bring different perspectives into her songwriting with this record - informed by both her travels and the tumultuous times we find ourselves in - she’s also brought about a progression in her sound with these new songs somehow sounding larger, with undeniable harmonies and more orchestration. Featuring the singles ‘Little Black Dress’ and ‘It’s a Beautiful Life’, Run, Run Pure Beauty serves as an excavation of hope in bleak times. Produced by Jana and Chris, and mixed by Nicolas Vernhes (Deerhunter, Dirty Projectors, Silver Jews, Wild Nothing), its eleven songs of discovery, despair and perseverance ultimately serve as a mirror on its creator and is a brilliant next installment in the Francis of Delirium arc.

Obsidian rock is igneous, frequently dark, yet opaque. Hard edged and brittle, it’s often been used both for weaponry and alchemical pursuits. Therefore when Lorena Quintanilla – the Mexican-based artist from the group ‘Lorelle Meets The Obsolete’ and also known as J. Zunz – was searching for psychic inspiration for her next musical venture, she need have looked no further. “Once I chose the title, everything I read, saw, listened to, and thought about began to interconnect” she relates. “Obsidian became like a magnetic field.”
“In Mesoamerican cultures, it was used in many different ways – obsidian mirrors, for example, were tools for divination and spiritual vision". Thereafter, Lorena set about creating an album entirely on her own terms. Driven by both the ghost and the heart of the machine, ‘Obsidiana’ open up a portal whereby forbidding drone, ethereal ambience and insistent repetition intertwine elegantly to form a seamless whole.
A study in balance, its emotional charge remains strong and intact whether on the eerie, almost Radiophonic ambience of ‘Imago’ or the dancefloor-adjacent, Chris & Cosey-esque ‘Osiris’. Lyrically meanwhile, ‘Obsidiana’ intersects deep personal explorations with the conflicts and contradictions of life in the unforgiving realm of 2026 – as Lorena says; “he process behind ‘Obsidiana’ was very abstract, yet I wanted the lyrics to stay grounded in the present and in reality".
Ultimately however, ‘Obsidiana’, in all its sharp yet amorphous glory, is catharsis manifest. “Each song carries a clear and deliberate intention” Lorena emphasises. “To conjure, to exorcise, to strip away fear, to rediscover myself, to heal inherited sadness, and to reclaim the night that was taken from us.”

The Spice of Life, released in November 1969, stands as Marlena Shaw's second--and final--studio album for Cadet Records, produced and arranged by the renowned Richard Evans and Charles Stepney. From the opening, Shaw's voice--both playful and powerful--cuts through the lush yet tight-knit arrangements, weaving together a vibrant tapestry of soul, proto-funk, jazz, gospel, and blues. The album features two defining classics: her deeply resonant original of 'Woman of the Ghetto' and a signature take on Ashford & Simpson's 'California Soul', both staples in sampling culture (you'll probably find that you're more familiar with Shaw's material than you thought.) Evans and Stepney's arrangements are far from mere support--they're panoramic and inventive. You'll hear kalimba flourishes, psych-tinged guitar accents, and bongo-fueled organ textures that elevate each track, keeping the atmosphere rich but never overwhelming. Moments like the Bacharach-styled 'Looking Through the Eyes of Love' or the dramatic flair of 'Stormy Monday' showcase their widescreen sensibility and Shaw's versatility. Beneath its musical elegance, "The Spice of Life" carries a weighty current of social commentary. Tracks such as 'Woman of the Ghetto' and the succinct, fierce 'Liberation Conversation' bring political and feminist themes into a soulful, expressive framework--adding unexpected depth to the sophisticated sonic palette. This album offers an immersive journey through soul-jazz mastery, one that rewarded listeners with sampling gold for decades to come. Reissue on 180g vinyl.

Drumcode returns with its flagship A-Sides series, featuring an exciting mix of established heavy-hitters, alongside a slew of new faces set to make their mark on the genre.

V4 features big names like DC regular Oliver Huntemann, Bulgarian DJ and producer known for his energetic techno-trance style JackRock on the flip we have DC Radio regular Alex Stein and rounding off with new Romanian artist Tao Andra, who shares the celestial ‘Unity’.

Ten years ago, Anderson .Paak didn't just release an album; he staged a full-scale takeover of the soul and hip-hop landscape. Released on January 15, 2016, Malibu served as the definitive arrival of an artist who had spent years grinding in the underground before a star-making turn on Dr. Dre’s Compton. While his previous work hinted at his potential, Malibu was the moment the world met the "Cheeky Andy" persona in full—a virtuosic drummer, a raspy-voiced crooner, and a sharp-witted rapper all rolled into one. The album is a sprawling, sun-drenched journey through the Southern California coast, blending 1970s funk, church-reared gospel, and gritty boom-bap into something that feels both nostalgic and entirely futuristic. With a heavyweight production lineup including 9th Wonder, Madlib, Kaytranada, and Hi-Tek, the record maintains a warm, analog texture that was a breath of fresh air in an increasingly digital era. It’s an album that breathes, full of intentional imperfections and the kind of "in-the-pocket" groove that can only come from a seasoned live performer. Beyond the infectious, dance-floor-ready energy of tracks like "Am I Wrong" and "Come Down," the album is a deeply autobiographical masterwork. .Paak uses the 65-minute runtime to unpack his life story with startling clarity, touching on his mother’s gambling addiction, his father’s incarceration, and his own brushes with homelessness with a sense of resilience that never feels heavy-handed. He weaves these heavy themes through a lens of triumph, grounded by vintage surfing documentary samples that give the project its cinematic, coastal atmosphere. It’s a celebratory record born out of struggle, anchored by his impeccable technicality on the drums and a guest list—featuring ScHoolboy Q, Rapsody, and The Game—that feels hand-picked to complement his specific brand of West Coast swagger. A decade later, Malibu stands as a modern classic and the blueprint for the soulful revivalism that would eventually lead .Paak to global superstardom and Grammy-winning heights. It remains a testament to the idea that the most profound music often comes from the most personal places, proving ten years on that the best way to move forward is to stay rooted in the groove.

Boogie Vice & N-You-Up Return to Definitive Recordings with 'Decadisco EP'

Definitive Recordings continues its run of forward-thinking house releases with DEF2603, the new four-track 'Decadisco EP' from Boogie Vice and N-You-Up. Following their 2025 collaboration 'Come On Closer', the duo returns to the label with a fresh collection of groove-driven club tools that balance modern energy with classic house foundations. Recent releases on sister label Get Physical Music further underline the duo's strong creative momentum.

Boogie Vice is a French DJ and producer known for his groove-led house sound that blends funk, soul, and percussive club energy. With releases on labels such as Get Physical, Rekids, and Definitive Recordings, he has built a reputation for warm, dancefloor-focused productions supported by tastemakers worldwide. Now based in Cape Town, Boogie Vice has expanded his creative work into film scoring and executive production, adding new depth to his already rich musical palette.

N-You-Up, Southern France native Nick, brings decades of DJ experience and a deep-rooted love for jazz, funk, and disco. Formerly known as The Beatangers, he now channels those influences into a refined house fusion under his N-You-Up alias. Alongside Boogie Vice, his collaborative releases have appeared on labels such as Nervous Records and Get Physical Music, with their joint productions receiving support from key artists including Solomun, Dennis Ferrer, Jamie Jones, Pete Tong, Laurent Garnier, Radio Slave or Mita Gami, firmly establishing the duo as a reliable source of dancefloor-ready house music.

The EP opens with 'Game Concept', a driving house cut built on percussive drums, a rolling classic house bassline, and catchy vocal samples. Dreamy, deep synth chords float above the groove, creating a hypnotic yet energetic opener. 'Wurkin Like Dat' follows with a disco-infused house vibe, stacking groove upon groove as vocal snippets and disco elements take center stage, delivering pure dancefloor momentum. Rounding out the EP are two DJ-focused versions of 'Wurkin Like Dat'. The Invasion Tool strips the track back into a flexible club weapon, while the Drumapella isolates the rhythm and percussion, offering maximum versatility for creative mixing.

With 'Decadisco EP', Boogie Vice and N-You-Up once again showcase Definitive Recordings' ability to deliver modern house weapons that honor the genre's past while pushing the sound firmly forward.

2ND LP PRESSING

Cosmic Ear is a new group bringing together Christer Bothén, Mats Gustafsson, Goran Kajfeš, Kansan Zetterberg and Juan Romero. Their debut album TRACES is released by We Jazz Records on 23rd of May, 2025. Including 6 deep cuts, TRACES is an album that sees Cosmic Ear tracking down the "traces" of the legendary Don Cherry's legacy while paving their own way in contemporary creative music expression.

Christer Bothén, a collaborator with Don Cherry during his Swedish period in the 1970s, brings depth to the history of the band, while his bandmates each belong at the top of the game in Scandinavian jazz. Their music is meditative and deep, much recommended for fans of the likes of Don Cherry, Alice Coltrane, and Pharoah. That being said, listeners should approach Cosmic Ear only with openness and curiosity, without set stylistic boundaries, as it's the group's natural flow and togetherness that brings their music into a fresh territory of their own.

As John Corbett writes in his liner notes:

"The Cosmic Ear. Five souls, sometimes six, on the same road. The pied piper path of Mr. Cherry. Christer Bothén, one of Cherry's main collaborators in his Swedish period and one of the most beautiful bass clarinetists on planet earth, together with next-gen saxophonist Mats Gustafsson, who has carried so many torches in Cherry's procession, and younger Swedish stars trumpeter Goran Kajfes, bassist Kansan Zetterberg, and percussionist Juan Romero. Together a tempo is set, a path is charted. There are global grooves. A berimbau, a karignan (metal scraper from Guinea), donso n'goni. There are ET grooves. Synth, live-electronics, slide flute. The globe is a glove, a hand warmer that radiates with extraterrestrial power, returning the fingers to their place at the center of the galaxy; the Cherry path is a balm that restores essential moisture to the lips that blow life back into the megacosm. Let us all praise warm fingers and moist mouths."

Surrrealism label boss EdOne returns to HABITAT with the ‘Show Me Love’ EP, following the release of his track ‘Madness Diary’ on the ‘METAFLORA III’ compilation in April 2025. Dropping on 26th February,
‘Show Me Love’ is a striking four-track EP that captures the full emotional range of his meticulously crafted sound. With multiple top ten Beatport chartings and releases on respected imprints such as Innervisions, Bedrock, Global Underground, and Renaissance, EdOne now brings his signature intensity, tension, and melodic precision into one of his most complete and expressive works to date, with the package featuring a collaboration from Rotterdam’s Beswerda.

Title track ‘Show Me Love’ opens the EP, delivering a backbeat-driven, clap-heavy groove, with soothing maracas, sundrenched synths, and warm pads creating an inviting, melodic house cut. ‘DTS’ serves as a moodier counterpart; its thudding bassline, rattling central synthline, and atmospheric low-end strings build a deep, cinematic tension. On the flip side, ‘The Next Men’ leans into EdOne’s progressive, hypnotic sound, featuring preaching vocals, minor-key progressions, and steadily building emotional weight. Closing with ‘Lahn’ , EdOne and Dutch mainstay Beswerda descend into a raw aesthetic, blending industrial grit with dub-like textures for a brooding final statement.

Arriving at a defining point in his rapidly rising career, Webb delivers the next chapter with the momentum of a musician whose audience and reputation are expanding quickly. National television appearances on Later... with Jools Holland and the Jools' Annual Hootenanny introduced his explosive piano style to millions, while collaborations with RAYE and performances alongside Wynton Marsalis mark Joe Webb as one of the most compelling emerging voices in British jazz. At the centre of Neath Beat is Webb's distinctive piano language - the rhythmic drive of stride, the melodic instinct of Britpop, and the storytelling shaped by the music he absorbed growing up in South Wales. His trio playing carries the lineage of pianists such as Oscar Peterson and Duke Ellington, channelled through the songwriting culture of bands like Oasis. The result is music that feels urgent, melodic and unmistakably personal - a pianist pushing forward with imagination, clarity and the confidence of an artist whose story is gaining real momentum.

Falls Sie Lowertown - die faszinierende Band bestehend aus Olivia Osby und Avsha Weinberg - noch nicht kennen, ist jetzt der ideale Zeitpunkt dafür dies zu ändern. Es hat einige Jahre gedauert, bis das in New York ansässige Duo wieder zu Atem gekommen ist: Nachdem die Band aufgrund von Streitigkeiten mit ihrem Label, kreativen Frustrationen und einer ungesunden Bindung an ihre künstlerische Partnerschaft jahrelang am Rande des Zusammenbruchs stand, war es Zeit für einen Neuanfang. Ihr neues Album ,Ugly Duckling Union" beginnt mit einem gelassenen Ausatmen von Osby, einem symbolischen Moment, der die Bühne für ihre bisher nachdenklichste, ungehemmteste, eingängigste und exzentrischste Sammlung von Songs bereitet. ,Ugly Duckling Union" ist ein Konzeptalbum, das auf den eigenen Erfahrungen der Band basiert, durch ihre Musik eine Gemeinschaft zu schaffen. Der Protagonist Dale und seine Gefährten schließen sich zusammen, um LBH zu besiegen, ein tyrannisches Medienunternehmen, das in seinem Streben nach Kontrolle auf Spaltung und Isolation setzt. Das Album enthält ein Handbuch mit Überlieferungen und illustrierten Comics von Doctor Nowhere (Silias Orion). Darüber hinaus können Fans mit Plüschpuppen und einer spielbaren Minecraft-Welt, die von ,Ugly Duckling Union" inspiriert ist, noch tiefer in die Materie eintauchen. Inspiriert von der konzeptionellen Kreativität von Bands wie Gorillaz und der Betonung des gemeinschaftlichen Konzerterlebnisses von Fugazi, verbindet Lowertown Online- und Offline-Fandoms zu einem umfassenden Erlebnis.,Ugly Duckling Union" wurde vollständig von Osby und Weinberg geschrieben, aufgenommen, produziert und gemischt. Obwohl Lowertown die alleinigen Hüter ihrer Kunst sind, ist der Titel ihres neuen Albums eine Hommage an die bedeutungsvolle Gemeinschaft, die sie aufgebaut haben.

Falls Sie Lowertown - die faszinierende Band bestehend aus Olivia Osby und Avsha Weinberg - noch nicht kennen, ist jetzt der ideale Zeitpunkt dafür dies zu ändern. Es hat einige Jahre gedauert, bis das in New York ansässige Duo wieder zu Atem gekommen ist: Nachdem die Band aufgrund von Streitigkeiten mit ihrem Label, kreativen Frustrationen und einer ungesunden Bindung an ihre künstlerische Partnerschaft jahrelang am Rande des Zusammenbruchs stand, war es Zeit für einen Neuanfang. Ihr neues Album ,Ugly Duckling Union" beginnt mit einem gelassenen Ausatmen von Osby, einem symbolischen Moment, der die Bühne für ihre bisher nachdenklichste, ungehemmteste, eingängigste und exzentrischste Sammlung von Songs bereitet. ,Ugly Duckling Union" ist ein Konzeptalbum, das auf den eigenen Erfahrungen der Band basiert, durch ihre Musik eine Gemeinschaft zu schaffen. Der Protagonist Dale und seine Gefährten schließen sich zusammen, um LBH zu besiegen, ein tyrannisches Medienunternehmen, das in seinem Streben nach Kontrolle auf Spaltung und Isolation setzt. Das Album enthält ein Handbuch mit Überlieferungen und illustrierten Comics von Doctor Nowhere (Silias Orion). Darüber hinaus können Fans mit Plüschpuppen und einer spielbaren Minecraft-Welt, die von ,Ugly Duckling Union" inspiriert ist, noch tiefer in die Materie eintauchen. Inspiriert von der konzeptionellen Kreativität von Bands wie Gorillaz und der Betonung des gemeinschaftlichen Konzerterlebnisses von Fugazi, verbindet Lowertown Online- und Offline-Fandoms zu einem umfassenden Erlebnis.,Ugly Duckling Union" wurde vollständig von Osby und Weinberg geschrieben, aufgenommen, produziert und gemischt. Obwohl Lowertown die alleinigen Hüter ihrer Kunst sind, ist der Titel ihres neuen Albums eine Hommage an die bedeutungsvolle Gemeinschaft, die sie aufgebaut haben.

Falls Sie Lowertown - die faszinierende Band bestehend aus Olivia Osby und Avsha Weinberg - noch nicht kennen, ist jetzt der ideale Zeitpunkt dafür dies zu ändern. Es hat einige Jahre gedauert, bis das in New York ansässige Duo wieder zu Atem gekommen ist: Nachdem die Band aufgrund von Streitigkeiten mit ihrem Label, kreativen Frustrationen und einer ungesunden Bindung an ihre künstlerische Partnerschaft jahrelang am Rande des Zusammenbruchs stand, war es Zeit für einen Neuanfang. Ihr neues Album ,Ugly Duckling Union" beginnt mit einem gelassenen Ausatmen von Osby, einem symbolischen Moment, der die Bühne für ihre bisher nachdenklichste, ungehemmteste, eingängigste und exzentrischste Sammlung von Songs bereitet. ,Ugly Duckling Union" ist ein Konzeptalbum, das auf den eigenen Erfahrungen der Band basiert, durch ihre Musik eine Gemeinschaft zu schaffen. Der Protagonist Dale und seine Gefährten schließen sich zusammen, um LBH zu besiegen, ein tyrannisches Medienunternehmen, das in seinem Streben nach Kontrolle auf Spaltung und Isolation setzt. Das Album enthält ein Handbuch mit Überlieferungen und illustrierten Comics von Doctor Nowhere (Silias Orion). Darüber hinaus können Fans mit Plüschpuppen und einer spielbaren Minecraft-Welt, die von ,Ugly Duckling Union" inspiriert ist, noch tiefer in die Materie eintauchen. Inspiriert von der konzeptionellen Kreativität von Bands wie Gorillaz und der Betonung des gemeinschaftlichen Konzerterlebnisses von Fugazi, verbindet Lowertown Online- und Offline-Fandoms zu einem umfassenden Erlebnis.,Ugly Duckling Union" wurde vollständig von Osby und Weinberg geschrieben, aufgenommen, produziert und gemischt. Obwohl Lowertown die alleinigen Hüter ihrer Kunst sind, ist der Titel ihres neuen Albums eine Hommage an die bedeutungsvolle Gemeinschaft, die sie aufgebaut haben.

Marvin Gaye always dreamed of being a smooth crooner, “sitting on a stool, possibly behind a piano,” delivering velvety songs like Nat King Cole. But Motown had other plans. Pushed between raw R&B and polished pop, Gaye fought to find his own voice, eventually rising to become one of the greatest soul singers in history.

Motown Records released the first Marvin Gaye record in 1961 "(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over", a single intended for (radio) promotion from the singer's debut album. This was followed up by the officially released "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide" a week later. Gaye scored his first real hit with "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" in 1962, which he had co-written himself, joking about his alleged stubbornness. He found his own unique style with the single released at the end of the year: "Hitch Hike". The foundations were now laid for an enormous series of chart successes: "Pride And Joy", "Can I Get A Witness", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and "Ain't That Peculiar" are all Motown classics from 1963-1965 which are still being regularly played today after all these years. The duets he recorded with Kim Weston ("It Takes Two"), especially Tammi Terrell and Diana Ross were certainly at least as good.

He scored his biggest ever hit with "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" in 1968. "What's Going On" from the same titled album became a number 1 hit in the USA. The album was received as a masterpiece and is regarded as one of the most important records in pop history. In 1973, the artistically and commercially very successful, "Let's Get It On" album was mainly a musical ode to Marvin's love for his new muse Janis Hunter. His journey continued after a turbulent relationship, addiction and a dramatic creative rebirth in Belgium, where he crafted the global hit “Sexual Healing in 1982.

Marvin Gaye left behind timeless hits, groundbreaking albums, and a legacy that shaped the sound of modern soul. His story, from ambition to artistry, from struggle to brilliance, remains as powerful as the music he created.

Music On Vinyl proudly presents a special coloured vinyl edition of the Marvin Gaye Collected album which is available as a limited edition of 10.000 individually numbered copies on white (LP1) and silver coloured vinyl (LP2) and includes a booklet with liner notes.

DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS in conspiracy with DE PANKRAKER RECORDS is proud to present SHEWOLFF’s highly anticipated debut mini-album, We’re All Gonna Fukking Die, on CD and 12” vinyl formats. Hailing from Belgium, SHEWOLFF emerged from the underground as a solo-project of K. Von Shewolff, which eventually formed into the solid three-piece band it is today. They find their origins in raw, punk-driven blackness galore, faithfully returning to the old-school spirit of making music by modest and primitive means. A five-song digital-only demo was released in 2023 - songs which contain absolute fury towards the known and long-overdue established order, existential live-or-die sentiment, and a small tribute paid to the old-school believers who came before them. Now, SHEWOLFF blend all that together on the debut mini-album We’re All Gonna Fukking Die.

With six new tracks pushing towards a final and inevitable end, this bleakly titled record is actually invigorating and inspiring: railing against the dying of the light with a paradoxically dark metalpunk sound, familiar in its stomping swagger but exuding cantankerous charisma that’s all their own. The aesthetic signposts are planted firmly in the ground – think Hellhammer, pre-Viking Bathory, Darkthrone’s record-nerd era, early Midnight, the almighty Venom, or even labelmates like KARLOFF, HELLCRASH, and Germany’s LUCIFUGE – but SHEWOLFF manage to stir some diabolical little twists into the bubbling brew, with K. Von Shewolff’s vocals in particular imparting a femininity that’s fierce, frightening, and fucking going for the throat.

For decades, Dan Penn’s mid 60s Muscle Shoals demos were the Holy Grail among southern soul fans, feted by the likes of Rick Hall and Jerry Wexler as being better than the hit versions. When they finally became accessible to all, 40-plus years after they were recorded, they turned out to be just as good as had been stated.

Further acclaim awaits the recent discovery by Soul-4-Real of two more demo masterpieces, written and performed by Dan and Spooner Oldham while working in Memphis at American Studio in 1967-68. The tape box shows who they were intended for, and it’s a real shame that James Carr never recorded either as both would have been perfect for him. At least we got to hear fine versions of “Cheaters Never Win” from Tony Borders and Bobby Boseman in due course. The lovely “I’m Believing In You” seems to exist only in the version you hear here.

New ‘old’ music from Dan is always worth hearing and having. These wonderful performances are no exception…

This reissue marks the creation of Silver Apples Foundation, which is both a non profit organisation and new imprint whose mission is to honour the legacy wishes of Simeon Coxe to preserve the memory of Silver Apples by promoting electronic music and the setting up of an electronic music scholarship fund. This release will be followed later in the year with the long awaited Silver Apples biography, ‘Electronic Evocations', by music journalist and writer Kris Needs. This version of Oscillations was the last ever recording by Simeon at his ChickenCoop studio in Fairhope Alabama in 2019 and captures how he liked to play it live. Backed with the late Andrew Weatherall's remix of The Edge of Wonder, taken from Silver Apples last ever album Clinging to a Dream. The sleeve art features an Oscillator drawn by Simeon in 2014, while the back cover uses the original Silver Apples logo. But to make this release extra special it comes with a Silver Apples slipmat, featuring the iconic Apples logo

2025 Repress

“We created a holiday inside our heads.”

A Deeper Life, Chaos In The CBD’s debut album over 10 years in the making, is nostalgic for the duo’s nature-filled youth, exploring the magical coastline and lush rainforest of New Zealand. “The title refers to our childhood, which was idyllic,” says Ben. “It was just the sun, the sand, the sea, waterfalls, birds and fish…” The album’s blissful setting is also depicted on the album cover: a painting, by a childhood friend, of the beach where they grew up in Devonport.

A Deeper Life whirls that profound love of house music and wide-ranging influences – from Brazilian to R&B, ambient to Italo to deep house and downtempo pop – into a serene, cohesive whole with their signature finesse. The result is an international dance sound that feels unmistakably like Chaos and ebbs and flows from the beach party to the club to the afterhours.

On the album they’ve teamed up with a number of US legends and married their vocals with the UK underground: Josh Milan of house pioneers Blaze brings his soulful vocals to the bossa nova beats of ‘I Wanna Tell Somebody,’ a future jazz-dance anthem. Unheralded Chicago house hero and Larry Heard collaborator Lee Pearson Jr. goes deep over ‘More Time’s broken beat flex. And on ‘Maintaining My Peace’, the brothers have matched veteran house singer-songwriter Stephanie Cooke with UK grime MC Novelist, on a slinky LDN interpretation of LA hip-hop and g-funk.

Also featured on the album are New Zealand jazz artist Nathan Haines, frequent collaborator Isaac Asaeili and more.

We are back again for 2026 with more repress action - and this time we have Hellrazor 2 for you - an alias of DJ Sphinx. Released on a handstamped white label back in 1993, this EP contains 3 hardcore bangers plus a mad acid track too. A very collectable and rare EP.

Seit über 30 Jahren ist Simon Joyner eine Ausnahmeerscheinung - ein vollkommen unabhängiger Künstler, der sich ganz auf sein Handwerk konzentriert. Der in Omaha lebende Singer-Songwriter veröffentlichte Anfang der 90er Jahre erstmals Musik und ist seitdem seinem Weg treu geblieben. Joyners Songs voller stiller Freude und Herzschmerz haben verschiedene Generationen von Künstlerkollegen geprägt und zeigen sich als offensichtlicher Einfluss bei Acts wie Bright Eyes oder Kevin Morby sowie als Anklänge gemeinsamer Perspektiven bei den nachfolgenden Lenkers, Oldhams und Molinas. "Tough Love", Joyners 19. Studioalbum, setzt diesen Aufwärtstrend fort. Obwohl es untrennbar mit der persönlichen Trauer von "Coyote Butterfly" aus dem Jahr 2024 verbunden ist - dem autobiografischen Album, das Joyner nach dem Tod seines Sohnes aufgenommen hat - erforscht dieses neue Album das Konzept der ,tough love" als Dichotomie, die auf verschiedene fiktive Beziehungen angewendet wird, darunter romantische, familiäre und politische. Dieser Balanceakt zeigt sich in lebhaften Schilderungen alltäglicher Herzensschmerzen und in der Auseinandersetzung mit politischer Wut und dem Verrat am amerikanischen Traum. Eines der Wunder von Joyners Werk ist, dass sich seine Muster nicht wiederholen, sondern wandeln. Anspielungen auf Cohen, Dylan und die Velvets sind seit den frühen Lo-Fi-Tagen Teil seines Songwritings, doch die Art und Weise, wie diese Vorbilder einfließen, verändert sich ständig. Während Joyners raue Akustiksongs im Rampenlicht stehen, werden sie von E-Gitarren angestachelt und sind von experimentellen Tendenzen durchdrungen. Die Rocksongs bilden einen Mittelweg zwischen minimalistischen Grooves, die von Velvet Underground der Loaded-Ära übernommen wurden, und der ekstatischen rhythmischen Verrücktheit von Can. Wenn wir beim vorletzten Track, ,Anniversary Song", angelangt sind, haben die geisterhaften Vocals und die Scratches des mikrotonalen Synthesizers die Grenzen zwischen Joyners Folk-Sänger-Herz und seinem Avantgarde-Geist verwischt. All das mündet in den 20-minütigen Titeltrack, der "Tough Love" abschließt - ein erschütternder Sturz in einen scheinbar bodenlosen Abgrund aus Reue, Überlebensschuld und unverblümter Trauer. Er leiht sich eine repetitive Struktur aus Lou Reeds erzählter Suite ,Street Hassle" und kombiniert sie mit dem seitenfüllenden Zeugnis von Dylans ,Sad-eyed Lady of the Lowlands", Joyner erzählt dazu aus der Perspektive seines verstorbenen Sohnes, der zu seinem Vater spricht, all seine Fehler darlegt und schonungslos hervorhebt, dass nichts davon rückgängig gemacht werden kann. Bald jedoch öffnet sich diese Qual zu etwas Transzendentem, sowohl in ihrer eleganten Bildsprache als auch in ihrer ätherischen Atmosphäre. Die letzten Momente des Albums gewähren die Erlaubnis zur Selbstvergebung und hoffentlich eines Tages auch zum Verständnis. Dieses kathartische Ende bringt all die verworrenen Gefühle, die sich durch "Tough Love" ziehen, auf den Punkt. So wie Joyner das Songwriting aus ungewöhnlichen Blickwinkeln angegangen ist, die sich jedes Mal ändern, wenn er zur Gitarre greift, um ein neues Album aufzunehmen, so verändert sich auch auf "Tough Love" seine Beziehung zu Trauer, den alltäglichen Kämpfen und dem ewigen Streben nach etwas Besserem.