Search:we like we

Special Friend have become the masters of weaving elegant and sophisticated pop musical webs while staying true to their low-fi indiepop roots. The French/American duo (Guillaume on guitar and vocals, Erica on drums and vocals) manage to create a sound like no other band. When they play live, audiences marvel at the huge, intricate structures the band construct, while falling in love with the crystal-clear vocal melodies that are threaded in between the shards of guitar and the rattle of the drums. How can a duo achieve so much? UK audiences will be able to ponder this question in March: Special Friend are coming over from France to do a substantial tour of the UK. These shows are highly recommended!
The new album is more diverse that the last, with the high-tempo indiepop of first single ‘Breakfast’, the majestic, Yo La Tengo-like dreampop of ‘Clipping’ and the country-ish, gentle, homesick melancholy of ‘Isolation’. Final track ‘OOO’ is a bold piece of Krautrock-inspired experimentation; ‘Mold’ is a beautiful slice of slowcore and opener ‘Paint A Picture’ is modern pop at its catchiest and most direct.

‘Clipping’, the album title, refers to the discipline of pruning growth back, removing dead wood to create a perfectly shaped tree with abundant blossoms: an accurate description of the album, and of the songs that hang from its elegant branches. The album artwork is by Erica: Special Friend are in control of every aspect of this elegant artefact.
‘Clipping’ was recorded in 2025 at Studio Claudio by Alexis Fugain and Margaux Bouchaudon. Set in an isolated rural environment conducive to immersion, the band had seven days in the studio—significantly more than for previous records—allowing for greater care in the recording process, particularly for vocals and arrangements. Several tracks feature synthesizers and organs, acoustic guitar, and even an electric bass on “Sanctuary,” a first for Special Friend. Overall, the record benefits from a more developed and detailed production while preserving the band’s direct approach and spontaneity.

The album was mixed by Syd Kemp, who has worked with artists such as Thurston Moore, Ulrika Spacek, Caroline, Crack Cloud, and Vanishing Twin.
Special Friend’s previous album on Skep Wax, ‘Wait Until The Flames Come Rushing In’ was an underground hit, with a significant amount of airplay in the UK and in the US.
‘Clipping’ is a co-release with Howlin Banana Records and Hidden Bay Records (both in France). Skep Wax is proud to present the album in the UK and in North America.

Warehouse Find!

Introducing Red D, the Belgian DJ and producer, one half of FCL (alongside San Soda), long standing club promoter (since 1992), owner of We Play House and general all round good guy. With releases on Ferrispark and Delusions Of Grandeur (with MCDE), remixes on Eskimo, regular sets at the likes of Panorama Bar and an RA Mix under his belt you could say things are falling into place nicely. On top of all this his FCL project continues to go from strength to strength with a new
EP dropping soon on Kai 'KZR' Alce's highly regarded NDATL label. When he sent over two originals for Freerange it was love at first listen as the simple, warm beats and emotive chord stabs of title track Chez oozed from the speakers. This sounded to me like house music in it's purest form, from the days when the focus was on a feeling rather than complex sounds or technological
trickery. And the proof is in the pudding with this one as you can feel the dance floor go into some kind of collective bubble of love whenever you play it. The second original follows drawing you into a false sense of security with familiar 707 beats and gentle pads before taking a left turn. Appropriately titled Into Darkness the blissful vibes of the intro begin to fall away as the
track reaches a breakdown and we're treated to the rudest of Chi-Town basslines taking us down a somewhat less wholesome path. Flipping over we're treated to two Jacob Korn remixes, one of each of the originals and if the A side is the good cop, we can trust the Uncanny Valley regular to deliver some pure badness on the flip. His Remix of Chez is clearly inspired by his studio hardware as you can hear the improvised and 'live'
sounding arrangement, the machines taking on a life of their own as things twist and turn in a spontaneous and unpredictable way. A rattling white noise pulse drives the rhythm whilst bubbling synths add some lightness to the pummeling
kick. Into Darkness gets the Korn treatment next and here he puts it right through the sonic mangler, tape saturation distorting the mix to within an inch of it's life. Jacob puts the focus on the bassline of the original, keeping things simple at
first before winding in layers of Juno chords and the bleepiest of synth lines resulting in the finest of raw, bassment house jams.

Aurora-Glow-Vinyl, limitiert auf 700 Exemplare. Lange war es ruhig um Sound Of Smoke aus Freiburg im Breisgau. Nachdem das Psychedelic Soulrock Quartett ihre letzte Platte PHASES im Frühjahr 2023 über Tonzonen Records veröffentlicht hatte, gab es viel Zuspruch innerhalb der deutschen und teils auch internationalen Szene. Aufgrund anschließender diverser privater Umstände, unter anderem ein Baby und der Umzug in eine andere Stadt, hatte sich die Band darauf geeinigt, sich mehr dem Songwriting zu widmen und das Touren zu reduzieren. Nun freuen sich die Freiburger*innen im März 2026 ein neues Album zu präsentieren! MIRAGE, so wird die 3. Langspielplatte der Band heißen und knüpft an das bewährte Konzept von Sound Of Smoke an: Johannes Braunsteins vorantreibende Schlagzeugbeats, Florian Kiefers donnernder Bass, welcher teilweise schon als Rhythmusgitarre interpretiert werden kann, Jens Stövers elektrische, twangy Gitarre ergänzt mit sphärischen Echo- & Fuzz-Sounds, sowie oszillierende Synthesizer. Zu guter Letzt gibt Isabelle Bapté mit ihrer souligen Stimme und Flöteneinsätzen dem Sound Of Smoke den famosen, individuellen Touch, welcher die Band so einzigartig macht.

Pariah’s cult album re-issued! “Blaze of Obscurity” brings you pure Thrash Metal fury! Satan changed their name to Pariah in 1988-1989. There’s Heavy Metal, Power Metal, Thrash Metal, Death Metal, the list seems almost endless. Sub-genres are important in metal and bands are quickly classified and labeled. Pariah (the last re-incarnation of Satan) is one of few bands that are difficult if not impossible to classify. Is it Heavy metal? NWOBHM? Thrash Metal? Pariah did not make it easy to describe their sound. It might be too sophisticated to simply label it Heavy Metal, which in its infancy was a rather simple affair.

They don’t sound like any Metal band out there, perhaps discounting some of the more aggressive and technical ones, and then the signature NWOBHM sound is added. The guitar playing by Russ Tippins and Steve Ramsey is undeniably what defines Pariah as well as Satan in the past. Undeniably, Satan has gone a long way; from humble NWOBHM beginnings, to Experimental/Melodic Mettal (in Blind Fury) and something that could be described as a NWOBHM/Thrash Metal hybrid (“The Kindred”). It’s as if they’ve been experimenting trying to find their identity, and theyfinally found it. Stylistically, “Blaze of Obscurity” could be seen a step back to “Suspended Sentence”, but this time around they got everything right, down to the last note. Those who have heard Satan know what to expect: great guitar playing.

And sure enough, “Blaze of Obscurity” is a demonstration of guitar mastery and is overall a very guitar-driven album, with plenty of mind-boggling riffs and solos are all over the place, but more importantly, it’s a demonstration of some amazing songwriting as well. This is easily Pariah/Satan’s creative peak and one of the most consistent albums I’ve ever heard, featuring eight great and conceptually perfect songs with lyrics that come across as sophisticated and thought-provoking. It is not fair to put the entire spotlight on Tippins and Ramsey though since the drumming and bass work from Sean Taylor and Graham English really shines. The rhythm is fast and tight, keeping it focused, aggressive and intense till the end. Vocalist Michael Jackson (yes, that’s his name) has to be commended too as this is easily his careers best performance.

The verdict: “Blaze of Obscurity”: the level of musical genius expressed here, along with near flawless songwriting, is more than enough to skyrocket it to heights reserved only for classics. Probably not your choice for some light listening those quiet Sunday evenings, but those who take a more serious, intellectual approach when selecting their music will find very much to appreciate here.
Tracklisting

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

There's a tendency in metal to mistake aggression for honesty, volume for depth. To confuse the performance of darkness with its actual weight. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest, the new album from San Francisco-based post-black metal band Bosse-de-Nage, sidesteps this entirely. It’s the group’s most fully realized work yet, precisely because it refuses to be pinned down.

Bosse-de-Nage have been working with The Flenser for over fifteen years. They were one of the first bands the label ever partnered with and have the longest active relationship in the label's history. But unlike most bands who build momentum through constant touring and visibility, Bosse-de-Nage has largely existed apart from the music world's usual machinery. They've evolved on their own terms, in relative isolation, allowing the work to develop without outside pressure or influence. What began rooted in black metal anonymity has mutated into something that actively defies categorization. The aggression is still there, but it's no longer the point. Hidden Fires Burn Hottest finds the band treating emotions like physical objects, feelings with spatial properties. “No Such Place"" describes a space that can't exist but does anyway, somewhere between thought and location. ""Immortality Project"" examines infinite possibility not as promise but as problem, endless options collapsing under their own weight. These songs don't use metaphor to describe emotion. They make emotion into something you could theoretically touch.
Tracked by Jack Shirley (Deafheaven, Oathbreaker) at Atomic Garden East and mixed and mastered by Richard Chowenhill of Agriculture, Hidden Fires Burn Hottest was years in development, with some tracks beginning in 2018.

The long writing process offered time that most records don't get. Time to live with ideas, revise endlessly, to let structures settle. For the first time, lyricist Bryan Manning wrote everything in advance, creating a surplus to pull from rather than working under deadline pressure. The difference shows.
Coming off Further Still, an album built on constraint and economy, Bosse-de-Nage sought the opposite: sprawl, strangeness, fewer rules. Space for ideas to develop without rushing them. Dynamics that move through quiet as much as noise. Presence earned through atmosphere instead of volume. The record even includes ""Mementos,"" which might be considered the first love song the band has ever written.

Nothing here coheres into a theme. These are pieces pulled from low moments and private feelings made public through sound. The band has never been interested in positivity, in music that resolves cleanly or offers comfort. But bleakness doesn't mean humorlessness. There's something darkly funny running through much of it, even when it shouldn't be.
Hidden Fires Burn Hottest doesn't explain itself. It just insists: what you feel is as real as what you can see."

Two original house cuts. One statement. Soulbound / Abracadabra lands as a double-header single as part of our new XPRESS Singles Series, bridging gritty South London soul with slick Franco-American house energy - a release designed for the salubrious moments on the dance floor.

“Soulbound” sees Bustin’ Loose deliver cutting-edge disco-soul infused house music straight from the concrete textures of South London. Sung and produced by Bustin’ Loose himself, the track rides a pumping, elastic bassline with warm strings and raw vocal emotion - modern house with classic soul DNA. Capturing the energy of London's expansive music culture, Soulbound is both uplifting, euphoric and street-wise. Inspired by the music of Fatboy Slim, rappers like JME and Ghetts and the club culture of London.

On the flip side, “Abracadabra” from Magnolia & Sam Karlson featuring LA wordsmith Relaye drips with French house sensibilities, blending glossy filters, catchy wah guitar and punchy grooves with razor-sharp rap vocals. Imagine Music Sounds Better With You colliding with the cool charisma of Q-Tip - hypnotic, stylish, and irresistibly repeatable.

The remix package pushes the release deeper into club territory:

• Dam Swindle transform Soulbound into a deep, bumping underground roller, rich in groove and late-night atmosphere.
• Phil Weeks delivers a signature Ghetto Mix of Abracadabra, crafted with his beloved MPC sampler - raw drums, stripped-back funk, and a pure nod to house music’s roots.
• La Felix closes the circle with a nostalgic, early-2010s-tinged deep remix of Abracadabra, balancing modern polish with timeless dance-floor warmth.

Die Wiederveröffentlichung von Connie Converses How Sad, How Lovely auf Third Man Records erscheint fast 51 Jahre nach dem Verschwinden der Singer-Songwriterin und ist damit die erste Neuauflage dieses Albums seit beinahe zehn Jahren - und das in jedwedem Format. Die Veröffentlichung umfasst 20 Tracks (darunter eine Bonus-7"-Single mit dem bislang unveröffentlichten Stück ,House" sowie einem neuen Remix von ,Playboy of the Western World", beigesteuert von Dirick Cummins), die nichts von ihrer Eindringlichkeit und Kraft verloren haben. Sie präsentieren eine Künstlerin, die ihrer Zeit um Lichtjahre voraus war.

Die Wiederveröffentlichung von Connie Converses How Sad, How Lovely auf Third Man Records erscheint fast 51 Jahre nach dem Verschwinden der Singer-Songwriterin und ist damit die erste Neuauflage dieses Albums seit beinahe zehn Jahren - und das in jedwedem Format. Die Veröffentlichung umfasst 20 Tracks (darunter eine Bonus-7"-Single mit dem bislang unveröffentlichten Stück ,House" sowie einem neuen Remix von ,Playboy of the Western World", beigesteuert von Dirick Cummins), die nichts von ihrer Eindringlichkeit und Kraft verloren haben. Sie präsentieren eine Künstlerin, die ihrer Zeit um Lichtjahre voraus war.

Limited Edition 180gm heavyweight Clear Vinyl LP, Half-speed remaster by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, Insert contains a sleevenote featuring quotes from Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson. The Alan Parsons Project"s multi-million selling album The Turn of a Friendly Card (1980), their celebrated prog pop tour de force, is reissued in a variety of formatsincluding a Limited Edition Clear Vinyl LP, half-speed remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios. Like other Alan Parsons Project albums, there were a variety of different lead vocalists employed including Chris Rainbow, Lenny Zakatek, Elmer Gantry as well as Eric Woolfson himself. Plus, a selection of session musicians such as guitarists Ian Bairnson and David Paton and drummer Stuart Elliott with arrangements by Andrew Powell.

2LP 180gm heavyweight 45 RPM Audiophile Edition, Featuring a half speed remaster by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, Housed in polylined inners, Printed insert with sleevenote. The Alan Parsons Project"s million selling album Ammonia Avenue (1984), is re-issued in a variety of formats including this 2LP heavyweight, 45 RPM Audiophile edition. Expertly cut by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios on a customised Neumann VMS 80 lathe at half speed using a 1:1 archive transfer from the original SONY 1610 format digital mastertape recorded in 1984. Like other Alan Parsons Project albums, there were a variety of different lead vocalists employed including Chris Rainbow, Colin Blunstone, Lenny Zakatek as well as Eric Woolfson himself. Plus, a selection of session musicians such as guitarists Ian Bairnson and David Paton and drummer Stuart Elliott with arrangements by Andrew Powell.

Limited Edition 180gm heavyweight clear vinyl, Half-speed remaster by Miles Showell at Abbey Road Studios, Insert contains a sleevenote featuring quotes from Alan Parsons and Eric Woolfson The Alan Parsons Project"s million selling album Ammonia Avenue (1984), is re-issued in a variety of formats including a Limited Edition Clear vinyl LP, half-speed remastered by Miles Showell at Abbey Road studios. Like other Alan Parsons Project albums, there were a variety of different lead vocalists employed including Chris Rainbow, Colin Blunstone, Lenny Zakatek as well as Eric Woolfson himself. Plus, a selection of session musicians such as guitarists Ian Bairnson and David Paton and drummer Stuart Elliott with arrangements by Andrew Powell.

Die Alternative/Emo Rock-Band Tigers Jaw kehrt mit Lost on You zurück, einem fesselnden siebten Studioalbum, das von ihrem langjährigen Kollaborateur Will Yip (Turnstile, Scowl) produziert wurde. Das Album knüpft an den Erfolg von I Won't Care How You Remember Me aus dem Jahr 2021 an und verfeinert ihren verletzlichen, aber selbstbewussten Stil mit neuen Dynamiken, Texturen und Klängen. Durch ihre Chemie und Offenheit untereinander haben Tigers Jaw einen neuen Höhepunkt ihrer Kreativität erreicht, von dem aus die Band die Veränderungen im Leben verarbeitet, die irgendwann jeden treffen. Lost On You fängt auf elektrisierende Weise die Schönheit des Loslassens ein, die Erinnerung daran, dass man das, was man bereits erlebt hat, überstanden hat, und das Wissen, dass man auch die neuesten Übergänge im Leben meistern wird. Walsh sagt, dass es in "Primary Colors", einem hellen und nachdenklichen Track mit einem klagenden, melancholischen Gitarrensolo, darum geht, ,dass deine Gefühle völlig überwältigt und eingenommen werden. Man erlebt Dinge oder sieht Gefühle in Farben. Es ist eine allumfassende Erfahrung, die den ganzen Körper einnimmt." Das ist ein bedeutungsvoller Rat in Krisenzeiten: Bleibe inmitten der Höhen und Tiefen präsent, dann wirst du Ruhm finden. Lost On You ist eine atemberaubende Erinnerung daran, dass du, egal was du durchmachst, immer am Steuer sitzt. Empathischer Alternative

Die Alternative/Emo Rock-Band Tigers Jaw kehrt mit Lost on You zurück, einem fesselnden siebten Studioalbum, das von ihrem langjährigen Kollaborateur Will Yip (Turnstile, Scowl) produziert wurde. Das Album knüpft an den Erfolg von I Won't Care How You Remember Me aus dem Jahr 2021 an und verfeinert ihren verletzlichen, aber selbstbewussten Stil mit neuen Dynamiken, Texturen und Klängen. Durch ihre Chemie und Offenheit untereinander haben Tigers Jaw einen neuen Höhepunkt ihrer Kreativität erreicht, von dem aus die Band die Veränderungen im Leben verarbeitet, die irgendwann jeden treffen. Lost On You fängt auf elektrisierende Weise die Schönheit des Loslassens ein, die Erinnerung daran, dass man das, was man bereits erlebt hat, überstanden hat, und das Wissen, dass man auch die neuesten Übergänge im Leben meistern wird. Walsh sagt, dass es in "Primary Colors", einem hellen und nachdenklichen Track mit einem klagenden, melancholischen Gitarrensolo, darum geht, ,dass deine Gefühle völlig überwältigt und eingenommen werden. Man erlebt Dinge oder sieht Gefühle in Farben. Es ist eine allumfassende Erfahrung, die den ganzen Körper einnimmt." Das ist ein bedeutungsvoller Rat in Krisenzeiten: Bleibe inmitten der Höhen und Tiefen präsent, dann wirst du Ruhm finden. Lost On You ist eine atemberaubende Erinnerung daran, dass du, egal was du durchmachst, immer am Steuer sitzt. Empathischer Alternative

Not long after Strong Persuader became an unexpected crossover hit in 1986 - which was hard to imagine then and seems like a near impossibility now - Cray decided that he would rather pursue the sound of Stax and Hi soul than be a full-fledged bluesman. He punctuated his songs with stinging licks not dissimilar to Albert King, but the sound was closer to O.V. Wright. But what really separated Cray from his forefathers is that instead of getting dirty and gritty, he stayed classy and tasteful. After 25 years and 14 albums, Robert Cray has been mining the same low-key, mellow Memphis soul-blues groove for well over two-thirds of his career. He's found his sound and he's sticking to it. Now for the first time ever available on vinyl Twenty, his 14th album; a thoroughly pleasant listen indeed, it pack's a punch, and has just all the right ingredients. Twenty is available as a limited numbered edition of 750 copies on crystal clear 180 gram vinyl and includes an insert.

DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present MIDYRASI’S KULT’s highly anticipated debut album, Italian Dark Sound, on CD and vinyl LP formats. MIDRYASI'S KULT are revolutionary and uncompromised. Featuring veterans from such Italian doom stalwarts as Doomsword, Midryasi, Agarthi, and Fiurach, their unique blend of elements from the NWOBHM, doom metal, and early black metal – all fused in their distinctive national dark-sound tradition, which includes such cult legends as Black Hole and Death SS – results in an obscure, hypnotic, and exciting formula. In March 2025, after just one week on Bandcamp, MIDYRASI’S KULT were intercepted by Caligari Records, who released on cassette their debut demo, Mountain Devil. Featuring three songs in a concise 15 minutes, this demo reaped international acclaim for its originality and attitude. But that was but a foretaste of darker delights to come. Witness the first full-length of MIDRYASI’S KULT, Italian Dark Sound.

Truly titled, Italian Dark Sound is an intoxicating spelunk into catacombs both idiosyncratic and indefinable. Totaling 32 time-/mind-expanding minutes, the eight primary tracks here – the outro is titled “The Lost Son of Sylvester Anfang,” which should offer an obvious clue to the black-metal-minded out there – each offer something different from the next, and yet all add up into a shadowy experience that’s both rocking and atmospheric. In fact, if one were to single out an aspect between the demo and album, it’s that MIDYRASI’S KULT exude more energy on this full-length without sacrificing any of their occult aura. But, just like that demo, Italian Dark Sound features supremely pro production – gritty, earthy, and yet kaleidoscopic in texture – under the guidance of Gabry "The Way" Strada, head of RDF Studio and who’s now collaborating on the upcoming Doomsword new album. In the vein of an open artistic project, all the artwork is made by vocalist / bassist Geilt himself, and up to 11 musicians have been involved in these recordings

JeGong, known for their immersive, rhythm-driven explorations of Krautrock and experimental sound design, now take an exhilarating leap into brighter, nostalgically stranger territory. `Gomi Kuzu Can` is an electrifying journey through Kraut, Post- and Experimental Rock, delivered with the analog warmth of the '70s. Across eleven meticulously crafted tracks, JeGong embrace their roots while fearlessly expanding into neon-lit, beat-driven worlds where kinetic rhythms meet playful sonic futurism. It is music built for movement, contemplation, and the ecstatic strangeness of possibility. Their approach borrows the endurance and patience of minimalism, but they subvert minimalism's austerity with grit, distortion, and physicality. The result is music that feels alive in motion: constantly shifting, tightening, unfurling, and mutating even when its core pulse remains unbroken. "We wanted to create a `70s sound as the recording foundation - a sonic aesthetic that sets a mood through warm tape saturation. Like a kind of memory box where you can store recollections, for example from childhood, when you would spend hours by yourself watching TV and listening to the radio, often both at the same time." (JeGong) `Gomi Kuzu Can`, is hand-built, lovingly assembled from circuitry, intuition, and raw creative impulse. This tactile quality is precisely what makes the album's danceability so impactful. In blending organic rhythm with retro-electronic brightness, they've created a sound that is both familiar and refreshingly new. In the end, JeGong's sound is less a genre and more a landscape: rugged, hypnotic, austere, and strangely spiritual. It is music built on the bones of rhythm and the electricity of repetition, crafted with the precision of engineers and the instincts of explorers. FOR FANS OF Neu!, Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Swans, Mogwai, Sonic Youth, John Zorn The single colour edition comes as Glass Clear vinyl!

While many have tried to emulate the ancient German (black)thrash sound, CRUEL FORCE brimmed with an authenticity that could not be denied, as well as songwriting that added to that noble tradition rather than lazily picking at its corpse. Their two successive albums, 2010's The Rise of Satanic Might and 2011's Under the Sign of the Moon, made CRUEL FORCE a certifiably CULT name in the international metal underground. Sadly, the band fell into a hiatus following that second album, but returned reinvigorated with the comeback 7" EP Across the Styx in 2022 and, a year later, the glorious full- length Dawn of the Axe at the hands of new label home SHADOW KINGDOM. Continuing to make up for lost time, CRUEL FORCE storm back with swords gleaming high on their fourth full- length, Haneda.

Where a line could be drawn between the band's "first era" of The Rise of Satanic Might / Under the Sign of the Moon, so continues this Second Era that began with Dawn of the Axe - one that harkens to the "Jurassic period" of heavy metal, when everything was rawer, less polished, and more energetic and powerful. As displayed by that pivotal predecessor, Haneda further proves that CRUEL FORCE are more so an old-style speed metal band, largely bereft of that blackened edge during their First Era. The tradeoff is that there's a prominent mysticism coursing through that speed, and the blue-collared aspect of Dawn of the Axe is now spit-shined to a lethal slickness that makes Haneda hit that much harder.

However, it must be stressed that, while it follows logically from Dawn of the Axe, Haneda is very much its own headspace, its own continuation of a still-vital aesthetic. At times more epic, exuding both more and different atmospheres, CRUEL FORCE here take the listener on a journey from old temples to desert planes, from deep jungles to mountain tops, and other mysterious locales beyond; indeed, the whole record is like a journey through mystical realms. Although no concept album, Haneda is very conceptual in its aesthetics, even down to its production: BIG and naturaltoned, from the guitars to especially the drums, everything here is as '80s and authentic as possible, underlining

Anywhere, Anyway captures a selection of club tools that Makèz and their close circle have tested, refined and played across dance floors worldwide. Each track carries that familiar equilibrium the duo keeps guard over, a steady pull between raw club energy and moments meant for intimate listening.

Much like their recent album on No Art, the EP took shape while traveling, moving from session to session with artists from different musical worlds. Those encounters left their marks, subtle shifts in rhythm, harmony and texture, shaping the edges of the EP. The Amsterdam duo keeps seeking creative impulses from unexpected angles, letting ideas find them wherever they are. Anywhere, anyway.

DJ Support: Garnier, Opolopo, Worldwide FM, Marcia Carr, Bill Brewster, Timeout Moscow, Craig Smith, Delfonic, Tony Nwachukwu, Marcel Dettmann, DJ Rocca, Shuya Okino, Borrowed Identity, Titonton Duvante, Alex Attias, Rainer Truby, Sol Power All-Stars, Kyri R2, Robert Luis, Severino Panzetta, Lars Behrenroth, Kassian, Alkalino, Getdown Edits, Moodymanc, Gerd, Lea Lisa, Young Pulse, Mark de Clive-Lowe, Mark Grusane, Alex Barck….

International dance music heavyweight, producer and DJ Alexander Lay-Far returns with a powerful new chapter - Lay-Far Dance Orchestra (LFDO) - a fully-fledged live band project that reconnects him with his jazz-funk and fusion DNA while pushing dance music forward with unmistakable groove, musicianship and emotional weight. Formed in early 2024, LFDO is no nostalgia exercise. With Lay-Far at the helm as bassist, bandleader, composer, arranger and sound engineer, the orchestra has already been turning heads with explosive live performances, reinventing classic Lay-Far cuts, and now unveil their first album “Skybreak” with all new and original material written and produced by Lay-Far together with his bandmates and star guests, including Lipelis, Antoha MC and Seven Davis Jr. This work shows the departure from the predominantly electronic sound of Lay-Far's previous solo albums in favour of live instrumentation recorded to analogue tape and effortlessly bridging the gap between Jazz, Library Music, Disco-Funk, House, Broken Beat and Drum’n’Bass. “Skybreak” is dynamic, passionate, spiritual, cinematic, playful, heartfelt, life-affirming, dreamy and deeply romantic. Ultimately, there’s something profoundly romantic in recording and releasing such music in this day and age!


“Take Flight (Part 1)” is opening the album with style. It takes us on a beautifully orchestrated journey, blending the sensuality of Library Music with high-octane Jazz-Funk and raw b-boy breaks, propelled by breathtaking flute and Rhodes solos of Timur Nekrasov and Maxim Glonti. This aural symbiosis of “beauty and the beats” will become more and more prominent as the album unfolds.



It’s time for “Aquarius Love” created with the inimitable artist and vocalist Seven Davis Jr. (Secret Angels, Ninja Tune). In this composition cinematic soul and heavy jazz meet the restless energy of live drum & bass with deep and heartfelt vocals - timeless sound combined with a timeless message about love and life!



Next is “Head In The Clouds” - a theme for an imaginary rom-com, an ode to all the dreamers - sweet, light, naive and heartwarming. Space-Disco-Funk at its best!

“Where You From” is a fiery Soulful House number with heavy Afro-Latin influences recorded in collaboration with Lipelis. It’s full of Sun, joy and passion. Its irresistible rhythm is emphasised by funky octave bass, wah-wah guitar, catchy piano riffs, guitar solo by Lipelis and seemingly light conscious message delivered by Lay-Far and Maryag. Summer is here!

Now the album takes an unexpected twist in the form of “The Harp of Boom” which at first glance appears to be a classic-sounding Boom-Bap banger. Yes, It’s loud, raw, and gritty, yet it gradually evolves into something delicately-touching and deeply-soulful thanks to a memorable flute melody and lush string arrangement. Definitely recorded with tongue in cheek.


Next is “Feel The Moment” a remarkable collaboration with one of the most recognisable and distinctive Russian artists, singer, trumpeter and cultural icon Antoha MC. It’s a feel-good song, hopeful, life-affirming and bittersweet. A stylish excursion into Brit-Funk and Soviet Jazz-Fusion sound, drawing inspiration from the likes of Atmosfear, Light Of The World or Soviet Jazz bands like Allegro and Arsenal, but reimagining the influences through the modern West London broken beat lens.


The spectacular music journey continuous with “Take Flight (Part 2)” - it’s all about the deep infectious jazz-funk groove, heavy beats, rolling percussion and the glory of the soloing instruments - saxophone and flute by Timur Nekrasov, demonstrating the wide range of emotions from thoughtful and lyrical to restless and borderline vicious. One for freestyle dancing!

As the album draws to an end a vibrant musical triptych “Soul Constant” awaits, mixing together the deep and sensual mood of spiritual jazz with heavy syncopated drum’n’bass rhythms by Michail Fotchenkov, lush orchestration, expressive saxophone solos and the ending which can simply be described as “aural bliss”. It’s breath-taking!

A pleasant bonus is the exclusive version of “Where You From” by Lipelis himself, who is taking it into dub territories, further enhancing the rhythm section and enriching the song with his trademark playful synth flourishes and dreamy guitar solos for maximum effect (and appeal).

The album “Skybreak” by Lay-Far Dance Orchestra is the work of real artistry and craftsmanship with timeless sound that’s not only deeply-rooted but also forward-thinking.

DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present ZERRE’s highly anticipated second album, Rotting on a Golden Throne, on CD and vinyl LP formats. From the cellars of Würzburg, Germany, ZERRE have been keeping the torch of old-school thrash metal burning while carving their own vicious path. Their sound draws on the razor-sharp aggression of classic Metallica and Exodus and the stomping groove of early Faith No More: no frills, no mercy. Their third full-length, 2024’s Scorched Souls, tore through the scene and earned critical acclaim for its searing riffs and unflinching energy. Now, ZERRE take a decisive step forward with Rotting on a Golden Throne. Darker, more overtly political, and more aggressive than its predecessor, this fourth full-length dives headfirst into the rot of power, corruption, and human decay – a brutal soundtrack for a world teetering on the edge. Onstage, ZERRE embody the chaos of their music: riff-driven assaults, breakneck tempos, and a raw intensity that leaves no room to breathe. On record, while those influences still remain, but the DNA has been splintered into something more unique and definitely more powerful: thrashing, yes, but within a crossover framework that feels titanic. The production is razor-sharp, but with ominous atmosphere to spare; the execution is even sharper, as the drumming especially pulses like a dread locomotive; and vocals spit forth venom, raging against a machine fatted by suffering. As the throne collapses, ZERRE deliver the anthem of its fall. Keep on Rotting on a Golden Throne!

Analog Fingerprints Vol. 0 is a compilation bringing together the early 2000s works of Marco Passarani under his Analog Fingerprints alias, collecting key tracks originally released on Rome’s Plasmek and Pigna labels.

For Numbers, the story starts long before the label itself. In their formative years, digging in Glasgow’s Rubadub, Passarani’s records felt like dispatches from a future city. Releases on his own Nature Records and on labels such as Generator and Interr-Ference Communications were mind blowing: rooted in Detroit techno, Chicago house and electro, yet pushing somewhere new. Much like fellow travellers Autechre, who would remix him in 2001, Passarani’s music balanced machine funk with restless experimentation.

Information was scarce, and you would hear these records first on the dancefloor or at listening stations in shops like Rubadub. Print fanzines like Ear and early web outposts such as Forcefield offered only fragments. But there was a palpable axis forming between Detroit techno and a new European wave of record labels including Skam, Rephlex, Clone, Viewlexx and Nature itself. It was the sound that defined Saturday nights at Rubadub’s ‘69’ parties in Paisley, just outside of Glasgow.

Passarani’s records, in particular, were instrumental in bringing together the future Numbers co-founders. Richard had already booked him pre-Numbers; meanwhile Calum (Spencer) and Jack (Jackmaster), then 16/17 year olds working alternate Saturdays in Rubadub, were so enamoured with the Roman sound that they travelled to Rome for the Bitz Festival in 2003 to seek out Passarani and Lory D at their source.

The first Analog Fingerprints release landed as a 12” on Plasmek in 2001, following the fractured, IDM-leaning 6 Katun material. For Passarani, the project marked a recalibration. A DJ first and foremost, he had moved into production via early computer setups, from a Commodore Amiga through primitive PC audio, Cubase and Logic, later experimenting with Ableton. The IDM scene had offered a playground for trial and error, but there was always a tension between abstraction and the dancefloor. Analog Fingerprints became the bridge: still intelligent, but with more dance than distance. After years of broken beats and complex arrangements, he wanted directness without surrendering identity.

Working closely with Francesco de Bellis and Mario Pierro in the Pigneto district, the trio formed Pigna as a vehicle for reclaiming a more accessible dance sound, deliberately steering away from the minimal wave beginning to dominate Europe. Sessions were fast, instinctive, often stretching late into the night with friends dropping by. It was a studio as social space, production as collective energy.

“In that constant search for balance, Analog Fingerprints was my way of expressing something closer to the classic dance floor. The track 'Tribute' - a tribute to my favourite early Detroit techno track of all time, 'First Bass' by Separate Minds - came after I realised I had almost lost my connection with the dance floor. The simplest step was to take inspiration from early Chicago and Detroit and twist it in our Roman ‘Pigna’ way. My goal was to create more accessible dancefloor tracks by mixing my unconscious Italo roots with my teenage love for that early US sound, ensuring the result was as far as possible from the minimal sound that was starting to dominate everywhere.” - Marco Passarani

Technically, the Analog Fingerprints tracks span a transitional era: Roland TR-909, SH-101 and Alpha Juno hardware met early software experiments. A Novation Drumstation rack stood in for the unattainable TR-808, syncing with TB-303 and TR-606. Yet the true secret weapon was Jeskola Buzz, a tracker-style modular environment that allowed step-by-step parameter control and strange melodic constructions, later exported into the audio sequencer. Even the lead on ‘Tribute’ came from an early PPG Wave-style plugin. It was hybrid thinking at a moment when digital tools still felt unstable but full of possibility for technologists like Passarani.

Behind the music sat Finalfrontier, a loose Roman collective orbiting Nature and Plasmek. Distribution and production were intertwined; importing obscure records into Italy built connections with like-minded outsiders across Europe and the US. Expensive phone bills and fax machines forged an “electronix network” that linked Rome to Clone, Viewlexx, Skam, Rephlex, Rubadub and Detroit’s Underground Resistance. There was a shared sense of survival and resistance, of operating against commercial systems.

Passarani recalls “The first time I found a sheet of paper inside an Underground Resistance 12” with info about upcoming releases... and a huge picture of Spock on the back. Imagine that: you love the music, you love Star Trek, and there’s someone on the other side of the ocean sharing those same values and sounds. It was the perfect match. We even gave our original company the suffix ‘Finalfrontier’: that says it all.”

Feedback in that era arrived physically: distributor faxes, conversations with visiting DJs, the experience of playing abroad and meeting kids who had connected with the records. Glasgow became a key node in a scattered outlier network. Passarani personally brought the first two Nature releases to Fat Cat in London, playing them in-store. Shortly after, a fax arrived from Rubadub in Glasgow requesting copies.

“I still remember that phone buzz and the fax paper slowly sliding out, with someone I didn’t know saying they wanted 75 copies of Nature 001. Or like the time we got a fax from the Rephlex crew just saying, “Hello Nature Records, Keep up the good work.” That was how we knew the message was getting through. It was a fantastic feeling; just one piece of thermal fax paper as an analog notification - the mood for the entire week would change.” - Passarani

The connection to Glasgow has since stretched across generations. As Passarani reflects, links often fracture as scenes renew themselves, but in Glasgow something different happened. New and old mixed seamlessly. There was a visible trust in what came before, and a willingness to carry it forward rather than discard it. Observed from Rome, it was deeply encouraging.

Analog Fingerprints Vol. 0 captures that moment of exchange: Rome to Glasgow, Detroit to Europe, experiment to dancefloor. It documents an artist recalibrating his sound and a network of scenes discovering one another in real time, connected by vinyl, faxes and shared intent.

She studied classical music on viola from the age of 3 through into college where she was on a path to be a performer in a large ensemble, but eventually left after feeling frustrated and limited in a world that did not provide much of an outlet for individual creativity. But the doors of perception really opened when she moved to British Columbia and was exposed to the raw beauty of the wilderness there.

She began recording at home using a basic audio setup along with a cello, viola, violin and double bass, and spent time making field recordings of natural sounds in BC. Her next idea was to actually move into nature to record, curious as to “how it would sound if I recorded outside entirely, with the natural reverb and sounds of the environment in the recording from the very beginning. The rustling of the leaves or a raven’s beating wings were as integral to the music as whatever I played.”

Fables is a mix of pieces that were recorded in the fall of 2024, in a small, remote cabin and outside, primarily using stringed instruments. The result is a series of stunning vignettes, meditations patiently unfurling like gentle waves, slowly advancing and retreating.4, in a small, remote cabin and outside, primarily using stringed instruments. The result is a series of stunning vignettes, meditations patiently unfurling like gentle waves, slowly advancing and retreating.

In many ways, OLDE OUTLIER rise from the legacy of Australia’s late Innsmouth — a cult band whose 2014 debut Consumed by Elder Sign endures as an underground classic. The connection is more than symbolic: guitarist Askew, vocalist Appleton, and bassist Greenbank all passed through Innsmouth’s ranks, while Beau Dyer now leads this new incarnation after years spent shaping the sound of Innsmouth and the earlier project Grenade.

From Shallow Lives to Shallow Graves marks OLDE OUTLIER’s recorded debut, a four-track, thirty-five-minute descent into their own cavernous realm. While faint echoes of Innsmouth’s inspirations — Armoured Angel and early Samael — linger, the band draw from a broader and far more obscure constellation. Shades of Amon Goeth, Martyrium, Head of the Demon, and Florida’s Equinox collide with the spectral drift of Ophthalamia and early Katatonia and Tiamat, all eroded and blackened into something untraceable.

Despite these depths, OLDE OUTLIER avoid any sense of technical indulgence. Their sound carries a rough, deliberate simplicity — a raw and smoky power that pushes each of the four long tracks forward with unhurried certainty. The songwriting unfolds through patient repetition and subtle shifts, allowing motifs to seep into place and gradually hypnotise. Appleton’s low gutturals bring a grim, expressive edge reminiscent of early Septic Flesh or Thou Art Lord, while the more open, lead-driven riffing imparts a distinctly archaic heavy metal aura that separates this band from their origins.

At many moments, that union of grit and atmosphere surpasses even Innsmouth’s achievements. Accented by well-placed clean and chorused guitar lines, From Shallow Lives to Shallow Graves becomes an immersive and strangely timeless work — a glimpse into an ancient, dimly lit world where OLDE OUTLIER feel less like a new formation and more like something unearthed from a forgotten past.

"Recoiled" is a rambunctious alchemy, of magikal Coil sensibilities and hi-tech home circa 90s mixing technique, all fused in the cave-like early studios of Danny Hyde / Peter Christopherson. These were the unrestrained PRE- BIG studio- mix downs, of four songs which long time Coil admirer / collaborator Trent Reznor requested Coil to remix. Reznor sent over the original multi-tracks and DATs to Hyde / Christopherson, who independently mixed versions and then met to synch both creations, molding them into these master versions. "Recoiled" includes a fuller, more opulent version of the track 'Closer', which eventually made it onto the opening credits to the movie "SE7EN". These 5 lengthy compositions are pre-Ableton / laptop generation type priest song creations, with the use of baby alarms and numerous wires to create bespoke effects. These legendary tracks were always rumoured to exist and, only the due diligence of a dedicated NIN forum who hunted them down, are released/unleashed for your listening pleasure. Black vinyl LP+, printed inner!

A joke that doesn’t make you laugh is just a sentence. Music that doesn’t make you dance and feel is just noise aimed in your direction. To make a circuit where energy flows freely, you must have feedback. Without feedback, connection is absent. As Limousine Dream enters the Age of Aquarius, we open up. Instead of trying to grow, we let it grow. Instead of building a pyramid, we see a constellation where we are all stars, and every star can equally stand out and fit in. We invite you to join us, just like we want to join you. This is where we begin our Life Spiral.

&Co. debut on A Quiet Village. The US-based trio drop the third release on Quiet Village’s eponymous imprint March 20th. &Co. Is a project from multi-hyphenate and Bianca Chandon founder, Alex Olson, pianist, composer and producer Alberto Bof (known for his work on ®Oscar ®Bafta ®Golden Globe and ®Grammy award winning ’A Star is Born’) and DJ/fashion luminary, Paul Takahashi. The trio’s second release, ‘Staycation’ follows 2015’s ‘Best of Friends’, and sees these rare talents create a two-tracker that explores a uniquely evocative, cinematic and dubby Balearic aesthetic. ‘Staycation began as a follow-up to the first EP, Best Friends.

As a result, ‘Staycation’ came together in fragments. The first track was built over a handful of short studio sessions, each only about an hour long, driven by brainstorming and reworking ideas. With Alex away, Alberto and I continued refining the piece in Los Angeles, sharing updates for Alex’s approval until it was completed. The track remained unmastered and was quietly circulated to a small circle as a promotional piece. The second track, “Lean Like a Cello,” was initially conceptualized together. However, with Alex now based in New York and less available, we completed the arrangement in Los Angeles, sending versions back and forth for Alex’s input and feedback. Nearly a decade later, the idea resurfaced, and the recordings were finally mastered and released. A friend, Justin Van Der Volgen, handled the mastering. What began as a plan to give the tracks away as a promo evolved when Justin encouraged the group to shop the release. With help from Eric Duncan of Rub N Tug, the music reached Matt (Edwards, aka Radio Slave/ 1/2 of Quiet Village).

Ten years after the first sessions, Staycation arrives as a document of distance, collaboration, and time. A project shaped as much by separation as by shared intention.’ (Paul Takahashi, Feb 2026)
A piece of art from a powerhouse creative team operating at the intersection of skate culture, music, design and fashion, ‘Staycation’ by &Co. Arrives on The Quiet Village 12” and digital/streaming on March 20th.

PMF006 Has Landed

Poor Man's Friend Recordsproudly welcomes the legendarySylford Walkerto the label with a powerful roots debut single:"They Don't Know."

True to form, this track delivers exactly what you'd expect — and crave — from one of reggae's most iconic and unmistakable Rasta voices. Aheavily saturated drum and bass groovesets the foundation, locked tight with atough, swung Nyahbinghi section. The rhythm is sparse but deeply textured, featuring carefully placedguitars, percussion, and saxophonethat leave room for the message to breathe.

Low in tempo butloaded with low-end weight, "They Don't Know" is a roots statement that resonates. Fans of classic conscious anthems like"Babylonians," "Chant Down Babylon,"and"Africa Homeland"will find themselves right at home.

A heavyweight One Drop. A voice of experience. A message for the times.
Don't sleep on this one.

Out now via Kudos/Poor Man's Friend Records.Catalog number:PMF006.

Artist, painter, curator Leo Vincent, is fired up off the back of supporting Soulwax, on their recent Paris and Netherlands shows. Proudly presenting two debut songs “Hello it’s me again” and “Loving isn’t easy”, co-produced with the brothers, David & Stephen Dewaele, of Soulwax/2manydjs.

Seven years ago, Leo Vincent bluffed his way into a video editing job at DEEWEE. Despite being told to not touch or ruin their gear, he later resurfaced with demos that sounded like he had anyway.

"Don’t know much about history”
"Don’t know much about biographies"

But we do know that by the time Leo Vincent arrives in your town, he will probably have destroyed two more Tascam 8-tracks.

Brussels-based, failed goalkeeper-turned-painter-turned-cameraman-turned-musician Leo, doesn’t seem to be afraid to leave his faders in the red zone for an unorthodox period of time while repairing the pitch knob. Some say it’s disco for night janitors. Some say it’s glam-rock for ravers. Others haven’t found the time to listen yet because they have real jobs.

But to fully grasp Leo Vincent's essence, imagine yourself sitting in the home cinema of the late Marc Bolan while watching a documentary on Scatman John, directed by Jacques Tati and scored by Ween, using only the instruments of Cabaret Voltaire.

2026 Repress

A.Wild plots the course.

Goes Without Saying.

4 intricate signals for late-night movement. Remix from Eversines.

Club Blanco steps into a more finely wired zone with CBR004, a tightly detailed transmission from young Bristol producer A.Wild – a record that reveals itself slowly, layer by layer, like a signal sharpening in real time.

Still anchored with a raw, restless pull, A.Wild works with a more intricate palette here: interlocking rhythms, delicate textural shifts, and micro-melodic flickers that shimmer beneath weighty, rolling low end. These are tracks that breathe, evolve, and reward close listening just as much as late-night movement.

If previous releases moved through the static in broad strokes, CBR004 traces its own circuitry — precise, hypnotic, and quietly complex – mapping new routes through the Club Blanco continuum.

Introducing the 4th instalment of the Pacific Coast House rebirth. We bring back another much sought-after 12” from The Coastal Commission & Jesse Outlaw. “Bring down the Walls” was a nod to Raze’s “Break for Love”, Robert Owens “Bring Down the Walls” and Ritchie Hawtin’s use of the Roland 606 throughout “Sheet One”. Long out of reach and fetching $100+ on Discogs, Atjazz’s freshly remastered editions are finally available .. “Let it Go” was never mastered & only ever cut to dub-plate. It has now been mastered & available in all it’s glory.

Coastal Commission “Bring Down the Walls” “Bring down the Walls” was a nod to Raze’s “Break for Love”, Robert Owens “Bring Down the Walls” and Ritchie Hawtin’s use of the Roland 606 throughout “Sheet One.” We gave the tune a Californian psychedelic twist with conga laden drums, a moody synth, low pulsing 303 patterns + Benjamin Zephaniahs patois call to “Move the Body Rhythmwize!” The first PCH releases had dropped Worldwide to International acclaim from DJ’s far and wide across the Globe with support in London, Paris & New York. However the local scene here in L.A that preached “Love, inclusion & Unity” was anything but that. L.A at that time was very tribal & divided up into 3 camps. If you weren’t affiliated with any of them (aka independent) then you were pretty much locked out of getting any kind of gig support or the Dj’s from those camps actually playing the music. The local feedback from Dj’s was that what we were making wasn’t “house,” but “Techno” which was absurd to me. “Bring Down the Walls” was a mantra to “move the bod”y and in doing so “bring down the walls” of separation not just in L.A but throughout society in general. Thank goodness for support from people like Terry Francis, Eddie Richards, DJ Deep & Philly Stalwart King Britt. After years of copies going for upward of $100+ on Discogs the now freshly remastered copies by At Jazz’s Martin Iveson are finally hitting the platters this Spring.

Jesse Outlaw “Let it Go” I met Jesse at Beatnonstop Records on Melrose Ave with Miguel Placencia in the late 90’s. Miguel (RIP) was a mainstay in the Underground scene and had always been very supportive of my endeavors. He had had success with a huge release on Yellow Orange and was working with Jesse under the moniker “When Worlds Collide.” I signed “Brighter Days” & “Set you Free” from them and released the tracks on my Seductive imprint. They told me that they were making the tracks on a Sony Playstation “Music Now” program and I was like FFS “What.s more Underground than that!?” Later Jesse gave me some of his solo work. The track “Let it Go” was never mastered & only ever cut to Dub-plate and featured on my 1st PCH mix “Pacific Coast House Sounds.” It has now been mastered by Martin Iveson and is available in all it’s glory. The dreamy vocal “You need to let it go” beckons over the top of driving percussive Latin beats and church organ which is a great compliment to the flip side of “Bring down the Walls.” All in all two West Coast stompers now finally available remastered on PCH in Orange vinyl.

20-jähriges Jubiläum: Erweiterte und remasterte Vinyl-Neuauflage des epochalen Debüts von Band of Horses, dem Indie-Rock-Klassiker "Everything All The Time" aus dem Jahr 2006. Diese erweiterte Ausgabe kommt im Klappcover und einer Bonus-LP mit seltenem und unveröffentlichtem Material, alles frisch gemastert von JJ Golden und gepresst auf opakem gelbem Vinyl. Musikalische Transzendenz zu erreichen, ist echt schwierig. Wenn es klappt - ein großes ,wenn" -, dann passiert das ganz natürlich, und vielleicht weiß das niemand besser als Band of Horses, deren bahnbrechendes Debütalbum ,Everything All The Time" auch nach zwanzig Jahren noch genauso lebendig und, wenn man so sagen darf, transzendent wirkt wie bei seiner Veröffentlichung im Jahr 2006. Gitarrist und Sänger Ben Bridwell gründete Band of Horses 2004 in Seattle, nachdem er fast zehn Jahre lang bei Carissa's Wierd, den melancholischen Lieblingen des Nordwestens, gespielt hatte. Carissa's Wierd machten wunderschönen orchestralen Pop, dessen Songs unerschrockene Geschichten von Herzschmerz und Verlust erzählten, gewürzt mit defätistischem Humor. Band of Horses entstand aus den Überresten dieser beliebten Band, getragen von Bridwells warmer, halliger Stimme und seinen holzigen, verträumten Songs, die vor Spannung, Sehnsucht und Hoffnung nur so strotzen. Mit einem neuen Vertrag bei Sub Pop und einer Reihe großartiger Songs im Gepäck nahm die Band ihr Debütalbum "Everything All the Time" mit Produzent Phil Ek in den Avast Studios in Seattle auf. Mal rau und episch (,The Great Salt Lake"), mal zart und nachdenklich (,St. Augustine", ,Monsters") - "Everything All The Time" ist ein Album, das wunderschön von zerbrechlichen Höhen und Tiefen geprägt ist. Das ist Teil des Genies von Band of Horses: Sie schaffen intelligente, klassische Bewegungen innerhalb ihrer Songs und meistern dabei eine perfekte Balance zwischen Verzweiflung und Hoffnung, Ruhe und Manie, Liebe und Angst. Und natürlich gibt es da noch die massive Single ,The Funeral", die zu einem prägenden Song dieser Ära wurde und weiterhin neue Generationen von Fans und Künstlern gleichermaßen inspiriert. Neben unzähligen Film- und TV-Platzierungen wurde der Song von Kid Cudi gesampelt und vom renommierten Produzenten und Multi-Instrumentalisten Gryffin in einen 2025 Dance Edit verwandelt, der allein in kürzester Zeit 2,5 Millionen Streams ergattert hat. Anlässlich des 20-jährigen Jubiläums des Albums präsentieren Sub Pop und Band of Horses nun die definitive Momentaufnahme der Band zur Zeit von "Everything All The Time". Für diese Jubiläumsveröffentlichung wurde das Album komplett remastered, das Artwork überarbeitet und zu einer Gatefold-Hülle mit Liner Notes von Phil Ek erweitert. Begleitet wird das Album von einer zusätzlichen LP mit Bonustracks, darunter die Tour-EP von 2005, eine Fundgrube bisher unveröffentlichter Studio- und Live-Tracks sowie Raritäten wie ,The End's Not Near" (zu hören in The O.C.) und eine Demoversion von ,The Funeral".

Preceded, in November 2018, by the monster hit ‘Nothing Breaks Like A Heart’ featuring Miley Cyrus, Mark’s fifth studio album dropped in June 2019 to widespread acclaim as a carefully crafted, cohesive and intimate experience. Outfitted with one of the finest aggregations of so-called ‘sad bangers’ to be found anywhere in pop, including four further singles featuring stellar female vocal performances, Ronson described it as “definitely the best thing” he has produced (as well as the record that he worked hardest on) and it is difficult to disagree. As Clash Music concluded: “Ronson’s ability to tap into each artist’s strengths and dig out their particular prowess allows each voice to shine through and own each individual track. This is what elevates the record to a guaranteed award winner and a truly empowering listen.”

Francis of Delirium is the moniker of 22-year old, Luxembourg-based Jana Bahrich. The young artist’s incredible journey up until this point has seen her release 3 critically acclaimed EPs, ‘All Change’, 'Wading’ and ‘The Funhouse’. With praise so far from the likes of Stereogum, FADER, Pitchfork, Line of Best Fit, 6 Music, Radio 1, KEXP and NPR to name but a few, Francis of Delirium is on the precipice of something extremely exciting with debut album ‘Lighthouse’.

The announcement of ‘Lighthouse’ comes following a busy year of touring with the likes of Soccer Mommy, Briston Maroney, Horsegirl, The Districts and hitting Eurosonic, Iceland Airwaves and Tree Fort Fest, as well as opening for The 1975 & Kings of Leon.

Production duties on ‘Lighthouse’ were shared by Catherine Marks (Boygenius, Wolf Alice) and Jana Bahrich/Chris Hewitt. ‘Lighthouse’ was mixed by Jolyon Thomas (U2, Royal Blood).

What's the first thing you think of when someone mentions Thee Oh Sees? Probably their riot-sparking live show, right? Visions of a guitar-chewing, melody-maiming John Dwyer careening across your cranium, rounded out by a wild-eyed wrecking crew that drives every last hook home like it's a nail in the coffin of what you thought it meant to make 21st-century rock 'n' roll? Yeah, that sounds about right. But it misses a more important point-how impossible Thee Oh Sees have been to pin down since Dwyer launched the project in the late '90s as a solo break from such sorely missed underground bands as Pink and Brown and Coachwhips. (While Dwyer still records songs on his own, Thee Oh Sees is now a five-piece featuring keyboardist / singer Brigid Dawson, guitarist Petey Dammit, drummer Mike Shoun and multi-instrumentalist / singer Lars Finberg.) That restlessness extends to everything from the towering, thirteen-minute title track of 2010's Warm Smile LP to the mercurial moods of 2008's The Master's Bedroom Is Worth Spending a Night In. Now, Thee Oh Sees chase the home-brewed symphonies of Castlemania with the scrappy, high-wire hooks of Carrion Crawler / The Dream. Originally envisioned as two EPs, it was cut live to tape in less than a week at Chris Woodhouse's Sacramento studio in June, reflecting the battering-ram bent of the band's live show better than any bootleg ever could. "As I'm sure most would agree," explains Dwyer, "Castlemania was more of a vocal tirade. This one's meant to pummel and throb." That it does, whether one blasts the slow, speaker-bruising build of "The Dream," the sunburnt organs and dovetailing guitars of "Crack in Your Eye" or the interstellar instrumental "Chem-Farmer," a perfect example of what happens when one takes a well-oiled machine-a gang of rabid road warriors, really-and adds a second, groove-locked drum set to the mix. To listen is to realize that Dwyer's music is as manic as the underground comic inclinations of his artwork; colorful and confusing in a way that's more than welcome. It's downright refreshing, like a slap in the face at 5:00 in the morning. Or, as Dwyer puts it, "You have to leave a mark somehow."

Mixed by Simon Lam (Kllo, Armlock) and mastered by Grammy-nominated engineer Andrei Eremin, the album features collaborations with British talent including rising spoken-word artist Emmeline, Mancunian ambient producer Frameworks, and Nattica from Fickle Friends on the single 'Oh My'. Speaking on the album, Fractures says: "There's no overarching theme to this album, not lyrically anyway. It's cobbled together like short diary entries of someone journeying through a sort of middling stasis in their life, a time of nothing particularly noteworthy, and that in itself provokes deeper and maybe darker introspection.

I didn't feel like needlessly plugging holes with lyrics, just light dabs here and there, light and shade to complete the visual I pictured in my head. The through line of the album is more within the sonic palette. There's a murkiness, a sort of dust in the audio that is cast over every song. Noth

Dorian Concept returns with "Miniatures," a collection of his renowned one-take synthesizer recordings that he’s been known for sharing online since the mid-2000s. “This release was right under my nose” he says. Over the past two decades, Dorian Concept has uploaded videos of himself "fooling around" on various synthesizers and keyboards – long before the rise of short-form content. These signature one- to two-minute performances have sparked countless covers, remixes and reinterpretations by musicians and producers alike. Through this project, Dorian Concept aims to celebrate a long-standing bond with his instruments and honor it in the form of a photo album.

In his own words:

As a kid, every night before bed, I would sit in the same place and draw a comic. I rarely finished them, but I couldn’t go to sleep without having started one. These "Miniatures" and the preceding videos I’ve recorded come from the same place. They’re the expression of a ritual.
Around 2020, I created a compact setup using three devices – a mono synthesizer, an analogue reverb and a looper –which I separated from the rest of the studio. Every day, before I started working, I would improvise on this small setup and at the end of every month, I would record a video and share it with the world. These songs were made in front of you, in a Truman-Show like fashion.
Now they feel like diary-entries that capture the timeline of a deepening relationship, the harvest of limitation and repetition, and the beauty of simplicity.

The cover art is a drawing by the esteemed Austrian artist Leopold Strobl (courtesy of Gallery Gugging), who is known for his distinctive small-format work. The closing track, “An Unopened Letter,” features the genre-defying guitarist and producer Bibio.

Pioneering Swiss trombonist and composer Andreas Tschopp marries contemporary jazz with South African horns and homemade ocarinas, creating a record quite unlike anything you've heard before. "What if We Align Our Breath" disregards the curvature of borders, genre, and time itself - tugging a thread through the history of wind instrumentation with ghostly agility.

At the heart of the record lie spiralling, bonelike kudu (antelope) horns - instruments that have lent their stirring calls to indigenous South African rituals and signalling systems for millennia. These horns are clustered, harmonised and stretched beyond their godly usage by Tschopp - his extended techniques coaxing an array of melancholy, playful voices to canter through the album.

Flourishes of trombone, alpine flutes and a stellar supporting cast on double bass (Shane Cooper), cornet (Ben LaMar Gay), udu drums (Gontse Makhene) and spoken word (Koleka Putuma) bring groove, countermelody and a sense of earthy introspection to the proceedings. This is inconceivable music: a sighing tapestry of brass, clay and bone that hints at some preconscious connectedness, tracing figures that rejoice, exhale and embrace outside of time.

Recommended if you like Francis Bebey, quantum physics, peat bogs.

When Saracen released their debut album ‘Heroes, Saints & Fools’ back in 1981, the UK Rock scene certainly took notice. Their combination of Magnum-like melodies and Uriah Heep intensity and vocal stylings immediately endeared them to fans of the NWOBHM scene, and fans of classic British Rock in general.
All songs and lyrics were written by lead guitarist Rob Bendelow, who left prior to the release of their second album, ‘Change Of Heart’, in 1984. While this sophomore effort still contained a few Bendelow songs, the band had changed direction, moving away from the almost Pomp and NWOBHM of the debut for a more polished and Melodic Rock direction.
Unfortunately, this new direction didn’t resonate with the fans, and the band broke up not long after.
However, Bruce Mee of Now & Then Records had always been a massive Magnum and Saracen fan. Having already convinced Bob Catley to start a solo career in the late 90s, he also had very productive talks with Rob Bendelow. This great friendship resulted in the band reforming and the release of ‘Red Sky’ in 2003. Rob Bendelow and Saracen were back.
Later signing to Escape and releasing several more great albums, Rob Finally retired from the music scene a few years ago, but the band gamely soldiered on, keeping his songs and legacy alive for their many adoring fans.

In an instance of total cosmic kismet, that same Bruce Mee was also co-organiser of the inaugural ‘Tower of Fire’ UK festival, and in 2024 invited Saracen to play the event along with other well recognised names of the scene such as Nitrate, Remedy, Atack, White Skies and Gabrielle de Val. The event was multi-track recorded, and the results of the Saracen set were so good that it was decided to release a very first live album.

The title of the live album is taken from the name of their crushing opening song: ‘Crusader’. And in a further act of unbelievable karma, the magnificent album artwork and design are created by Sebastian Kozak, the very same creative artist responsible for the brilliant artwork on the band’s come-back album ‘Red Sky’ back in 2003.
All but one of the songs that day were from that incredible debut and those 5 songs, along with 3 others previously recorded live by the band, make up this totally amazing live album. For fans of Saracen and NWOBHM, this is a moment we never thought we’d ever see: a brilliant live Saracen album with vocalist Steve Bettney sounding as incredible as he did over 40 years ago.

Mats Gustafsson met Jan St. Werner in Berlin when they both performed with Peter Brötzmann and a group of prolific improvisers. Mats and Jan share a passion for performing not just inside rooms but also with them, activating space and shaping sound via divertion. Mats introduces Johan Berthling who adds complex bass structures to the nervous jitter of Mats’ saxophone & pedals and Werner's digital machinery.

The trio instantly agrees on sound as a physical material which can bend and move anywhere within seconds. With this material they establish musical forms which they immediately dissect and reassemble again. It’s a nervous ride, a hyperactive conversation keen on detail and open to argument. Although IFANAME’s sound is instantly graspable it is also hard to pin down. Nothing seems stable yet it lasts, holds like some kind of catchy glue and disssapears as quickly as it came to life. IFANAME is question and concern. It is music as much as it is movement. It is attention, care, curiosity and disaster. Wherever IFANAME came from there is much more waiting ready to burst and reshape in front and inside of our ears.