Oliver Koletzki Releases Twelfth Studio Album 12
The beautifully crafted twelve-track opus is out now via Stil vor Talent.
Berlin-based artist, DJ, producer and Stil vor Talent co-founder Oliver Koletzki today releases his twelfth studio album, “12” — a deeply considered, emotionally rich long-player that marks the next chapter in a career spanning more than two decades at the forefront of electronic music. The album is out now on Stil vor Talent in digital formats and as a 2x12” gatefold vinyl.
Serving as both a milestone and a manifesto, “12” distils Koletzki’s evolving sound into its most refined form yet. Across twelve tracks, the album explores atmosphere, restraint and emotional clarity, balancing slow-burning club energy with introspective storytelling. It’s a record shaped by experience, patience and an unwavering attention to detail; qualities that have long defined Koletzki’s output as both an artist and a label curator.
The journey begins with album opener “Petrichor”, a quietly powerful introduction built around wistful organ chords that gradually unfold into a warm, hypnotic groove. Acting as the album’s emotional threshold, the track sets the tone for what follows: music that rewards immersion, thrives on nuance and unfolds with deliberate pace. From there, 12 moves seamlessly between introspective moments and more direct dance floor statements, always guided by Koletzki’s unmistakable melodic sensibility.
Singles released in the lead-up to the album offered carefully sequenced glimpses into its breadth. December’s “Trip With Me”, a collaboration with Frida Darko, brought playful energy and sharp modern club dynamics, while January’s “I Don’t Need Your Love” delivered a confident, emotionally charged statement rooted in Koletzki’s introspective yet club-ready DNA. February’s “Petrichor” revealed the album’s cinematic depth, followed by “Schnapsidee” in March — a track that leans into groove, character and subtle eccentricity.
Elsewhere on the album, tracks like “Logic”, “It’s All Gone” and “Tick Tick” showcase Koletzki’s ability to create tension and release through finely balanced arrangements, while “La Hora de Mosquitos” and “Calle Sur” hint at the global influences that continue to shape his sound. The closing stretch — from “About the Fox and a Tiger” through “What Remains” to “Voice or Noise” (with Frida Darko) — brings the album to a reflective, yet characteristically playful conclusion.
As a whole, “12” feels purposeful and cohesive, guided by a clear narrative arc rather than fleeting trends. It reflects the maturity of an artist with nothing left to prove, yet still driven by curiosity and a desire to evolve. Much like Koletzki’s previous albums, “12” stands as a self-contained world, inviting listeners to step inside and stay.
Released on Stil vor Talent, the album also reinforces the label’s ethos of artistic freedom, quality and long-term vision. Now over 20 years strong, the imprint continues to shape contemporary electronic music while remaining deeply rooted in underground culture: a balance Koletzki himself has embodied throughout his career.
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Ramping up the intensity from his 2025 debut, Joe Milli returns to Livity Sound with a spring-loaded EP of upfront club workouts that once again split the difference between techno propulsion and UK Funky swagger.
Milli's previous release, Deep Forest, carried a dubby atmosphere on top of its bassweight rhythms. On this new four-track EP, the shroud lifts and he leans in on raw, impactful drums and sparse sound fields.
'Retreat' piles percussion into an uptempo stomper with a looped intensity and carnival accents on top, and 'Mantra' offers a similar 4/4 thrust around the 140 mark. Meanwhile, 'Revival' locks down low into a heavy dembow-informed groove and 'The Less You Know' prizes tense, precisely arranged hand drums with a minimal finish primed for creative blends.
Zeroing in on stark, heads-down production for the club, the Repetitions EP offers a different slant on Milli's emergent, sharply executed sound.
- 1: Cryin' & Pleadin
- 2: I Love You, I Need You
- 3: I Don't Mind
- 4: Stranger Blues
- 5: Hold On, I'm Coming
- 6: My Baby Sweeter
- 7: Just One More Time
- 8: Chicken Pickin
Eines der prägendsten Merkmale des Ansatzes der Blues-Newcomer GA-20 in Bezug auf traditionelle Bluesmusik ist ihr unerschütterliches Engagement, die Songs zu spielen, die sie lieben, oder wie Bandleader Matthew Stubbs es ausdrückt: ,Wir spielen die Musik, die wir selbst hören wollen." Kenner sind fasziniert von der mitreißenden Energie, die die Band in die Welt des Heavy Blues bringt, und von den Songs, die sie spielen. Mit ORPHANS hat die Band eine Sammlung von Blues- und Blues-nahen Titeln zusammengestellt, die perfekt in diesen Rahmen passen. Die Songs auf ORPHANS sind genau das - einzigartige Stücke, die man sonst nur bei Live-Shows hört, Singles, die zwischen den Alben veröffentlicht wurden, und einfache Favoriten, die die Band (Stubbs, Cody Nilsen & Josh Kiggans) schon lange aufnehmen wollte. Und genau wie der Blues eine Tradition des Ausleihens, Teilens und der Transformation ist, werden diese Melodien und Texte auf ähnliche Weise neu interpretiert und neu erdacht - Waisen und Streuner, die liebevoll adoptiert und mit neuem Leben erfüllt werden. Die Nachfrage der Fans nach einer richtigen Veröffentlichung dieser Songs in voller Länge sowie der Wunsch, Nilsens Gesang und seine Meisterschaft an der Begleitgitarre zu präsentieren, werden hier in physischer Form verwirklicht.
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.
- 1: Black And White
- 2: Falling For The Feeling
- 3: Shadow World
- 4: Stranger
- 5: Bad Thoughts
- 6: Images Of Love
- 7: Company (With Orion Sun)
- 8: Esp
- 9: Sorry
- 10: Zombies
- 11: Fake It With You
- 12: Double Vision
- 13: Mean
- 14: Stupid Love
- 15: Heavens Just A Mile Away
- 16: Monica
- 17: If You Love Me
- 18: Tangerine
Cloudy Pink / Cloudy Green 2XLP. Before being called “the coolest man in music” (The Line of Best Fit), Paul Castelluzzo was a teenager surfing the beaches of San Diego and playing bars with local jazz greats like Curtis Taylor, until Rodney Jerkins brought him to Los Angeles to perform on tracks for Britney Spears and Justin Bieber. In between driving for Lyft and serving as the music director for a Russian Pentecostal church to make ends meet, he was enlisted for Romeo Santos’ album, Golden, but soon returned home to begin his next chapter as Hether.
Since then, his self-taught guitar style, songwriting talents and profound production palette have led to him working with everyone from Clairo, Dominic Fike, Remi Wolf and The Marías to Paul McCartney, Anderson .Paak, Benny Blanco, Kali Uchis, Kenny Beats, Mac Miller, Rick Ross, Vince Staples and more who continue to discover Hether. Having already amassed millions of streams and hundreds of thousands of fans, landing music in HBO shows and scoring films, Holy Water marks both the culmination of everything Castelluzzo has experienced and accomplished, and an expansive new evolution of a project that has shaped the present and predicted the future, but remains entirely his own.
Sept returns to OPUS with a versatile five-track EP built for both peak-time impact and deeper moments. Featuring four dynamic techno tracks, the release combines driving energy with detailed sound design, making it equally effective on large stages and in intimate club spaces. The EP closes with an ambient track designed as a perfect DJ set opener, adding depth and flexibility for selectors.
Enter the debut LP of the now Spatial regular Chronicle - Expect a joyous, varied blend of old school brand new atmospherics from one of the scene’s most talented producers. A1 - 20th Century Man Straight into the beats for the deliciously cheery opening, 20th Century Man encapsulates so much of what Chronicle does best - old school breakbeat sensibilities delivered with an inimitable atmospheric charm, strongly reminiscent of that peak Good Looking era we all adored. Incredible synthwork and analogue drums layered with danceable 2-step breaks and melodies take your mind exactly where you want to be. A2 - Terraformers Seminal synths and birdsong effects prepare us for an impossibly crisp breakbeat and 808 bassline to drive this track along, coloured by a myriad of subtle blips and bleeps, delicately flecked across a detailed and optimistic soundscape. Very DJ-friendly from the first to the final bar, the purity of Chronicle’s approach to atmospheric drum & bass is once again at its best here on Spatial. B1 - Boundless Space Playful twittering birds, gentle hi-hats and panning synths introduce Boundless Space, a blissful, serene treat for the senses which soon kicks into flourishing life with the timeless Circles break. Vocal samples punctuate the soothing breakdown with exquisitely programmed effects dotted here, there and everywhere, completing a stunning composition that both reflects on the past and looks forward in equal measure. B2 - Ephemeral Style A light, delicately calming pad-laden intro with echoing melodies opens Ephemeral style, soon punctuated by a sublime 808 bassline preceding the drop. Chronicle showcases his dancefloor breakbeat prowess with an energetic 2-step break pattern, expertly programmed and riddled with detail and density, creating a wonderful collage of sound and a perfect addition to any era-spanning atmospheric set. C1 - Modular Expansion Eerily reminiscent tones harking back to the golden, ultra-classic Good Looking era introduce us to Modular Expansion, a track which quickly adds layer upon layer of original identity to the vibe with crisp breaks, a wonderful metallic backdrop snare and subtle vocal samples. The joyously retrospective breakdown complements the energy of the track beautifully, capping off another gem for the record box. C2 - Limbic System Chronicle introduces Limbic System with swathes of swirling pads and synths, straddled with a subtle yet enigmatic melody carrying us through the drop, where we are treated to a lusciously constructed old school break pattern with a modern twist. Enter the breakdown and the keen ear will spot sampled quotes from Total Recall, which fit the vibe perfectly. “You went to Recall?” - yes, we sure did. And we enjoyed the trip! D1 - Non-Euclidian Continuing the blissful retrospective atmospheric tone of the album, Chronicle serves up Non-Euclidian which opens with a wonderfully synthy intro flecked with old school break samples and an earworm melody, before the onslaught of layered breaks provides variety as well as a thoroughly danceable pattern to unleash on the discerning dancefloor. Trademark dotted effects punctuate the track throughout. D2 - Deep Thought Capping off the LP we have Deep Thought, setting a calming and quietly brooding vibe before impossibly crisp beats kick in and elevate proceedings nicely. Chronicle effortlessly leads the listener through the drop with an analogue punch, earthy basslines and fluttering effects with the kind of flair we’ve come to love from such a vastly experienced and talented producer - perfectly complementing the vibe here at Spatial. Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)
The master of ambient soundscapes, intertwining authentic old school breakbeats with his inimitable style returns with a fresh album of choice cuts for the Spatial crew. A1 - Form of Defraction Opening the LP in his gloriously unique style, Aural Imbalance sets the tone with a powerfully ambient intro of padwork and delicately filtered breaks before dense, analogue old school breakbeats roar to life sending the track skyward. The sublime 808 bassline simmers beneath an ever-evolving soundscape of twinkling melodies and strings, the very essence of serenity captured in just under 7 minutes of audio bliss. A2 - Discreet Function Enveloping the listener with a warm blanket of silky ambience, Discreet Function soon jolts to life with a crunchy breakbeat that counteracts yet compliments the pads and myriad of delicious micro melodies so well, you wonder how it’s possible to take such extremes and mix them down so expertly that our ears accept it as one. After a relatively brief breakdown the track rolls out before the breaks are snatched away at the death - capping off a quite unique composition. B1 - Softlight Light cymbals and delicate textures introduce us to Softlight, a track which sees Aural Imbalance guiding the listener through the clouds to a haven of gentle serenity where your troubles simply fade away, punctuated by a stunningly programmed and memorable Hot Pants break pattern, timid classic basslines and an overall plethora of sun-baked energy - perfect for the headphones and the record box - as always. B2 - Airwave Immensely old school vibes are immediately present in Airwave, with analogue breaks and succinct female vocal samples that mingle with echoing melodies and synthwork to create a beautifully flowing and unique slice of atmospheric gold. Additional breaks are fused into the mix as the track progresses, elevating the piece to the heights we have come to expect from Aural Imbalance, yet never cease to amaze. C1 - Speed of Light Gentle cymbals and filtered breaks open Speed of Light, before a crisp barrage of amen goodness descends and dominates proceedings - just as a good amen should! Programmed to perfection with an immensely danceable rolling pattern, the amens lead us through a sea of washing synths and delicate melodies, intertwining and frolicking in the mix, completing a charming and memorable piece. C2 - Fading Star Playful strings and a luscious 808 bassline play with sumptuous padwork in the intro to Fading Star, a track which sees Aural Imbalance capture the essence of 90’s jungle and it’s symbiotic relationship with atmospheric drum & bass perfectly. Developing throughout with an array of unassuming effects and a quietly moving vibe, Fading Star is the perfect addition to sets spanning the entire history of this music. D1 - Drifting Under Bright Skies Aural Imbalance resurrects the excellent break last featured on Spatial in his sublime track Surface Area, this time chopped and sliced to a different vibe, with kickdrums at the forefront and that fantastically crunchy snare deployed more sparingly. Shimmering padwork and light melodies dance across the mix throughout to leave us with a refreshingly unique and memorable track you won’t be able to get enough of. D2 - Violet Completing this fine LP of old school ambient breakbeat mastery, Aural Imbalance deploys Violet to see us out - a climactic-feeling romp that opens with quiet intent before launching the listener through cheery melodic tones and bustling soundscapes, sprinkled liberally with airy pads and fluttering micro melodies that zip and whoosh around thick analogue breakbeats. A fitting end to a thoroughly enjoyable album. Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist) credits
Building momentum around his moody, alchemical breakthroughs in the techno-bass laboratory, Buckley lands on Sneaker Social Club with a punchy quadruplex that marks him out as an innovative talent in the next generation of low end producers.
Manchester-based Elias Buckley first came to light with a lathe-cut drop on ec2a, followed up over the past two years with outings on Well Street, Dimeshift and S.P.E.C. That sets the tone for exploratory zone Buckley is operating in, and he maintains a forward-thinking slant to his physical, dynamic club weapons on this latest EP.
'City Dweller' rests on a creeping mid tempo 4/4 pulse, all the better to carry slithering layers of sound design that slide off the undulating sub bass throb. Minimalism is the order of the day here, but his approach is shot through with gully zaps and rude swagger that makes this a positively UK- centric affair. 'Carl's Floorboard' makes a sizeable swerve towards brutalist grime mutation, letting the space in the mix swallow you whole around the dislocated bass womps and whipcrack snares.
On the B side, 'Gawy' hits the mark squarely between techno propulsion and soundsystem swagger, plying slippery sound design to the bass blasts and working an offbeat groove designed for maximum lock-in. Making sure there are no doubts about his range, Buckley saves one of the deadliest joints on the record for the closer, whipping up a wide-as-you-like UKG bounce on 'M.O.B.S.O.T.' while maintaining the lean and mean sound that binds the EPs any angles together.
HolyBrune begeistert mit ihrer sanften Stimme und eingängigen Toplines. Als Singer-Songwriterin und Komponistin erlangte sie erstmals Aufmerksamkeit an der Seite von Dabeull mit dem goldzertifizierten Hit „You & I“. Mit „Visions“ liefert sie eine intergalaktische Ode an die Liebe, die kosmische Romantik und Retro-Futurismus miteinander verbindet. Verspielt und luftig vereint der Track Vocoder, Talkbox, groovigen Bass und kitschige Synthesizer – eine lebendige Hommage an die 80er-Jahre und The Rah Band.
- 1: Set Me Free
- 2: My Baby Doll
- 3: Upside Down
- 4: A Tribute To Buddy Holly
- 5: What's The Matter
- 6: It's Just A Matter Of Time
- 7: Don't Ever Change
- 8: Don't You Think It's Time
- 9: My Little Baby
- 10: You'll Do It, You'll Fall In Love
- 11: It Really Doesn't Matter
- 12: Please Don't Say
- 1: Mantra
- 2: The Destroying Fire
- 3: Biphasic
- 4: Anaesthetic
- 5: The Devils
- 6: Liberation
- 7: The First Bardo
- 8: White Grass
- 9: Luminous
- 10: Epigram
- 11: For Grace
- 12: Self-Transcendence
A sprawling, meditative journey into inner and outer space, the new double album from Ivan The Tolerable sees Oli Heffernan retreat fully into the solo realm - crafting an expansive sonic world that feels both intimate and cosmic in scope. Recorded entirely alone and released via Riot Season, this latest work drifts away from structured forms and toward something more fluid, exploratory, and transcendent.
Drawing on the devotional atmospheres of early ambient pioneers and the hypnotic pulse of kosmische music, the album unfolds as a series of slowly shifting soundscapes—analog synths breathing in long, patient waves, tape loops dissolving into shimmering drones, and melodies that seem to emerge from nowhere before gently receding again. There are echoes of ritual, of vast landscapes, of time stretching and folding in on itself.
Across its two discs, Heffernan embraces a deeply immersive approach—less concerned with destination than with the act of drifting itself. It’s music that invites stillness and surrender, equally suited to deep listening or quiet disconnection from the noise of the everyday.
Unbound by genre yet rooted in a rich lineage of experimental sound, this is Ivan The Tolerable at his most introspective and transportive - a double album that doesn’t just ask for your attention, but your presence.
Fides Records proudly presents the second last chapter of its 10-year anniversary series: X6. Here, the narrative pivots toward groove and immersion between Detroit-rooted sounds, jazz-infused flair, glitchy futurism, and deep dub meditation. This chapter highlight the label’s love for movement, texture, and long-form atmosphere.
Side A opens with Fireground’s “Aquaria”, a sexy, bouncing techno cut carrying old-school Detroit spirit and harmonic fluidity: funky yet refined, shaped by the Italian duo’s live-set mentality, live improvisation and vintage synthesisers. Human Safari’s “Havanas” follows, merging jazz and techno through a standout trumpet solo and lush groove work, carving out a vibrant, genre-crossing mood that feels both bold and effortless. Closing the side, 1morning’s “You Heard Me The First Time” delivers early-2000s techno DNA with a modern edge: glitchy rhythms, unpredictable sequencing, and a playful sense of tension-and-release.
Flipping to Side B, Macedonian master Stojche leads with “Perpetual Sin”, a dub techno lesson in restraint: evolving through spacious layering and emotional subtlety until it fully envelops the room. The record closes with Z.I.P.P.O & Mareena’s “Moonchild”, a tribal, dub-infused deep techno immersion where percussive drive meets meditative energy—an internal journey built for big systems and late hours.
If you’ve spent any time in a London club over the last few years, you know the name. Rossi. has gone from being the “secret weapon” of the underground to the guy everyone is trying to book. After cutting his teeth with a residency at Fabric and tearing the roof off Printworks and Studio 338, he’s finally given us the anthem we’ve been waiting for.
The bosses new single on Homegrown., ‘Ease Your Mind,’ isn’t just another tech-house filler. It’s the perfect distillation of that “Rossi. sound” that’s been vibrating through the UK scene lately.
Our brand new Club Sweat compilation series has landed with Vol. 002 - a meticulously curated vinyl EP that captures some of our favourite releases from 2026.
From the Latin-infused energy of LO’99 & Yolanda Be Cool’s ‘Casa Cantina’ to the peak-time euphoria of CHANEY’s ‘Everybody Rising’, and Tseba’s ‘Dusk Til Dawn’, Side A is built for the dancefloor’s brightest moments.
Flip the record to Steve Lawler’s hypnotic ‘Tiny D’, the funk-filled ‘On The Limit’ by DvirNuns and a masterclass in momentum from Bonafique with ‘Sunday Routine’.
This one captures the essence of Sweat It Out’s undeniable influence on dancefloors across the globe.
co:clear is blessed to share the latest offering of Leipzig-based artist, tibslc. Like many, we were introduced to her work through those two stunner long-players on Sferic at the turn of the decade. Five years have passed since then and her work continues to mesmerise – a string of accomplished self-releases have nestled themselves amongst contributions to STROOM.tv and SoundSupply_Service, to name but a few.
In the here and now, we are pleased to showcase ‘City of Something’ – 8 fragments of deluxe hi-fi ambient that further dissolves us in digital haze. Traversing through meticulous fragments of sound, tiblsc entices the listener to her synthetic dreamworld with an album of deep, euphonic electronics. Serene moments of singer-songwriting are sprinkled throughout and remind us of the artist’s delicate ability to captivate with her ethereal voice.
Artwork comes courtesy of Berlin-based artist, Margarita Maximova. Strictly limited to 250 copies of 12” wax and via most digital outlets. Out 29th May 2026.
Out on limited edition 12” vinyl & digital, 29th May 2026. Limited to 250 copies.
Plastik People deals in house & garage done right. This latest drop is a split EP between Marc Cotterell and Dominic Balchin and opens with 'The Trumpet Track', which is exactly that. 'Baby Do You Feel Me' is unabashed vocal joy, while 'Oh Lord' sinks into deeper house with shapeshifting chords that keep you moving. 'Rhythm Of The Vibe' is a New York homage with shades of Kerri Chandler and we can't get enough of it.
- Miss Wales 2012
- A Good Day For Dying
- Make It Count
- Cut To Black
- Full Range Of Motion
- Pretty As A Magazine
- Look Like Me
- How Can We Be Friends
- Every Single Muscle
- Shiny And Wet
- Semi-Automatic
- In My Short Life
- Watching The Omnibus
- It's Our Manager David
- Yours (If You Want Me)
- All My Clothes Fell Off
- Third Best Friend
- My Uncle Warren Drives A Passat
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.



















