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Never Sleep charity tape series focuses on the North East's Valenican musical obsession with the man who started it all.

Trendsetter DJ Scott commands respect with a blend of Makina, Hardcore and Bounce. A trance laced session filled with the resonating compere styles from MC Stompin, MC Jet and MC Natz.

Bringing the energy, heart on the sleeve lyricism and maximal Mackem love for the late night surreptitiously crew. Lacing the backdrop with rapid fire crossfade technique, jump up tonal flair and high pace anthemic signals. Scott brings authenticity alongside the finest MC's in the land.

MC Stompin shows the naysayers who owns the night, MC Jet streamlines quality on the mic and MC Natz brings his own signature tones to the prestigious event.

Literally bringing the first ever Makina records back from Spain (8 of them) and starting Hangar13, this mix showcases an incredible time for the localised sonica and the rise of a cultural defining era in the North East.

DJ Scott is known for his huge cultural contribution, youth work and working class pioneership. A true UK legend and local hero.

All proceeds go to The Macmillan Cancer Support who help people across the UK and and provides specialist health care.

Saithara were a leading traditional Lanna music group in the Chiang Mai area, led by Chansom Saithara who was named a National Artist in 1996.

Chansom's son, Thepthara Panyamana, fronted the related Saithara "Combo", who explored a range of international pop styles to craft their light-hearted parody tracks in the local "kam mueang" dialect. The lead single here, from 1985, makes use of a well-known German synth-pop song which had become a surprise smash a few years earlier, while the b-side snags a similarly notable power-pop tune from the USA.

Thepthara was also a songwriter and instructor for the child musical group Nok Lae, a Chiang Mai area youth band who became mainstream crossover stars nation-wide. Thepthara passed away in 2017, and Baa Records has teamed with his brother Komsan to license this re-issue in his memory.

Following Parnell March’s Back Bar Grooves EP in February and November’s release of the Dust Tears (lead song from Sarah/Shaun’s debut) remixes, Edinburgh’s Hobbes Music label returns with a second EP of dream pop from husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), alias Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced McLochlun), who wooed hearts and wowed critics with debut EP ‘It’s True What They Say?’ last year.

‘It’s True What They Say?’ attracted fans across the board: Artist Of The Week in The Scotsman, rapturous reviews from The Skinny and Tokyo's Ban Ban Ton Ton blog, BBC 6Music airplay courtesy of Nemone (Mary Anne Hobbs' Morning Show), more radio play from Radio Scotland's Roddy Hart & Vic Galloway, plus Simone Butler (Primal Scream) and Jim Sclavunos (Bad Seeds) via their respective Soho Radio shows, not forgetting ringing endorsements from the likes of David Holmes, Youth, Kevin Bales (Spiritualized), Brent Rademaker (Beachwood Sparks) and Julian Corrie (Franz Ferdinand).

They played gigs supporting Glasgow's huge Glasvegas, at festivals (Kendall Calling, Dunbar Music, Hidden Door), plus a slew of venues across the Scottish capital, ending the year with a trio of shows supporting Glaswegian 80s pop legends The Bluebells at Aberdeen’s Tunnels, Dunfermline’s PJ Molloys and Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms, while The List magazine tipped them among their Ones To Watch For 2025, with journalist Fiona Shepherd suggesting they were “blending the starry-eyed pop of Sonny & Cher with the electronic experimentation of Chris & Cosey.”

Very much the companion piece to the debut EP but arriving a full twelve months later, Someone’s Ghost is emblematic of the duo’s desire not to rush things or release anything half-baked.

“I’ve always wanted to create the perfect pop record and I do really feel that we’ve achieved that with this one,” says Shaun. And he’s clearly not the only person who thinks so.

REVIEWS, FEEDBACK ETC:

"I LOVE that! Dreamy dreamy pop." ROY MOLLOY (Marvellous Crane/Alex Cameron) on BLAST RADIO, Sydney
“the Scottish music scene’s cream of the cool... buzzy drum beats, high, distant chimes, and heavenly electronics…. very ethereal.” THE SKINNY

"Listening to Sarah/Shaun is like eavesdropping on a noir dreampop, long-distance phone call between them both, across two separate sonic locations. On this stunning 4-song EP, Sarah’s voice, effortlessly mesmerising, draws you into these big beautiful and haunting passages of perfect dream-pop. All beautifully produced in a multi-layered-scape of low-fi analogue textures, epic cinematic crescendos, intense electro-pulse grooves and warped psycho-pop guitar riffs. Within the songs lurk a sense of unresolved emotions, longing and pathos. There are shades of classic Lee Hazelwood & Nancy Sinatra but also Post-Punk Electronica and Beach House. But what a unique sound they’ve created of their own. I love it" DAVID MCCLUSKEY (The Bluebells)
"Absolutely beautiful" SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"Lovely stuff here! Total quality." MARTYN 'MASH' HENDERSON
"Ooooh. Everything the last record promised is here. Well done" GEORGE T aka George Demure (Accident Machine)
"Vince clark Era Depeche Mode in places" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized)
"Sounds cool. Well done" PETE KEMBER (Sonic Boom, Spacemen 3)
"Glorious, it (Debbie Harry) grabs hold of you and doesn't let go." IAIN DAWSON aka RAVECHILD (Everyone Wants To Play The Hits Podcast)

SOMEONE’S GHOST

Born out of an incredibly anxious, stressful time, the songwriting process for these recordings has been something of a personal tonic for Shaun…

“There was a period when I was having nightmares,” he reveals. “Apparently I was saying there was someone in the room, I was talking to that person and Sarah was seeing all this while I was still asleep.

So, I was thinking that this was my ghost. I started writing songs because I was going through something and I was dealing with something and writing songs was a comfort. My ghost was a comfort, whether it was real or not. The idea of it was a comfort.”

“I firmly believe that everyone has someone who watches over them but all of the songs are essentially about being there for someone,” he says. “Everybody needs someone but also everyone needs to stay real and keep what you have, keep it close, never let it go. If you don’t have it, continue to tell people you’re there for them. It’s about loving and hoping people will be good to you in return.”

While Shaun took the songwriting lead on Filter Of Love and EP closer The Sound Which Stresses The Sound Of My Ears, Debbie Harry was originally instrumentally conceived by producer Jaguar Eyes, alias Ali Chisholm, later lyrically completed by Shaun, and the EP’s lead track, Anhedonia, and one of its stand-outs (much like Starbed on the debut) was conceived by Sarah, as a result of experiencing a bit of a spiritual epiphany of her own.

“When I first heard the word Anhedonia, I didn't know what it meant but when I found out I thought about it quite a bit. How sad it would be to have no enjoyment in anything,” she explains. “This song is really about my own personal beliefs. When I have been down, that's one of the things that helps me the most. It talks about trying to make amends but realising, for some things, you can't. But I think with any kind of faith comes hope… which is always a good thing.”

A record about hope, truth, honesty, a belief in something bigger than oneself… and all set to a soundtrack that wouldn’t feel out of place in a David Lynch or Eighties feature film. What more could anyone ask for, really?

There’s equally a desire to offer something universal and positive to anyone who tunes in. The labels for the 12” edition reveal the dual mantras “Who just wants to survive?” and “It’s about time to live a little”, with both messages also engraved in each record’s run-out grooves. T-shirts accompanying debut EP It’s True What They Say? bore the slogan “Kill Them With Kindness” - leading caps intentional. Shaun carries the acronym KTWK everywhere he plays, as a reminder: it’s stitched into his guitar strap. And this particular wee pebble has already caused a few ripples: people have been approaching him at gigs to acknowledge their appreciation and respect for it.

"We feel we have made an honest, open, colourful, body of work,” say the duo. “We hope to go out and play the songs with the guys (our band) and then potentially make more records. We are taking things as they come. Everything has been organic so far, after all. We are looking forward to whatever this brings."

It’s True What They Say is the debut EP from Edinburgh-based, husband-and-wife duo Sarah/Shaun (pronounced simply Sarah Shaun), aka Sarah and Shaun McLachlan (pronounced “McLochlin”).

“Sarah and I both have a love for nostalgia,” explains Shaun. “We watched that amazing old 80’s Sci-Fi, (John) Carpenter movie, Starman, a few months back. Myself and my brother David used to watch it all the time. We must have been, roughly, 5-7 at the time. I remember loving the movie but the end, you know, with the beautiful, atmospheric, synth ending, I love that particular moment the most - best part of the movie, you know, when he goes home… It’s heartbreaking but stunning, all the same. It’s the music that moves you most… It did when I was 5 and it still does to this day. It must have had some form of a (much deeper) impact on me.”

The duo narrates stories across themes of love, hope, family, friends, dreams and sadness - the good that comes with the bad in everyday life, not just on a personal scale but within a community as well.

“Starbed is the first song I have ever written and just came out of the blue really, with Shaun playing a melody and me singing along,” says Sarah. “It’s simple and just about two people in love. Love songs are always the best songs, after all… Music has been a big part of my life from a young age. I was unwillingly dragged to piano and violin lessons, which I’m thankful for now! I’d say the first band I really became obsessed with growing up were the Beatles, and on the back of that a lot of 60s music and fashion. From then on, I had a love for music.”

“Shaun definitely opened my ears to a lot of sounds and got me thinking about soundtracks and all the noises that can be made,” she goes on. “We love just spending time experimenting in the house with instruments, pedals etc and Ali is a real magician to work with, too…”

The recordings took place over the summers of 2022 and 2023, with fellow Delta Mainline member Ali Chisholm (aka Jaguar Eyes) plus long-term friend and collaborator Gavin King. Further collaboration then came via the ‘net from the (international) likes of Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty), Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz) and Daniel Land (The Modern Painters), among others (see a full list of credits below).

Both Sarah and Shaun have a love for uber-soundtrack producers such as Hanz Zimmer, Max Richter, Cliff Martinez plus live acts such as Beach House, Spiritualized, M83, Suicide, Moby and OMD (to name a few). Shaun also credits the work of Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein (from Survive) on the Stranger Things score… “Even a moment in a movie, whether it be just 30 seconds during a particular scene, it grips you,” he says. But there’s something much deeper at play as well. “Music is a healer,” he goes on, “and I write from my own perspective but more so for others. Once I've done my bit, it doesn't belong to me any longer. It belongs to whoever wants it or needs it.”

The result is a cinematic, synth-wavey, dream poppy and downright beguilingly beautiful body of work. And they’re just getting started…

REVIEWS/RADIO/FEEDBACK:

“Starbed is folky, flavoured by pedal steel, cello, and brass. Dust Tears, in stark contrast, is a mini synth-pop rave epic. Part Bicep. Part Human League. Keep Your Eyes Closed summons a mood that’s romantic, but also dark and potentially doomed – like David Lynch’s Twin Peaks meets Cliff Martinez’s Drive score. My pick though is It’s True What They Say, whose interwoven jangle and picking recalls New Order’s more introspective moments (Love Vigilantes, Love Less… ). Drums crashing, cathartic. Guitar raising dramatic arcs. Its chorus a rush, like a reprise of Pains Of Being Pure Of Heart’s ‘Higher Than The Stars’.” BAN BAN TON TON
"Dust Tears sees them sharing vocal duties over a synth foundation reminiscent of Moby’s Go - Artist Of The Week” THE SCOTSMAN
"Woozy pop" NEMONE (Mary Anne Hobbs Morning Show, BBC 6Music)
"Nice one, very David Lynch meets Euro dream pop" YOUTH (Killing Joke, Paul McCartney, U2, The Orb, Spiritualized etc)
"Music sounds killer! Real emotion” DAVID HOLMES
"I’m enjoying it” TIM BRINKHURST aka LONDON (IKLAN, Young Fathers, Callum Easter)
“Oh, this is lovely!” SEAN JOHNSTON (A Love From Outer Space)
"It’s totally my cup of tea with milk and biscuit" BRENT RADEMAKER (Beachwood Sparks/GospelBeach)
"Beautiful, ecstatic electronica! Short and to the point" KEVIN BALES (Spiritualized, Julian Cope, Soulsavers, BE)
"Makes me wanna sit in the sun and sip an Arnold Palmer" CHRIS DIXIE DARLEY (Father John Misty)
“Really beautiful - Cocteau Twins / Spiritualized vibes but has its own thing going on, too - worth checking out!” JULIAN CORRIE (Franz Ferdinand, Miaoux Miaoux)
‘Sounded nice on a sunny day, makes me think of Twin Peaks, nice moods’ EAMON HAMILTON (Sea Power)
"Dealing in nostalgia, no bad thing at all, great to play that (Dust Tears) for you” RODDY HART (BBC Radio Scotland)
“I'll give the vocal tracks a spin before the release." VIC GALLOWAY (BBC Radio Scotland)
"Rather good!" IAIN ANDERSON (BBC Radio Scotland)

CREDITS:

Lyrics, Guitars, Keys, Synths, Drums, Drum Programming, Percussion, Mandolin, Glockenspiel: Shaun McLachlan
Lyrics, Vocals, Keys by Sarah McLachlan
Guitars, Synths, String Arrangements, Drum Programming, Engineering: Jaguar Eyes Percussion/Drums/Effects, Fire Extinguisher: Darren Coghill (Neon Waltz)
Guitars by Daniel Land
Slide Guitar by Chris Dixie Darley (Father John Misty)
Brass by Bruce Michie
Keys, pre-production & engineering on “It’s true what they say”: Gavin King
All produced by Jaguar Eyes and Shaun McLachlan and then mixed at Glasgow’s Chem19 Studios by David McCaulay (From Scotland With Love, Rick Redbeard, BBC TV’s Attenborough and The Mammoth Graveyard score).
Artwork: Jamie Walman (Fourteen Admirals)

MORE INFO:

Although Shaun released a pair of solo singles (When We Dance and Give Your Love To Me) during Lockdown, he will be better known to many via his work as the multi-instrumentalist in Edinburgh band Delta Mainline. With two albums released to date, Oh! Enlightened and Bel Avenir, both rapturously received by fans and critics alike, Delta Mainline have developed an international, cult following. Oh Enlightened (2013) achieved widespread critical acclaim on release, earning the band comparisons to Arcade Fire and Echo & The Bunnymen, while 2019’s Bel Avenir pulled in references to The Flaming Lips, Pink Floyd, David Bowie and krautrock. A third DM album is currently being mixed and due for release later this year…

His fresh, delicate playing has captivated countless listeners, and his debut album Scenery has come to be highly acclaimed around the world. Fukui, who began playing the piano at the age of 22, recorded this album when he was just 28. The earnest passion of his youth resonates throughout the music, gently stirring the emotions of those who listen. The spacious, confident swing of “It Could Happen To You”, the refreshing joy radiating from “Early Summer”, the late autumn coolness imbued in the title track “Scenery” each embodies the uniquely expansive yet nuanced “Hokkaido sensibility” that flowed naturally from Fukui’s artistry.
Within this album, the beautiful landscapes that Ryo Fukui crafted his Scenery continue to breathe eternally.
text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS / DEEP JAZZ REALITY)

Post-Hardcore nach Philly-Art. Unzufrieden mit dem metallischen Youth-Crew-Format, verfolgte Frail die wilde, lärmende Wut der Generation X gegen alles und jeden im rasanten Tempo von San Diego. ,No Indus Try" - die erste und einzige Vinyl-Compilation des Quintetts - enthält wichtige Singles für die Labels Yuletide, Bloodlink und Kidney Room sowie seltene Compilation-Tracks aus ihrer Zeit von 1993 bis 1995. Kommt mit 24-seitigen Zine, das die Band in Notizen, Zitaten, Fotos, Flyern und revolutionärer Literatur dokumentiert. Make Your Own Noise.

Even in these most turbulent of times, dub musician and fatigued onlooker Elijah Minnelli remains an inexplicable stalwart on the lower rungs of the Breadminster County Council.

His latest record ‘Clams As A Main Meal’ continues his astute siphoning of council funds, this time with help from the Breadminster Board of Abstinence. As a further mark of respect, the original head of the Board, Dr. K'houldoux, graces the cover art in his infamous ‘Looming Moon of Desire’ guise.*

As fine a backdrop as any for Minneli’s off-brand dub experiments, and ‘Clams...’ is the truest representation of his varied wheelhouse yet...

We find vocal appearances from dub goliath Dennis Bovell and Welsh-language singer Carwyn Ellis. A pair of tracks which build on 2024’s acclaimed ‘Perpetual Musket’, a collection of folk songs reworked alongside reggae vocalists, released by FatCat Records. It garnered glowing reviews, with nods from The Guardian and The Quietus concluding with prominent appearances on their respective yearly round-up lists.

Elsewhere, the album finds Minnelli in a more experimental mode, all wheezing contraptions and cockeyed bass, creaking with the weight of creation, a satisfying tactility laid seam-side up.

As well as ‘Perpetual Musket’, the new album follows years of sold out 7" singles, handmade and self-released. Online, the tracks have amassed global streams numbering in the millions. His tracks have found play across an eclectic range of radio mixes and dance floors, most notably the likes of Andrew Weatherall, Batu, Optimo and Zakia Sewell (BBC6Music).

It is perhaps worth mentioning that this everbuilding interest in his work is at great odds with the growing suspicions amongst his fellow townsfolk, who see his Breadminster County Council Music Initiative as nothing more than an empty cash-grab.

Further Reading on the Breadminster Board of Abstinence

In the late 70s, Breadminster was awash with the last vestiges of the hippy era. Though the flared silhouette of the lower leg remained, the utopian ideals that had once flowed merrily around the youth's shaded ankles had begun to wane. LSD and free love had led to a sharp spike in population and a generation of children raised by air-headed psychonauts unprepared for the bleary-eyed strictures of parenthood.

Aware of the crisis, the County Council entrusted Dr. Paulinque K'houldoux to spearhead a pushback, and it was his pro-abstinence movement - a mixture of education initiatives and radical renutrition campaigns - that came to impact Breadminster's census deep into the new millennium.

Being a pseudo-archipelago Breadminster has fundamentally limited resources, however deep-seated ties to distant coastal villages meant that oysters were a regular part of the local diet. K'houldoux pinpointed this as a factor in the town's overpopulation, and believed that simply replacing these with clams (a “lesser mollusk”) would help lower the erotic urges of the people. It was his “anti-aphrodesia” movement that first championed the idea of “Clams As A Main Meal,” and the slogan “Consider Abstinence” carried the message yet further.

The Breadminster Board of Abstinence soon became involved in all cultural happenings in the area, with K'houldoux MCing at prominent festivals and performances, sometimes dressed as the “Looming Moon of Desire” - an idea of his relating to the tide, seafood, menstrual cycles, and his privately held celestial predilections.

It was in 1981 that it was revealed Dr. K'houldoux had never fully qualified as a doctor and was seeking exile in Breadminster due to a series of botched bracelet heists in which he had previously been involved. K'houldoux was subsequently extradited to Basingstoke, where he served 3 of a 12-year sentence, owing to the lunar-oriented prisoner health campaigns he helped implement.

It has been a strange twist of bureaucratic fate that the Breadminster Board of Abstinence has never stopped receiving public funding, despite its lack of clear utility. And while its roots are tied to a rose-tinted past, the Board continues to sponsor cultural events and projects to this day.

An extract from: Eugeniq Schooner's article in Sydney Parishioner: “Clams, Breadminster and Countercultural Abstinence Trends” (2008)

Bruno Berle is a singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and figurehead of a contemporary Brazilian music movement. With a quiet mastery of songwriting and an astonishing voice, his music has won hearts around the world. Since the release of his debut album No Reino Dos Afetos (2022), Berle has performed across the UK, Europe, Japan, South Korea, and China, only leaving his home country for the first time in 2023. Shaped by these journeys, Berle’s third studio album, Sem Fronteiras (Without Borders), reflects a utopian vision of a unified world.

Recorded across London, São Paulo, Minas Gerais, Germany, and Maceió, the album–co-produced alongside his longstanding musical partner Batata Boy–is the most expansive canvas Berle has worked on to date. Shot through with the imagery that has always animated his songwriting: open skies, morning light, vivid colours and the magic of human connection, Berle’s carefully crafted poetics and warm, delicate instrumentation drive this vivid body of work.

“I came from nothing”–Berle doesn’t take his rise to global prominence for granted.

Born to a working class family from Brazil’s northeastern Alagoas state, one of Brazil’s most economically deprived, Bruno moved frequently in his youth to follow any job opportunities his parents could find, before eventually settling in the coastal capital of Maceió. “I used to travel to Caruaru, Santa Cruz, Recife, Garanhuns, Arapiraca, which I loved and feel it made me ready to be in this rhythm i’, but at the same time I think not having friends from childhood and being in constant change made me a little numb to the constant upheaval”. On Sem Fronteiras, there is a similar duality at play. The album celebrates the collective joy and human connection that live touring brings, but it also sits with the darker realities of crossing borders. While music moves more freely around the world than ever before, our bodies are not granted the same privilege.

Though he’s never lacked self-belief, Berle recognises that talent alone doesn’t guarantee opportunity. “Before my second album No Reino Dos Afetos 2 everything I had ever recorded was made with the help and kindness of people who believed in my ability”. Determined to pay that kindness forward and help others from the sharp end of Brazil’s desperately unequal society, Berle produced and featured on the recent self-titled albums by his northeast Brazilian compatriots, Nyron Higor and Phylipe Nunes Araújo (both 2025), helping propel both onto the international stage. In turn, following the successes of Nyron & Phylipe’s albums alongside his own, Bruno finds himself at the forefront of a thriving community of artists now based in São Paulo, but primarily originating from northeastern states like Alagoas and Pernambuco.

Much like the famed Clube Da Esquina movement that spawned in 1970’s Minas Gerais, they operate with a free-exchange of ideas, writing songs with and for each other, performing on each other’s albums and on the live circuit together. Lead single ‘Manha’ flows from this ethos. It was written by Berle’s friend and fellow Alagoan João Menezes (writer of ‘Ate Meu Violao’ and ‘Te Amar Eterno’ from Bruno’s previous albums) and Marvin Viera, and originally recorded on their 2018 album Areia e Mar.

Sem Fronteiras opens with ‘Você Já Sabe Que Eu Te Amo’, just six beats of one nylon guitar chord ring out before changing key, paving the way for the gentle strike of fender rhodes and the arresting call & response duet between Berle and Higor. On ‘Amor Inteiro’, the album reaches a celebratory burst of catharsis, with the punch-packing drums of Pedro Lacerda and Nina Maia’s joyous backing vocals encapsulating the live energy that Berle and his band bring to the stage.

With the abundant talents of this musical community at its heart, Sem Fronteiras releases 10th July 2026 via Far Out Recordings, supported by a summer tour across Europe. Bruno Berle will perform in a four-piece band alongside Nyron Higor, Phylipe Nunes, and Batata Boy, culminating in an appearance at Roskilde festival, Berle’s biggest live show to date. He’ll continue to carry a hopeful vision of a world where artists and musicians can move as freely as their music flows.

Tracklist:

A1 “Você Já Sabe Que Eu Te Amo”
(Nyron Higor / Bruno Berle)
Nyron Higor – drums, bass, acoustic guitar, electric piano, synthesizers, vocals
Bruno Berle – piano, vocals
Batata Boy – piano
Jorik Bergman – score preparation and conducting
Klara Gronet – violin
Ségolène de Beaufond – violin
Cristina Ardelean Montelongo – viola
Ilektra Stevi – cello

A2 “Não Posso Viver Sem Você”
(Batata Boy / Bruno Berle)
Batata Boy – electric piano, organ, synthesizer
Bruno Berle – drums, bass, synthesizer, vocals
Jorik Bergman – score preparation and conducting
Klara Gronet – violin
Ségolène de Beaufond – violin
Cristina Ardelean Montelongo – viola
Ilektra Stevi – cello

A3 “A Noite de Estrelas”
(Nyron Higor / Bruno Berle)
Nyron Higor – synthesizers
Bruno Berle – bass, drums, vocals

A4 “Outra Noite”
(Bruno Berle)
Nyron Higor – drums
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, bass
Felipe Berle – congas
Lucca Francisco – guitar, vocals

B1 “Amor Inteiro”
(Bruno Berle)
Pedro Lacerda – drums, choir
Nyron Higor – bass, choir
Batata Boy – guitars, organ, electric piano, choir
Nina Maia – choir
Bruno Berle – guitars, acoustic guitar, congas, vocals

B2 “Ideias Mágicas”
(Batata Boy / Bruno Berle)
Heloisa Alvino – trombone
Batata Boy – synthesizers, beats, electric piano, organ, bass
Bruno Berle – synthesizer, vocals

B3 “Vim Dizer”
(Batata Boy / Bruno Berle)
Batata Boy – electric piano, organ, synthesizer
Thomas Stankiewicz – synthesizer
Nyron Higor – synthesizer
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, bass, vocals

B4 “Tô Assim”
(Bruno Berle)
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitars
Batata Boy – synthesizer
Nyron Higor – bass, synthesizer

B5 “Manhã”
(João Menezes / Marvin Silva)
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, vocals, congas, shaker
Batata Boy – piano, shaker, electric piano, vibraphone, synthesizers
Nyron Higor – drums, bass

B6 “Sem Fronteiras”
(Bruno Berle)
Filipe Mariz – guitar
Bruno Berle – acoustic guitar, vocals, bass
Jennifer Souza – vocals, acoustic guitar
Rudson França – drums

Credits:

Produced by Bruno Berle and Batata Boy
Mixed and mastered by Bruno Berle, Batata Boy and Felipe Berle

Audio engineering:
Nyron Higor (track 1 – production; track 4 with Felipe Berle)
Joe Osborne (tracks 7 and 9)
Victor Gelling (strings on tracks 1 and 2)
Filipe Mariz (track 10)

Photography: Claudio Virgínio
Design: Minchai

Recorded in:
Maceió, Alagoas, Brazil
Tamandaré, Pernambuco, Brazil
Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
London, England
Cologne, Germany

The scope, variety and ambition of Ebbb’s debut album Shallow Hits is clear from the off. “Come Alive” whirs into being quietly before morphing into a sun-kissed, radiant piece of calypso-esque electronic pop; the Latin-flavoured “Now You Know” feels destined to soundtrack sun-drenched festivals this summer; “Shallow Hits” is as deft and detailed as it is big, bold and euphoric; while the wonky yet propulsive charge of “Side On” sounds like a drum ‘n’ bass club and church choir combined. A fervent eclecticism and unpredictable restlessness underpins the album. Latterly the record dives into the moody technoid textures and multi-layered harmonies that characterised their debut EP All At Once - exemplified by ‘Youth’ and the closing track “I’m Not Enough” that lands an emotional gut punch to an album that is already littered with them. However there’s a remarkable coherence and identity that underpins the album. Ebbb are exploring far and wide, deep and vast, yet they do so via an approach that remains unmistakably them.

Through his tracks, Jumo explores nostalgia and memory, from phili to memory, blending memories of youth and fleeting sensations. Tgthr encourages living the moment, while lula unfolds like a raw, cinematic road movie. The synthetic voices of sirens create a hypnotic theme, reflecting free souls suspended between a desire to escape and the fear of falling back. Euphoria tackles the madness of man's race to innovate and his indifference to the world, mixing mechanical urgency and emerging awareness. Each track plays with contrasts; melancholy and euphoria, darkness and light; combining synthesizers, persistent bass, and saturated textures. Together, they form a sonic journey where dancing becomes an act of memory and emotional survival.

Anlässlich des 45. Jahrestags seiner Veröffentlichung bringt Secretly Canadian Yoko Onos bahnbrechendes Album ,Season of Glass" aus dem Jahr 1981 in einer erweiterten CD-Version sowie erstmals seit mehr als 45 Jahren wieder auf Vinyl heraus, ergänzt durch ein erweitertes und überarbeitetes Coverdesign. ,Season of Glass", das zu den Top 200 Alben der 1980er Jahre von Pitchfork zählt, erschien im Juni 1981, nur sieben Monate nach dem sinnlosen Mord an Onos Ehemann und kreativem Partner John Lennon. Voller Songs über Liebe, Verlust, Wut und Angst spiegelte das Album Onos Erfahrungen in aller Deutlichkeit wider und schuf so fast ein Pendant zu den ,Primal Scream"-Alben der Plastic Ono Band von Ono und Lennon aus dem Jahr 1970. ,Season of Glass war eigentlich einfach nur ich selbst, denke ich", sagte Ono 1982 gegenüber Newsweek. ,Irgendwie war es in gewisser Weise wie ein Urschrei; weißt du, etwas ist in meinem Leben passiert, und ich musste es einfach sagen. Und ich glaube, es war für mich mehr als alles andere therapeutisch. Und ich war ziemlich ehrlich, nehme ich an." Onos fünftes Studioalbum, ,Season of Glass", war auch das bis dahin kommerziell erfolgreichste der Künstlerin und schaffte es in die Top 50 der Billboard-Albumcharts, war jedoch nicht ohne Kontroversen. Das Cover des Albums zeigte ein Foto von Lennons blutgetränkter Brille, so wie sie Ono vom Roosevelt Hospital nach seiner Ermordung zurückgegeben worden war. Obwohl David Geffen, der Chef von Geffen Records, der im November 1980 Onos und Lennons ,Double Fantasy" veröffentlicht hatte und auch die Originalversion von ,Season of Glass" herausbrachte, Ono eindringlich bat, das Cover zu ändern, blieb Ono standhaft. ,Ich werde das Cover nicht ändern", erinnerte sich Ono, Geffen gesagt zu haben. ,Das ist es, was John jetzt ist." Begleitet von derselben Band, die bereits auf ,Double Fantasy" gespielt hatte, reiht sich der Sound von ,Season of Glass" nahtlos an dieses Album an, das zu dieser Zeit bereits als künstlerischer Triumph für Ono galt, die junge Künstler wie die B-52s und Sonic Youth inspirierte. In den Jahren seit seiner Veröffentlichung hat das Album ,Season of Glass" aufgrund der ehrlichen, liebevollen und manchmal erschütternden Natur seiner Songs nur noch an Bedeutung gewonnen. Heute wird es allgemein als kraftvolles künstlerisches Statement über Trauer und Verlust gewürdigt und gilt als Meilenstein sowie als eines von Onos besten Werken - ein vollendetes künstlerisches Statement.

There’s a special kind of feeling when everything falls into place - when the drums bounce easy, the bassline rolls steady, and a bright guitar line cuts through the warmth of tape. That feeling became the heart of the FULLNESS, from Marcus I meets aDUBta. The sound of FULLNESS is built on simple, living elements: real drums, deep bass, a warm sound, and melodies that leave space to breathe. It moves between Early Reggae, Rocksteady, and Roots - sometimes straight and solid, sometimes stretching out into Dub and Echo. With its voice, from singer and lyricist Marcus I, FULLNESS carries the message about gratitude, love, freedom, and the small moments of everyday life. While Marcus’s singing style nods to the great singers, he stays grounded in his own experience, which perfectly complements aDUBta’s production, giving him space to shine. This LP is a complete, warm, balanced, and uplifting experience from start to finish.

FULLNESS grew from a steady musical exchange between Marcus I and aDUBta - two people on different sides of the Alps (Marcus I in France and aDUBta in Germany), finding a shared rhythm. What began in early 2022 with a few Riddims sent back and forth soon turned into a regular flow of songs. Every week brought new ideas, new words, and new melodies. When they finally met in person at aDUBta’s Attic Roots Studio in Bavaria, Germany, it all fell naturally into place. Most of the instruments were played by aDUBta, and the whole LP was mixed live on his Tascam 388, keeping that raw, handmade feel. With several friends helping bring even more color into the music, aDUBta brought in Viti Sanchez to lend his expressive saxophone and horn lines, Michael Salvermoser with his warm trombone tones, and members of the Black Oak Roots Allstars - King HuHa and Jannis Klenke on bass and guitars, along with Morry 'Da Baron' (Dub Inc.) on bass. FULLNESS means the fullness of music, of life, of friendship, of gratitude. It’s what happens when music becomes more than a project - when it turns into a shared space where things just flow.

Wah Wah 45s present a limited edition vinyl special from Afro-dub masters, Soothsayers. With a history that goes back three decades, having released two classic LPs (Tradition and We Are Many) and numerous EPs and remixes on the imprint, the band deliver two brand new and exclusive versions of one of the highlights of their new LP, entitled Fly Higher.

Love Will Find a Way features vocalists Maia Avery and Akin Soul, both former members of Youthsayers - a South London based music performance and education group, taught by Soothsayers band members. With new mixes by acclaimed Sao Paulo based producer Victor Rice, it's a stepping reggae vocal duo piece with a strong, universal message asserting that despite the current divisive political rhetoric and the championing of greed over human empathy by those in power, love will always be a more powerful force than hatred and division. Maia and Akin Soul's distinctive voices blend and weave beautifully over a hypnotic groove with a fresh and poignant emotional energy contributing to what should be a future steppers classic. These previously unreleased mixes are available in both vocal and dub versions on hand-stamped 7-inch vinyl and Bandcamp only. "We are so proud and happy to be able to feature Maia and Akin on this beautiful song. Both are former members of Youthsayers, the youth music education organisation set up by Soothsayers in 2016. Maia (from recent Wah Wah 45s signings Kotoa) and Akin are now great artists in their own right and it feels very satisfying to feature them on this new Soothsayers release." Robin Hopcraft (Soothsayers)

a A1: Love Will Find A Way (Light Still Shines Version) [feat. Maia Avery & Akin Soul]
[b] B1: Love Will Find A Way (Victor Rice Dub) [feat. Maia Avery & Akin Soul]

[a] A1 | Love Will Find A Way (Light Still Shines Version) [feat Maia Avery & Akin Soul]
[b] B1 | Love Will Find A Way (Victor Rice Dub) [feat Maia Avery & Akin Soul]

Inner Creatures was the sophomore album from Irish producer and bass player Peter Vogelaar and now some of its key cuts have been remixed. The seasoned Charles Webster flips 'Mindless Youth' into a simmering piece of deep and organic house with wintery melodies that have already been getting support from big names like Black Coffee and Kolsch. As well as his dub, the Get Down Edits crew offer up some lush, gentle disco delights on their rework of 'Stole' and 'Inpulses' brings more layered harmonics and elegant strings before a new edit of 'Fantasy Lines' ends on a warm, cuddly vibe.

Nervous Gender’s legendary synthpunk LP Music From Hell burbles up from infernal depths to resurface on Dark Entries. Confrontational, unhinged, and unabashedly queer, Music from Hell is an unholy grail for fans of the strangest underbellies of post-punk, minimal synth, and early industrial music, and is presented here newly remastered and on expanded double LP.

Nervous Gender (de)formed in LA in 1978 at the hands of Phranc, Gerardo Velaquez, Edward Stapleton, and Michael Ochoa. Phranc, the androgynous embodiment of the band’s name, left in 1980. Following her departure, a wide cast of LA freaks would find themselves drawn into the band’s orbit, including Alice Bag of the Bags, Paul Roessler of the Screamers, the Germs’ Don Bolles, and an 8-year old drummer named Sven Pfeiffer. In 1980, Nervous Gender appeared on the seminal Live at Target compilation alongside Factrix, uns, and Flipper. With the band’s notoriety cemented, Music from Hell followed in 1981 on Subterranean Records (as no LA label would touch this material).

Side A, dubbed “Martyr Complex”, presents a more punk-forward sound with live drum salvos and slabs of aggressive synth. These twitchy, unsettling shockers ooze with the kind of snotty misanthropy that will endear them to fans of the Screamers or Crass.

Side B, known as “Beelzebub Youth”, is a live performance the band labeled "an electronic bruto-canto dissertation on the banality of spiritual transcendence." Mutant melodies cede way to synthesized clangs, whirs, bleeps, manipulated tapes, and howls of despair.

In addition to all the material from the original LP, we’re treated to a full disc of the band’s demos, the material from the Live at Target compilation, and early live recordings. Included are unrecognizable covers of Carly Simon and Lou Reed, and the Sex Pistols that are so despairingly skewed they fall into the void. This reissue of Music From Hell includes a 36 page lyric booklet, foldout poster, and gatefold sleeve with photos, flyers, and news-clippings designed by Eloise Leigh. Tackling taboo issues like sexual kinks, mental illness, drug use, and childhood molestation, Music From Hell is still surprising – even shocking - over 40 years after the album’s release. Nervous Gender stand as one of the most genuinely anti-establishment outfits in underground music, a colossal fuck you to social norms from religious strictures to gender essentialism.

Repress Orange Vinyl

Endlich können die Millionen Fans von "Stranger Things" ihre Leidenschaft für ihre Lieblingsserie durch den Kauf von physischen Produkten (vor allem LPs, aber auch CDs und sogar Kassetten, eine Anspielung auf die 80er Jahre als zentrales Thema der Serie) zum Ausdruck bringen! Noch mehr als in den vorherigen Staffeln spielt die Musik eine wichtige Rolle in der Erzählung, insbesondere das Kate-Bush-Phänomen "Running up that hill", das natürlich im Soundtrack enthalten ist, sowie "Pass The Dutchie" von Musical Youth und "You Spin Me Round" von Dead or Alive, die in den ersten Episoden sehr auffällig waren. Supererwartetes Kultprodukt: Vorbestellungsstart am 1. Juli, wenn die zweite Hälfte von Staffel 4 startet. Enfin les millions de fans de "Stranger Things" vont pouvoir matérialiser leur passion pour leur série préférée en achetant en physique (surtout le LP, mais aussi le CD et même la cassette, clin d'oeil aux 80's thème central de la série) ! Plus encore que pour les saisons précédentes la musique joue un role prépondérant dans la narration avec en particulier le phénomène Kate Bush « Running up that hill » évidemment présent sur la BOF ainsi que Pass The Dutchie de Musical Youth, You Spin Me Round de Dead or Alive très remarqués dans les premiers épisodes. Produit culte super attendu : lancement de précommande à ne pas manquer pour le 1er juillet, date de lancement de la 2e partie de la saison 4.

Von Augustus Pablos bahnbrechendem „Java” bis zu Carl Malcolms UK-Pop-Crossover-Hit „Fattie Bum Bum” präsentiert Chapter Two einen Klassiker nach dem anderen von einer All-Star-Besetzung der Reggae-Größen der 70er Jahre, darunter Black Uhuru, Horace Andy, Dennis Brown, Gregory Isaacs, The Heptones und Big Youth. Wunderschön verpackt mit Innenhüllen mit seltenen Fotos und Liner Notes des Reggae-Historikers David Katz.

Beginnend mit dem fröhlichen Ska von Lord Creators Unabhängigkeitshymne 'Independent Jamaica' zeigt das Chapter One Album den wahren Verlauf der jamaikanischen Musik in den 1960er Jahren mit einer virtuellen Who's Who der Reggae-Musik, darunter Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Toots & The Maytals, Rico, Skatalites, John Holt & Alton Ellis. Wunderschön verpackt mit Innenhüllen mit seltenen Fotos und Liner Notes von Steve Barrow von Blood & Fire.

Naibu is a well respected artist with 6 critically acclaimed solo albums and releases on prominent labels like
Creative Source, Soul:R, Hospital and Paradox Music

The album takes influences from dnb's greatests (Photek, Paradox…) blending them with flavours of electronica and experimental music. A unique combination of sounds that will please home listeners and DJs alike, with cuts like 'Martial' shaking dancefloors worldwide.

Record comes with fully printed inner sleeve featuring original artwork by Japanese artist Hitomi Ito
⁃ Only 200 copies worldwide

Following up on the success of 'Sans Soleil' on Minato Music, Naibu brings out 'Abandon', a new and intimate album that showcases his talent not only as producer but also as singer / songwriter.

Probably his most personal release to date, this is a project that brings opposites together and champions
experimentation. From classic d’n’b stylistic references in tracks like 'Concave' and 'Convex', to the soft minimal tones of 'Belong', the album steps into uncharted territory with 'Martial' and its military paced drums, a track that will leave a mark on any dancefloor.

Naibu’s music is supported by a wide range of DJs, from Fabio to Loxy, and is regularly featured on Laurent
Garnier's radio show

Like a head resting on a train window, gazing at the horizon without anxiety, Jesper Ryom's debut album breathes a wind of freedom and propels us toward the unknown, to no destination in particular.



Beyond the sensations of movement it evokes, this work is a marvel of unexpected mixtures. Seamlessly transitioning from progressive sounds to genuine French touch inspirations, it sails through the ages while maintaining a dreamlike homogeneity. This long-awaited offering from one of Copenhagen best-kept mysteries invites listeners on a captivating journey.

TO COMMEMORATE THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PASSING

DEFECTED HONOURS FRANKIE KNUCKLES WITH SPECIAL EDITION ‘HOUSE MASTERS’ VINYL

Defected celebrates the life and legacy of house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles with a limited-edition vinyl offering of his notable ‘House Masters’ release.

Marking ten years since his passing, join Defected in honouring the enduring legacy of house music pioneer. All proceeds of ‘House Masters: Frankie Knuckles’ will be donated to Frankie Knuckles Foundation as it was when the compilation was originally released back in April 2015.

“Frankie Knuckles, whom many consider to be one of the architects of house music is still highly influential to a new generation. Since his untimely passing ten years ago it has been incredible to see the continued outpouring of love and respect that he has received. His legacy is why the Frankie Knuckles Foundation exists. Through our work we honour him by supporting initiatives that he was passionate about: music education, AIDS and diabetes research, prevention and LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness. This commemorative vinyl release of ‘House Masters’ in association with Defected will allow us to do just that!”

Frederick Dunson, Founder, President & Executive Director, Frankie Knuckles Foundation

The forthcoming vinyl releases will feature a selection of his finest productions and remixes including the seminal ‘Your Love’, ‘The Whistle Song’ and remixes for Chaka Khan and Sounds Of Blackness.

Find out more about Frankie Knuckles Foundation and its commitment to educating and supporting initiatives across LGBTQIA+ communities and AIDs prevention

TO COMMEMORATE THE 10th ANNIVERSARY OF HIS PASSING

DEFECTED HONOURS FRANKIE KNUCKLES WITH SPECIAL EDITION ‘HOUSE MASTERS’ VINYL

Defected celebrates the life and legacy of house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles with a limited-edition vinyl offering of his notable ‘House Masters’ release.

Marking ten years since his passing, join Defected in honouring the enduring legacy of house music pioneer. All proceeds of ‘House Masters: Frankie Knuckles’ will be donated to Frankie Knuckles Foundation as it was when the compilation was originally released back in April 2015.

“Frankie Knuckles, whom many consider to be one of the architects of house music is still highly influential to a new generation. Since his untimely passing ten years ago it has been incredible to see the continued outpouring of love and respect that he has received. His legacy is why the Frankie Knuckles Foundation exists. Through our work we honour him by supporting initiatives that he was passionate about: music education, AIDS and diabetes research, prevention and LGBTQIA+ youth homelessness. This commemorative vinyl release of ‘House Masters’ in association with Defected will allow us to do just that!”

Frederick Dunson, Founder, President & Executive Director, Frankie Knuckles Foundation

The forthcoming vinyl releases will feature a selection of his finest productions and remixes including the seminal ‘Your Love’, ‘The Whistle Song’ and remixes for Chaka Khan and Sounds Of Blackness.

Find out more about Frankie Knuckles Foundation and its commitment to educating and supporting initiatives across LGBTQIA+ communities and AIDs prevention

Following his remix of Youthman by Echo Inspectors & Subset, Biodub returns to Primary Colours with his first original release for the label, the Dialogue EP.
The title track, Dialogue, shows Biodub’s familiar warmth and attention to detail, built around deep basslines, subtle textures, with a calm and reflective flow. It’s understated yet full of presence, a fine example of Biodub’s ability to communicate emotion through minimal elements.
Pablo Bolivar steps in for the Dream Dub Remake, offering a refined reinterpretation that expands the original into wider, dreamlike space. His version brings a smooth, rolling energy with gentle synth layers, flowing delays, and a steady, hypnotic rhythm that carries both warmth and clarity. It’s a standout moment on the release, highlighting the shared sensibility between both artists.
Grassland continues with a natural, organic movement, a balance of deep groove and open atmosphere, while Ubiport closes the record in a more introspective tone, marked by subtle echoes and restrained rhythm.Dialogue is a cohesive and thoughtful release that reflects the core sound of Primary Colours: immersive, detailed, and rooted in the deep dub tradition.

Emerging during the early stages of the recording industry in Japan, the ryūkōka style adopted western classical, blues & jazz elements into traditional and classical Japanese music.

This collection of 1920s & 30s ryūkōka recordings follows on from the Kouta Katsutaro tape we put out a couple of years back, and further captures the hauntingly unique sound of a cultural merging that was starting to reflect itself via popular song, ahead of the widespread influence of western pop music during post-war US occupation.

"Death Is Not The End are on a mission to expand the musical archive, with compilations of everything from Jamaican doo wop to pirate radio idents and adverts weaving new threads into the history of music. Longing For The Shadow: Ryūkōka Recordings, 1921-1939 goes back to the beginnings of the recording industry in Japan, and a style merging traditional Japanese forms with western pop and classical. Swooning orchestrations and prominent vocals capture some of the melodrama and bombast found in US and European music of the time, but beds of plucked and strummed instruments give an ordered elegance, tying it firmly to Hogaku tradition. Not much has been written about Ryūkōka, and a 2017 book by Hiromu Nagahara gives some clue as to why, arguing that although popular with the public, it was dismissed by critics both for its adoption of western sounds and its dwelling on Japanese traditional styles. Close to a century later, those are some of the qualities that make this compilation so fascinating." - The Quietus

From the heart of Tamanrasset in South Algeria, Imarhan transcend Tuareg tradition, weaving hypnotic synths into desert blues. The result is a timeless work—deeply respectful of their roots, yet alive with a stirring sense of modernity.

ESSAM is the band’s fourth album, recorded with the same core lineup, but marks a significant shift in their sound and approach. Musically, it marks a departure from the rocky, bluesy, psychedelic Tuareg guitar-driven sound influenced by Tinariwen’s heritage — moving toward something more open, modern, and exploratory.
For the first time, their long-time sound engineer Maxime Kosinetz stepped in as producer. He travelled to Tamanrasset with Emile Papandreou (of the French duo UTO), a multi-instrumentalist who introduced electronic elements by sampling live instruments and reprocessing them in real time with a modular synthesizer — subtly reshaping the band's sonic identity.
The album was recorded mostly live, in one big room at Aboogi Studio — the band’s own rehearsal and recording space in Tamanrasset. The studio, a converted concert hall, has become a kind of cultural hub for the local youth. Friends dropped by during the sessions to contribute handclaps, vocals, and just be part of the energy. It’s a space where people gather, hang out, play dominoes, smoke chicha — a rare communal spot in a city that doesn’t offer many for young people, somewhat like a youth and community center.
This context — the creative shift, the live recording process, the atmosphere around Aboogi — might be interesting threads to explore in the conversation.

Lost Gospel Gem - Exitiment "Rap For Jesus" by Columbus Native Kenneth Jordan Rediscovered Nearly 40 Years Later

Columbus, GA — In the late 1980s, Columbus native Kenneth Jordan was such a powerhouse on the local music scene that talent shows had to rewrite their rules. His voice was so captivating (and his wins so frequent) that some claimed the competitions were rigged.

Jordan, deeply rooted in the city's thriving R&B circuit, eventually turned his creative energy toward faith-based music. Teaming up with several local musicians, he recorded "Excitement (Rap For Jesus)", a gospel-infused rap track that aimed to connect with a younger audience enthralled by the sound of hip-hop. His goal was simple: to give youth something uplifting to rap about and listen to.

In 1985, following a personal health scare and a period of reflection, Jordan transitioned from R&B to gospel music. "I took it as a sign from above that it was time to make a change," he later shared. Though his lyrics found new purpose, his signature soulful style remained unchanged.

Fast forward to December 2022 in Little Rock, Arkansas, where record collector and producer Brian Sears stumbled upon a well-loved copy of "Excitement (Rap For Jesus)" while purchasing over a thousand vinyl records from the trunk of an SUV in a Lowe's parking lot. Struck by the track's energy and message, Sears went into "detective mode" to uncover the story behind the voice—and the man—on the record.

Today, Kenneth Jordan continues to share his gift with his community, leading spirited performances every Sunday at his local church in Columbus. Nearly four decades later, his music and message still resonate with the same joy and conviction that first made him a hometown legend.

The legendary Youthman riddim traces back to Glen Brown's 1977 cut 'Wicked Can't Run Away' and took its iconic name after the 1979 Wayne Jarrett classic 'Youth Man'. A decade later, Horace Martin carved his mark with Sound Boy Style, recorded in one take at Gussie Clarke's Music Works with Sly & Robbie in full stride. Known as "The Man With The Biggest Shoes," Martin's career spans over 400 songs, three acclaimed albums and worldwide tours across 24 countries. Blending roots, dancehall and his love for comedy, Martin is a proper champion of Jamaican music and culture.

Hailed as "one of the finest ambient and dub techno albums around," Deep Ground earned Purl a place in the hearts of many lovers of the deeper side of electronica. Enthusiasts on Discogs describe it as "one of the best dubtech albums ever - hypnotic, mesmerizing & deep" - and compare it to luminaries like Biosphere and bvdub for its "warm deep calming sounds and atmospheres." Reminiscent of Wolfgang Voigt's GAS project, the seminal 2011 album by Purl (Ludvig Cimbrelius) is finally reborn in a remastered 3xLP vinyl reissue on LILA ART. Originally released on the revered Silent Season label based in British Columbia, this ambient techno masterpiece has continued to captivate listeners year after year. In many ways like a darker sister to 154's ethereal techno epic "Strike", Deep Ground echoes the misty forests and quiet expanses of Cimbrelius' youth in Sweden. As the artist reflects in a poem accompanying the release: "We are consciousness, rooted in the deep ground of being. The deep ground of being is where all things begin and end. The deep ground of being is eternal." This ethos permeates every layer of Purl's expression; crafting sonic sanctuaries that remain intimate while evoking the infinite.

Delicately remastered for vinyl by Giuseppe Tillieci (Neel) in collaboration with Purl. Limited to 300 copies worldwide.

The Rude Boy moniker has its roots firmly set in the downtown districts of Kingston, Jamaica.
Alongside the regular Ska/Rocksteady sounds coming out of the sound systems, there was an undercurrent theme to some songs that spoke of the struggles of the youth, of their confrontation, arrests and run ins with the establishment.
Some of these songs praised the Rude Boys for their stance and style while other songs were more in contempt with the Rude Boy's attitiudes, comings ,goings and violent behaviour.
For this release we have put together a set of tunes that the Jamaican Rude Boys would have been listening to at the sound systems on the lawns and street corners.
Not only the more obvious Rude Boy tunes like 'Gunmen Coming to Town' , 'Dreader than Dread', 'Moon Hop' but also some of the tunes that made the sound systems rock well into the night.
Hope you enjoy the set,,,,,

Tre Turner bounces back on Belters4u with two unashamedly old-school Scottish club cuts alongside two remixes from London prog trance upstarts Close Proximity.

With shared spiritual roots in the West of Scotland early 90s rave scene, Belters4U and Tre Turner realise their adolescent dream in releasing this love letter to a decadent lost reality. Title track ”Scottish Piano” amalgamates a million shared moments on Scottish dance-floors and living room afterparties. On the flip, Ultra-Free samples the vocal hook from the ultimate Scottish old skool rave anthem ”Obsession” by legends ‘Ultra-Sonic.’ Hardcore pianos meet gated synths and thumping solid bass, the sound of many a misspent youth.

Through the haze of smoke and strobes, the Close Proximity Trance Mix recalls the wildest, most ecstatic, face-melting moments from the legendary Metro and Hangar 13 clubs. Close Proximity round things off by taking you further into euphoric dreamland with their ever-evolving Paradise Mix of Ultra-Free.

“The high priest of country cool” - Rolling Stone

“I like him very much. He’s very special. He’s singing with a voice I never heard before” - Townes Van Zandt

“A conscious, soulful brother” - Horace Andy

“He’s a brother to me - one of the best singer/songwriters I’ve ever met” - Adrian Sherwood

“Unearthed mine of gems from inner Wales - a songbook of ideas - that's Jeb!” - Gilles Peterson

Jeb Loy Nichols is a bonafide Country (Got) Soul legend. The Music Maker presents 21 incredibly deep, grooving and soulful songs from the cream of Jeb's catalogue; from its earliest days to his latest unreleased gems via countless rare and unbelievably good lost-classics. This 2LP set is presented in a gatefold sleeve complete with freshly commissioned artwork courtesy of Jeb himself.

In collecting these uncut, under-heard gems, we hope to do justice to Jeb's jaw-dropping artistic brilliance. A man who, in working with Adrian Sherwood, Dennis Bovell, Dan Penn, Larry Jon Wilson and countless other legendary characters, has crafted some of the most deeply affecting folk, country, soul, funk, blues, dub, reggae, gospel, rap and electronic music, ever heard.

The first music Jeb really felt a connection with was southern soul: "I used to listen to the radio at night and fell in love with Bobby Womack and Al Green, The Staple Singers and Joe Simon – that whole Nashville/Memphis/Muscle Shoals thing.” But Jeb was so much more than a soul boy, Indeed, he "went to bluegrass festivals with my dad and come home and listened to jazz records with my mother.” And, when he was fifteen, he heard his first punk record: "God Save The Queen" by The Sex Pistols. “That and The Ramones completely changed me.” In 1979 he got a scholarship to go to art school in New York: “A great time. Punk was over but hip-hop was starting and I got into that in an obsessive way.”

His first recording, in 1980, was an unreleased rap song called "I’m A Country Boy". If that isn't an insight enough into Jeb's kaleidoscopic path through music, in 1981 he visited friends in London and found himself living in a squat with Adrian Sherwood, Ari Up (from the Slits), and Neneh Cherry. “Adrian put me to work immediately, moving boxes of records all across London. It was Adrian that was and is my biggest influence – in his complete disregard for genre purity.” So, presumably you're getting the picture? A veritable musical magpie with a voracious appetite and unimpeachable taste.

"Mine has always been a meandering career. I've done what I've done, and made the music I've made, due to chance meetings. I'm not particularly ambitious; it's more important to me that I work with friends and like-minded people. I've been a big fan of Be With for years. Everything they release is essential. When they asked about rereleasing "Countrymusicdisco45" I was both pleased and flattered. We began talking about how we'd do it; two years and twenty-one tracks later, here we are. I've always thought of the music I make as Country Music. Music conceived in the country, written in the country, recorded in the country. I left London and moved back to the country so I could live among the trees, the grasses, the animals, those things that don't go to war and get greedy. This compilation is the story of that life. Hand made, lo-fi, ramshackle, stripped down, real deal music. Heartworn and funky. Music made in the kitchen, not in the studio. As the great Skip Mcdonald said, Perfect ain't perfect. It's great to see all these tracks gathered together. It feels like a family reunion. Some older members of the tribe, some newer arrivals."

Opener "countrymusicdisco45" is a song Jeb wrote about how his crew lives, tucked up blissfully in the hills: "House parties full of country folk dancing to disco, reggae, soul, country, hip-hop. All night. I recorded it at home under the influence of Stevie Wonder." It's one of the funkiest records you'll ever hear. "Sometimes Shooting Stars" was recorded in Nashville and mixed by the legendary Dennis Bovell. It's deep, dubby, majestic. A thing of fragile, melodic beauty. The party ramps back up again with the undeniable groove of "Short Cut Home" before the profoundly moving "Disappointment" arrives. One of many songs he's recorded with good buddy Benedic Lamdin (aka Nostalgia 77): "We were going for a Leon Thomas meets Richard Brautigan meets Alice Coltrane kind of thing". We think they nailed it. "Days Are Mighty", like a lot of the tracks on this collection, "started life as a demo, an attempt to get something down while it was fresh. No frills, nothing fancy, just feel." And what feels!

The irrepressibly funky "Don't Dance With Me Tonight" is a deeply moving, slow-mo organ-drenched head-nod-funky country-ballad. Next up, the breezy "You Got It Wrong" was recorded in Wales with some of Jeb's good friends and neighbours, The Westwood All Stars, featuring Clovis Phillips and Will Barnes. Skanking fiddle-flecked gem "Ring The Bells" was the first thing Jeb recorded when he moved to Wales. A combination of all his loves; country, reggae, soul. It's followed by "Let's Make It Up", a truly sumptuous string-drenched emotional groover. "When Did You Stop Loving Me" is another Nashville track, written and recorded during a time Jeb was spending a lot of time with the Muscle Shoals crew, Donnie Fritts, Spooner Oldham, George Soule and Dan Penn: "It shows, I'm sure, their influence." Oh, you bet it does!

The swaggering country-funk of "Just Beginning" should grace many groove-focused DJs' sets whilst "Wintering Of The Year", again made with Clovis, is pastoral, campfire soul. The glacial, gorgeous "Let It Rain" is from an unreleased record Jeb made with the great British jazz bass player Andy Hamill and "We Tell Each Other Who We Are" is freaky country-soul made by a man with a love for strutting, wonky hip-hop stylings. Rounding out the side, "Trip To You" is pure, uncut amphetamine-propelled drum-machine soul.

The spare, beautiful "Dirt" is from an EP Jeb made with Julian Moore in his house in South London: "All first takes, straight to tape." Swoon! "Heaven Right Here" was a very minor league hit in America: "It was produced by the brilliant and much missed Wayne Nunes. It was started in the countryside of Missouri, finished in the countryside of Wales, and recorded in the countryside of Sussex." Double swoon! "If Later Ever Comes" is electronica meets J.J. Cale business whilst "Remember The Season" is truly wonderful and breezy guitar soul. "A Little Love" was made with Wayne Nunes as well, after a night of listening to Studio One and Northern Soul. Bouncy dub closer "Weary Traveller" was written by Bill Monroe, the hero of Jeb's youth: "Monroe's music was heavily influenced by black southern churches; I've tried to keep some of that feral feel." This was the final recording by Jeb's 1990s Country-Dub band, Fellow Travellers.

The name of this compilation comes from a time when Jeb lived in Peckham, south London and he used to DJ and sometimes perform at a local bar: "The owner of the bar, a Jamaican named Count Percy, once asked me what I called my music. I told him I wasn't sure, I guess just pop music. He thought about it for a minute and then said, 'no, more like mom and pop music'. Rather than call me a country singer or a folk singer he always referred to me as The Music Maker."

With the long overdue deluxe overview of his beloved music, we hope to finally shine a light on the unheralded genius of Jeb Loy Nichols. RIYL Larry Jon Wilson, Townes Van Zandt, Bobby Charles, country got soul artists, dub, deep soul, disco, dancing, heartbreak. This deluxe collection, spellbinding from beginning to end, should hopefully go some way to ensuring Jeb reaches an ever bigger, ever more appreciative crowd of followers. Mastering for this special double vinyl edition was overseen by Be With regular Simon Francis and it was cut by the esteemed Cicely Balston at Abbey Road Studios to be pressed in the Netherlands by Record Industry. The artwork has been lovingly put together by The Music Maker, himself, Jeb Loy Nichols. "Be With is the perfect home for this mongrel music. I am forever in their debt." The pleasure is all ours, Jeb.

Fragments was a completely new way of working for us. We’ve always worked with an internal brief, creating documents, pictures and videos, simply because keeping an idea on track with three individuals can be difficult. It's easy for someone to be edged out of the creative process when the focus is not clearly defined.
It’s a formula we’ve used since the early 2000s, but things have changed a lot since then, particularly when we decided to dip our collective toes into supporter memberships with Patreon. It made us think about what we could do directly for our support- ers rather than just the next album or project. At first, the whole thing felt odd and uncomfortable, but we decided that we’d try a few things and ask for feedback.
"Fragments" was initially a way for us to see how we could include others in an ongoing creative process. There was no over-arching concept, no defined characteristics or purpose, just the promise that there would be at least one new track for members to download every month. Consequently, we never knew what was coming next, so the old, very focused working method was irrelevant. It was difficult for us to let individual tracks go without knowing what was coming next, but this also made the project more interesting.
And then C19 hit and we were forced to continue the project remotely from our home studios. As difficult as the disruption was, it was during this period that we realised we could re-organise and remaster the individual tracks into a coherent album, captur- ing a specific moment in time and drawing a line under the first phase of the project.
Like our "Allegory" EPs, we’ve tried to keep everything stripped back. We used to hide many subtle elements within the layers, but not so much this time.
Fragments is our journey through many changes, both self-im- posed and those imposed upon us, and it ultimately led us to create things differently. We hope you like it.




b A2















r D1 b Yes Hello (Remastered BONUS) 1:53
s D2 No JuJu (Man Power Version - Remastered BONUS) 4:27
t D3 Cup Noodle (Unemployed Youth Version - Remastered [BONUS]) 5:43
[u] D4 Black Smoke (They Never Got Started) (Remastered [BONUS]) 2:18
[v] D5 Concrete Concentration (Remastered [BONUS]) 3:21
[b] They All Live In The Past (Remastered [BONUS]) 1:06

Daniele Baldelli
Considered one of the first DJs in Italy, Daniele Baldelli began his career in 1969 mixing vinyl at the Tana Club in Cattolica (his hometown),
predating the birth of the modern DJ by several years. In the following years, he solidified his talent and technique at histor such as the Tabù Club, Baia degli Angeli, and Cosmic. From 1979 to 1984, Baldelli created his unique and eclectic style, blendi ic clubs ng seemingly distant sounds and musical styles, complementing them with tempo adjustments (bpm) and deliberately extreme equalization,
creating a truly distinctive sound, known as "Afro Disco." Soundscapes and tribal percussion blend with early electronic music experiments, and Baldelli's sets become truly mystical experiences, where, for the first time, the temples are replaced by the dance floor.
The documentary film "A Cosmic Life" has just been released, starring Daniele Baldelli alongside other illustrious guests from the nightclub scene, recounting the history and formation of this movement from the 1970s to the present.
Gaudi
A producer/musician among the most highly regarded on the international dub/electronic scene, over the past 30 years Gaudi, from his
London studio, has contributed significantly to expanding the boundaries of musical genres with high-profile releases and innovative
music production techniques. Recently nominated for a Grammy Award with 'Mass Manipulation', the album he produced for the reggae
band Steel Pulse, and also nominated for a World Music Award with his album 'Dub Qawwali' with Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan, Gaudi has collected a series of number 1s on the international charts: Billboard - with the album 'Heavy Rain' by Lee "Scratch"
Perry, 'Vessel of Love' by singer Hollie Cook and with 'Mass Manipulation' by Steel Pulse -, UK Chart n.1 with the album 'Prism' by the
band The Orb (with whom he has collaborated as a producer and keyboardist since 2008), with 'Blue Monday' - by Gaudi himself with
the band Dub Pistols -, UK Dance Chart n.1 with 'Jus Come rmx' produced with DJ Angelino for Cool Jack. He also reached no. 41 the UK charts with the album ‘Midnight Rocker’ by reggae singer Horace Andy (known to the general public for his hits with Massive in
Attack), no. 13 with the album ‘Dubwise 2’ by the band Dreadzone and no. 5 in the Italian charts with the song ‘Lasciala Andare’, written
by him for Irene Grandi. With 19 solo albums and 350 remixes and productions under his belt, Gaudi, with his artistic versatility, has
worked with Groove Armada, UB40, Simple Minds, Brian Ferry, Devo, Big Audio Dynamite, Damian Marley, Seun Kuti, Mad Professor,
Trentemøller, Grandmaster Flash ft KRS-One, Lamb, Don Letts, The Beat, Deep Forest, African Head Charge (in which Gaudi is a keyboardist and dubmaster), Elisa, Scientist, Dub FX, Roedelius, Caparezza, Caravan Palace, EMF, Sizzla, Jovanotti, Sly & Robbie, Piero Pelù, Youth of Killing Joke, and Maxi Priest, to name just a few. Capleton,
Daniele Baldelli & Gaudi
DJ Daniele Baldelli and producer Gaudi first met three years ago at the Jazz Cafe in London. Mutual respect and an innate need to
create new stylistic fusions were the catalysts for Baldelli and Gaudi, leading to a series of subsequent meetings that inevitably culminated in the need to create music together. The project began at Gaudi's Metatron Studio in London using analog equipment and later
moved to Baldelli's studio in Cattolica, where the two organically defined their sound, also inspired by Baldelli's precious record collection. The duo consolidated a powerful compositional symbiosis, and the project, born from a simple initial groove, later transformed
into an entire EP consisting of four original tracks and a highly innovative sound, featuring fusions of psychedelic-funk, tribal-dub,
electronic-disco, and, of course, "Afro-Cosmic"! Daniele Baldelli and Gaudi began their sonic collaboration without setting any stylistic
direction and with the intention of not creating pre-established goals to achieve; it is a project of pure artistic freedom guided by their
compositional instinct and their experience. Constantly active with their evenings and live concerts, Baldelli and Gaudi have performed
individually in many of the best international clubs and festivals.

Three years after his debut album, London-based Jeigo levels up with a new long player that displays his knack for meaningful melodies and deft rhythms while blurring the lines between ambient, garage and breaks. Inspired by three months on an olive oil farm in rural Italy, there is a beautiful sense of isolation and inward reflection to these sounds, even when the energy ramps up. Sultry, airy vocals and delicate strings weave between organic grooves on the opener, while pitched-up and pained tones bring a futurist twist to the paddy garage beats of 'Echoes.' There is a more warped low end and hints of Burial's ghostly vocal and drum designs on 'Emptiness' while 'Groundwater' is shuffling house suffused with luminous synth work that brings a nostalgic pang. Etum is a masterfully melancholic study that leaves a lasting emotional impact.

Respect The Craft.Legacy sub-label presents its second vinyl release.

Curated from the archives of Tripmastaz, these works were originally conceived between 2002 and 2004. After remaining unreleased for over two decades, a meticulous selection was made from hundreds of early unfinished drafts, with the final versions completed in 2025.

The lead track and artwork both pay tribute to the spirit of youthful mischief — the cover image was captured in 2002 using a face pressed against a scanner.

Musically, the record delivers a slice of classic early-2000s tech house, staying true to the sound and character of that formative era. Beware of the Strainjah. The saga continues.

'Find a Way' is the new album from Manchester-based pianist, composer, and producer Matt Wilde, released via his own imprint Hello World Records. The album serves as a reminder that creativity should be accessible and the importance of opening yourself to the unexpected as you 'Find a Way' through all endeavours. Digging into improvisation and jazz harmony on the LP, he crafts a sound that bridges jazz, hip hop, and electronic music, adding: "The creative act is not a matter of waiting for the perfect conditions, but of moving gently, insistently, through the imperfect".

Focus and title track "Find a Way" encapsulates this journey of process. Humans are known for adaptation and response when they face challenges, seeking solutions towards a better world. "Find a Way" leans into our instinctive reaction to improvise and reshape, taking the listener on an unexpected journey. The opening loop could as easily feel at home as part of an electronic soundscape, developing into a clock-like effect from the drums. This keeps time, allowing a duet between keys and trumpet to unfold, symbolising the individual, imperfect and non-linear paths we all carve out day to day.

The album was funded by Arts Council England and created in close collaboration with trumpeter and composer Aaron Wood, with the pair recording in Aaron's rural DIY studio in Huddersfield. Through improvising upright piano, Rhodes and trumpet over intricately programmed beats, the duo captured the spontaneity that makes jazz feel alive, but with the forward-facing touch of Ableton live production. "I actually had live drums recorded for this project and then deleted all of them and instead programmed intricate drums on Ableton live myself to create the kinds of drum sounds I could hear in my head," Matt adds, explaining the onerous process that truly made 'Find a Way' a labour of love.

Matt Wilde discovered jazz through an unconventional journey, and 'Find a Way' is an introspective map of this musical development. Starting out as a self-taught beatmaker, growing up Matt made tracks for friends in the grime scene before falling in love with jazz through the sample-heavy works of Madlib, J Dilla, and Pete Rock. Hints of this influence can be found on "Windup", driven by a deeper bass and a glitchy intensity not commonly associated with jazz. There are also nods to the weekly DJ residencies Matt had in his late teens, establishing a love for club music at iconic Manchester venues like Sankeys. "It's Ok, Feel it" incorporates pitched-up kicks and crisp, papery snares that pay tribute to UK dance culture and the foundation of connection in this world.

Guided by values of accessibility and creativity, Matt has become a key voice in the UK's boundary-pushing jazz and beats scene. His debut album 'Hello World' alongside EPs and single releases, have been championed by the likes of BBC Radio 1, Jamie Cullum and Soweto Kinch (BBC Radio 2), 'Round Midnight (BBC Radio 3), and across BBC 6Music, Jazz FM and Worldwide FM. He has performed headline shows at Band on the Wall (Manchester) and The Lower Third (London) and showcased his music at Brick Lane Jazz Festival and London's iconic Jazz Café.

A proud Mancunian with Polish roots, Matt's values-driven approach reflects his passion for community and empowering others through the arts. Matt founded the UK's first youth-led charity and is a trustee of Manchester music charity Brighter Sound. Driven by these values of equality and inclusion, Hello World Records strives to champion grassroots music with a backbone of fairness built into the business model. The imprint is named after Matt's debut album, released via Band on the Wall Recordings; simultaneously championing the music scene and global musical footprint of Manchester and highlighting the importance of artists reminding people: Hello World, I've made it. I'm still here.

- Martha Cleary, Glow Artists

"I want to hear more of Ryo Fukui's performances." The dream of listeners around the world has now become a reality. A spectacular live performance full of the charm of the mature Fukui who has been with .This is what an unexpected joy is all about. The appearance of Ryo Fukui's "new work". Recorded on June 26, 2004. This is a live recording of a live performance commemorating the 9th anniversary of , the jazz live house that Fukui presided over and used as the base of his activities.



The members of the trio were Fukui, Kosuke Sakai (bass), and Yoshito Eto (drums). Fukui was 56 years old at the time. His performance was powerful and large-scale, yet delicate and sharp. In terms of the balance of energy, stamina, and technique, he was just approaching his prime. He spins heavy yet elegant renditions of his beloved Phineas Newborn Jr. and Tommy Flanagan, and thrillingly plays Wayne Shorter, who he was a huge fan of in his youth. It is a spectacular performance that reflects the fulfillment of Fukui's time. , which opened in June 1995, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.



Text by Yusuke Ogawa (UNIVERSOUNDS / DEEP JAZZ REALITY)

Nigerian-born, London-based singer, songwriter, musician and producer Steven Bamidele presents his keenly anticipated sophomore album, 'THE CRASH!' – a sonically rich exploration of purpose, doubt and personal reckoning. Written against the backdrop of an ever-changing world, the album combines soul, rock, jazz, acoustic and electronic textures, along with daydream-esque storytelling for a thought-provoking journey in pursuit of something real in an age of hyper-curation and superficiality.
At its core, 'THE CRASH!' is a soulful meditation on the weight we place on relationships, the fundamental cost of growth, and the search for direction in an imperfect world. It's a deeply personal project, shaped by Steven's own journey through faith, disillusionment and self-discovery. Raised in a strictly Christian household, Steven's first crisis of belief came at 17, when he began questioning the very foundations of existence. As his faith unravelled, music became his new guiding force – a source of direction, discipline and identity. But as he turned 30, disillusionment crept in once again. The stark realities of the music industry, coupled with global uncertainty, reignited that same despondent weight he had battled in his youth.
"It was an intoxicating feeling when I was younger and had no responsibilities, to foolishly believe I was the first person in history who'd worked something out that no one else had. It gave me this twisted sense of power and was a big creative motivator. Where I'm at now, nihilism is debilitating, boring and unhelpful. I've worked to find a way to channel those feelings into this project. I'm really proud of it."– Steven Bamidele

Recorded in 1970 with a host of young blues and rock musicians, Blue Memphis is recognized as one of the best dates released by fellow blues artists in that era. On this album, the famous American blues pianist, singer, and composer Memphis Slim (John Peter Chatman) is backed by several British musicians, including Chris Spedding, John Paul Jones, Duster Bennett, and Peter Green.

Emotional Response is delighted to present the debut EP of Aaron Coyes (Peaking Lights / Leisure Connection) new project, as Exotic Gardens. An additional music universe as his love of dub expands to include new wave, goth and acid psychedelics across 5 catchy, bass heavy songs.

While the continuing journey of his duo band, Peaking Lights, with his wife Indra, earns plaudits and fans alike, his early years as a one-man lysergic music polymath that saw his youth in punk and hardcore bands, expanded during a mid-90s burst of “living in San Francisco” creative expansion, devouring music, genres, and influences for life.

Started as a sub-project to Peaking Lights and his personal dub excursions, Exotic Gardens pollinates a rich tapestry. Recording through the pandemic in their then home in Amsterdam, before being archived, assembled, and completed following the move back ‘home’ to the West Coast, California.

Re-embracing that love of his inner goth, the analogue warmth is all there, now featuring Coyes’ dub-languidity of stripped drum machines, widescreen bass, haunting guitar lines and an almost idle voice to peddle true, raw songs.

Combined, the pop layer of hooks and tight grooves instantly catch you. Opener and EP title, Drugs & TV is the perfect anthem for the Exotic Gardens sound, before the “dubwave” of Last Of The Light and Tonite shimmer that yearning melancholy of youth.

In the almost 10 minute dub house opus Organize Your Movement an appreciation and understanding of the psychoactive properties of the Roland 303 and 909, they also hark to a love of Industrial / Noise bands, a lineage from the death pulse of his cult project Rahdunes through to Sound Design and Sound System culture to the pop-dub psychedelics with Indra, now melded here to include a dark assault, whispering invocations and pulsing pads.

To close, Turn It On is a roaming multi-genre evocation, an exotic end from this constant troubadour, cassette junkie, record dealer, sound system builder, always looking to get back on the road, to live to roam.

“I turn it on, you lose your mind’.

GET OUT OF HERE!

Zarkoff brings it all:

– A cry to battle
– An ode to the abyss
– A sacriligious chant

INVOLUCIJA recruits vocalist & poet Zarkoff from Sumerian Fleet to deliver razor-sharp justice. You can label it EBM, industrial techno or even futuristic math-rock – we just call it Balkan Body Music.

“And after a line, another line” (Serbo-Croatian: I poslije linije, linija) is a flippant reference to Yugoslvia’s nostalgic lament ‘And after Tito – Tito!’ Oh how the ethical goalposts of the past are moved, again and again.

As Zarkoff warns: don’t turn your back on the golden youth!

/// Berlin labels aufnahme + wiedergabe and INVOLUCIJA·ORG connect again for another split-label release // INVOLUCIJA is an experimental post-industrial collaboration with artists from ex-Yugoslavian countries, started by Michel Morin (Sneak-Thief / Polygamy Boys) and Lucija Invo. ///

‘My Heart Goes Bang (Get Me To The Doctor)’ is the fourth and final single to have been released from Dead Or Alive’s 1985 CBS Records album, “Youthquake”. Once again, to give it a point of difference, the single was remixed. • This Limited Edition 7” vinyl picture disc continues the 40th anniversary celebrations of this album. • ‘My Heart Goes Bang…’ entered the UK Singles chart on 21st September 1985 and became the second Top 20 hit from “Youthquake”, reaching #23 with a six-week chart run. During the album campaign period, the four singles released from “Youthquake” stayed in the chart for 59 weeks • ‘My Heart Goes Bang…’ charted in Australia, France and Ireland, with its highest chart position being in Japan (#12), as well as hitting #15 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play charts in the USA.


b B1. Big Daddy Of The Rhythm Live


b B1. Big Daddy Of The Rhythm Live


b B1. Big Daddy Of The Rhythm Live


[b] B1. Big Daddy Of The Rhythm [Live]


[b] B1. Big Daddy Of The Rhythm [Live]


[Live]

Singaporean label Darker Than Wax brings us to Texas with a fresh 12” from Houston-born producer Oye Manny. Following his release on Salon Recordings, Oye Manny has carved out a lane defined by deep rhythms, Latin roots, and pure authenticity, an ethos he continues to distill into sound on his new record Living Water. Drawing on his Colombian roots and keenly focused on what makes dancers move, Manny puts percussion at the forefront on Living Water – from the chord driven house stompers ‘Malta Sip’ and ‘Palmira’ on the A side, to the darker club tones of ‘Visaje’ and the slick musicality of ‘Youthful Expression ‘ on the flip, drums play a starring role. Completing the package is a remix from Singapore-based producer and Darker Than Wax core member Dexter Colt, providing a deeper, Chicago-inspired take on ‘Malta Sip’.

It began with a cassette tape entitled 'Pleased To Meet You' gifted to us at Sessa's Fasching, Stockholm show by Yann Dardenne, the multi-tasking tour manager/sound engineer/producer/merch stall worker and co-owner of Seloki Records. On first listen, the selection of underground Brazilian artists from the Seloki's roster was superb, however, one song stopped us in our tracks. The hauntingly captivating ' GOSTO MEIO DOCE' by Nina Maia and Francisca Barreto, gave us a taste of Nina's ethereal, addictive voice and we knew we needed to hear more. Born in Minas Gerais but now based in Sao Paulo, the 22-year-old has already packed a lot into a relatively short space of time. The singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, and producer, has already collaborated on the soundtracks for six Brazilian feature films, including a track with the vocalists Maria Gadu, Iza, and Liniker. But things enter a new exciting era with this, her remarkable debut album entitled 'INTEIRA', which translates to English as 'whole'.

As much inspired by Billie Eilish and Rosalia, as Milton Nascimento and Toninho Horta and not sounding like other records coming out of Brazil, 'INTEIRA' is unique. Though rich in its Brazilian heritage, inspired by samba cancao, MPB, and the Clube da Esquina movement, it also channels influence from bands such as Portishead and Massive Attack, mixed with jazz, contemporary leftfield and electronic pop artists. Musically, it is not easily pigeonholed, with beautiful, well-crafted songs, sophisticated arrangements, eloquent vocals and intimate lyrics. Each track reflects different moments and stories from Nina's youth but with dialogues, feelings, and questions that span generations and resonate with all. This ambitious debut album is Nina's vision and sound, expressing herself without constraints and making music with her friends. Featuring a lineup of Thalin (drums), Valentim Frateschi (bass), Francisca Barreto (cello and vocals), Thales Hashiguti (viola and violin), Yann Dardenne (acoustic guitar and co-producer) and Nina on piano, Rhodes, guitar and production. The album led to a nomination in Paulista Association of Art Critics (APCA) award's 'Breakthrough Artist' category, who also listed 'INTEIRA' as one of the 50 best albums of 2024.

It also received support from Bandcamp Weekly and Jamz Supernova on BBC 6 Music. Released digitally by Seloki Records in Brazil in 2024, Mr Bongo in partnership with Seloki Records now present this new, deluxe worldwide edition that includes four additional songs. These comprise the brand-new exquisite 'MANHA', as well as an original twist on Vinicius de Moraes' classic 'Serenata Do Adeus'. Elsewhere you'll find a live recording showcasing Nina's remarkable energy on stage courtesy of 'DE DENTRO' and 'GOSTO MEIO DOCE' with the amazing musician/vocalist Francisca Barreto, where our whole story began. Here at Mr Bongo, we are honoured to release music by such a remarkable new talent - one whose musical trajectory is most certainly about to soar.

Originally released in September 2024 we continue the re-release of Clark’s recent catalogue with the chance to get some limited vinyl versions of ‘In Camera’. Since his first composition credit in 2016 with The Last Panthers (Warp) Clark has built a reputation for expanding film and TV scores into intricate, exhilarating soundworlds of their own. Here Clark has expanded his score for Naqqash Khalid’s award-winning debut feature ‘In Camera’ stretching out the film’s surreal ‘modern fairy tale’ atmosphere with reversed vocals and gauzy synthpop-esque chords. Of the recording process Clark says: “Using my vocals but abstracted in a way that totally matched the film was the most unique challenge. I was going to just include the cues but got far too into recording new stuff that fitted the tone and emotion of the film. The record has a very distinct colour/ feel. It’s drenched in muted joy/ dark euphoria”. This includes a gnarly cover of the Carpenters’ ‘Superstar’ that burns closer to the frazzled Sonic Youth version.

Retrospective of British mod / fReakBeat / pop-aRt heroes the eYes including all their cult classic 45s (“When the night falls”, “i’m RoWed out”, “MY degeneRation”...) plus cool rare tRacks souRced fRoM demos and acetates.
foRmed in london in 1964, the eYes took the earlY feedback experiments and pop aRt iMage of bands like the Who one step further. the band wore dyed parkas in various pastel colouRs and bRightly colouRed rugBY shiRts with huge eye symBols on the chest.
theiR raw, eneRgetic sound and distinctive stYle comBined aggRessive, fuzz-dRiven guitaR riffs with catchy melodies and a Youthful defiance that captuRed the eneRgy of the london mod scene. theiR music bRidged rawness fReakBeat with the eMeRging psYchedelic sound that would dominate the latteR half of the decade.
tracks like the feedback-laden “When the night falls” oR the fuzzed-out “you’re too Much” sounded YeaRs ahead of its time and they would influence the mod, garage revival and indie / shoegaze scene of the folloWing decades.
the eYes only released a handful of singles betWeen 1965 and 1966. theY disBanded in 1967 and unfortunatelY they never released a full album during their shoRt lifespan. heRe it is!
*ReMastered sound / *eight-page color insert with liner notes by paul “smiler” andeRson and rare photos / memorabilia / *doWnload card

Limited edition, 6 track, 180 gram gold vinyl.

Returning for a second release on his own House of Jack imprint: Gunjack serves up another 180 grams of forward thinking techno music with a remix by Oliver Kucera of Djax/R&S acclaim. "Breakfast at the Guillotine" Shows the increasing use of custom modified, vintage synthesizers alongside FM synthesis to achieve a unique sound that is refined, while still maintaining a raw and industrial feel. With nods to 90s electronica like FSOL or AFX, the devil is in the details with each track forming part of a larger narrative while remaining firmly anchored in the Gunjack sound. "This feels to me; more like a concept album than a collection of tracks. I wanted this record to reflect the current, dystopian version of the future we were promised - a place where we are all having 'Breakfast at the Guillotine'."

- Gunjack

Planning For Burial is the solo project of Thom Wasluck, emerging from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. It’s Closeness, It’s Easy is the long-awaited follow-up to 2017’s Below The House. If Below The House was about returning home, following in the footsteps of one’s father and joining a union, and leaving behind youth’s wild days, It’s Closeness, It’s Easy embraces what comes next—the weight of all years, the quiet shifts, the reckoning with what remains. This record is many things. It captures the slow drift of time, the unnoticed shifts in a loved one—the creeping changes in mental health, the quiet pull of addiction, the kind of grief that settles in the bones rather than announces itself.
At its core, It’s Closeness, It’s Easy is about stepping into middle age and taking stock. It confronts the reality of living with the hand that’s been dealt and searching for meaning in what remains. It speaks to loss—the crushing weight of saying goodbye to a beloved 17-year old cat, the slow-motion grief of watching friends self-destruct, the inescapable passage of time as it bears down on aging parents and the self. But it also reflects the warmth of reconnection, the kind of love that never burns out but instead deepens. The feeling of picking up where things left off, untouched by the years in between.

While written over the course of two years, the recording process reflects a sense of immediacy. Rather than assembling songs piece by piece over time, the album took shape in singular, immersive sessions—less an act of construction, more an unveiling of something already waiting to take shape.
Rooted in a staunch DIY ethos, Wasluck handles every aspect of Planning For Burial project himself—recording the music, designing the artwork, and performing live as a one-man band. He books his own tours, ever and independent creative. This hands-on approach has led Planning For Burial to play hundreds of shows solidifying his place in the underground music scene. A defining moment came in 2018 when he performed at the Meltdown Festival in London, curated by Robert Smith of The Cure.

Ode To Native Tongues” attempts to capture the feeling of coming of age between the years of 1989 -1993 (and beyond) while listening and witnessing the legendary Native Tongues crew releasing timeless classic albums and singles. Told through the experience of seeing the early episodes of “Yo! MTV Raps”, a friend sharing De La Soul’s first album, sharing that album with my cousin who in exchange shared Queen Latifah’s music or finding out about “Bonita Applebum” by Tribe at my high school’s homecoming dance. Evoking nostalgia as well as tell a story of how this music served as the soundtrack woven into the fabric of my youth, my coming of age, was the aim.

Everything’s For Sale” was inspired partly by a story of an elderly couple who went brokhaving to pay for their medicine.“Everything’s For Sale” speaks to how the value of money permeates all facets of this modern life, and as such it seemed only natural for it to reach into my creative world. This time however I wanted to make a song that cross examined how this super ficiality has affected music culture, let alone how it has rendered some in our society invisible -- a clear sign of a society void of compassion. The Platurn beat with a moving guitar riff pushed this song further, providing me the cover of a funky beat to dive into a topic that might not normally move an audience. Part cheat code for slipping in a conscious message to the audience without raising the alarm of the listener who may not be expecting anything more than entertainment.

‘In Too Deep’ is the third single to have been released from Dead Or Alive’s 1985 CBS Records album, “Youthquake”. • To give it more impact at radio, the single was given a twist with a new remix. • This Limited Edition 7” vinyl picture disc continues the 40th anniversary celebrations of this album. • ‘In Too Deep’ entered the UK Singles chart on 29th June 1985 and became the second Top 20 hit from “Youthquake”, reaching #14 with a nine-week chart run. • ‘In Too Deep’ was released in several territories and charted in Australia, Finland, Germany and Ireland.

A series of non-dogmatic loops from the 90s Belgium. Coming from conspirator operating on the intersection of techno, post-punk and deathly ambient music, currently a scuptor and a visual artist For fans of Muslimgauze and 90s Mark Broom alike... and inquisitive goths in general, this sampler EP is also a good representation of the sounds rrrkrta's Brutaz used to broadcast on the innocent youth of Poland.

Gradually, the latest album by Julien Mier, is a sonic journey that delves into the transitions of life, identity, and the blurred boundaries between art and personal growth. With a trilingual brain, Mier reflects on how language shifts have shaped his sense of self throughout his life and the music that he writes. Gradually is his exploration of shapelessness—an urge to break free from rigid musical genres and get closer to his most fundamental expression. The album is composed of nine tracks, each representing a distinct cultural and linguistic influence, all tied together by the theme of gradual evolution.

The first section, Ciel, Soleil, and Espace (French for Sky, Sun, and Space), draws on Mier’s French heritage, evoking the feeling of childhood memories bathed in a warm, nostalgic glow. This fluid, atmospheric section mirrors the soft, ever-changing air, symbolising a time of pure, untainted intention. It feels like a hazy, sepia-toned dream, as fleeting and elusive as the scent of an old friend. The gentle flow of the music mirrors the flow of wind, effortlessly shifting from one element to the next, a reflection of the innocence and clarity of youth.

The second section, Steen, Zee, and Zand (Dutch for Stone, Sea, and Sand), channels the influence of Mier’s childhood in a small Dutch dune village. These tracks are grounded in the hard-edged textures of electronic dance music, a genre that introduced him to a world of rhythm and movement. With a sonic palette of blues, greys, and more defined shapes, this section captures the solid, enduring forces of nature—earth, water, and stone. It’s a sonic landscape rooted in stability, a foundation from which everything can grow. The tracks build from the fluidity of the first section into more structured, rhythmic territories, mirroring the natural transition from childhood innocence to the discovery of deeper, more grounded musical influences.

The final section, Scrap (a collaborative track with the Japanese producer Daisuke Tanabe), Soil, and Spark, dives into the exploration of the world beyond familiar borders. Mier’s relocation from the Netherlands to Australia in 2016 is reflected in these pieces, which grapple with the contrast and complexity of different cultures and environments. These tracks are tinged with rust-red hues and a sense of eroded beauty, evoking a more fragmented, distorted view of the world. The music here is marked by tension, conflict, and the erosion of once-solid forms—symbolic of the digital and ecological storms that shape our modern existence. The closing piece, Spark, signals a new beginning, a hopeful initiation into the cycle of renewal.

The album artwork for Gradually is a conclusive visual representation of this journey, captured in the final frame of an analog film roll that began in the Netherlands and concluded with an image of the streets of Sydney, Australia—a perfect metaphor for the album’s narrative of gradual transition and discovery.

Special new 25th anniversary edition of this most popular and highly-acclaimed of all Soul Jazz Records' Dynamite! series - 300% Dynamite is jam-packed with reggae tunes that crossed-over to become dancefloor hits and are 100% guaranteed to rock any party!

Out of print for the last 15 years, this new edition is being released in a one-off limited-edition heavyweight special-edition yellow coloured vinyl pressing + download code exclusively for Record Store Day 2024. This album is fully remastered, relicensed and with new tracks exclusively for RSD 24. Wayne Smith's booming anthem "Sleng Teng", Althea & Donna's worldwide hit 'Uptown Top Ranking', Sister Nancy's classic "Bam Bam", Augustus Pablo, Lee Perry - it's all here as 300% Dynamite joins the dots between reggae, jazz, funk, dub and soul.

This album is probably one of the most outstanding jazz discoveries of this year and highlights the significance of earlyJjazz-Rock recordings from East Germany in the late 60s to the early 1970s.
The highly talented organist Ulrich Gumpert, along with top musicians like drummer Günter "Baby" Sommer, bassist Gert Lübke, and guitarist Günter Dobrowolsky, formed a powerful independent quartet as well the rhythm section within the Klaus Lenz Orchestra and later of the group SOK. Their modern, soulful, and funky Jazz-Rock compositions gained popularity and were even promoted by the
East Berlin youth radio. Guest artists like the famous Günther Fischer contributed to their first recordings. This retrospective LP celebrates a groundbreaking yet underappreciated era in East German Jazz and Rock history.

Getting You Back to the Game of Life Records’ opening release, ‘Comme des mots’ LP is a journey through diverse sonic textures and energies from label-founder Lil Ronin.

Getting you back to the game of life is the headline of a physical and mental health therapy center. Casually popped in your conscience from an advertising board and let you in a strange place. But what is the game of life?
This label could be that space to get you back, to forget and perhaps find a form of youthful innocence again.

As a first solo project Lil Ronin freely experimented between different influences and genres that present his intimate universes, juggling with abstract, ballad and more dancefloor music, mostly recorded in Parisian suburb Alfortville between 2022 and 2024.

‘Comme des mots’ means ‘like words’ and evokes the ambiguous presence of his voice in the album, hidden in different characters, sometimes raving other times being conscious. Finally becoming a schizophrenic presence guiding you for the trip.

The cover follows the same ambivalence showing a typography with a distinct message that loses its readability in abstraction. The record also includes an insert with a childhood photo of Lil Ronin.

The LP was mastered in Paris by artist and engineer Krikor KOUCHIAN,
(past works for Simo Cell, Maoupa Mazzocchetti, Tolouse Low Trax…);
The design was created by sculptor artist and designer Marie-Mam-Sai BELLIER,
(past works for Erwan Sene’s JUnQ LP - PAN record, Zulu’s Hear The Sound Of My Feet - Association fatale etc.); The handmade drawings are by Vincent BENTOLILA (associated with the ‘Isengard’ label and parties in Brussels) ; The cover was handmade through silk-screen printing by the Lyon-based printer Olivier BRAL (whose past projects include Brigade Cynophile, Ateliers Dénudés, and Megabasse).

On June 6th, Death In Vegas return with new album ‘Death Mask’, where disintegration, overload and total sonic immersion tell a personal tale. With dirty circuitry and rough-hewn textures at the fore, this is gritty, unpolished techno; an audio outlier that’s full of personality, and a bold artistic statement. It’s closer in DNA to the grainy growl of sunn O))), or the searing intensity of Underground Resistance at their fiercest, and as far from generic influencer business as you could possibly get.

“I’ve been soaking in Ramleh’s ‘Hole In the Heart’, the machine funk of Terrence Dixon’s Population One, Jamal Moss’ psychedelic techno jams, the stunning minimalism of Mika Vanio’s Ø and Panasonic, the layered drones of LOOP, and drowning in the acid of TM 404”

Broader inspirations are weaved into the album’s fabric too; from his Thameside Metal Box studio and evocations of nautical ghosts, to lamentations for a broken world, to memories of a youthful Detroit pilgrimage, and the innocent fraternity of rave euphoria, there’s a lot going on, acting as a chronicle of moments, and locations.

Following the success of his ‘Love Dub So’ EP, Nick Barber’s Doof project returns to Mysticisms, delving back to his earliest recordings of his ground-breaking Trance project, presenting tracks from his previously cassette only release ‘The Love Mixes’.

A youth that had captured the psychedelia of Pink Floyd, Gong, Hawkwind and on to Psychic TV, as a self-taught guitarist, his first trip to India and Thailand in 1989 and witnessing the early electronic dance music at the Full Moon parties, had seemed rudimentary in nature compared to musicality of psychedelic rock.

Returning to England, the electronic / rock crossover of The Shamen’s ‘Progeny’ parties – featuring DJs like Paul Oakenfold and Mixmaster Morris with the live acts of Orbital and Ramjac Corporation – offered something new that turned his head, before finally finding his crew in the legendary squat / underground Pagan parties. There, residents Lol and Yaz first played the new electronic Trance sound, introducing Barber to the music of Eye-Q, Dance To Trance and the hugely influential Pete Namlook.

Recorded between 1990 – 1991, while living in Cambridge to study Philosophy, these are the first versions of tracks that formed the basis of his debut EP on Novamute, in 1993. Working with minimal equipment – an Akai sampler, Roland monosynth, Yamaha delay pedal, all sequenced on an Atari black and white PC and single MIDI output and then recorded straight to an 8-track Tascam cassette multitrack – the exuberance and rawness of the music are full of the excitement and naivety of youth.

Never intended for public release or initially even as a demo, Barber would play the music off the Tascam multitrack for friends at after parties. Dubbing a handful of cassettes himself and personally drawing the covers, around a dozen cassettes were handed out to mates. Eventually one copy found its way to Mute Records, who were looking to launch their dance offshoot, Novamute. Re-edited mixes of Gift Of The Gods and The Nagual appeared on his debut EP and history was made, before Doof went on to release for luminaries like TIP Records and Dragonfly and a career touring the globe was launched.

Remastered from the original tapes, this EP offers a snapshot of that time, the energy and joy of these early recordings is clear and overwhelming. Where Ambient, House and Techno met the birth of electronic Trance that truly stand up some 30 years later as originals then and now.

Trance The Mystery.

Diesco & Vince Void's Always Delivering EP arrives as a reverent tribute to the golden age of early 90s house, drawing inspiration from progressive, euro house, and other foundational genres of the era. A perfect balance of nostalgia and forward motion, the record reflects on the transformative soundscapes that once shaped the dancefloor, while embracing the present and future of electronic music.

El Tigre opens with a hypnotic rhythm, oscillating between balearic warmth and tribal beats. The sensual Spanish vocals weave seamlessly with the track's immersive groove, inviting listeners to lose themselves in a shadowy jungle of sound.

Untitled C takes things to a higher, more electrified level—bleepy acid lines, fat organ riffs, and punchy drums create an undeniable dancefloor energy. It’s pure euphoria, distilled into every beat.
8-Bit draws on the video game soundtracks that were an indirect inspiration for both artists during their youth. A fusion of breaky rhythms, groovy basslines, and uplifting piano chords gives the track an energetic feel.

Closing the EP, Jobby brings the energy to a soaring crescendo, combining euro house with a melancholic synth riff that takes you back to the emotions of early rave culture. It’s a perfect track to close, in a perfect way, a really intimate night.

With Always Delivering, 24 Seven Records signals the start of something fresh yet rooted in the past. It’s a celebration of where we've been, where we are, and where we're headed—true to the spirit of dance music.

This is the first full-length album by bojvck, an artist deeply embedded in Seoul’s street culture. Blending breakbeat-inspired sounds with raw audio textures sampled straight from the street culture, the album captures the restless energy of youth and the spirit of the city. If the keywords “boy” and “street” speak to you, this is one you shouldn’t miss.

Gwenan takes us on an unusual excursion on her new EP, marking the sixth release on Snaretrade Records. Through four windows, we peek into scenes from an unknown script, cleverly disguised as club fare. The A-side starts out bustling and hasty, then takes us out for a melancholy moment in the sun. The B-side has us pause at home in a little skit brewed on a modular rig, before sliding off into the depth of night, where brooding thoughts come out to show their teeth. A remarkable and playful journey, in which Gwenan pays homage to her favourite author, with nods to her youth growing up in Wales.

"Are You in Heaven?" was famously shouted by Roxy DJ Eddy de Clercq to the crowd at one of the very first legendary house parties in Amsterdam. This phrase not only symbolizes an iconic moment that captured the spirit of the era—it’s also the title of one of the three tracks featured here.

In 1991, inspired by the dance music craze that swept across Europe at the time, Arnoud Winkler and Jochem Peteri (who would later become the one-man supergroup Newworldaquarium) produced music that is equal parts euphoric, emotive, vital, and vibrant—youthful in spirit, naive yet clever. A European translation of a US-American art form, born from pure enthusiasm and concentrated passion for a culture that, to this day, continues to resonate universally.
Originally released on Lower East Side Records, the story told here is full of rave symbolism, after-party joy, and literal can-you-feel-it moments: rattling sub-bass, blissful pads, whispering voices, dub techniques, and subconscious peak-time signals.
Complemented by a new edit of Ulysses Horizon by Gerd Janson (alongside a revised version of the original), alongside Flowerdale Beach, and Are You in Heaven?, the music here hasn’t lost a single inch of its charm or allure. A taste of Dutch house deluxe.

180 G. BLACK VINYL WITH LINER NOTES IN CREOLE, FRENCH, ENGLISH

Originally released in 1979, "Spiritual Sound" lives up to its name, a soaring, triumphant album, six tracks of spirit magic from Guadeloupe.

Telluric, intense, terribly alive, the gwoka drums of Guadeloupe carry the identity of a painful and fervent island. Marked forever by the crime of slavery, Guadeloupe's créolité cherishes the ka drums and their natural environment: the low-pitched boula drum with male goatskin, the high-pitched soloist makè drum with female goatskin, the chacha, ti bwa, triangle, calabash and other percussion instruments that surround them, and the voices - the fiery, proud, timbred, urgent voices of the gwoka.



This album is also a legend for its voices: in his then dazzling youth, singer Lukuber Séjor was one of the first gwoka artists to largely feminize the chorus of répondè, who converse with his text delivered in a straight and powerful voice.

And everything here sets new standards. In 1979, Mizik Filamonik - Spiritual Sound proclaimed a spiritual patriotism of ferocious intensity. The album by Lukuber Séjor - whose spelling alone is a battle - sets out to give Guadeloupe the intangible weapons of self-respect and self-knowledge, through a singular practice of traditional music.

The genesis of gwoka music is less straightforward than one might imagine... The drums performed the servile task of accompanying the work of slaves in the fields and during the “corvées” imposed by the administration, before being freely practiced by the common people after the abolition of 1848. At the heart of the conviviality of the Guadeloupeans furthest from the cities - geographically and socially - the gwoka drums come out for carnival, funeral wakes and neighborhood celebrations, but also during strikes, fits of anger and armed vigils of the riots and revolts that have punctuated the island's history. For generations, governors of the colony and then the prefects of the overseas department of Guadeloupe have been viewing the gwoka as a potential for turbulence and a threat to public order.

But as the Beatlesmania, “chanson engagée” and rock revolutions unfolded in Europe, young people turned to the drums of mizik a vié nèg (“bad negro music”, in Creole), which Guadeloupeans had learned to despise by following the “assimilation” process advocated by the school system and most of the political class. At the end of the sixties, in a Guadeloupe mourning the deadly repression of the May 1967 social movement, they played traditional music, refusing to wrap it up in tourist prettiness and madras folk costumes. Instinctively, they played a rough and contemporary gwoka, led by the incendiary Guy Konkèt. This was the era of decisive 45 rpm records such as Robert Loyson's Kann a la richès, which brought to light the fieriest words of union rallies.

At his home in Sainte-Anne, Lukuber Séjor played with flautist Olivier Vamur and his brother Claude Vamur, who cobbled together a drum kit from tin crockery and became, a few years later, the most influential drummer in Kassav'.

These were the years of the Bumidom program, when young Guadeloupeans were encouraged to emigrate to mainland France. At the age of twenty, Lukuber Séjor embarked on the liner Irpinia, disembarking at Le Havre and taking the train to the Gare Saint-Lazare - the route taken by thousands of young West Indians who went on to study or looked for work, all the while trying to maintain a link with their homeland. In this case, it's at the Antony university residence, where Lukuber played the drum and participated in a thousand gwoka updates and aggiornamentos, while exile reinforced the need for a spiritual link with the native land.

In 1978, Guy Konkèt played at the Salle Wagram, a historic event for West Indian music. After serving as répondè - i.e. backing vocalist - on one of his home-recorded albums, Lukuber joined his live band. Little by little, he became one of the key artists on a circuit parallel to French show business. At a student party in Caen, he met a young woman from Martinique who, at the time, was more motivated by her ambitions as a visual artist than by her vocation as a musician. Her name was Jocelyne Béroard and, a few years before she plunged into the Kassav' adventure and became the greatest West Indian singer of her generation, she designed the cover of Lukuber Séjor's LP.

This ambition was obvious and imposed its will. A more or less regular band was formed, with Roger Raspail, Rudy Mompière and Éric Danquin on ka drums, Claude Vamur on ti bwa, Olivier Vamur and Françoise Lancréot on flutes and Annick Noël on keyboards. Lukuber Séjor is set on wanting to extend the gwoka palette to other instruments, as the jazz-rock revolution opens a thousand new doors. Annick Noël will play a wide range of timbres and textures on electric piano and synthesizer. Another novelty: the répondè are two men and two women, Roger Raspail, Olivier Vamur, Françoise Lancréot and Maryann Mathéus ...

Mizik Filamonik - Spiritual Sound is a self-production in which the singer and leader sank all his savings, allowing him no more than a single day in the studio. The first side is more of a musical manifesto, with the first two tracks, Éritage and Penn é plézi, being instrumentals. The third, Son, forcefully celebrates the need for Guadeloupeans to connect with the gwoka. In fact, Jocelyne Béroard's cover shows a tambouyé in the shadow of a cloudy sky, against which a radiant sun is rising and whose light will soon flood the entire landscape. The silhouette and face of this man strongly evoke the immense Vélo, master of the ka, rejected at the time on the fringes of society.

The second side of the LP is surprising. Formally, three tracks are explicitly linked like the three parts of a triptych. Primyé voyaj evokes the appalling tribulation of Africans deported as slaves to Guadeloupe; dézyèm voyaj speaks of the Bumidom program and the economic, political and social forces driving young Guadeloupeans towards the mirage of prosperity in France; twazyèm voyaj closes the cycle with the emigrants' return from Europe after years away from their island...

This gwoka, obsessed with the need to save Guadeloupe spiritually, appeals far beyond the politicized audience. Mizik Filamonik - Spiritual Sound instantly became a classic, although Lukuber Séjor never really made a career for himself as a musician.

After all, the album was released in 1980, with no promotional resources in France or Guadeloupe - and therefore no concerts. The thirty-two-year-old author, composer and performer made his own third trip back to Guadeloupe. He set up a small woodworking business, which he lost in Hurricane Hugo in 1989. His other activity, teaching in a medical-educational institute, became the core of his professional life. He continued to be an active campaigner - a campaigner for the Creole language, a campaigner for the reawakening of identity, a campaigner for special education, a campaigner for a thousand causes that he ignited with his generous and perceptive enthusiasm, such as the defense of breadfruit fries...

The echoes of his 1979 album have not died down. Of course, the use of Penn é plézi as the theme tune for Radio Guadeloupe's funeral notices from 1980 to 1992 kept him in the collective memory, but he continues to sing and compose sporadically, as with his all-female

vocal group Vwapoulouéka... Still convinced that music is a means of liberating the spirit, he continues the journey of a young man eager to deploy the power of Creole music and language.

Bertrand Dicale

Tuskegee returns with serious intent and a fresh club weapon from a recognised statesman of house music, Junior Sanchez. Having written and collaborated with artists including Daft Punk, Armand Van Helden, Todd Terry, and Roger Sanchez, ‘Bitch U Could Neva’ pairs Sanchez with vocalist and songwriter Dave Giles II, riding high himself following link-ups with Honey Dijon, Mike Dunn, and a producer on Beyonce’s anthemic ‘Cozy’.

‘Bitch U Could Neva’ is a powerful, instantaneous trip back into the underground style and attitude shared between both artists, reflecting the vibe of Sanchez’s rise to success in the halcyon days of New York nineties clubbing, alongside Giles II’s own youth in the Chicago creative scene. Living up to the attitude of its title, ‘Bitch U Could Neva’ bumps with peak-time energy, jackhammer drums and chopped-up vocals never undermining its fundamental sensuality, an increasingly rare link between true, authentic dancefloors past and present.

The pair then look to London for a confident, stripped-back take from prestigious record collector and curator GIDEON. The founder of dance music institutions Adonis and Glastonbury’s infamous Block 9 goes deep to find the track’s potential as a minimal, vogue-adjacent house workout, scattered with telephone dial tones and an upfront disclosure; “Bitch, I’m serving.”

Back across the Atlantic, Physical Therapy and Michael Mangan team up under their Fatherhood project to give ‘Bitch U Could Neva’ a seriously bouncy redress, winding tight drums atop a rubbery bassline and paying their own Twilo and Tunnel-era tributes with cut-up vocals and an ecstatic onslaught of rave stabs.

DJ Support: Camelphat, Henry Saiz, Le Youth, Gabriel & Dresden, Above & Beyond/ABGT radio, Armin Van Buuren/A State of Trance radio, Just Her, Ruben du Ronde, Stephen Kirkwood, Paco Osuna, Mia Mendi, Christian Homan/RTE, Andi Durrant

A dynamic blend of futuristic house, trance, and breaks, infused with deep emotion. Inspired by the sounds of Bicep, Orbital, Pryda, and Trance Wax.

Running Back is delighted to introduce RB Studio Sessions, a new sub-imprint of music envisioned, recorded and fully realised at Running Back’s in-house studio.
Built on the promise of unfettered creative freedom and aided by agreeable local autobahn connections in the Hesse region, the RB Studio Sessions project is christened with the work of Running Back’s founder, chief dreamer, and Geschäftsführer, Gerd Janson.
For this debut edition, he is joined for a momentous jam by the new-school hero of the house, good friend and kindred spirit, Narciss.
Just as Running Back’s earliest releases dropped a stylus to preserve timeless ideals of club culture, the four tracks on ‘No Maze Like Heaven’ further this continuum by turning back the sonic clock just a decade or so. Picture, if you will, a nascent Narciss, youthfully club
hopping and deeply inspired by the selections of Gerd himself, alongside a selection of DJs coaxing the Panorama Bar blinds open with exquisite, mid-tempo precision.
As such, new light immediately floods in for ‘Chicco’s Chips’, which captures many of those irresistible elements—Italo-tinted synths, hooky vocals, and perfect percussion— regenerated with the wide-eyed, high energy of Narciss’s own solo productions. ‘Elka,
meanwhile, is a richer, deeper dish, masterfully interlocking multiple heavenly melodies under layers of optimistic analogue fuzz.
Narciss and Gerd then look to the Netherlands for further collaboration with one of electronic music’s best-loved vocalists and another fine producer, Coloray, who fills ‘Look For You’ with a yearning performance in the vulnerable, synth-pop tradition. Finally, ‘No
Maze Like Heaven’ builds on this mood and melody for a finale that hits the sweet spot between machine power and oh-so-human emotion.
Featuring labyrinthian artwork from the mighty Gasius., via a sleeve that appears to blend M.C. Escher with MC Hammer, ‘No Maze Like Heaven’ proves to be a divine foundation of RB Studio Sessions. For Narciss, “a memory they will cherish forever.”
For Gerd, a taxdeductible working lunch. For DJs and dancers? Four ebullient hits-in-waiting, sounding great and meaning more.

United by the same impetus, Luche and Laton Raver are two producers and DJs based in Nantes, coming from the free-party scene and members of Esprits Sauvages and Chat Manik. For that new Acid Avengers split EP, they deliver four tracks influenced by the acid sounds of their youth : tribe, doom, belgium old-school scene. Here is a dark and electrifying EP, hypnotic and catchy, for those who like dancing for hours with the feet in the mud and the head in the stars !

At the start of the 1980’s X-Plode’s dad had a second-hand colour TV business in Bolton, Lancashire where he would buy, sell, repair and trade TVs. He would come back home with all kinds of things he had traded for a TV but the most memorable, to a 10 year old kid at that time, were the keyboards. He use to watch his dad play songs from the 1960’s on these keyboards and when his dad had gone out, Lee X-Plode would sneak on them and start messing about, experimenting with the drum programs and fiddling with the buttons, trying out ideas. He had to move fast though because these keyboards didn’t stay in the house for long as his dad would trade them again for something else; one time that was an old analogue echo chamber, which Lee also messed about with when his dad was out. That echo chamber was a revelation to Lee and opened up the possibilities of what was possible with sound. So by the time Lee was 16, he decided he wanted his own keyboard and started saving. When his 17th birthday came around he had saved up £200 and visited his local Argos where he bought himself a Yamaha PSS 680, an FM synthesizer with memory banks and a basic drum machine incorporated. ‘It was shit quality like, but I didn’t mind. I just wanted it for the programmable drum machine, the synth and the memory banks that came with it” Lee recalls. The year was 1987 and by this time in Lee’s life he was into reggae and hip hop, the latter he first embraced in 1983 by the way of breakdancing and listening to electro, so all he wanted to do when he got his gear was make reggae and electro sounding beats. Recalling his youth and the fun he had with the echo chamber, the next edition to his home set up was to acquire one of those, which he did via a mate of his. But by the time he got his minimal set up sorted in 1988, his musical tastes had changed. House music had landed here in UK and this was Lee’s new passion, so from that point on wards he started experimenting, trying to nail a decent house groove. ‘I wanted 808 sounds, but I didn’t know what one was!’ Lee explains.

Around late 1990 or early 1991, Lee started to improve upon his set up, purchasing an Atari STE, a Cheetah MS6 , a 6 voice polyphonic/multi-timbre analogue rack mounted synth that linked up to his Yamaha – “It wasn’t a great bit of kit, I kept getting electric shocks from it. Eventually it just blew up!” Lee had acquired a cracked copy of Cubase on floppy disk from his local computer game shop but struggled with it. “It was so complicated to understand and took me ages to get used to it. I was stoned a lot back then and I just couldn’t concentrate on anything for long” Lee laughs, continuing “I also picked up a 4 channel sampler/sequencer which plugged into the side of the Atari and that’s when I first started sampling, I think this would have been late 1991. I had the Simon Harris ‘Breaks, Beats and Scratches’ vinyl that he put out on Music for Life which were a godsend back then. I was also sampling a lot from cassette tapes, especially reggae. I would also record the Stu Allan show on Key 103FM, one of the main stations broadcasting out of Manchester. He would do a 3 hour show with hip hop and house, and then hardcore house came along. Eventually he dropped the hip hop altogether and it was just house and hardcore. I recorded the shows onto cassette most weeks and started to learn more about how house and hardcore was put together by listening to those shows.”