STINGRAY returns three years after Fortress Britain. Back with a new line up and an ever more savage sound, massive sounding on a 5 track 12” EP.
ENEMY is London on a plate. Stench-tinged hardcore punk born of the ever reaching infinity of Britain’s complex and confusing capital. Nihilistic acid burns in the style of NEUROOT, DEATH SIDE and DOOM, under a few minutes per piece, peppered with prosciutto-dipped VAN HALEN style solos Ala later WRETCHED or SHOTGUN SOLUTION. Vocal visitations by Ciara Savage bring frightening melodic elements into the occasional foray into truly irresistible mosh, not far from the barbed wire trailblazing of GASTUNK, SOD, and SACRILEGE before flying back into fast paced passages of “Scandinavian Jawbreaker” worthy velocity.
Recorded at Fuzzbrain by Jonah Falco. Mixed and mastered by Chris Corry at the Paincave. Draped in a Tin Savage sleeve, and released on the ever eternal home of musical suffering, La Vida Es Un Mus Discos.
Fust ist ein Songwriting-Projekt von Aaron Dowdy, das er zusammen mit seinen Freunden Frank Meadows, Avery Sullivan und John Wallace macht. Es fing 2017 als Heimaufnahme-Experiment von Aaron an, der sieben EPs mit jeweils vier Songs auf Bandcamp selbst veröffentlichte, bevor es zu einer Live-Band wurde. Die vier hatten über ein Jahrzehnt lang in verschiedenen Bands in Virginia und North Carolina zusammen gespielt. Diese Konstellation entstand 2018 in Brooklyn, wo sie alle zu dieser Zeit lebten, und sie trafen sich in Gowanus, um die einsamen, etwas hoffnungslosen Songs so leise wie möglich zu spielen - oder, wie die Band es bösartig nennen würde, da es eine Verletzung zu sein scheint, Songs über Fehlverhalten und Verzweiflung sanft zu spielen. Aber Fust interessiert sich auch für diese Themen und Stimmungen als Tropen und greift das Melodram der Country-Musik auf, vor allem die Idee, dass das Leben nicht viel bringt oder dass die eigene Güte nicht genutzt wird. Fust - das Wort für den muffigen Geruch, der an unbenutzten Dingen haftet - hat jetzt seinen Sitz in Durham, North Carolina, und Evil Joy ist sowohl ihr Plattenlabel-Debüt als auch die ersten gemeinsamen Aufnahmen der Band.
The epitome of a modern artist, Jana Bahrich does most things herself, no matter how painstaking - writing, producing, directing, often hand painting t-shirts the day of shows when the band have run out of merch. This has helped give her band Francis of Delirium a unique identity, with her rock confessionals breathing a new life in to the genre and her paintings creating a striking design aesthetic. Released as she was finishing high school, 2020’s single 'Quit Fucking Around’ was a great introduction and it remains one of her most enduring songs.
Shortly after it’s release, she signed to artist-first indie Dalliance Recordings (Gia Margaret, HighSchool, lilo) and three EPs - All Change (2020), Wading (2021), The Funhouse (2022) and a striking debut album - Lighthouse (2024) - on and Jana has Francis of Delirium flying. While the EP’s fizzed with promise, her debut album Lighthouse landed its punches. Seeking a more vulnerable and open sonic palette, she wove in pop elements to create anthems that celebrated heartbreak and love. Lead singles ‘Real Love’ and ‘First Touch’ were the first tracks she made with an outsider - working with GRAMMY winning producer Catherine Marks (boygenius, The Killers, Wolf Alice) - while the rest of the album was produced by Jana herself and day one collaborator Chris Hewett. The critics were impressed too - “Bahrich’s choruses, almost every one, are lumpin-your-throat gorgeous.” NME; “Jana Bahrich seems too young for this tremendous debut’s ambitious anthems.” Uncut; “A rewarding experience that captures a talented, young artist at the crossroads between adolescence and adulthood." Paste. Live, Francis of Delirium are Jana (guitar and vocals), Jeff Hennico (bass) and Denis Schumacher (drums). Together, their brilliant quiet-loud dynamic and tight interplay only elevate her songs and over the last 5 years, they’ve toured across Europe and North America, playing headline shows, festivals and tours with the likes of Blondshell, Briston Maroney, The Districts, Horsegirl and Soccer Mommy. They’ve also supported The 1975, Alanis Morissette, DIIV and Wolf Alice.
Last summer saw a memorable UK tour with Bôa, the 90s band resurrected by a huge TikTok moment for their track ‘Duvet’. There was a real sense of excitement for these shows with young crowds snaking outside every venue hours before doors and bringing the sort of energy Jana thrives on, she road tested new material to an overwhelmingly positive response, giving her the impetus to go and finish album two. An artist who seeks to connect with her listener on a deeper level, it’s no surprise then that she’s made hope and inner strength central themes on her new album, Run, Run Pure Beauty. Jana says the title track is “an imagining of the world after it has been destroyed by humans and technology. Thrashing against what humans have left behind, ultimately the pure beauty of nature wins out.”
Wanting to bring different perspectives into her songwriting with this record - informed by both her travels and the tumultuous times we find ourselves in - she’s also brought about a progression in her sound with these new songs somehow sounding larger, with undeniable harmonies and more orchestration. Featuring the singles ‘Little Black Dress’ and ‘It’s a Beautiful Life’, Run, Run Pure Beauty serves as an excavation of hope in bleak times. Produced by Jana and Chris, and mixed by Nicolas Vernhes (Deerhunter, Dirty Projectors, Silver Jews, Wild Nothing), its eleven songs of discovery, despair and perseverance ultimately serve as a mirror on its creator and is a brilliant next installment in the Francis of Delirium arc.
There are two versions of the record - classic black vinyl and transparent green limited edition (100 numbered copies) - both 180g with printed inner sleeve.
"PORTRETY" (Portraits) is a one-of-a-kind series – it focuses on artists known for their strong connection to the drums. Each person invited to the project is given freedom in their work. Ultimately, the track created for the album must be signed with the real names of our protagonists – that's our sole criterion.
This is how a kaleidoscope of sounds and eight original perspectives on music emerges.
LINER NOTES by Bartek Chaciński:"For part III of the compilation series focusing on Polish drummers, I’d like to start, as per usual, with a one liner…
There are three types of drummers: Those that can count, and those that… can’t.
Ok, but looking past the punchline, it turns out that there is, in fact, a third type: Drummers who can count, and pretty well too, but still struggle with triple rhythms. Amongst those who have ascended the heights of triple rhythm perfection you will certainly find, Piotr Gwader. One of the leaders of the movement, we could call an “Oberek Revival. He even proposed a new form: Footberk - splicing of Polish Folk dance and Chicago Footwork. He performed live with the OG of Footwork - RP Boo (Arpebu), but equally, he could successfully form a footberk duo with Jacek Prościnski, another protagonist from “Portraits 3”. Prościnski has been deeply immersed in the world of electronic dance music for years and offers us yet more proof of those interests here.
Triplets are also no stranger to Ola Rzepca (synonymous with the Drekoty Trio), in whose music there is no shortage of rhythmical complications and tempo changes. The same can be said of the improv-friendly contemporary jazz presented by Patrycja Wybrańczyk. These two Polish drummers show how versatile this discipline is on the Polish jazz scene. These qualities have already been well documented by Marcin „Groh” Grośkiewicz, but never so strongly as here.
Szymon „Pimpon” Gąsiorek is a musician who has made unconventionality the foundation of his individual style. Yet even in the piece by Jan Pieniążek (a dynamic and equally versatile drummer), we find an element of surprise in its melancholic atmosphere and construction, which introduces a triple rhythm while pushing the drum parts into the background. Portraits, on the other hand, does the complete opposite with its protagonists - it positions them in the foreground as the creators of specially commissioned original works. From this perspective, perhaps the most familiar names here may be Emade and Albert Karch, who are known as outstanding music producers and among the most interesting in Poland. “Portraits III” has presumably given them a momentary break from producing other artists, while for the music industry, it’s also a pleasant break in the rhythm and a shift of emphasis."
There are two versions of the record - classic black vinyl and transparent green limited edition (100 numbered copies) - both 180g with printed inner sleeve.
"PORTRETY" (Portraits) is a one-of-a-kind series – it focuses on artists known for their strong connection to the drums. Each person invited to the project is given freedom in their work. Ultimately, the track created for the album must be signed with the real names of our protagonists – that's our sole criterion.
This is how a kaleidoscope of sounds and eight original perspectives on music emerges.
LINER NOTES by Bartek Chaciński:"For part III of the compilation series focusing on Polish drummers, I’d like to start, as per usual, with a one liner…
There are three types of drummers: Those that can count, and those that… can’t.
Ok, but looking past the punchline, it turns out that there is, in fact, a third type: Drummers who can count, and pretty well too, but still struggle with triple rhythms. Amongst those who have ascended the heights of triple rhythm perfection you will certainly find, Piotr Gwader. One of the leaders of the movement, we could call an “Oberek Revival. He even proposed a new form: Footberk - splicing of Polish Folk dance and Chicago Footwork. He performed live with the OG of Footwork - RP Boo (Arpebu), but equally, he could successfully form a footberk duo with Jacek Prościnski, another protagonist from “Portraits 3”. Prościnski has been deeply immersed in the world of electronic dance music for years and offers us yet more proof of those interests here.
Triplets are also no stranger to Ola Rzepca (synonymous with the Drekoty Trio), in whose music there is no shortage of rhythmical complications and tempo changes. The same can be said of the improv-friendly contemporary jazz presented by Patrycja Wybrańczyk. These two Polish drummers show how versatile this discipline is on the Polish jazz scene. These qualities have already been well documented by Marcin „Groh” Grośkiewicz, but never so strongly as here.
Szymon „Pimpon” Gąsiorek is a musician who has made unconventionality the foundation of his individual style. Yet even in the piece by Jan Pieniążek (a dynamic and equally versatile drummer), we find an element of surprise in its melancholic atmosphere and construction, which introduces a triple rhythm while pushing the drum parts into the background. Portraits, on the other hand, does the complete opposite with its protagonists - it positions them in the foreground as the creators of specially commissioned original works. From this perspective, perhaps the most familiar names here may be Emade and Albert Karch, who are known as outstanding music producers and among the most interesting in Poland. “Portraits III” has presumably given them a momentary break from producing other artists, while for the music industry, it’s also a pleasant break in the rhythm and a shift of emphasis."
The Spice of Life, released in November 1969, stands as Marlena Shaw's second--and final--studio album for Cadet Records, produced and arranged by the renowned Richard Evans and Charles Stepney. From the opening, Shaw's voice--both playful and powerful--cuts through the lush yet tight-knit arrangements, weaving together a vibrant tapestry of soul, proto-funk, jazz, gospel, and blues. The album features two defining classics: her deeply resonant original of 'Woman of the Ghetto' and a signature take on Ashford & Simpson's 'California Soul', both staples in sampling culture (you'll probably find that you're more familiar with Shaw's material than you thought.) Evans and Stepney's arrangements are far from mere support--they're panoramic and inventive. You'll hear kalimba flourishes, psych-tinged guitar accents, and bongo-fueled organ textures that elevate each track, keeping the atmosphere rich but never overwhelming. Moments like the Bacharach-styled 'Looking Through the Eyes of Love' or the dramatic flair of 'Stormy Monday' showcase their widescreen sensibility and Shaw's versatility. Beneath its musical elegance, "The Spice of Life" carries a weighty current of social commentary. Tracks such as 'Woman of the Ghetto' and the succinct, fierce 'Liberation Conversation' bring political and feminist themes into a soulful, expressive framework--adding unexpected depth to the sophisticated sonic palette. This album offers an immersive journey through soul-jazz mastery, one that rewarded listeners with sampling gold for decades to come. Reissue on 180g vinyl.
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Last delivered 4 months ago available to reorder, subject to availability
2026 Repress
A notoriously jaw-dropping folk-funk classic, long treasured by the Balearic fraternity, the self-titled LP from the brothers Batteau nevertheless remains a criminally underheard gem. Appealing to fans stuck on Ned Doheny's scorching blue-eyed soul as well as Gene Clark's rich country-rock, it's an honour to present the first officially licensed vinyl reissue of this undoubted masterpiece of proto-Yacht-Rock.
Like a forgotten piece of baroque folk caught in 1973, Batteaux's eponymous album somehow sounds magically timeless. A full 45 years after the fact, it remains a mystery as to why they weren't better known. The lush production and virtuoso playing conforms with the ruling aesthetic of the time - well-crafted, melodic songs performed with precision and balance - whilst the shimmering AOR atmosphere and sun-dappled vocal washes align neatly with the best Crosby, Stills & Nash records.
Throughout, the beautifully penned tracks hold traces of Jimmie Spheeris, America and Seals & Crofts. The immaculately orchestrated percussion and additional instrumentation (electric piano and fiddle to name a few) are performed by perennially celebrated West-Coast cats including Tom Scott, John Guerin and Andy Newmark.
It's no surprise that the heavenly "High Tide" is such a Balearic touchstone. A free soul aqua-space groover, its sophisticated rhythms predict the swing of CSN's canonical "Dark Star" by a full four years. An alternative measure of its enduring magnificence can be gauged by MF Doom sampling Paul Horn's wonderful version, subsequently used by Ghostface Killah.
The highlights are many and memorable. Gorgeous opener "Tell Her She's Lovely" is the perfect example of the addictive, melody-driven songwriting which really should have earned them stardom. Moody ballad "Living's Worth Loving" is nothing short of heartbreaking whilst the chugging elegance of "Wake Me In The Morning" showcases their bewitching harmonies. The hypnotic yearning of "Lady Of The Lake" is an exquisitely string-drenched, piano-laced favourite that achieves a peculiar strutting-funk. It's that good.
This lovingly curated reissue enables a long overdue reappraisal of the hitherto buried genius of Batteaux. The serene aqua artwork which adorned the original jacket - their father worked on a dolphin-human communication project in Hawaii, hence the infamous design - and sumptuous inner sleeve have been faithfully restored. Whilst, with access to the original tapes, Simon Francis' sensitive mastering elevates the sound throughout and, as ever, it has been pressed at a reassuringly weighty 180g.
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Last delivered 4 years ago available to reorder, subject to availability
London-based musician, composer, and NTS resident Kit Grill presents his extraordinary new album 'Andøya', inspired by a solo residency on the eponymous Norwegian island, a profoundly dramatic territory situated in the Vesterålen archipelago, inside the Arctic circle.
With evocative, sonorous ambient, drone, minimalism, experimentalism, and modern classical music, Grill captures the environmental essence of a remarkable region; an isolated Nordic landscape of small coastline villages, raw peatlands and sublime mountain ranges, surrounded by wide, open views of the Arctic ocean.
Drawn from his experience on solitary excursions around the island - hiking, exploring, and encountering the locals - 'Andøya' is a beautifully stark, stirring exploration of acoustic phenomena, seclusion in nature, and the expressive power of unique landscapes. For Grill, the trip entailed a surreal day-night cycle, and his experience has had far-reaching, existential implications, both for his practice and his perspective:
"On the 8th January 2025 I travelled to the Norwegian island of Andøya, in the Arctic Circle for a three week solo residency. Surrounded by sea, snow, and mountains, I lived in isolation and travelled around the island each day documenting the landscape. At 10am, the background light of the sun beneath the horizon would light the day and in the 4 hour window of light, I would hike into the mountains and explore the wilderness. It was a profound experience that changed the way I thought about sound, solitude, and what it means to be alone in nature."
"Since returning, I created a body of music informed by that time to try and capture the vastness and unpredictability of the Arctic landscape. The album moves through the sensory extremes: ice cracking, storms forming and fading, the rumble of tectonic plates, waves crashing, harsh winds, trudging through snow, and the sharpness of freezing air. The album aims to reflect both the landscape itself and the shifting emotions that came with living in isolation and the Arctic environment. The music and photography serve as a recorded diary of my time there, documenting the experience."
Nina Nastasia nahm mit Steve Albini bei Electrical Audio in Chicago auf und engagierte den Instrumentalisten und Arrangeur Paul Bryan aus Los Angeles, um ihre Songs für ein kleines Orchester zu arrangieren. Mit dem Schlagzeuger Jay Bellerose und dem Gitarristen Jeff Parker aus Chicago wird Outlaster von einer absoluten Traumband unterstützt. Dieses Album ist ein Werk von üppiger Raffinesse, das ohne Verlust an Charakter oder Wirtschaftlichkeit über Nastasias berühmte Sparsamkeit hinausgeht. Das Orchester geht mit Bryans kraftvoller, bewegender Partitur - die an Gil Evans und den verstorbenen Phil Ochs erinnert - eher formell vor und veredelt die Platte mit glänzenden Bläsern und einem dynamischen Streichensemble. Nachdem Outlaster mehr als ein Jahrzehnt lang vergriffen war, ist es nun endlich wieder auf Vinyl erhältlich. Die Neuauflage von Outlaster wurde 2025 von Josh Bonati für Vinyl remastert und ist auf limitiertem burgunderfarbenem Vinyl gepresst.
Eine Sammlung von Songs, die von Nina Nastasia und Jim White von The Dirty Three geschrieben wurden. Ninas einzigartige Stimme bringt Songs voller Hooks über Liebe, Sehnsucht und Verlust hervor, während Jim Whites Songwriting - bekannt geworden durch seine Zusammenarbeit mit Leuten wie Will Oldham, Nick Cave und Smog - ein seltenes Songwriting-Talent zeigt und ein Duell und Duett zwischen zwei legendären Künstlern schafft. Nachdem es fast zwei Jahrzehnte lang vergriffen war, ist ,You Follow Me" endlich wieder auf Vinyl erhältlich. Diese Neuauflage von ,You Follow Me" wurde 2025 von Josh Bonati für Vinyl remastert und ist auf limitiertem transparentem gelbem Vinyl gepresst.
Greg Mendez war schon immer ein sparsamer Songwriter - er nutzt Zurückhaltung und Einfachheit als Werkzeuge, um den Kern seiner Songs zu schärfen. Auf Beauty Land, seinem neuen Album und Debüt-LP für Dead Oceans, werden wir von einem ironischen, aber nachsichtigen Erzähler begleitet, einem Underdog, der gelernt hat, Zynismus und Glauben in Einklang zu bringen. Diese Songs sind zurückhaltend, ohne selbstmitleidig zu sein, sorgfältig konstruierte Altäre der Unvollkommenheit, vermittelt durch Pop-Melodien, schimmernde, aber eindringliche Gitarren und eine Stimme, die nach der Unschuld eines Chorknaben strebt. Der Großteil von ,Beauty Land" wurde direkt auf Band aufgenommen, fast ganz allein in Mendez' provisorischem Heimstudio in Philadelphia - einem kleinen Raum ohne Tageslicht. Es ist sein erstes Album in voller Länge seit seinem unerwarteten Durchbruch mit dem selbstbetitelten Album im Jahr 2023, das nach 15 Jahren des Schreibens und Aufnehmens von Musik in relativer Unbekanntheit zwischen Philly und New York ein langsamer Erfolg wurde. ,Beauty Land" knüpft dort an, wo wir vor drei Jahren aufgehört haben - es lotet die Tiefen von Trauer, Liebe und Sucht aus -, aber seine intensive, ruhige Klarheit zeigt Mendez von seiner besten Seite als Songwriter. Teile von ,Beauty Land" fühlen sich wie ein luzider Traum an, in dem angeschlagene Charaktere sich ihren Weg durch eine karikaturhafte und verzerrte Welt bahnen - der gebrochene Uhrentakt von ,I Wanna Feel Pretty", das klingende Spielzeugklavier in ,Gentle Love". ,Mary / Dreaming" beginnt als spärliche, fingergezupfte Klage, bevor es abrupt zu einer enttäuschten, Beach-Boys-artigen, aber verkorksten Auflösung übergeht, die sowohl Melancholie als auch Freude hervorruft; ein Gefühl, dass alle Dinge gleichzeitig wahr sein können. Keiner der 14 Tracks ist länger als drei Minuten, aber sie erzählen Geschichten, die ein ganzes Leben umfassen. Der Tod schwebt durch das Album, sei es als Erinnerung oder als Bedrohung. Alles fühlt sich prekär an. Die Art und Weise, wie diese Songs aufgebaut sind, hat etwas Zerbrechliches: die Art und Weise, wie die Begräbnisorgel neben dem Morphium in ,Looking Out Your Window" erklingt, die verheerende Einfachheit von ,Frog" mit seinem verlangsamten Keyboard und dem nackten Refrain: ,Bitte vergib mir meine Fehler." Beauty Land fühlt sich manchmal unmöglich einsam an. Umso mehr zählt es, wenn das nicht der Fall ist - wie zum Beispiel, wenn Mendez gegen Ende von ,So Mean" im Duett mit seiner Frau und Bandkollegin Veronica singt und es sich wie ein lang ersehntes Wiedersehen anfühlt, wie ein flüchtiger Moment der Erlösung, wie eine vorübergehende Teilung der Meere.
Greg Mendez war schon immer ein sparsamer Songwriter - er nutzt Zurückhaltung und Einfachheit als Werkzeuge, um den Kern seiner Songs zu schärfen. Auf Beauty Land, seinem neuen Album und Debüt-LP für Dead Oceans, werden wir von einem ironischen, aber nachsichtigen Erzähler begleitet, einem Underdog, der gelernt hat, Zynismus und Glauben in Einklang zu bringen. Diese Songs sind zurückhaltend, ohne selbstmitleidig zu sein, sorgfältig konstruierte Altäre der Unvollkommenheit, vermittelt durch Pop-Melodien, schimmernde, aber eindringliche Gitarren und eine Stimme, die nach der Unschuld eines Chorknaben strebt. Der Großteil von ,Beauty Land" wurde direkt auf Band aufgenommen, fast ganz allein in Mendez' provisorischem Heimstudio in Philadelphia - einem kleinen Raum ohne Tageslicht. Es ist sein erstes Album in voller Länge seit seinem unerwarteten Durchbruch mit dem selbstbetitelten Album im Jahr 2023, das nach 15 Jahren des Schreibens und Aufnehmens von Musik in relativer Unbekanntheit zwischen Philly und New York ein langsamer Erfolg wurde. ,Beauty Land" knüpft dort an, wo wir vor drei Jahren aufgehört haben - es lotet die Tiefen von Trauer, Liebe und Sucht aus -, aber seine intensive, ruhige Klarheit zeigt Mendez von seiner besten Seite als Songwriter. Teile von ,Beauty Land" fühlen sich wie ein luzider Traum an, in dem angeschlagene Charaktere sich ihren Weg durch eine karikaturhafte und verzerrte Welt bahnen - der gebrochene Uhrentakt von ,I Wanna Feel Pretty", das klingende Spielzeugklavier in ,Gentle Love". ,Mary / Dreaming" beginnt als spärliche, fingergezupfte Klage, bevor es abrupt zu einer enttäuschten, Beach-Boys-artigen, aber verkorksten Auflösung übergeht, die sowohl Melancholie als auch Freude hervorruft; ein Gefühl, dass alle Dinge gleichzeitig wahr sein können. Keiner der 14 Tracks ist länger als drei Minuten, aber sie erzählen Geschichten, die ein ganzes Leben umfassen. Der Tod schwebt durch das Album, sei es als Erinnerung oder als Bedrohung. Alles fühlt sich prekär an. Die Art und Weise, wie diese Songs aufgebaut sind, hat etwas Zerbrechliches: die Art und Weise, wie die Begräbnisorgel neben dem Morphium in ,Looking Out Your Window" erklingt, die verheerende Einfachheit von ,Frog" mit seinem verlangsamten Keyboard und dem nackten Refrain: ,Bitte vergib mir meine Fehler." Beauty Land fühlt sich manchmal unmöglich einsam an. Umso mehr zählt es, wenn das nicht der Fall ist - wie zum Beispiel, wenn Mendez gegen Ende von ,So Mean" im Duett mit seiner Frau und Bandkollegin Veronica singt und es sich wie ein lang ersehntes Wiedersehen anfühlt, wie ein flüchtiger Moment der Erlösung, wie eine vorübergehende Teilung der Meere.
Greg Mendez war schon immer ein sparsamer Songwriter - er nutzt Zurückhaltung und Einfachheit als Werkzeuge, um den Kern seiner Songs zu schärfen. Auf Beauty Land, seinem neuen Album und Debüt-LP für Dead Oceans, werden wir von einem ironischen, aber nachsichtigen Erzähler begleitet, einem Underdog, der gelernt hat, Zynismus und Glauben in Einklang zu bringen. Diese Songs sind zurückhaltend, ohne selbstmitleidig zu sein, sorgfältig konstruierte Altäre der Unvollkommenheit, vermittelt durch Pop-Melodien, schimmernde, aber eindringliche Gitarren und eine Stimme, die nach der Unschuld eines Chorknaben strebt. Der Großteil von ,Beauty Land" wurde direkt auf Band aufgenommen, fast ganz allein in Mendez' provisorischem Heimstudio in Philadelphia - einem kleinen Raum ohne Tageslicht. Es ist sein erstes Album in voller Länge seit seinem unerwarteten Durchbruch mit dem selbstbetitelten Album im Jahr 2023, das nach 15 Jahren des Schreibens und Aufnehmens von Musik in relativer Unbekanntheit zwischen Philly und New York ein langsamer Erfolg wurde. ,Beauty Land" knüpft dort an, wo wir vor drei Jahren aufgehört haben - es lotet die Tiefen von Trauer, Liebe und Sucht aus -, aber seine intensive, ruhige Klarheit zeigt Mendez von seiner besten Seite als Songwriter. Teile von ,Beauty Land" fühlen sich wie ein luzider Traum an, in dem angeschlagene Charaktere sich ihren Weg durch eine karikaturhafte und verzerrte Welt bahnen - der gebrochene Uhrentakt von ,I Wanna Feel Pretty", das klingende Spielzeugklavier in ,Gentle Love". ,Mary / Dreaming" beginnt als spärliche, fingergezupfte Klage, bevor es abrupt zu einer enttäuschten, Beach-Boys-artigen, aber verkorksten Auflösung übergeht, die sowohl Melancholie als auch Freude hervorruft; ein Gefühl, dass alle Dinge gleichzeitig wahr sein können. Keiner der 14 Tracks ist länger als drei Minuten, aber sie erzählen Geschichten, die ein ganzes Leben umfassen. Der Tod schwebt durch das Album, sei es als Erinnerung oder als Bedrohung. Alles fühlt sich prekär an. Die Art und Weise, wie diese Songs aufgebaut sind, hat etwas Zerbrechliches: die Art und Weise, wie die Begräbnisorgel neben dem Morphium in ,Looking Out Your Window" erklingt, die verheerende Einfachheit von ,Frog" mit seinem verlangsamten Keyboard und dem nackten Refrain: ,Bitte vergib mir meine Fehler." Beauty Land fühlt sich manchmal unmöglich einsam an. Umso mehr zählt es, wenn das nicht der Fall ist - wie zum Beispiel, wenn Mendez gegen Ende von ,So Mean" im Duett mit seiner Frau und Bandkollegin Veronica singt und es sich wie ein lang ersehntes Wiedersehen anfühlt, wie ein flüchtiger Moment der Erlösung, wie eine vorübergehende Teilung der Meere.
■ The latest installment in the popular ocean themed compilation series “SALT... meets ISLAND CAFE”, curated by the beach life magazine/media SALT...,
is DEEP BLUE the series’ first ever ambient music compilation. Centered around the title concept inspired by the deep, tranquil blue of the ocean, the album
presents soothing music tailored to modern lifestyles, spanning chillout, Balearic, meditation, and healing sounds.
■ Ten artists each highly trusted by discerning listeners across the ambient, chillout, Balearic, and surf‑music scenes have created brand‑new, original ambient
tracks inspired by the theme. From pioneers active since the ’90s to cutting‑edge trackmakers, this compilation brings together a stunning collection of
ocean‑themed ambient music.
■ Mastering is handled by ambient/Balearic maestro Calm, who is also featured as one of the contributing artists, delivering an exceptional sonic experience.
Enjoy all ten tracks, each expressing its own unique interpretation of DEEP BLUE.
■ The artwork features an artistic photograph by Pedro Gomes, a Brazil born, Japan based surf photographer, with design by Masato Maekawa (tAnkers inc.),
known for his work across apparel and outdoor brands. Under the supervision of SALT..., the visuals perfectly capture the compilation’s immersive world.
Brånd is one weird/post black metal act from the Upper Austrian town of Linz.
Started off in 2015 as a solo act by Vritra (also in Kringa and Weathered Crest) with the need for a form of expression free from perfection or boundaries, over the past ten years the ever-evolving project ventured into various soundscapes, from crude black metal to lo-fi ambient and from ferocious post-punk to psych downer rock, all while splitting releases with extreme underground torchbearers like Absolute Key, Calvary and Rosa Nebel.
Joined by musicians to evolve old and new ideas, Brånd debut full-length album grew from 4-track demos gathered over the last decade to become an album of richly arranged songs from all over the fields of interest, breaking from their lo-fi tradition to new horizons.
To describe thoroughly “Tåg & Nåcht” is possibly the hardest task to do, given all the influences that are skilfully intertwined and perfectly balanced. In this witches’ brew the most schooled listeners will hear some angular post-punk à la Gang Of Four sustaining pagan declamations in the vein of Fenriz folk metal excursus Isengard. Straight forward dark anarcho punk assaults are mitigated by almost new age juxtapositions. Traces of 70’s German krautrock like La Düsseldorf are melted into a heavy metal cast, while wind instrument raids that are equally James Chance and Death In June seem to drop when least expected.
The sound is crunchy and surprisingly warm, contrary to what one might expect of a band emerging from a black metal background. But right now, Brånd is so much more than this: they can master a wide range of sounds that span from 70’s space rock, passing through 80’s post-punk and UK82, reaching 90’s black metal and 2000’s blackgaze, all in one incredibly coherent album. If this sounds too good to be true, suit yourself and press Play.
Split released with Tour De Garde in US/CA.
The story begins in 2000 in Britany (France). Two guys decide to create a sound system with the aim of sharing their common passion for roots reggae and early digital. Rootystep (selecta) and MacGyver (operator) begin to collect records and purchase music equipment. They are quickly joined by Pupajim who becomes the MC, the singer and the dub builder. The Stand High Patrol first toured the land of Brittany, gradually moving towards stepper dub production emanating from the English stage. Fifteen years later, the sound is more present than ever. Stand High has created a true identity and has established itself as one of the essential sound systems of the French dub scene. In 2009, Stand High Patrol creates his own label "Stand High Records". In 2012, after releasing several records, the Dubadub Musketeerz present their debut album "Midnight Walkers", 13 exclusives & wicked tracks inna pure Dubadub Style. In 2015 the dubadub experience takes on new dimensions with their second album : "A Matter Of Scale". In 2017 they are back with "The Shift" a third LP totally dedicated to Boom Bap & 90s Hip Hop. Words, blue notes, boom bap and bad news: here comes "The Shift", the third album of Stand High Patrol.
IN 2017, TRYING TO MAKE BOOM BAP FROM THE 90s, INSPIRED BY JAZZ FROM THE 60s, MIXED WITH MACHINES FROM THE 50s
Lyrics, Boom bap and bad news: Stand High Patrol present their third album 'The Shift' and confirm their attachment to 90s hiphop.
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New album of one of the biggest Reggae/Dub french soundsystem starring MacGyver, Rooty Step & Pupajim (who worked with Alpha Steppa, Biga Ranx, High Tone, Mungo's Hi-Fi ...).
Since their inception at start of the 2000s, Stand High Patrol have rocked sound systems to their own riddim, assimilating and re-purposing the codes of the genre in their own unique style. From tiny bars in Brittany to huge festival stages, on independent radio or across national airwaves, the crew have quietly trod their own path, never compromising their core value of independence. Connoisseurs have long recognised Stand High’s credentials both as a dub group and a leading sound system, but they stand out from the crowd because of their ability to deliver the unexpected, whether live or on record. Their ability to draw such a diverse audience is testament to this atypical approach to making music.
In 2020, almost 20 years since their humble beginnings, the collective presents their fifth album, “Our Own Way”. As with their first two albums “Midnight Walkers” and “Matter Of Scale”, now considered as classics in their genre, this new opus asserts itself as the latest representation of the crew’s versatile approach to crafting sound. Their music, a blend of its own known as “Dubadub”, has always borrowed influences from multiple sources, and over the course of their career their roots in dub and reggae have intertwined with hip-hop, jazz, new wave, trip-hop and numerous other genres. The ‘Dubadub Musketeers’ have never ceased experimenting, forever seeking to increase the sonic territory they cover, day after day. Both live and recorded, they’ve made it a point of honour to never offer up the same thing twice. Any resemblance that “Our Own Way” might bear to those first two albums is a consequence of this obvious creative continuity, rather than of going “back to basics”.
In contrast to the last two Stand High Patrol records, the hip-hop inspired “The Shift”, or the Bristol indebted “Summer On Mars”, “Our Own Way” doesn’t have a unifying concept or theme. Rather than being limited to a single aesthetic, the LP pays respect to the entire canon of Jamaican music, all unified under Stand High’s inimitable production values. With the wealth of experience gained during the recording of their last two records, the collective decided to aim for a freer project, letting themselves be guided by their own music and their own instincts. The end result is a musical portrait of what Stand High Patrol is in the present moment.
The tracks that make up the new LP burst out of the studio, each born out of unbridled, impulsive creativity. Previously unheard compositions and specially re-tooled dub plates have been assembled into a tracklist that shifts and moves like a classic Dubadub Musketeer live set. Each step of the process has been refined by years of practice : composition, effects, and the final mix. Throughout “On Our Way”, the brutal dub stepper, though still a favourite for sound system sessions, is noticeable by its absence. Instead, it’s the full weight of the crew’s reggae heritage that’s expressed in the mix. It's not just the depth and weight of each tune that strikes the listener, but also the spaces heard between the notes that grab and hold their attention.. The sense of a trip, whether musical, internal or geographic, is omnipresent throughout the LP, linking each track to those before and after. “Our Own Way” finds Stand High Patrol exploring as usual, yet also narrating their journey as they’ve rarely done before.
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Caçador de Horizontes is the fourth and most ambitious album by Brazilian composer and songwriter Raphael Gimenes. Conceived as an expansive double album, it brings together voice and acoustic guitar with richly arranged strings, brass and a wide palette of percussion, engaging with the tradition of Brazilian songwriting while evoking the harmonic sensibility of artists such as Milton Nascimento, alongside elements of modern classical music.
Inspired by travels across the American continent, the album moves between intimate moments and large-scale instrumental passages, creating a cinematic and emotionally resonant atmosphere. Produced by Lucas Delacroix, Alexandre Andrés and Gimenes himself, it features more than 30 musicians from different countries and was supported by the Danish Arts Foundation (Statens Kunstfond).
Church Andrews and Matt Davies return with Tilt, a pinpoint collection of skewed microtonal and discordant compositions for percussion and digital synth.
Tones ascend but don’t resolve, rhythms loop, collapse and reassemble, patterns wriggle with geometric precision, sounds tilt, the edges fray.
Kinetic, elastic, wonky without being obtuse, Church Andrews (aka Kirk Barley) and Matt Davies new LP Tilt is the culmination of six years of creative collaboration, refining and redrawing the relationship between Davies’ virtuoso percussive practice and Barley’s off-kilter synthesis.
Where their 2024 release Yucca, took rhythmic cues from the Fibonacci sequence, Tilt explores a more intuitive approach, returning the duo to a minimal sound interrogating the interplay of chance and control, system and body, freedom and mechanisation. Featuring prepared guitar, finely resonant muted percussion and a crisp palette of digital synths, it draws on the pair's long-standing interest in alternate time signatures.
Here, a tripped-up 11/8 beat gives ‘Yokai’ a disorientating quality, threading unusual paths through the playful, mysterious 5-note Hirajoshi scale - a pentatonic scale from Japan hinted at in the track’s playful reference to a supernatural spirit in the country’s folklore.
Using a simple on-off system between drum and synth to trigger a Shepard tone - an auditory illusion of a sound that ascends or descends in pitch without actually changing - ‘Shepherd’ revels in the stripped-back simplicity of its sonic palette, where the nuance lies in what Barley calls “subtleties in the timbre of the sounds” as they dialogue with Davies’ warped loops.
It’s these finely tuned melodic drum tones and an eerily abstracted prepared guitar that give ‘Debris’ its uncanny feel, yet never feeling overly controlled. Like the album’s meticulous, graphic artwork, Tilt seeks the shifting ground between the physical and the digital, as acoustic tones are tweaked and disambiguated into new and unexpected forms.
Tilt represents Church Andrews and Matt Davies’ ongoing collaboration in its purest form - a hyper-defined evocation of gravitational potential in their live sound.
Long overlooked outside specialist circles, Drammi e Speranze is presented for the first time ever on vinyl reissue, newly remastered to highlight the depth and tonal richness of Umiliani’s arrangements.
Originally released in 1976 on Piero Umiliani’s own Sound Work Shop imprint, Drammi e Speranze—issued under the pseudonym Rovi—stands as a refined example of his late-period library work.
Performed by a compact string ensemble and subtly augmented by piano, Hammond organ, Eminent organ, and Rhodes, the album unfolds through a series of classically-informed compositions where melody takes center stage. Each piece is concise, evocative, and purpose-built—reflecting the functional yet highly expressive nature of Italian library music at its peak.
Conceptually, the record is structured in two contrasting halves: the first side explores themes of optimism and resolution, while the second delves into darker, more introspective territories, mirroring the emotional duality suggested by its title (Tragedies and Hopes).
This release celebrates 100 years since the birth of Piero Umiliani, honoring the enduring legacy of a composer whose work continues to resonate across cinematic, library, and contemporary sample-driven music.
Maybe it was inevitable that Vilhelm Bromander and Fredrik Rasten would find each other. A symbiotic musical alliance of suggestive combinatory magic that stretches back to the interstitial two day space that separates their dates of birth and manifests here as the movement between ‘perfect’ or ‘just’ intonation and the ragged, psychoactive energy of the slippages from and towards that togetherness that render otherwise simple patterns or generally understood repetitions as wildly other and alive.
Astral Twins shares ‘twin’ works by each composer. The patiently unfolding real time retuning of Fredrik Rasten’s guitars on the a-side’s Sojourns and Vilhelm Bromander’s quickened steps and spry looping melodies on the flip’s Partially Dancing.
Both artists have history of going deep into the aesthetic and acoustic impact of intonation (how you think about what is ‘in tune’). Where their first LP (...for some reason that escapes us, 2019, Differ Records) shared a gorgeous set of sustained tone colour fields, this time they lean more explicitly into the folk music traditions of Scandinavia and further afield, whilst echoing the zoned minimalist atmosphere of Arthur Russell’s classic Instrumentals.
Recorded up close and in real time at Fylkingen’s soon-to-be-abandoned temporary location in Stockholm’s southern suburb of Bredäng, Astral Twins sings with the possibility that one plus one can equal more than two.
Fredrik Rasten: Sojourns explores the live retuning of guitar and double bass in a sequence of just intonation harmonies. A guitar ostinato runs throughout the piece where the retuning becomes an integral part of the composition. The slow pace reveals every detail in the transition from one harmonic arpeggio to another — how interfering waves emerge and disappear as the tonal interactions settle in electric clarity. The double bass shadows the guitar's process and comments with occasional pizzicato tones and register jumps, at times providing a low foundation for the sound and sometimes soaring together with the guitar. This is music that is deeply listening; experimental and at the same time humbly inviting many kinds of being with sound.
Vilhelm Bromander: As the title suggests, this song has a partially dancing character. The title also has a double meaning with reference to the partials and harmonics that dance together. The basic idea was to write music in just intonation that instead of being drone-based is reminiscent of a lightly dancing folk music, where the joyous feeling of just being in the music — “musicking" — is allowed to lead the way.
The double bass plays repeated overtone double stops in an open harmonic progression with subtle modulations that is inspired in equal parts by Steve Lacy's persistent repetition of phrases as east-asian khaen music. The guitars and mandolin have a freer role, with plucked retuned strings that enhance the bass's modulations and provide forward movement. The music invites to both melodic and spectral listening, suddenly halting so that other focal points can reveal themselves. For example, a chord sequence suddenly transitions to a more spectral part where Fredrik is playing a bowed guitar with a chain, several plucking guitars, voices, and pitch pipes. I wanted to make something ‘orchestral’ with just two people and no overdubs: a dance of overtones and open resonant strings, where we seamlessly take turns standing in the foreground.
Chins For Lefty is the debut album and first recording by Gichard, a new duo chronicling the absurdities of end-stage capitalism and mouldering social rituals from their vantage point in Glasgow, Scotland. Recorded primarily in the band’s home studio straight to tape, Chins For Lefty combines gorgeous, ramshackle melody, DIY kosmische punk, drum machine + synth and, in vocalist/lyricist Lisa Jones, an absurdist commentator on the human condition as it navigates the anxieties of the modern world. Instrumentalist Chas Lalli’s swirling music accompaniment stitches an evocative mix of musical styles, the ragged wind beneath the lyrics’ wings.
Although the duo first collaborated in their previous group Dragged Up, their disparate musical and artistic backgrounds make for an alluring mix in Gichard. Lalli has spent the last 20 years in the Glasgow underground, most notably in the noise rock group VOM, while Lisa Jones’s practice was in poetry and spoken word. Beginning as co vocalist in her previous band, in Gichard her lyrics are centre stage; the vision concocted alongside Lalli amounts to a total world-build.
Chins For Lefty scans almost like a novel, with each track elucidating a skewed universe that bears only some resemblance to the one you and I partake in. Like all works of fiction Gichard’s songs are rooted in reality and the lived experiences of its authors, but here characters are exaggerated, social mores and habits are pulled apart to reveal their inherent alienness. Universal emotions are laid bare, the bright light of anxious examination searching out every hairline fracture in our relationships. Distorted and cracked, the mirror that Gichard hold up to our world is also pretty damn funny.
Opener Cholesterol Test launches an expansive, cosmic guitar and synth intro that belies the Tascam-tape recorder it was recorded onto, like a Chromatics cut substituting anxiety for overt sexuality. Here Jones intones an apology to a non-responsive recipient, in the medium of a long voice note forensically deconstructing an interaction from the night before. Over punk guitars and shuffling, lo-fi drum machine splutters, the narrator in Asking The Apes “prefers things to people” before being taken hostage in the city zoo to confess an obsession which consumes the protagonist, ending with the immortal two liner “I sleep in a cocoon of old newspapers at the end of your street / And I think I have been fired from my job,” On album standout Posthumous Hologram, the narrator is faced with a human simulacra, in this case an undead pop star; the face of the encroaching technological singularity. Yes, it does requests, it can do My Way in 200 different language options. But what are the implications? While you’re left pondering, the alternating deadpan verse delivery and undeniably catchy chorus keep you company.
By the time Break Up With Johnny Dogbirth rattles into view, the band are satirising a suburban inanity blown up to cartoon proportions, soundtracked with a drawled musicality that recalls Rowland S. Howard’s post-Birthday Party balladeering. This approach is furthered on Human Resources: over an angular guitar+bass track, Jones’s short story recalls Dry Cleaning’s erudite lyrical post punk. On Soft Face, Lalli’s guitar and drum machine are swathed in echo and delay, as Jones dissects dating rituals with a west of Scotland drollness. Hamming It Up brings a porcine perspective in a short story that begins with the line “I was breastfeeding discreetly in the service station. She didn’t mind.” What follows is a passage punctured with canned laughter and a narrative involving tribute acts, modern farming techniques.
Brilliant first single Your Private Hell closes the album, the closest the group get to earnest perhaps, filtered through a surreal central Scottishness. While Your Private Hell might seem like a sardonic take down of romance, perhaps it’s the very distillation of love in all its awkwardness, selflessness and weirdness. Here there’s a distinctive Glasgow-ness to this doomed romance: the protagonist falls for an outsider, offers them cheap jarred hot dogs and carbolic soap (the infamous, excoriating soap dished out in schools and government buildings throughout Scotland), offers to cover up a murder, stalks them in the all-night Spar. It’s a short story of intrigue, murder and the irresistible pull of self-sacrifice to share in someone else’s suffering. If that’s not love, what is it? You can see this vision mapped out in black and white on their video for 'Your Private Hell'.
As keyboard maestro James Taylor arrives at his 40th year leading his Quartet, he has re-signed with his original label Acid Jazz and is embarking on a series of the most radical projects he has ever worked on. Following his first classical album ‘Shadows and Dreams’ earlier this year, he brings the Quartet together for a remarkable new album. ‘Te Deum’ sets the ancient, 4th-entury Christian text to intense jazz, funk, and Latin grooves. The music sees the James Taylor Quartet working alongside the children of the Benenden Chapel Choir, and a guest horn section and legendary Acid Jazz percussionist Snowboy. Lead track ‘Have Mercy On Us’ mixes Brazilian samba with Gregorian chants, ‘The Comforter’ sounds like a Donald Byrd with voices Blue Note Records experiment, and last year’s radio favourite ‘Wildflower’ mixes bossa nova with sunshine pop harmonies and a positive message. The JTQ is on tour throughout the year - as he always is and will be worth catching live.
Tech-metal outfit FALLUJAH expand horizons and solidify their position as one of America’s most exciting artists on their new album, Xenotaph, through Nuclear Blast. The Bay Area-based quintet’s confidence in the lineup that made their previous album, Empyrean (2022), such a resounding success—earning high marks from Metal Injection, New Noise, and Guitar World—has been reconfigured slightly, with guitarist Sam Mooradian (INHALE EXISTENCE, SAM MOORADIAN) and drummer Kevin Alexander (DISEMBODIED TYRANT. BROUGHT BY PAIN) bringing their jaw-dropping musical proficiency to the fold, as vocalist Kyle Schaefer, guitarist Scott Carstairs, and bassist Evan Brewer enter a new chapter with FALLUJAH. Moored by singles ‘Kaleidoscopic Waves,’ ‘Labyrinth of Stone,’ and ‘Step Through the Portal and Breathe,’ Xenotaph is FALLUJAH personified, reinvigorated, and re-imagined.
As a details-oriented record Xenotaph benefits from moments of low tension, atmospheric delight, and Schaefer’s winged clean vocals. This
dynamic isn’t particularly new to Fallujah, but the group spent considerable time honing what each song needed—from blast-laden speed runs and jazz-fusion solos to vocal restraint and brutality—which resulted in a brighter, more exhilarating experience. Musically, it truly feels like the listener is embroiled in the album’s sci-fi concept and Peter Mohrbacher’s stunning cosmogonic cover art, which is aesthetically in line with his previous covers (Dreamless and Empyrean) for FALLUJAH. Close encounters with ‘Step Through the Portal and Breathe’, ‘Labyrinth of Stone,’ and ‘Kaleidoscopic Waves’ spark wonder and stimulate the soul.
What"s new for the first time in over a decade? Squirrel Bait"s self-titled 12" EP and Skag Heaven in the black. In "85-"87, their screamin" teenage psycho dilemmas stood way out in the emerging field of metal damaged hardcore punk. "Kid Dynamite" would ring in your head like a #1 single that had just unseated "Sun God" from the vaunted top spot. Every week. Anthems for the freaks! It happened fast. After a couple of records, guitarists David Grubbs and Brian McMahan split for Bastro and Slint (and Gastr del Sol and The For Carnation, respectively) With Grubbs went bassist Clark Johnson, original Bait batterie mate Britt Walford joined McMahan in Slint. Leaving only the stuff of legend: records eternally exploding with youthful feels through all the endless winters and summers of hearts and minds. Repressed, Squirrel Bait can now continue to dialogue with the young in the creation of new useful and unforgettable experiences. For the children of tomorrow as well as your own damn selves, get copies now.
What"s new for the first time in over a decade? Squirrel Bait"s self-titled 12" EP and Skag Heaven in the black. In "85-"87, their screamin" teenage psycho dilemmas stood way out in the emerging field of metal damaged hardcore punk. "Kid Dynamite" would ring in your head like a #1 single that had just unseated "Sun God" from the vaunted top spot. Every week. Anthems for the freaks! It happened fast. After a couple of records, guitarists David Grubbs and Brian McMahan split for Bastro and Slint (and Gastr del Sol and The For Carnation, respectively) With Grubbs went bassist Clark Johnson, original Bait batterie mate Britt Walford joined McMahan in Slint. Leaving only the stuff of legend: records eternally exploding with youthful feels through all the endless winters and summers of hearts and minds. Repressed, Squirrel Bait can now continue to dialogue with the young in the creation of new useful and unforgettable experiences. For the children of tomorrow as well as your own damn selves, get copies now.
Norway's Aura Noir was formed in 1993 by Aggressor & Apollyon in pursuit of a more thrash-based form of black metal than much of what was coming out at the time - particularly in their homeland - citing bands such as Slayer, Sodom & Kreator as inspirations along with purveyors of the scene such as Venom, for a dirtier, stripped down, violent black/thrash metal sound. Their first official release was the 'Dreams Like Deserts' EP on Hot Records, & from there-on the band became a truly cult act, releasing a string of albums among ongoing live performances over the subsequent decades.
'Black Thrash Attack' was Aura Noir's debut full length album, originally recorded & released in 1996, & was a continuation of the intense thrash riffing displayed on 'Dreams Like Deserts'. This edition of 'Black Thrash Attack' includes a cover of the venom classic 'Heavens on Fire', from the cult 'Black Metal' album. All members of Aura Noir have had illustrious careers to date, with Carl-Michael Eide (Aggressor) notable for his work in Ved Buens Ende, Dødheimsgard, Virus, & Fleurety, as well as being part of other scene icons such as Ulver & Satyricon in their formative years. Apollyon, currently also seen in Coffin Storm with Darkthrone's Fenriz, previously featured in Dødheimsgard, as well as Lamented Souls & Immortal. Completing the trio is Blasphemer, formerly of fellow Norwegian legends Mayhem, as well as being current mainman in his recently established band, RUiM.
This edition of 'Black Thrash Attack' marks the 30th anniversary of the release, & is presented on limited marble vinyl, following the layout of the original.
Norway's Aura Noir was formed in 1993 by Aggressor & Apollyon in pursuit of a more thrash-based form of black metal than much of what was coming out at the time - particularly in their homeland - citing bands such as Slayer, Sodom & Kreator as inspirations along with purveyors of the scene such as Venom, for a dirtier, stripped down, violent black/thrash metal sound. Their first official release was the 'Dreams Like Deserts' EP on Hot Records, & from there-on the band became a truly cult act, releasing a string of albums among ongoing live performances over the subsequent decades.
'Black Thrash Attack' was Aura Noir's debut full length album, originally recorded & released in 1996, & was a continuation of the intense thrash riffing displayed on 'Dreams Like Deserts'. This edition of 'Black Thrash Attack' includes a cover of the venom classic 'Heavens on Fire', from the cult 'Black Metal' album. All members of Aura Noir have had illustrious careers to date, with Carl-Michael Eide (Aggressor) notable for his work in Ved Buens Ende, Dødheimsgard, Virus, & Fleurety, as well as being part of other scene icons such as Ulver & Satyricon in their formative years. Apollyon, currently also seen in Coffin Storm with Darkthrone's Fenriz, previously featured in Dødheimsgard, as well as Lamented Souls & Immortal. Completing the trio is Blasphemer, formerly of fellow Norwegian legends Mayhem, as well as being current mainman in his recently established band, RUiM.
This edition of 'Black Thrash Attack' marks the 30th anniversary of the release, & is presented on limited marble vinyl, following the layout of the original.
'Honesty Flowers' is the fourth studio album from Italian multi-instrumentalist Alessio Ferarri under the Upupayāma moniker. An epic double album set due for release May 29th 2026 on Fuzz Club, 'Honesty Flowers' finds Upupayāma's ever mind-blowing brew of organic psychedelic rock meets global grooves at its most percussive, lively and distorted. Equally hedonistic and heady, it courses through rhythmic funk grooves, doubled-down scorched fuzz riffing, winding motorik jams, tranquil drones and pastoral acid-folk across its seventy minute run time. A six-piece band live, where things take a more ever-evolving improvisation-based approach (see their recent 'Live At Fuzz Club Festival '25' LP), on the recordings Ferarri writes, plays and records everything himself – guitars, keys, flute, sitar, and an arsenal of percussion all feature. Never not working on new music, Ferarri started laying down these new tracks in his home barn studio in a small mountain village overlooking the city of Parma before its 2024 predecessor 'Mount Elephant' even hit the racks. The result was mixed by Chris Smith at Kluster Sounds (Kikagaku Moyo, Wax Machine) and mastered by Joseph Carra (King Gizzard, Babe Rainbow, ORB) On the new record, Ferarri says: "Honesty Flowers was born from listening to lots of funk music from all over the world, lots and lots of African music, and from listening to myself as I spent whole nights playing all kinds of percussion instruments. I would fall into a sort of trance and play the same rhythm for hours on congas or on a djembe. It's an album that was born above all from the beauty of being able to narrate the unknown and recognise yourself in it, which could translate into telling stories and bringing them to life.
For well over a decade, MONOLORD have caused mass riff hypnosis with longform epics steeped in repetition, volume, and heaviness. One of heavy music’s most consistent and beloved bands, MONOLORD are gearing up for their next chapter with a new album titled Neverending. In looking for a new take on the genre, MONOLORD approached the legendary producer Sylvia Massy, known for her work with Tool, System of a Down, and Johnny Cash, among many more. The payoff from this new process is undeniable. Neverending feels like the culmination of 13 years of heavy, molten music, with a keen eye towards creating a sharper album. “The recording of this album is an example of the spirit of MONOLORD’s camaraderie,” says bassist Mika Häkki. “We’ve looked back and seen for the first time how much we have done as a band collectively, and realized what an intense 13 years it has been.” "The lyrics on this album are more personal than before because I went through some major life changes in the last couple of years,” guitarist/vocalist Thomas Jäger says. “I usually write about religion and how people are superstitious, but this record is more about relationships between people. But it’s not all about me. Sometimes I’m writing from another person’s perspective.” Neverending’s lead single “You Bastard” offers listeners a sharp contrast: A propulsive groove offset by lyrics about suicide. There’s two sides to suicide,” Jäger points out. “There’s the person who commits suicide and the people who gets left behind...The choruses represent the person left behind, and that person is calling the other a bastard—but it’s not pointing fingers or saying, ‘You suck.’ It’s more like, ‘You left me here with all the bullshit.’ It’s an understanding that life is not easy." Though it might not be immediately obvious, album opener “Iodine” was inspired by 70's rock epics like Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird,” The Eagles’ “Hotel California,” and Led Zeppelin’s “No Quarter." Elsewhere, album closer “It’s Neverending” is the first MONOLORD song that Jäger doesn’t sing on. Instead, the death-metal style vocals are performed by former Entombed bassist Jörgen Sandström, (also of Grave, Domedagen and Firespawn.) 13 years on, MONOLORD’s path takes a new turn, and Neverending becomes the band’s most befitting album title. “It's been a wild ride and still is,” says drummer Esben Willems. “I've spent a quarter of my life in this band. Looking back, I'm incredibly proud of what we've accomplished along the way, and in many ways, this album feels like the essence of everything we've done so far. My mindset is the same it's always been, to be the absolute best the three of us can be.”
DYING VICTIMS PRODUCTIONS is proud to present MEGATON SWORD’s highly anticipated debut album, Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire, on CD, cassette and vinyl LP formats. It was but November of last year when MEGATON SWORD unleashed their glorious debut EP, Niralet, via DYING VICTIMS. Arriving fully formed, virtually without warning – no prior demo recordings existed, at least not publicly – this Swiss quartet evinced an ages-old sound that was wise (and wizened) well beyond their young years. Already, MEGATON SWORD knew the mystery of steel…and wielded it with a startling confidence. And no one knew just how high they could fly, only that they were just getting started. Now, with the arrival of their imminent debut album, Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire, MEGATON SWORD are marching into the halls of greatness, with no one to stop them. Retaining the same, well-named lineup – vocalist Uzzy Unchained, guitarist Chris the Axe, bassist Simon the Sorcerer, and drummer Dan Thundersteel – MEGATON SWORD maximize the strengths of the EP and then some, revealing new twists to that mystery of steel whilst retaining the charisma and crunch that endeared them to the true-metal underground the first time around. Indeed, Blood Hails Steel – Steel Hails Fire is aptly titled, almost ridiculously so: this is true-as-steel HEAVY METAL drunk on high fantasy and the enduring themes of conquest and valor, triumph and tragedy, but rendered in a form even bloodier and possessing more bravado. It’s also more dynamic, maximizing drama between notes and from one passage to the next, each movement a narrative crucial to their conquest.
With their debut album "Invictus," Stairway To Violet open the door to a world where cinematic rock meets emotional storytelling, atmospheric sounds, and uncompromising honesty. The album is a cinematic experience—a soundtrack for life's darkest and brightest moments. In 13 intense songs (plus two exclusive piano versions), "Invictus" tells of inner struggles, abysses, ecstasies, and the courage to rise again even from the most fragile moments. The band combines epic soundscapes with modern rock-to-metal dynamics, powerful vocals, and an aesthetic depth that immediately resonates and gets under your skin. "Invictus" leads through drug-induced euphoria and psychedelic distortion ("Love Death & Pixiedust," "Come Spirit Come"), through destructive passion ("Paranoia," "My Heart's Cut Open"), and through the wild, raw primal force of humanity ("Animal," "It Thrills It Kills"). The song "Unholy War" bears its title because there is nothing sacred about war. "Parade Of Stars" leads deep into the universe amidst the sounds of the planets, to a humble search for the source. "Invictus" means "unconquered." The term represents the motivation to forge a new place in life and not be defined by past trauma.
ounded in 1992 by the larger than life, Scottish punk-rock poet laureate, Mr Paul McKenzie, this merry band of miscreants has spent more than three decades circumnavigating the globe to bring the McKenzies gospel to an ever-expanding throng of rebels, scallywags and ne'er do wells. There's not many bands that can boast of a 30+ year career as staggeringly adventurous, wildly tempestuous and utterly death-defying as The Real McKenzies. It would be a serious mistake to write them off as just another Celtic punk band (they’ve been around longer than the Dropkick Murphys after all). They are an unstoppable juggernaut of touring mayhem. A ferocious troupe of insanely talented minstrels, storytellers and entertainers melding traditional acoustic and electric instruments to create a sound like no other. Their list of accolades is long. From sharing the stage with the likes of NOFX, Rancid, Flogging Molly, Metallica and Shane McGowan to appearing in film, books and video games to early releases with the almighty Fat Wreck Chords, their legendary status only continues to grow. On Yer Bike is an absolute beast of an album. A newly revitalized and laser-focused Paul McKenzie has never sounded better and his longtime bandmates have never been tighter. Boasting thirteen epic tracks, including the Sawney Bean trilogy (a trio of songs about Scotland's most infamous cannibal highwayman), the songs rage across topics including but not limited to love, literacy, historical sagas, eating sardines with your mother and, of course, cannibalism. Soaring bagpipes, heart pounding percussion and ultra melodic shoutalong Celtic punk rock are the orders of the day and are delivered piping hot from one of the most respected and adored pioneers of the genre.
New vinyl colorways of Demigod's Slumber Of Sullen Eyes out in May 2026 The crown jewel of Finnish Death Metal, Slumber of Sullen Eyes by Demigod, reissued in a band-approved edition. Features a vinyl master from the original source by Noise for Fiction, comes in a gatefold sleeve with a booklet featuring a lengthy feature by Hippo Taatila and some visual memorabilia. Available on Svart exclusive Pink/Green/Black Marble edition, Transparent Red edition and Classic Black edition. Together with bands like Demilich, Abhorrence, Disgrace, Xysma and Sentenced, Demigod from the wastelands of Loimaa, southern Finland, put Finland on the map in the global death metal scene in the late 80's and early 90's. Having risen to underground fame with their demo Unholy Domain, Slumber of Sullen Eyes was a hugely expected debut album. When it was finally released in 1992 after a complicated creation process at Tico-Tico Studios in northern Finland, it was received with open arms and drooling excitement by the then very active underground death metal scene. That scene was, however, short lived,and by 1994 pretty much every band had switched from death metal to something else entirely. What was left after the bands had left the building was a number of classic albums that constitute the legacy of Finnish Death Metal. Among them, Slumber of Sullen Eyes is one of the most original and ferocious. There was nobody like Demigod.
New vinyl colorways of Demigod's Slumber Of Sullen Eyes out in May 2026 The crown jewel of Finnish Death Metal, Slumber of Sullen Eyes by Demigod, reissued in a band-approved edition. Features a vinyl master from the original source by Noise for Fiction, comes in a gatefold sleeve with a booklet featuring a lengthy feature by Hippo Taatila and some visual memorabilia. Available on Svart exclusive Pink/Green/Black Marble edition, Transparent Red edition and Classic Black edition. Together with bands like Demilich, Abhorrence, Disgrace, Xysma and Sentenced, Demigod from the wastelands of Loimaa, southern Finland, put Finland on the map in the global death metal scene in the late 80's and early 90's. Having risen to underground fame with their demo Unholy Domain, Slumber of Sullen Eyes was a hugely expected debut album. When it was finally released in 1992 after a complicated creation process at Tico-Tico Studios in northern Finland, it was received with open arms and drooling excitement by the then very active underground death metal scene. That scene was, however, short lived,and by 1994 pretty much every band had switched from death metal to something else entirely. What was left after the bands had left the building was a number of classic albums that constitute the legacy of Finnish Death Metal. Among them, Slumber of Sullen Eyes is one of the most original and ferocious. There was nobody like Demigod.
Recycled purple cassette tape The monster-collecting open-world RPG "Cassette Beasts" is delivering a furious 80's synth rock meets British indie soundtrack composed by Joel Baylis and featuring shooting star Shelby Harvey on vocals. This soundtrack is taking you on a journey across the mysterious island of New Wirral - from lo-fi acoustic ballads to all-out headbangers! By the way, welcome to New Wirral, a remote island inhabited by strange creatures you've only dreamed of, nightmares you hopefully haven't, and a cast of brave folks who use cassette tapes to transform for battle. To find a way home you'll need to explore every inch of the island, and record monsters to your trusty cassette tapes to gain their abilities!
Non-sensical, un-user friendly, at times half finished. Camper Van Beethoven"s second album II & III saw the folk-punk of the band"s debut LP morphing into an even wider melting pot of stylistic influences and (un)ironic contradictions, all rolled up into a coherently incoherent collection of some of the band"s most defining songs. Originally released in 1986, the follow up to Telephone Free Landslide Victory did much to develop an already iconoclastic Camper Van Beethoven idiom. II & III ranges from alt-country ballads ("Sad Lovers" Waltz") to call-backs to the European folk instrumentals of the debut ("No Krugerrands For David", "4 Year Plan"). Also featured is the band"s bluegrass-Americana take on Sonic Youth"s "I Love Her All the Time", feeding their appetite for cover songs. This deluxe double CD set brings together the original II & III album with a 17 track live album of material from Camper Van Beethoven shows supporting REM on their Life"s Rich Pageant tour. This audio was mostly recorded at the Lincoln, Nebraska show from October 10th, 1986, but is supplemented with audio from other shows of the tour. The Teal Vinyl re-issue features a newly revisited collage version of the artwork, plus a reproduced 11"x11" insert, designed by Victor Krummenacher using original photos, lithograph prints, lyrics and leaflets.
Crystal Clear Vinyl. Incendiary Device (I.D.) was born from the ever-burgeoning hardcore and punk scene in New York City. Founded by NYHC journeyman, documentarian, and filmmaker Drew Stone (vocals), and Tristan D'Graves (bass), Incendiary Device's music is steeped in early hardcore and classic punk while inescapably maintaining the edge and grit of their New York roots. Produced once again by the band and Neal "Zum" Ostberg (Fryette and Sound City amplification) and mixed by Dan Korneff (My Chemical Romance, Lamb of God, The Devil Wears Prada).
Underneath his mysterious metal mask, MF DOOM hides the cachet underground legends are made of. After his first group KMD’s sophomore album Black Bastards was shelved by Elektra in 1994, and his blood brother Subroc — one half of the sibling rap duo — passed away, surviving frontman Zev Love X slowly mutated into the supervillain MC known as MF DOOM, and the rap world is better for it.
The 1999 release of Operation: Doomsday marked MF DOOM’s official debut, reintroducing a mysterious figure who would soon become one of underground rap’s greatest voices. Within its 19 tracks, Operation: Doomsday reveals the confluence of DOOM’s tragic past, personal interests and daring creativity. His clever rhymes and remarkable schemes stood out against the landscape, and every sound he touched — from cartoon theme songs, to ‘80s soul, to rap classics and more — got reinterpreted into something brand new and surreal.
Decades later, MF DOOM is still celebrated for all facets of his work and influence. In the face of tragedy, DOOM re-infiltrated the rap game on his own terms, and crafted an instant cult classic. Operation: Doomsday stands as a testament to the power of betting on yourself against all odds.
