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Securing his place in the scene as a mainstay after consecutively acclaimed releases on his own record label and beyond as well as lengthy touring around the globe's best venues, Altinbas returns to Token the only way he knows how. The Fuse resident's ethereal mark on driven techno comes this time with an aquatic touch, diving further into his bubbly architecture and melodic intrigue.

'Voyage' can mean many things; the past few years have been an incessant trip across the world's greatest sound systems and most dedicated audiences for the Belgian producer, or then perhaps it's a reference to the climactic and emotional nature of his productions. In any case, it's also the title track for his third EP on Token Records. Balancing warmth and anticipation, Altinbas is able pack in all the elements of a timeless record while still providing the space to breathe. Smooth and introspective, 'Voyage' kicks off the EP on a cloud of a club roller. 'Stygious Night' shares the first side with a more minimal but nonetheless effective approach. The tonal synth work on this record begs for a powerfully round system worthy of only the best dancefloors, and the space that washes around in the background gives it true dimension. Maintaining minimalism with structure through drum arrangement, 'Stygious Night' is reminiscent of a not so distant past in Berlin crafted with a clearly modern approach. As the record flips, 'Venus Ballroom' takes us by surprise with an uncommonly resonant sound at the forefront. This stylistic switch blends perfectly with historic tracks on the label that have come to define its sound since 2007. Hypnotic, psychotic, quirky, and mental - 'Venus Ballroom' proves a deep understanding of the music and appreciation of versatility. 'Psychosphere' closes down the EP with a classic sound of dissonant stabs to resonate through a foggy room. Altinbas highlights his sound with frantic clap sequences and short rides to keep his percussion rolling but dry while his synths create the acoustic he's been known to craft for the past few years. To have everyone agree on level of taste and technical capability is tough, which is why this certainly won't be the last time Altinbas will team up with Token to roll out his cutting-edge work.

Rebecca Delle Piane launches her new imprint called EXTRASENSO with a four-track ep full of hypnotic and punchy sounds that clearly define the direction of the label. Bringing and keeping her techno vision as the highest form of expression, with leads, vocals and fat percussions, she again writes her trademark.

Regarded as his masterpiece, Closer ToIt features some of Augers" most inventive and beautiful Hammond Organ and Fender Rhodes playing, on tunes that become the defining tracks of his career, especially the anthemic opener Whenever You"e Ready, co-written with bass player Barry Dean. Happiness Is Just Around The Bend was later covered by Cuba Gooding Snrs" band The Main Ingredient who had a major hit with their version. Auger also saluted his soul and jazz hero" with his versions of Marvin Gays Inner City Blues and Eddie Harris, Les McCann" classic Compared To What. With an iconic cover featuring the Oblivion Express train logo designed by Auger" wife Ella. Closer ToIt remains a high pointin Auger" recording career.

Das definitive Live-Album der polnischen Prog-Meister RIVERSIDE. Aufgenommen am 1. Juni 2024 im COS Torwar in Warschau, bildet "Live ID." den Höhepunkt des "ID.Entity"-Albumzyklus mit einer gigantischen Live-Performance von 12 Songs und über 110 Minuten Spielzeit. "Live ID." enthält nicht nur mitreißende Performances von Songs aus RIVERSIDEs aktuellem und hochgelob-tem Studioalbum 'ID.Entity' von 2023 (Chartplatzierungen: Deutschland: #4, Polen: #2, Schweiz: #6, Niederlande: #9 uvm.) wie "Landmine Blast", "Big Tech Brother" oder "Self-Aware", sondern greift auch Kataloglieblinge wie "#Addicted", "Panic Room" oder "Conceiving You" auf überzeugende Weise wieder auf und unterstreicht einmal mehr die einzigartige Position und Relevanz der Band innerhalb der aktuellen progressiven Musikszene. "Live ID." ist erhältlich als Ltd. 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak (die Blu-ray enthält Stereo und 5.1-Sound der Live-Show sowie ein spezielles "Behind the Scenes"-Feature), Gatefold 3LP auf 180g Vinyl mit 8-seitigem LP-Booklet oder als digitales Album.

Rob Mazurek graces the Keroxen Records waves with a genre defying album of field recordings, modular electronics, trumpet harmonies and spirit call chants.

An unstoppable force since his first recordings in the early 90’s Rob Mazurek has been at the forefront of experimen-tation and adventurous improvised music for most of the last 4 decades. The American composer, cornetist, and visual artist has been developing his own style of improvisational music with a myriad of collaborators, too many to list but amongst them true giants of the 20th and 21st century music cannon like Bill Dixon, Pharoah Sanders, Jeff Parker, Roscoe Mitchell, Yusef Lateef and Naná Vasconcelos amongst many many others.

Nestor’s Nest is yet another addition to Mazurek’s mammoth catalogue of cosmic unity, coming like a spur of the moment whilst staying at Nestor and Pura’s house in Tenerife during the Keroxen Festival edition of 2023. Dead time doesn’t exist for the American cornetist and whilst hanging at the organisers house Mazurek decided to record and interact with his colourful tropical surroundings. Mangos, Papayas and Star Fruits all make an appearance here as does the quietness of an idyllic garden juxtaposed with Mazurek's stormy interferences, unleashing his modular synths and other acoustic paraphernalia into an ecstatic mix of pure celestial energy. As he beautifully states on the albums back cover:

Fruit from the trees of life, Stop All War. Stop the Killing, Open the senses, Breath. Listen . Feel!

Rob Mazurek: Modular Synths, Moog Sub 37, PolyEvolver, Trumpets, Voice, Bells, flutes

Made from field recordings in and around the Keroxen Tanque and the House of Nestor and Pura in Tenerife, Canary Islands.

Final mix at Marfa Experimental Studio, Marfa Texas
Mastered by Daniel Baez
Cover photo by RM

Sonny Clark is one of the long list of fine jazz musicians who died too young. He died at age 31. This album from 1957 excellently captures what was the definition of jazz at that time, and this became one of the best jazz albums of all time. Sonny Clark's playing on this album has the sound of beautiful perfection, and (along with the great work of Paul Chambers on bass and ‘Philly’ Joe Jones on drums) the playing really swings. Sonny shines on “Tadd's Delight” and “I Didn't Know What Time It Was” with the crisp support from Chambers and ‘Philly’ Joe. He takes on the challenge of 'Be-bop', a very difficult tune, and pulls it off with his typical Sonny Clark touch.

Los Belking’s was a groundbreaking instrumental rock band in South America, blending surf, garage, and easy listening styles over six years and five albums. Anchored by the unique vibrato of Raúl Herrera and the complementary guitar of Willy Sandoval, they constantly evolved, incorporating new talents like Andrés Roque Palma, who contributed memorable tracks such as “Bólido de fuego.” Their debut LP mixed original compositions with covers of global hits like “Tema para jóvenes enamorados” and “Autopista,” reimagined with a distinctive Peruvian edge. Known for evocative titles like “Condenado a muerte,” their music left a lasting impact, defining a new era in Latin American rock.

Los Belking emerged during the British Invasion, capturing Peru’s fascination with instrumental rock. In 1966, they became Peru’s first fully instrumental band, inspired by The Ventures and The Shadows. Founding member Raúl Herrera formed the band in response to the wave of rock sweeping through Lima, blending surf and rock sounds that defied prevailing trends. Managed by disc jockey Gustavo Galliani, Los Belking secured a contract with the El Virrey label. Their unique lineup, including guitarist Willy Sandoval and bassist Jerry Lam, resonated with Peruvian youth, particularly within the Cantonese community, marking them as a revolutionary force in the history of Peruvian rock.

Brooklyn Sounds legendary second album from 1972, full of heavy Nuyorican underground salsa dura propelled by raw trombones, off-kilter piano and in-your-face percussion. A perfect blend of barrio attitude and Caribbean swing, the album proves Brooklyn has sabor y salsa! Pressed on 180 g vinyl, our reissue includes liner notes featuring never-before seen photos. “Libre – Free” is the now legendary second album by the short-lived Brooklyn Sounds and is arguably even better than their self-titled debut, displaying a more mature and practiced sound, no doubt honed by their experiences playing more gigs in support of their first record. Brooklyn Sounds were one of a handful of garage salsa bands from the independent scene that was gathering steam in the early 1970s in the New York boroughs, despite little support or exposure in the mainstream Latin music industry from more dominant labels like Fania, Mericana, Cotique and Alegre. As with many others, Brooklyn Sounds briefly fluoresced in a burst of creativity and defiance, yet flamed out shortly thereafter, dying like a flower among the ruins of burned-out apartment blocks in the barrios of its home city. Though the band only cut two LPs and a couple singles in their brief half-decade of existence, and never really broke out of the cuchifrito circuit in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, their music gradually spread far and wide, eventually becoming a sought-after global commodity by the late 1990s. In contrast to the first album “Libre – Free” is uptempo and ebullient, with fewer slow songs and more confident, creative arrangements, full of heavy Nuyorican underground salsa dura propelled by raw trombones, off-kilter piano and in-your-face percussion. Standout tracks include the uplifting, anthemic ‘Libre soy’, and ‘Ha llegado el momento’, with its minor key ‘Moliendo café’ quote at the
beginning—both of which have become dance floor anthems over the years. Another mid-tempo killer is ‘Guaguancó tropical’, a favorite in Colombia since the 1970s. A perfect blend of barrio attitude and Caribbean swing, the album proves Brooklyn has sabor y salsa!

LP + 7". Portland indie rock band charts novel sonic territory, exploring resilience of the human spirit in the aftermath of tragedy and trauma, over 5 years in the making. Conceived in the wake of a worldwide quarantine, the entire West Coast being on fire, and the horrific murder of one of the band's own - then recorded, finished, and now released in defiance of it all. Harnessing all that of chaotic change and catastrophe, the band took it all as an opportunity to boldly blaze some new trails for themselves, carving out new sonic territory by exploring everything from spacey Fusion-Funk bass Moogs and Hip-Hop drum machines, to New Wave-ish synths and flourishes of Samba, Blues, Soul, and Sunshine Pop - all while still delivering the goods that Aan fans have come to know them for: to-die-for melodies, inebriating primal belt-along therapy, and face-melting guitar solos. For Fans of Unknown Mortal Orchestra, STRFKR, Pixies, Dungen, Grizzly Bear, TV On The Radio, Stereolab and Modest Mouse.

The enigmatic masked producer DJ Jackum makes his highly anticipated debut on Shall Not Fade's sister label, Time Is Now, delivering four hard-hitting, genre-defying bangers that are set to dominate the bass music scene.

With an incredibly fast rise to the top in 2024, DJ Jackum has quickly proven himself as one of the most exciting and innovative voices in bass music. His bold, fresh approach breaks free from the conventional, making his sound impossible to ignore in a crowded genre. The Jack It EP is a testament to his skill, featuring four meticulously crafted tracks designed to make an explosive impact on the dancefloor.

Already garnering support from bass music titans like DJ EZ, Anz, Ivy Lab, and receiving radio play from Tom Ravenscroft, Jackum's Jack It EP is poised to create waves this winter. This high-energy release is sure to light up clubs worldwide.

The essence of Mina in a timeless vinyl. With "Sentimentale", Italy's most iconic artist enchants once again with a remastered collection that celebrates love in all its forms. This refined selection takes us on an emotional journey through unforgettable tracks that marked the early successes of her extraordinary career. Among the gems of this collection are "Il cielo in una stanza", the absolute symbol of Italian music, "Un Tale", rich with mystery and intensity, "Le Tue Mani", a tribute to the sweetness of touch, and of course, the beautiful title track "Sentimentale", which captures the soul with its profound poetry. This collection is more than just music: it is a journey through Mina's history, an invitation to rediscover the unique talent that defined an era and continues to inspire generations. "Sentimentale" is not just a vinyl; it is a piece of history to cherish, a timeless celebration of a voice that has touched the hearts of millions.

Studio, the influential project of Swedish musicians Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Hägg, presents their legendary 2006 debut in remastered form, in partnership with Ghostly International. Available in limited edition "Fog Machine Vinyl", CD, and cassette. "One of the finest pieces of electronic music you'll hear this year.” - The Guardian (2006). Included in year-end best-of write-ups by Pitchfork, FACT Magazine, and Rough Trade. Physical copies have long been out of print for West Coast, and the album has also been notably absent from most streaming services until now.

“Somehow, I knew I wanted to make a conceptual record that, although only imaginary at that point, could represent or define how our city sounded,” says Lissvik of Gothenburg's influence on West Coast. Some called Studio, the project of Swedish musicians Dan Lissvik and Rasmus Hägg, “the missing link between The Cure and Lindstrøm,” Pitchfork heard Durutti Column and Can, as the duo’s story became swept up in a loosely developing scene — adjacent first to the label Service (Jens Lekman, The Whitest Boy Alive) and later Sincerely Yours (The Tough Alliance, jj) — and a precursor to the 2010s boom at the axis of electronic and psychedelic music guided by indie greats like Caribou, Four Tet, and Darkside.

West Coast, their seminal 2006 debut, captured a faraway romanticism of Balearic brushed up against Krautrock, disco, dub, and afrobeat, with pop lyricism lifted from new wave, all made modern by two art school grads in Gothenburg. First pressed in a small vinyl-only run via their own Information label, the album has been notably absent from most streaming services, and the internet’s record of its initial impact is all but fossilized from a bygone blog era, while its sound is simply untraceable to any one moment in music.

Outside of three 7” releases, they’d keep the music to themselves for several more years. In 2005, Hägg remembers, “We got our degrees and were kicked out of our studio spaces so all these recordings were just piled up. A year later we dusted them off and started to deconstruct and assemble them in a more drawn-out fashion.” In the same breadth, they cite DJ Screw, J Dilla, and Joy Division, along with early ‘80s European live DJ sets from the likes of Beppe Loda, Dj Mozart, and Baldelli as reference points.

“The anything-goes mentality was very encouraging and was a big cornerstone to the Studio sound,” says Hägg. “But there’s so much more to the picture, we were not that young then and had lots of musical baggage in our suitcases, the new thing was that we finally let it all come through, not bound by any borders that was often the case with music identity in Sweden during the 90s.” In the afterglow of the record’s 2007 reception, Studio receded from view, clouded behind a mountain of remix requests (including one for Kylie Minogue that saw release) and label bureaucracy. “It’s easy to wish we would have done some proper recordings of our own instead,” Hägg reflects. But both artists, now well into respective careers beyond Studio, have come to peace with West Coast as their most enduring effort together. Lissvik adds, “It serves as a good reminder for me to keep to that decision and promise and to continue exploring and growing

Das definitive Live-Album der polnischen Prog-Meister RIVERSIDE. Aufgenommen am 1. Juni 2024 im COS Torwar in Warschau, bildet "Live ID." den Höhepunkt des "ID.Entity"-Albumzyklus mit einer gigantischen Live-Performance von 12 Songs und über 110 Minuten Spielzeit. "Live ID." enthält nicht nur mitreißende Performances von Songs aus RIVERSIDEs aktuellem und hochgelob-tem Studioalbum 'ID.Entity' von 2023 (Chartplatzierungen: Deutschland: #4, Polen: #2, Schweiz: #6, Niederlande: #9 uvm.) wie "Landmine Blast", "Big Tech Brother" oder "Self-Aware", sondern greift auch Kataloglieblinge wie "#Addicted", "Panic Room" oder "Conceiving You" auf überzeugende Weise wieder auf und unterstreicht einmal mehr die einzigartige Position und Relevanz der Band innerhalb der aktuellen progressiven Musikszene. "Live ID." ist erhältlich als Ltd. 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak (die Blu-ray enthält Stereo und 5.1-Sound der Live-Show sowie ein spezielles "Behind the Scenes"-Feature), Gatefold 3LP auf 180g Vinyl mit 8-seitigem LP-Booklet oder als digitales Album.

Named after a metro station located in East Paris, Pointe du Lac originated in 2014 as the brainchild of analogue gear enthusiast Julien Lheuillier, joined shortly after by multi-instrumentalist Richard Francés, followed by Quentin Rollet on Saxophone a few years down the line. Les siphonophores des eaux froides et profondes de l'Arctique (“Siphonophores of the cold, deep Arctic waters”) is the project’s third studio album, the first one written as a three-piece as well as their first release on Hands in the Dark.

Like the organisms the album title refers to, Pointe du Lac’s music is highly polymorphic and complex, using a subtle and distinctive blend of Electronica, Krautrock, Jazz and Kosmische as vessels for the band’s fantastic instrumental imaginary voyages. Compared to previous albums and EPs -which tended to suggest cosmic odysseys- this new cinematic outing is diving deep and intends to shed light on fascinating, mysterious and diverse creatures and their habitats. Supported by (paradoxically) warm and impeccable sonic forms, the exploration turns out to be an unsurprisingly expansive one, yet accessible and oddly familiar sounding. There is a sense of assurance and serenity in the French trio’s latest offering, the musicians mastery and open-ended approach to free ambient music lets their ideas flow and never stagnate. The narrative of this expedition is one that will be remembered long after the listening finishes.

Mit ihrem Debütalbum "Songs From A Thousand Frames Of Mind" schafft es die in Virginia geborene und in Los Angeles lebende Songwriterin Kate Bollinger ihr Handwerk neu zu definieren und gleichzeitig zu verfeinern. Bollinger und ihre Band - zu der Jacob Grissom, Adam Brisbin, Matthew E. White (Sharon Van Etten, Hiss Golden Messenger, Mountain Goats) und Sam Evian (Cass McCombs, Blonde Redhead, Big Thief) gehören - bevorzugen das Eklektische, Melodische und Majestätische, wobei sie, inspiriert von Pop-, Rock- und Folk-Songs der 1960er Jahre, intime Lyrik mit klassischer Instrumentierung unterstützen. Es ist eine Sammlung von 11 Popsongs, ausgefeilt und doch rau mit einem unterschwelligen Punk-Geist, die das Leben, Beziehungen und das Erwachsenwerden thematisieren. Die Veröffentlichung folgt auf eine Reihe von Singles seit ihrer 2022 auf Ghostly International erschienenen EP "Look At It In The Light", auf Beiträge zu Projekten von Freunden (Drugdealer, Paul Cherry) und auf Tourneen mit Faye Webster, Liz Phair, Devendra Banhart und anderen.

The definitive survey of America’s independent 70s soul scene, and a companion piece to Now-Again’s long-running Soul Cal series. “(Soul Cal) captures the retro-utopian vision of a past where every smalltown record store or garage in the US might have hidden a virtuosic funk outfit; the thrill of knowing that jobbing musicians might be getting paid for the first time; plus the bittersweet knowledge that those that passed on are getting deserved recognition. And all that before you get the thrill of the music itself.” - Wire Magazine. Compilation produced, annotated and researched by Eothen “Egon” Alapatt. Art direction by Errol Richardson. Mastered by Dave Cooley, Kelly Hibbert and Jason Bitner. Additional coordination by Tanner McCrary.

Ryan Adams’ infamous cult classic album “Blackhole” will be released on classic black vinyl for the very first time.

The album’s contents and final tracklisting have been widely speculated since its conception in the early 00’s. After nearly two decades of anticipation, Adams is now ready to unveil the official release of Blackhole.

Featuring “Catherine”, heard only in live performances, alongside previously unheard material, Blackhole captures the raw, unfiltered emotion that defines Adam’s songwriting. The shelved album, first demoed in 2006, became heavily bootlegged, with fans circulating low-quality recordings and snippets from live performances, fuelling a demand for the album’s official release. This long-awaited, full-length album not only satisfies years of fan speculation, but also reclaims a crucial moment in Ryan Adam’s history.

From day one, Linkin Park built the band upon the premise of fusing all of their favourite styles of music-as disparate as they might be-into one signature sound. Fast-forward 12 years to LIVING THINGS and the same six players have not only developed new tools to make that philosophy a reality, but they're finally comfortable embracing-and coalescing-every aspect of their career. OK, maybe not the XXL work shirts and neon hair dye of the early days. But in their music, the band has spent the past year reinventing how to tastefully bridge the gap between all the musical destinations they've visited, and how to marry all the ideas they've accumulated. And as LIVING THINGS began taking shape, for the first time Linkin Park was eager to use every tool in their toolbox. With each song, they flexed their expertise with both cutting-edge and classic gear, and they infused their vocals with an honest, thrilling enthusiasm; they picked apart their own ideas of what defines a song, and what defines Linkin Park. LIVING THINGS is a personal album, centered on human emotions and relationships implied by the title. It is informed by and built upon all previous Linkin Park albums, while still pushing the band's sound into new territory. It's spirited, energetic, daring and unafraid to hybridize the past, present and future. It's absolute proof to a radical theory six musicians have devoted their lives to testing.

Alkisah Versi Hitam is a radical deconstruction and reimagination of Indonesian duo Senyawa's most recent album Alkisah by Hamburg's Marc Richter aka Black To Comm. The original album was released to critical acclaim in February of this year as a decentralized release on a multitude of labels from all corners of the world, Germany’s Dekorder being one of them. Richter is now completely reinventing the original album from scratch by doing an almost Teo Macero-level production job here, cutting up the originals and (re)constructing new material from scratch.

Arcane chants and vocal cut-ups, fierce freeform percussion, grimy No Wave collage, monochrome drones exploding into multicolour streams, unearthly psychedelic Noise and sheer sonic mayhem, warped discordant rhythms between moments of calming beauty - it's never easy to digest but the outcome is both ecstatic and transcendental - never sounding anything less than a fully formed singular album.

A special cassette version of the album will be released by Jordanian label Drowned By Locals.

BLACK TO COMM is the moniker of Hamburg composer/musician Marc Richter who is creating intricate multi-layered collage based works for labels like Thrill Jockey, Type and Dekorder. His 2019 album "Seven Horses For Seven Kings" revealed an increasingly angry, transcendental and fearless approach, attaining new levels of urgency through noise, volume, rhythm, repetition, atonality and beauty.

Jogjakarta’s SENYAWA embody the aural elements of traditional Indonesian music whilst exploring the framework of experimental music practice, pushing the boundaries of both traditions. Their music strikes a perfect balance between their avant-garde influences and cultural heritage to create truly contemporary Indonesian new music. Their sound is comprised of Rully Shabara’s deft extended vocal techniques punctuating the frenetic sounds of instrument builder, Wukir Suryadi’s modern-primitive instrumentation. Inventions like his handcrafted ‘Bamboo Spear’; a thick stem of bamboo strung up with percussive strips of the animal skin along side steel strings. Amplified it fuses elements of traditional Indonesian instrumentation with garage guitar distortion. Sonically dynamic, the instrument can be rhythmically percussive on one side whilst being melodically bowed and plucked on the other.

They have collaborated and performed with many notable musicians such as Stephen O'Malley of Sunn o))), Otomo Yoshide, KK Null, Keiji Haino, Rabih Beiani, Trevor Dunn, Greg Fox, Arrington De Dionysus, Melt Banana, Damo Suzuki and Oren Ambarchi.

Russian titan Monokle is back to once again traverse many different sound worlds with his new album Ultraflowers. It is one of a number of superb albums landing on Constellation Tatsu this summer and one defined again by its warmth. The title track is a lo-fi, scruffy and deep opener with persuasive breakbeats, while 'Glassy Eyed' is an ambient jungle trip that drips with watery melody. 'Night Objects' offers some introspection and 'Moths' is a glitchy future techno cut with smeared synth soul. '1000Work' layer sup more breaks with elegant ambient melodies and 'Predteche' casts you admit in the deepest corners of space.

Unfettered by studio time limitations with their own home base of Echo Canyon, SYR 2 shows Sonic Youth chasing the shadows of predecessor SYR 1 and the series' distinct aesthetic: total exploration of freedom and further discovery. While the cover art evokes European contempo classical releases of yore, Sonic Youth distinctively reinvent their own personal output potential the way those kinds of records revolutionized a previously defined genre. Their ethos of utilizing the roots of the Ramones, Television, VU, Stooges, and No Wave to shape their first decade now find the band in later years bullet-pointing fascination in AMM, MEV, improvised music, free jazz and other outer-limit/organic refractions of traditional rock. While Sonic Youth's spontaneous-creation moments had long been showcased in their recordings, Peel Sessions, and live, SYR 2 sums up the band's state in 1997: rolling lots of tape, fine-tuning ideas and presenting great moments of exciting new directions, allowing deep-listener type fans to gain better insight into their sound process. Add to that the alchemy of Jim O'Rourke's gradual entry into the core band which would soon be fully on display for SYR 3, and this series is an X-ray of evolution, dissection and reconstruction.

John Gosling (aka Mekon) the English big beat/industrial musician and electronica producer, is set to launch his new label Hua Hua (pronounced wah wah) with an 11-track compilation album this July. A quick scan at some of the featured artists showcases a line up of legends - eighties rap sensation Schooly D sitting alongside Primal Scream mainstay Bobby Gillespie and John’s recently departed punk hero Alan Vega - even Roxy Music’s saxophonist and founder member Andy Mackay makes an appearance. And while John’s electronic alter ego Mekon is always on hand to remix and arrange, he’s far from the only producer behind the proverbial wheel.
“It’s stuff I had lying around and now I am finding ways to get it out of my system,” he says. “It’s all been brought to the world with brilliant new artwork by Isabelle de Jour, who also features on various tracks.”
Gosling is well known as a member of both Psychic TV and Coil (for the album Transparent). Gosling founded the groups Zos Kia with John Balance and Bass-o-Matic with William Orbit before recording as Mekon. He has also remixed under the name Sugar J. And that’s before we get to the fact that he has soundtracked some of the most forward-thinking fashion shows in the world - crafting the soundscapes for Alexander McQueen shows since the show Dante in 1996. Firstly working hand in hand with the late great Lee “Alexander” McQueen, then with his successor Sarah Burton. In the mid-to-late-nineties he was a core member of the group Agent Provocateur along with Matthew Ashman (originally of Bow Wow Wow), Dan Peppe, Danny Saber (of Black Grape) and Cleo Torez. He has also worked with artists such as Roxanne Shanté ('Yes Yes Y'All'), Marc Almond ('Delirious'), and Afrika Bambaataa. His third album “Something Came Up” featured artwork by Alexander McQueen.
John is as passionate about Suicide and Alan Vega and what he describes as “the new stuff”. Besides, he says, “that’s how people listen to music now. I think kids – my kids anyway – listen right across the board. People don’t see genres anymore. So it’s my definition of good music.” It’s safe to say that this is very much Volume 1. “Yes, it doesn’t cover everything and Volume 2 will be completely different.”

Vin Gordon, also known as Don Drummond Jr, is a celebrated trombonist from Jamaica who now drops a second 12" on Finnish Dub & Sound International with the Dubsetters. It carries on the good work of their first outing with rootsy and organic reggae rhythms topped with the signature smooth sounds of Gordon's melodies up top. After the original version of 'Get On The Groove', the B-side keeps things sweet with a Groove Dub that is as deep as they come and stacked with echo and reverb for that lovely authentic sound and then closing it out is 'Groove 78 Style' which is more percussive, splashy and cavernous with some deft studio effects added in.

Gracie Abrams veröffentlicht am 21.06.24 ihr mit Spannung erwartetes zweites Album „The Secret Of Us“. Nach zwei gefeierten EPs war das letzte Album ”Good Riddance” (2023) das erste musikalische Statement in voller Länge – Gracies Definition von vertonter Poesie und intimem Pop - mit lebensnahen Texten und ganz viel Tiefgang. Wie auch schon der Vorgänger ist „The Secret Of Us“ wieder von Aaron Dessner (The National) produziert. Schon als Achtjährige zu ersten eigenen Songideen inspiriert, gab Gracie Abrams ihr erstes musikalisches Lebenszeichen Ende 2019 von sich. Für ihre ersten beiden EPs „Minor“ und „This Is What It Feels Like“ als Rising Star gefeiert, verzeichnen viele ihrer bisherigen Songs (u.a. „I miss you, I’m sorry“, „21“ und „Feels Like“) Streamingzahlen in zwei- bis dreistelliger Millionenhöhe. Für ihr letztes Album „Good Riddance“ wurde Gracie Abrams für einen Grammy in der Kategorie „Best New Artist“ nominiert. Zuletzt war Gracie Abrams als gefeierter Support Act auf einigen Taylor Swift Konzerten zu sehen.

The Soultrend Orchestra is a side project of the producer and musician Nerio ‘Papik’ Poggi.
Owner of the main project, Papik, Nerio Poggi has been one of the most internationally renowned Italian producers for the Nu Jazz
Lounge sound for over ten years, with around forty albums under his own name and those produced by him with solo artists or
with monothematic collections such as the ‘Cocktail’ series.
With the project The Soultrend Orchestra, Nerio Poggi has dedicated himself in particular to the Soul Jazz and Disco sound, with
a particular eye on the 70s/80s sound that starts from artists such as Roy Ayers, George Benson and Donald Byrd to arrive at the
Acid Jazz sound of Incognito and The Brand New Heavies.
The first album '84 King Street', released in 2017, was the one most dedicated to the Disco sound, also for the title that reports the
address of the legendary New York club Paradise Garage from where Disco music in the late 70s was definitively launched all over
the world by the deejays David Mancuso and Larry Levan in primis.
With the second album of 2022 'Live For Funk' the sound ranges more towards Soul and Jazz thanks to some songs that have driven it such as About Love openly inspired by the sound of Roy Ayers.
This third album, produced like the second Live For Funk together with Peter De Girolamo (aka P.A. Jeron) is due out at the beginning of 2025 and is titled Non Imagine where he continues in the search for these same sounds.
With some of his closest collaborators such as Alfredo Bochicchio, Massimo Guerra, Simone ‘Federicuccio’ Talone and vocalists
Laura Lanzillo, Erika Scherlin and Anna Fondi, the album as always also has other illustrious guests such as Wendy D. Lewis, Ely
Bruna, Nadyne Rush, Filippo Perbellini, Stevie Biondi and Nicole Magolie on lead vocals.
In the tracking list we also find some covers in this album: Lost In Music, a symbolic song of Disco by Neil Rodgers and Bernad
Edwards (Chic) made famous in the 70s by Sister Sledge, and Summer Madness, a very particular song by Kool And The Gang,
famous for its magical atmosphere here perfectly rendered by Peter De Girolamo's keyboards and Anna Fondi's voice.

George Clinton’s imagination knew no bounds and, defying normal music industry convention, by 1978 had five bands signed to three different record labels. One of these comprised of three Parliament / Funkadelic female backing singers working under the name of Parlet, whose debut single, ‘Pleasure Principle’ was released on Casablanca Records in March 1978.

It was Clinton’s idea that two other backing singers, Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva, become the Brides Of Funkenstein, a character he invented for the 1976 Parliament LP, “The Clones Of Dr Funkenstein”. “I have to be honest – at first, I hated the name and I thought George was kidding,” Mabry told Blues & Soul, “But I have gotten to like it – especially just the Brides.”

Clinton got the Brides signed to Atlantic Records and their first single was ‘Disco To Go’ / ‘ When You’re Gone’. The A-side was written and produced by Clinton and Bootsy Collins and had originally featured in live shows by Collins’ live band. Clinton was asked by Black Echoes why the song was recorded by the Brides rather than Bootsy. “He could, and it would have been a smash too,” he replied. “But we thought it sounded too much like James Brown, so we gave it to the girls. Now it don’t sound like James Brown.” It certainly did not and this electronic bass and horn-powered banger – complete with an Old MacDonald nursery rhyme refrain – debuted on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart at #80 on 30th September 1978. By the time the P-Funk crew were flying across the Atlantic in early November it had peaked at #7. Sadly for UK fans, ‘Disco To Go’ was only available on import although a Black Echoes review stated it was a “Slow chunky handclapper. It sounds not unlike Funkadelic’s own ‘Coming Round The Mountain’”.

‘Disco To Go’, went gold in America selling over 500,000 copies. It was the perfect springboard for the Brides debut LP, “Funk Or Walk” which quickly climbed into the upper reaches of the R&B chart and even saw the duo embark upon a signing tour of record stores. All of the songs on “Funk Or Walk” were written by legends of P-Funk, such as Bootsy Collins, Rodney Curtis, Bernie Worrell, Gary Shider and Clinton. “George has got thousands of tracks,” Mabry told Black Echoes. “When we go into the studio he says, ‘Like this one?

Maria Callas was born to a Greek family in New York in 1923. Her vocal training took place in Athens, where her teacher was the coloratura soprano Elvira de Hidalgo, who had sung with Enrico Caruso and Feodor Chaliapin. After early performances in Greece, Callas’s international career was launched in 1947 when she performed the title role in Ponchielli’s La Gioconda at the Arena di Verona in Italy.

Her voice defied simple classification and her artistic range was extraordinary. In her early twenties she sang such heavy dramatic roles as Gioconda, Turandot, Brünnhilde and Isolde, but over the course of her career her most famous roles came to be: Bellini’s Norma and Amina (La sonnambula); Verdi’s Violetta (La traviata); Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor and Anna Bolena, Cherubini’s Medea and Puccini’s Tosca. Though her timbre was not always conventionally beautiful, Callas’s musicianship and phrasing were in a class of their own. She brought characters to vivid life with her skill in colouring her tone and making insightful use of the text.

She is credited with changing the history of opera: by placing a perhaps unprecedented emphasis on musical integrity and dramatic truth, and by transforming perceptions – and reviving the fortunes – of the bel canto repertoire, particularly Bellini and Donizetti.

The 1950s marked the height of Callas’s career. Its base lay in the opera houses of Italy, and she became the prima donna assoluta of Milan’s legendary La Scala – notably in the productions
of Luchino Visconti – but her operatic appearances also encompassed London’s Royal Opera House, the New York Metropolitan Opera, Paris Opéra, the Vienna State Opera, and the opera houses of Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Lisbon, and, in the early 1950s, Mexico City, São Paolo and Rio de Janeiro.

From 1959, when she started a life-changing love affair with the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, her performing career slowed down and her voice became more fragile. Her final stage performances came in 1965, when she was only 42.

There were many plans for a return to the stage – and for further complete recordings – but they never reached fruition, though in 1974 she gave a series of concerts in Europe, North America and Japan with the tenor Giuseppe di Stefano; he had partnered her frequently in the opera house and in the studio, not least in the 1953 La Scala Tosca under Victor de Sabata, considered a landmark in recording history. Callas died alone in her Paris apartment in September 1977.

The Gentle Spring are a new group, formed by Michael Hiscock, Emilie Guillaumot and Jérémie Orsel. Michael has an illustrious pop history, having been a founder member of The Field Mice, possibly the most beloved band on Sarah Records in the 1990s. And with The Gentle Spring, it seems that history is repeating itself…

When Michael and his friend Bobby Wratten formed The Field Mice, the two of them very quickly created a set of songs whose emotional honesty, raw guitars and perfect pop melodies pierced the hearts of a generation of indiepop fans, kids who were unmoved by the posturing of mainstream indie, and who didn’t want to spend time in fields dancing at 24-hour raves. The Field Mice were the band who defined the meaning and the spirit of Sarah Records. Defiantly in love with pop, defiantly un-macho, defiantly…sensitive. And now, remarkably, Michael has done it again. With his new musical partner Emilie, The Gentle Spring have created a fresh new iteration of indiepop music. Once again, the songs are unafraid of raw emotions, brutally honest and is still in love with big pop melodies.

They are still….sensitive. But life is seen through a different lens now. There is wisdom, there is experience, and there is the ability to look back at the world with a mixture of regret and joy. These are very adult songs, and the arrangements reflect this. Rich acoustic guitars and Emilie’s haunting keyboard have replaced hectic drum machines and urgent distortion. And there is a third element to this music. Jérémie Orsel’s sophisticated guitar adds textures and melodies that give these songs a real depth, while maintaining an enigmatic distance, never quite overwhelming the vocal line. So things are clearer now.

But feelings are just as strong. The pain of unrequited love that made Field Mice songs so poignant hasn’t gone away. In some ways, the thought of roads not taken is more profound when experienced in retrospect. I Can’t Have You As A Friend entertains this notion, still moved by the allure of a different life, but shuddering with fear at what might have happened. Also still haunted by the past, The Girl Who Ran Away conjures up the ghost of a previous failed relationship, which threatens to undermine happiness in the present. In Severed Hearts, sung by Emilie, there is the stark recognition that some endings really are final: sometimes there can be no reconciliations. But the song cleverly moves on from this: it acknowledges that, even after the worst emotional loss, you have to pick yourself, you will move on. It’s sophisticated and it’s mature – but it will still break your heart. Sugartown is another song that plays this trick on you. It insists that there will always be lightness and shade. It warns you against complacency, but does it so kindly that you feel like you’ve been embraced. When Michael’s and Emilie’s vocals combine in the final chorus, telling us that we don’t live in Sugartown, you know they are right – and yet the sweetness of the singing makes you feel that – just for a moment – you do.the band perform as a trio and have already found a keen audience in France, where they are based. During a short tour of the UK in January, to coincide with this release, British audiences will get their first opportunities to see The Gentle Spring play these new songs live

2024 Repress

New label by Innershades, presenting banging house tracks with a raw edge!

Spatial Mental Techno... Definitely related to planets...

Those with sparkling little asteroids, those with gigantic volcanos or those with big rings of ice...

Enjoy !

Mike Dunn is a pivotal house artist who brought his own famously raw and stripped-back style combined with infectious hip hop elements. He is behind plenty of well-known anthems, most famously 'Dance You Mutha' and 'God Made Me Phunky', and founded Dance Mutha in 1988. It released music by MD Connection, Gershon Jackson and I-ROC-T, while Dunn also co-founded seminal acid labels Warehouse Records and Muzique Records which played a key role in the development of Chicago and acid house. Dunn has continued to produce over the ensuing four decades and has landed on the likes of Defected, Nu-Groove, Classic, Trax and many more. The relaunch of the Dance Mutha label has been inspired in part by Dunn's discovery of a raft of 'lost' unreleased masters from the late '80s and early '90s. It's these tracks that provide the jumping-off point with this new release. '43:31' is the first out of the blocks and brings prickly acid texture to raw analogue drums. Slapping hits add extra bite to this most stripped-back and effective slice of pure warehouse music. Then come the snappy snares and deep bass of 'Acid Feet (Phaze 1)'. This spare, impactful cut is riddled with shapeshifting acid and caustic synth textures that bring the rugged drums to life. Last of all, the excellent Time Machine' will indeed take you all the way back to the dark, delirious and delicious days of the earliest acid house with its wonky 303s burrowing deep into the night next to coarse claps and ice-cold hits.

2025 Repress
Mike Parker, one of the most respected and innovative artists in techno, presents his debut release Cyclic Intonations on Sonic Groove with a monster three cut collection of TB-303 infused songs.

Included in this acidic burner of a release is :

- Atom Soldiers, an unearthed, thought-provoking acid gem recorded in the late 1990s

- Signal 303 features Mike dusting off his TB-303 to create an incredible new gem.
- Resonator (Adam X Pumped Up Edit), Originally released on Defective Records in 1997 and fetching a fortune on Discogs. Adam adds a heavier bass kick drum to one of the best acid tracks ever, ensuring it fits seamlessly into any modern day techno set.

If you love acid techno, this release is a must-have!

While music traditions are often defined by established and protected sets of characteristics, popular music in South Africa betrays a willingness to adapt homegrown styles and an enthusiasm to adopt new influences. Musical currents like marabi, goema and mbaqanga help define what makes indigenous jazz unique, but it’s the eclecticism and hybridisation found in South African crates that keeps vinyl archaeologists like Fred “Voom Voom” Spider digging deeper. If we consider jazz to be a global musical dish, it follows that South Africa brings a distinct sonic salsa to the table. Spider calls it “Chakalaka Jazz” after the local tomato, onion and chilli relish that frequently accompanies South African meals. It’s the essential ingredient that unites and spices this diverse selection of tracks spanning the years 1969 through 2003. Featuring locals, exiles and expats with a reverent nod to the golden years of the 1970’s, these rare musical treasures are held together by that magical South African flavour.

Compiled by Fred Spider, Notes by Calum MacNaughton, Executive Producer: Franck Descollonges for Heavenly Sweetness

Immerse yourself in an electrifying fusion of analog textures and experimental soundscapes. This record is a bold, underground exploration where Electro, Techno, and Experimental collide in an uplifting yet distorted sonic journey. Crafted with an unwavering commitment to authenticity, the tracks embody the raw, unpolished energy of analog gear, delivering a gritty, dynamic experience. The artists--Filmmaker, Hanniball III, DJ Nephil, Mule Driver, Porosty, and DJ Sigils--bring their uncompromising vision to the forefront, creating a soundscape that rejects mainstream conventions. This record isn't shaped by market trends or hype; it's a pure expression of underground artistry, designed to break boundaries and let creativity flow untethered. With each track, the listener is invited into a world where the unexpected thrives, and where the only rule is to push the limits of sound.

Following the success of his debut EP on WeMe records, Binary Digit is back with a brand new 6-track EP dedicated to the mythical Balearic Islands. From the very first tracks, we find the atmosphere represented by the legendary island of Ibiza, synonymous with partying, relaxation and getting high. The rest of this EP is a good definition of the well-being and the holy and benevolent feeling that all these clubbers can offer every year, who come to party in an atmosphere of sharing and respect, and above all who make a point of honor of ecology by favoring swimming. The track "Smkndpe", literally translated from Latin as "how to better consume your herbal tea", is already a hit on Tik Tok to accompany the best female influencer of the moment! We end this ep with the track "Overdoze In Ibiza", which will bring this well-deserved vacation to a close.

Das Ende von DARK FORTRESS war unausweichlich. Ihre turbulente Reise vom ersten Vertrag beim amerikanischen Label Red Stream Records im Jahr 2001 bis zur The Cosmic End Tour (mit The Spirit und Asphagor) im Jahr 2023 war dabei voller Höhen und Tiefen - wobei die Höhepunkte ganz klar überwogen. Letztendlich zeichnete sich das Ende von DARK FORTRESS schon mit der Veröffentlichung ihres viel gelobten letzten Albums "Spectres from the Old World" im Jahr 2020 ab. Wobei ein selbst ge-wählter Schlussstrich immer eleganter ist, als am Tropf zu siechen und langsam in Vergessenheit zu geraten. Kaum jemandem war jedoch bewusst, dass das letzte Album den frühzeitigen Nekrolog der Band bedeuten sollte. DARK FORTRESS hinterlassen dabei mit "Anthems from Beyond the Grave" ihr einziges Live-Album und gleichzeitig pechschwarzes Testament.V. Santura sagt dazu: "Ich hätte nie gedacht, dass DARK FORTRESS jemals ein Live-Album machen würden. Nachdem ich mir Monate nach der letzten Show die Mehrspuraufnahmen aus Rotterdam und Bochum angehört hatte, traf es mich wie der berühm-te Blitz: 'Heilige Scheiße! Wir klangen echt unglaublich gut.' Und ich bin selten zufrieden mit unseren Shows. All unsere harte Arbeit hatte sich auf dieser Tournee endlich ausgezahlt. Als Century Media das Material hörte, stimmten sie sofort zu: 'Wir müs-sen es veröffentlichen - es ist zu gut, um es ungenutzt verschwinden zu lassen!' Wenn das unser Ende ist - und das ist es defini-tiv - dann ist es ein würdiges Ende für DARK FORTRESS.""Anthems from Beyond the Grave" ist nicht nur ein Live-Album, sondern funktioniert auch als perfektes Best of inklusive Linerno-tes, welches auf die 29jährige pechschwarze Geschichte der Band zurückblickt.DARK FORTRESS ist tot, lang lebe DARK FORTRESS!

Die Legion des finnischen Power Metal
Dragonknight ist eine neue Konzeptband, die von einem Haufen erfahrener finnischer Metal-Veteranen aus der Taufe gehoben wurde. Sie schmieden
gekonnt eine sanfte und frische Interpretation des klassischen nordeuropäischen Power-Metal-Stils, die sich durch erhabene Melodien, donnernde
Rhythmen und epische Orchestrierung auszeichnet und mit krachenden Riffs verschmilzt - eine unvergessliche Klangreise von legendärem Ausmaß.
Die elf hymnischen Kapitel des ersten Albums „Legions“ erzählen von herzzerreißenden Schlachten, willensstarken Kriegern und der Schönheit des
glorreichen Todes, aber auch von schief gelaufenen Schatzsuchen, Eroberungen und der inneren Kraft, sich im Angesicht der Not immer wieder aus
dem hoffnungslosen Loch der Verzweiflung zu erheben - hört, wie Armeen und Schwerter aufeinanderprallen, Seeschiffe knarren und die Flügel der
Schlangen sich erheben. Bist du bereit, dem Ruf der Drachenritter zu folgen, dich ihrer mächtigen Legion anzuschließen und, wenn dich ein solches
Schicksal ereilen sollte, FÜR METAL zu sterben?!