KNEKELHUIS News

Sans Merit arrives on Knekelhuis with his second album Trolley Polly. A radiant album from currently LA-based Australian musician Griffin James—one that leans into unguarded joy with a playful, disarming sincerity.

The album rocks right away into our world. Lifting off where the guitar pedals mash the gas and go. While at other moments the acoustic guitar passages carry a neofolk intimacy, like the low-voiced choir singer cast out of a pastoral world, left to wander in his own solitude. These moments are swept up by surging shoegaze episodes, slipping into hazy hypnagogic pop interludes and wiry post-punk turns, giving the record a restless, shifting pulse.

Beneath it all lies a lyrical sensitivity that grounds the album’s movement. Sans Merit reflects on the big questions in a world that feels increasingly fragile, balancing vulnerability with a self-aware, gently naïve humor, while staying attuned to the emotional undercurrents of everyday life. It’s this perspective that makes Trolley Polly feel so human—alive in its contradictions, and quietly comforting.

Diagonale des Yeux is the new band formed by two of France’s admired and adventurous artists. Laurène Exposito, we know as EYE, our longest regular contributor to the label — and friend Théo Delaunay, member and producer of Parasite Jazz, panoptique, De Klok & Violent Quand On Aime.

In Knekelhuis we have a particular fondness for artistic outputs that resist easy categorisation, and Diagonale des Yeux inhabits precisely that kind of territory.

Every aspect of the project is DIY/homemade. Their world drifts along the fringes of cabaret, strange 1980s French underground pop music to contemporary lo-fi scene — evoking the spirit of Nini Raviolette and The Residents — while delivering beautifully written songs that lodge themselves in your head almost immediately like a Cindy Lee ballad.

The tracks on Madeleine squeak and creak, wobbling on fragile hinges before suddenly opening onto moments of pure beauty.

Drums and guitars follow up synths and electronic percussions captured on tape between living rooms, studios and a concert space.

The band has a kink for choirs and playfully uses diverse languages. Their lyrics emerge through a homemade, patented four-hands cadavre exquis (Exquisite Corpse) process, where chance and dialogue shape meaning as much as intention.

Diagonale des Yeux is a singular project — equally strange and irresistibly pop-leaning. Music like weeds pushing through pavement cracks and, against all odds, turning into flowers.

Trystero returns with their new album Humming Fuzz on Knekelhuis — a kaleidoscopic voyage deeper into the band’s expanding cosmos.

Built on plunging basslines, acid-drenched loops, and spiraling kraut-inspired guitar textures, the record drifts between hypnotic repetition and free-flowing, hallucinatory songwriting. It echoes the visionary spirit of Psychic TV and the genre-blurring universe of Weatherall, while carving out a raw, magnetic space of its own.

Recorded once again on a canal barge in the North of France, Humming Fuzz feels like a natural evolution from their debut Sfumare e Vedere — denser, more alive, and charged with electricity. Now expanded with Nelly on bass and Alexia on vocals, Trystero channels this expanded energy into their wild, expressive live performances, soon to ignite audiences on their upcoming tours.

‘LE DON DES LARMES’, and was conceived and recorded during the artist's pregnancy — a time of deep transformation. It is a poetic offering to her newborn child, where the cycle of the seasons becomes a metaphor for birth, vulnerability, and renewal.

Her sound draws from the lullabies of her Kabyle childhood and the gentle melancholy of Algerian chaabi, carrying their echoes into a world entirely her own. LÉO LA NUIT is a Franco-Algerian writer and composer who weaves music as one might weave dreams — with tenderness, intuition, and a reverence for nature.

Through field recordings, intimate textures, and delicate pop melodies, LÉO LA NUIT invites us into her inner landscape. Her music breathes closely to the skin — fragile yet luminous — a collage of fleeting moments, stitched together with care. It is a world both grounded and dreamlike, where emotion flows freely, like tears given as a gift

On the outskirts of the Parisian sprawl, we drift through the evening hush, our steps tracing the edges of a world half-lit.
The air crackles—charged, restless. Somewhere, we hear the city hums, a distant, roaring tide.
And there is this stranger, curious, starry-eyed, looking at us.
We stop, tilt our heads together, a faint smile :

« I scream, you scream ! Everyday is a new *silence*
It was all paradoxical
Fullness in the crisis

Silence is priceless »

Official Tracktitles:

me & who ?

hot zone, regular day

Fame Gang

GHOST GUNS

INVINCIBL

Forever starts today

indivisibl

i know 3 45

Stalker Guardian Angel

Get rid of yourself

it’s going better

Capital Collectiv

feeling the sun, it’s lit !

missing flowers i think

Restless Lovers

Gore Lore

The Ick — a sense of sanity amidst the storm of information. This album by Archetype is an abstract scream for something quite fragile — a polarizing society, disruptive isolation, and the fading collective experience. Utilizing dramatic vocals, industrial trip-hop, and post-punk-leaning electronics, Archetype marks the new moniker by the ever-versatile Viennese Rotterdammer, Leonard Prochazka. Following his manifold of concept-driven, instinctive musical output, Archetype's "The Ick" releases in 2024, following "Strapazen und Genesung" as Geier Aus Stahl on Knekelhuis in 2022.

NoLand sounds like a story already experienced. A series of lyrical landscapes infused with deviant pop sonorities.
In the second album on Knekelhuis, Reymour gives us the keys to three years of life's passages through mist and clearings, delving deep into their innermost selves and emotions.
By merging new inspirations with new encounters, they weave and unravel their tale.

Want, both lack and desire, is the sound of two brothers trying to sing sense into a burning world.

Ghastly and hallucinatory – 'last liasse' is a sign of the times, alternative pop record by helen island. Within this debut album, the artist captures the saccharine gaze of digital escapism through characteristic filtered high notes, cut-up genres, and processed vocals. Providing a comprehensive overview of helen island’s self-distributed initiatives, with the ethos of the Parisian Simple Music Experience collective, the twelve tracks set a solid musical score that resonates with the age to come.

Trystero comprises Scottish/Luxembourgish producer Thomas Lea Clarke (aka MR TC) and Low Bat, otherwise known as one half of the formidable duo Jean-Luc. Their debut album, Sfumare e Vedere, was conceived over three days aboard Urban Boat, a 1960s barge transformed into an arts and performance space. Moored along the river just outside of Paris, the duo embarked on a joint residency, discovering their complementary creative energies and a mutual passion for all things strange and psychedelic.

As frontman, Low Bat is a fire-powered poet, his unparalleled stage presence resonating through Trystero's music. The French native and fluent German speaker has a natural flair for languages. For this project, he sings in a combination of Italian and English about love, loss, and class struggle, constructing surreal wordplay about pelicans and puttanesca. Meanwhile, Clarke's drone-lead electronic accompaniment takes its cues from sizzling acid, 1990s snap rhythms, post-punk, krautrock and shoegaze. Firmly rooted in these tripped-out genres, Trystero journeys to entirely new cosmic dimensions.

‘Permanent Rain’ is introspective listening. Lean back and let your ears catch a source that moves, breaths, resonates and rises, until a quiet truth swells upon us.
XII captures truth in all its honesty. Sometimes it feels so physical, it’s as if time and elements of nature are peeled of layer after layer.

This record combines songwriting with sonic hypnosis. A rhythmic, esoteric oasis, containing currents of mysticism, yet accompanied by contemporary electronics. Its elements translate to a brew of mutant raga, neofolk and tripped out celtic fantasies.

Repress.

EYE is back. Metamujer marks the third installment on the Knekelhuis label and we’re extremely happy to release this document of another chapter in Laurène Exposito’s life. Recorded on various locations ranging from the Swiss mountains to the chalky coasts of Brittany, Metamujer is an 8-track ode to salty love and closeness to nature, a tribute to a modest lifestyle à la Henry David Thoreau. Far from being praise for self-sufficiency, this new LP is deeply influenced by Laurène’s environment. We can hear Korg MS-10 created synthetic waves (Sanatorium) and birds (Luscinia), but one can also catch her singing in Italian, one of 3 languages spoken in Switzerland. Still minimalist and yet more aesthetically diverse, her new sounds are on the edge of EBM and synth pop, between classic minimal wave tunes and rustic ballads on acid.

SSIEGE have struck our non-linear world again with Meteora, the follow-up to the breathtaking 2019 cassette release Fading Summer, on Youth. Its elusiveness might be its biggest strength. Indicating a genre is a lost cause. Any description locating it safely inside well-defined boundaries falls flat. Neither analogue or digital, neither old or contemporary, these 5 tracks evoke an androgynous world that is at once open and veiled. A place where presence and absence and weightlessness and gravity are simultaneous. Bathing in colorful light, this record is like a slightly melancholic dream able to usher in a new day or soundtrack the last rays of sunlight

Following up 2021’s compilation 'and felt like...', ' ...it wasn't really me' can be seen as the missing part of a diptych, only separated by the passage of time, yet whole in spirit. Again, a familiar company of singular artists showcase remarkable unity in diversity. Similar to its predecessor, a rustic gloom glues everything together into a seamless whole, enabling the collective to transcend each unique contributors' musical voice elegantly.ambient

Stacks is the Belgian duo of Jan and Sis Matthé. These Antwerp residents build and undress different timbres and textures into vocal-hooked songs, flouting the rules of pop in the process. We at Knekelhuis appreciate this immensely and are delighted to work with them. ‘Love and Language’ is a romantic, moody pop-not-pop record in which everything falls perfectly into place.

Oak Corridor is the second full-length album from Newcastle, Australian duo Troth (Amelia Besseny & Cooper Bowman). It follows 2020’s warmly received album, Flaws In The Glass (Altered States Tapes) and 2021’s Small Movements In Radiance mini-album (Not Not Fun). While the same themes and intentions remain, this time Troth channel their ambient experiments into an environ located somewhere closer to minimal-wave and synth-pop.

While Oak Corridor is their most ‘song-based’ album to date, it continues the respectful treatment of natural themes found in their previous releases, further tying in elements of balance, truth, justice, humility, strains of mysticism from varied origins and an opposition to the encroachment of ill-advised development surrounding them in Newcastle (and Australia more broadly). The album is a truly collaborative affair and offers something of a sound-diary of the two’s relationship.

Summer has arrived and with it our first club release in ages, a high energy burner by KΣITO from Tokyo, Japan. We are more than excited to welcome this talented MPC finger drummer Keito Suzuki to fiery post-lockdown dance floors. He draws inspiration from the South African Gqom and percussive music, and in his own stately way he merges big room intensity with an experimental explosion of weirdness. Expect bare bones techno, full of earworm hooks. Tolouse Low Trax and Kӣr complement this record with a bunch of psychedelic remixes, creating a great balanced journey.

Artwork by Marta Marinotti.

Compilation of all new productions from a wealth of international talent, put together by Knekelhuis.

Label Text "This is a story of friendship, about how it grows stronger through the years. But it’s just as much about fledgling togetherness and shared art in times of crisis. The result is an introspective document of contemporary music, in spirit of Eno and Hassell. A space where we embrace our differences and speak the language of collectivity together, where we reflect, adapt and value each artist's contribution equally. To witness a multitude of cultural backgrounds that speak one like-minded language. Soothing and illuminating. And felt like...

Mastered by Amir Shoat and artwork by Keziah Phillips and Steele Bonus."

White vinyl repress, last time this one comes back. In the grayness by concrete of the Amsterdam suburbs we find Pascal Pinkert (Dollkraut) working on his darker wave salvation, going by the moniker of De Ambassade. Final ever repress of this one. This debut EP forming an alliance between the past and the present deliver one take recordings, drowned in reverb, using preferably older recording methods. The result are poppy wave tracks that shiver your spine and let you chant along to lyrics from the dutch lowlands. Mastering by Rude66.

Reymour packed their bags in the pre-Alps of Switzerland and left to start a new life in Bruxelles. This debut album finds originates in this transition, again in a bilingual environment, by now a Knekelhuis theme. Leviosa documents the emergence of a kind of dance built from chansons, synthpop and cute minimal wave. Luc Bersier’s wide musical spectrum reaches great heights while staying small. He creates the musical bedrock on which Reymour’s cabinet of musical curiosities rests, allowing us to drift away on the unctuous fumes of Lou’s vocals. On these tracks she covers a wide array of feelings, of doubt, sexual orientation, play and melancholia. And it all comes together in the reflection of life. Close friend and family guy Low Bat contributes vocals and gameplay on 2 of the album’s tracks.

Amsterdam based Spill Gold ( who previously released on Portland's Beacon Sound) with a jaunty 7 track mini album for Knekelhuis. sleeve art from Jacob Hoving.

The label say:
"The summer breeze has gradually turned into a cold wind and the trees showcase their typical variegated color palette; autumn has clearly arrived in all its golden glory, a transition exemplary for Spill Gold’s work. The Amsterdam duo’s music is every bit as colorful and moving as its seasonal counterpart, where one moment a cold and stormy wind swarms the air and other times calm and stillness prevail.

On Highway Hypnosis, their first album on vinyl, Spill Gold masterfully juxtaposes darkness and light, playfulness and control, enhancing the transcendental character of the material at hand. Based on strong pop structures, the songwriting here traverses a world of Krautrock and cosmic influences at once catchy and alienating, opening the possibility for catharsis.

They’re a wonderful addition to the versatile nature of Knekelhuis. And they’re crazy good live as well."

On this third, consecutive 7" for Knekelhuis they showcase a slightly darker side, undoubtedly influenced by these current viral times. Still, shadows are always in need of light. These two anxious tunes are full of metal clanking, eerie synths and rolling basslines taking you straight into industrial territory, albeit with avant-pop leanings. De Ambassade will firmly hold their ground in the dead of night until the smoke clears and the agony of daylight returns.

Beijing-based duo Zaliva-D returns with a second installment on Knekelhuis. After last year’s great EP, released on Shanghai label SVBKVLT, Zaliva-D unleashes a new record in these unreal pandemic times. At its core is a concept of data’s capacity to overcome any boundary, whether that’s physical, digital or mental.
The material at hand, created after the second European tour, pushes heavily through walls, with bombastically accentuated kicks. Blended with joyous, psychedelic songwriting, it is a testament to the power of music to unite despite involuntary confinement.
Artwork by Fenna Fiction. Mastering by Brandenburg.

Founded in 1990 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Cold Front were what you'd call early adaptors, their music at the time of its inception an oddity. This fourpiece, consisting of spouses Ayanna and Cam Muata, Jon Jon Scott and Ron Clark, were far ahead of their time and faded just as rapidly as they entered the stage, only playing a handful of local shows in support of Nine Inch Nails, Meat Beat Manifesto and such, alongside several cameos during early house nights and techno events.

Though short lived, their music nevertheless speaks volumes. It's intriguing stuff, a magical association of sound reminiscent of Ron Hardy and Klein MBO. New Beat-like drum parts, overdubbed by politically engaged raps, basslines that would make The Cure proud, held together by freakout speaking in tongues vocal experiments while also showing an obvious parallel to the rise of triphop at the other side of the ocean.

Beyond the Beat will burst dancefloors soon. In collaboration with Paris' recordshop Dizonord, Knekelhuis will close the summer of 2019 with this amazing gem.

Hailing from different places in western Europe, Luc Bersier, Low Bat, Leonard Prochazka and Ariel Garcia created this vibrant EP. Their synergy tells a story of creativity, freedom in sound and, above all, playfulness. Serious music while similarly not being to earnest.

Their venture evolved into a very original blend of cosmic music, utilizing instruments that fit into the neofolk Krautrock domain, vocal experiments into French chanson territory, infused in Berlinian cosmopolitanism. Expect an exciting minimal wave synth punk orgy, punk definitely being the defining trait underneath these layers of sound.

This is boundless music with attitude, capable of making us drift off and disrupt us in equal measure.

Deep-frozen for many decades, something is on the verge of being released from obscurity. Dark Star is the project of Wolfgang Reffert (Ger). In the late '80s through the early '90s he released a couple of albums that invoke the darkness of infinite space. Clearly influenced by '60s and '70s sci-fi, the mechanical grooves and spiraling synths bring to mind the worlds of Alien, The Forbidden Planet and Solaris.

Utilizing a less is more aesthetic, Dark Star breathtakingly soundtracked space travel to far away galaxies like no other. Rhythmic postpunk drums lay the foundation for slow, down-tuned spacerock that goes deep into industrial proto-techno-like territory, while always maintaining a sense of groove.

Resurrected from the days of yesteryear, Dark Star once again re-imagines the eternal harshness and emptiness surrounding spaceship Earth. Cyborgs, extraterrestrials and genetically modified creatures rejoice on the dancefoor!

This is a collection of Dark Star’s best material. Originally released on two cassettes and one CD. Mastered by Wouter Brandenburg. Photography by Rogier Houwen. Poetry by Alex Deforce.

Welcome to the richly rhythmic and deeply esoteric world of Zaliva-D. Based in the Chinese capital of Beijing, they've been circling the country's borders for more than a decade due to the extreme difficulty of streaming music there. Zaliva-D consists of musician Li Chao and Aisin-Gioro Yuanjin, who's responsible for their stunning live visuals. We're very proud to present Forsaken, their 4th album, but first ever vinyl release. Wrapped around a core of gut wrenchingly ferocious kicks and haunting vocals, these tracks possess a mantra-like quality and drown the listener into a world of Chinese and South East Asian textures. Forsaken, mastered by Wouter Brandenburg, is their most well-written, organic and esoteric record to date, showing a more fragile, sensitive side. Soon Zaliva-D will perform on European soil, accompanied by this Knekelhuis debut.

This 12' is a document of modern contemporary music, containing future artifacts made by a selection of old friends and new faces. All of them deviate from what's obvious, possessing the ability to be serene and mental at the same time. Their coming together here is a great opportunity to appreciate this kinship, while at the same time acknowledging what distinguishes them from each other in terms of sound and representation.

Patricia Kokett's sound is shrouded in a veil of mysticism. The brainchild of Lithuanian Gediminas Jakubka, Diabel's metallic heartbeat underlies a magical superstructure that evokes some kind of DMT infused trip. Or possibly even some kind of ancient ritual, where one is intoxicated by serpents blood. Guided by repetitive drum patterns, it creates a slow joint dance that opens the path towards transcendence.

Coming from different regions in France, Violent Quand On Aime's members have joined forces to canalize their energies into something truly essential. Far away from hype and expectation they have created their own peculiar world. Expect a certain electronic griminess with hints of 90's hiphop, postpunk alienation and an affinity for Musique Concrète. The overall experience is similar to the excitement one feels when hearing something genuinely original. This mini-album is the follow-up to their very impressive 7' on Le Syndicat Des Scorpions.

Meo, pseudonym of Daniele Mei, is a cosmic dj from Rimini, Italy. Fine Corsa was his first record, released in 1985. In those days Meo was active in what was later considered to be the most famous Afro Dance Club in Italy: Melody Mecca. This release is an intensely creative hybrid of many styles and many colors. Even up until the present day this record continues to be very important in some preeminent European clubs

Archive tracks from this much revered New Jersey duo. We assume both the originals were recorded in the mid 80s. Nieuwegeinâs most warped mind Parrish Smith, on remix duty..TIP!

Cassette Release

Montreal, Quebec. A vast, adorned studio—an after-midnight sanctuary for the MOAB collective. Outside, winter carves its presence, the snow piling high against the factory’s walls. Inside, time dissolves into a sprawling, 24-hour reverie—music unfolding in an endless current, every moment captured, distilled, refined.

MOAB is a Montreal-based collective that embraces improvisation as its guiding force. Long, unbroken sessions where intuition eclipses thought, and where the body moves before the mind.
This is their first offering, released on Knekelhuis. A document of instinct, frozen in time yet endlessly shifting.