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Like their name suggests, Model/Actriz seek to channel raw emotions into striking new forms. The band’s surface glamor is supported by nerves of steels, leveraging their focus into moments of wild abandon. Since their songs roar to life off the back of blistering guitar, relentless drums, and pummeling bass thereʼs an expectation that Model/Actriz aim first and foremost to be shit-starters. But their instrumental muscle couches a searching heart and the Brooklyn quartet have long made a mission to reconcile undefinable feelings by charting a ferocious new path through sound, one that brings jagged emotions back into full, sweaty alignment with the listenersʼ bodies.

Newly signed to indie heavyweights Heist or Hit (Westside Cowboy, Her’s) EP two: ‘Marionette’ has been produced by Daniel Fox (Sprints, Melts, Psychotic Monks, Naked Lungs, Nerves, Ronan Group) and it’s set to be seminal. A set text for future musicians with aspirations of innovation. “The theme of the marionette is present throughout each song, involving some aspect of a power struggle and a lack of control within oneself.” Opener ‘Chocolate’ bounces in on a synth line as slippery and hyperactive as anything Aphex Twin ever cooked up. Crispy offbeat electronic cymbals play counterpoint to atonal guitars and pugilistic drumming before the track dry-wretches its way into a nauseating cacophony of euphoria. It’s a tale of crippling social anxiety and a preference for an unflattering, lonely reality. The muted guitar pluck in the intro to ‘Crows’ is the sonic equivalent of biting one’s nails. An anxious, involuntary tic that speaks to the theme of guilt, especially surrounding digital culture: “children can watch what they please, just with viewer discretion.” The track lurches between textures, weaving themselves in and out of focus. Guitars blare like sirens, interrupting paranoid urban centres at 2am, while the bass sounds like the inside of an insomniac’s head on day four of a REM drought.

The metallic intent of ‘Discipline’ squats on the chest as though Steve Albini is your sleep paralysis demon. The pain of accountability spews from the industrial regularity of the beat, apt to the narrative of a soldier coming to terms with the lies that made him commit atrocious, violent acts. EP closer ‘Servant’ starts like a Spectrum loading screen. Dial-up modem-coded, it pauses for moments of white-noise-vomit and existential bloops. Fitting for a more abstract take on the idea of the power struggle filtered through religious imagery and self-awareness of one’s own actions, coupled with an inability to exert control over them. The band pile on the textures with sadistic glee until the evil is exorcized and the modem melts. Connection severed. Across the EP, vocalist Joseph has a tendency to hyper-fixate on themes of control and unhappiness. Creating rooms in which doom and isolation ricochet. Not that it’s all bad news “we like to think that by shedding light on the negative, it commands a sense of hope.” Influenced as much by the liminal-space horror and uncanny dread of Silent Hill as the existentialist theatre of The Twilight Zone or the absurdity of Twin Peaks, they occupy a space between unease and impulse. Makeshift Art Bar are not a band interested in being liked. They’re a band interested in being necessary. There’s so much eating and drinking in their work that multiple listens simply don’t satisfy; something new reveals itself on each return visit. Audacious. Idiosyncratic. Vital. A young band carrying identity, defiance and an uncompromising vision as if it isn’t a rare cargo.

Newly signed to indie heavyweights Heist or Hit (Westside Cowboy, Her’s) EP two: ‘Marionette’ has been produced by Daniel Fox (Sprints, Melts, Psychotic Monks, Naked Lungs, Nerves, Ronan Group) and it’s set to be seminal. A set text for future musicians with aspirations of innovation. “The theme of the marionette is present throughout each song, involving some aspect of a power struggle and a lack of control within oneself.” Opener ‘Chocolate’ bounces in on a synth line as slippery and hyperactive as anything Aphex Twin ever cooked up. Crispy offbeat electronic cymbals play counterpoint to atonal guitars and pugilistic drumming before the track dry-wretches its way into a nauseating cacophony of euphoria. It’s a tale of crippling social anxiety and a preference for an unflattering, lonely reality. The muted guitar pluck in the intro to ‘Crows’ is the sonic equivalent of biting one’s nails. An anxious, involuntary tic that speaks to the theme of guilt, especially surrounding digital culture: “children can watch what they please, just with viewer discretion.” The track lurches between textures, weaving themselves in and out of focus. Guitars blare like sirens, interrupting paranoid urban centres at 2am, while the bass sounds like the inside of an insomniac’s head on day four of a REM drought.

The metallic intent of ‘Discipline’ squats on the chest as though Steve Albini is your sleep paralysis demon. The pain of accountability spews from the industrial regularity of the beat, apt to the narrative of a soldier coming to terms with the lies that made him commit atrocious, violent acts. EP closer ‘Servant’ starts like a Spectrum loading screen. Dial-up modem-coded, it pauses for moments of white-noise-vomit and existential bloops. Fitting for a more abstract take on the idea of the power struggle filtered through religious imagery and self-awareness of one’s own actions, coupled with an inability to exert control over them. The band pile on the textures with sadistic glee until the evil is exorcized and the modem melts. Connection severed. Across the EP, vocalist Joseph has a tendency to hyper-fixate on themes of control and unhappiness. Creating rooms in which doom and isolation ricochet. Not that it’s all bad news “we like to think that by shedding light on the negative, it commands a sense of hope.” Influenced as much by the liminal-space horror and uncanny dread of Silent Hill as the existentialist theatre of The Twilight Zone or the absurdity of Twin Peaks, they occupy a space between unease and impulse. Makeshift Art Bar are not a band interested in being liked. They’re a band interested in being necessary. There’s so much eating and drinking in their work that multiple listens simply don’t satisfy; something new reveals itself on each return visit. Audacious. Idiosyncratic. Vital. A young band carrying identity, defiance and an uncompromising vision as if it isn’t a rare cargo.

One of the UK’s best loved and most respected dance music producers, Michael Gray, unveils his exciting third artist album, ‘You & Me’, on his own ever vibrant Sultra Records. Featuring a superb array of both fresh and regular vocal and musical collaborators, Michael delivers another superb helping of lovingly crafted discofied, boogie and soulful dance treats, where meaningful songwriting, passionate vocal performances and impeccable musicianship combine to create one of Michael’s best bodies of studio work to date!

“I’m really excited about this album. I enjoyed making ‘Optimism’ 2 years ago, but I feel like my sound and creativity have developed further during the production of my third album ‘You & Me’. I think there will be a few tracks that people are not expecting from me… and that’s the joy of making an album! You can really get creative”. – Michael Gray

Across the album, Michael brings together an impressive array of world class talent. Rising 29 year old vocalist Bran Mazz features prominently, delivering fresh performances on the standout cover of Maxwell’s ‘Ascension (Don’t Ever Wonder)’, as well as on ‘I Like The Way’, ‘Medicine’ and ‘Breaking Away’. Chi town house legend Mike Dunn joins Michael on the title track ‘You & Me’, built around a clever sample of Freeez’s ‘Flying High’. Vocal powerhouse Tania Foster turns up the heat on the Latin disco flavoured ‘Shake’. New York singer Kelli Sae lends her unmistakable soul to ‘Give It To Me’ and ‘Detonate’, the latter also featuring singer/songwriter Errol Reid (China Black / Axwell). Jamiroquai’s Derrick McKenzie adds his signature live drums to ‘Detonate’ and ‘I Like The Way’. Sian Lee appears on the current single ‘Gravity’, which is sitting at the top of the Traxsource chart. ‘Universe’ sees Michael deliver an instrumental jackin’ house twist, set for a full single release on Toolroom in June. Adding further depth to the album, superstar diva Phebe Edwards brings her impeccable soulful tone to a cover of Cleo Sol’s ‘Life Will Be’, Brit soul favourite Dyanna Fearon shines on ‘I’m Falling For You’, and Audrey Martells lifts ‘Beautiful’ with her stunning, uplifting vocal.

2026 Repress!

With recent releases for some of the scene’s leading labels, Fideles (aka Daniele Aprile and Mario Roberti) are an Italian duo on the rise. Their spellbinding ‘Impressum’ EP is both a fine example of the Fideles sound and exactly in keeping with the direction Tale Of Us are steering their Afterlife label. Inspired by the Ionian sea in Southern Italy, low-pitched basslines and soaring synths give the tracks just the right amount of drama, whilst the rich sound-design allows them to make the most of a big system; something Tale Of Us have put to great use in their sets this year. Take the emotionally-charged title track, the rolling, mechanical drums of ‘Kalotypse’ or the more restrained ‘Hadar’. Across all five tracks Fideles’ character shines through the adventurous melodies and distinctive touch, creating an inspiring next episode of the Afterlife catalogue.

The Mexican band The Survival created a blend of blues and acid rock influenced by the U.S. West Coast movement and British blues, captured on this 1971 album-the only one they recorded. They are often described as a combination of Country Joe and the Fish, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Moby Grape, and Ten Years After. One of the rarest records ever released in Mexico, it stands as a significant testament to the "onda chicana," a historical moment when Mexican youth took up instruments to express their reality. The group formed in August 1970 and recorded a single album, "La onda de The Survival" (1971), which combined laid-back blues with distortion. One distinctive feature was that lead vocals were handled by drummer Andrés Lusher-an unusual choice that gave the band a unique sonic identity. The album captured the spirit of the time, portraying generational shifts, repression of youth, fraternity, pacifism, and the influence of drugs. Despite their brief existence, The Survival and their sole album remain a significant testament to the "onda chicana", a lasting mark on the history of Mexican rock. Includes an insert with liner notes.

Gradual Isolation started in the early 90s as the musical project of 2 friends, Luc Van Den Bosch and Filip Van Breda, both living in Turnhout, Belgium.

They were inspired by EBM and new wave from the 80s and 90s and saw bands such as the Canadian Psyche as their great examples. With just a few synthesizers, a drum machine and a homemade microphone, they made music that could be described as emotional, and somewhat naive bedroom new wave. If the term emo-wave doesn't exist yet, it should be invented to describe Gradual Isolation's music.

Over the years, many tapes have been filled with their improvisations and about 20 to 30 songs have been more or less completed. They never officially released their music, only a handful of handmade cassette tapes were distributed to friends. They did not go further than a single performance in the local new wave bar ‘The Cave’ in Turnhout in 1991, but the duo stayed together and continues to make music to this day.

‘The Sky Converts’ and ‘Agony By Men’ appeared on Underground Wave Volume 7, and now, for the first time, a full-length LP ‘Remaining Faces’ has been released on Walhalla Records!

After a brief hiatus, Cosmocities returns in 2026 with Tech Rico EP, the final release from longtime collaborator, visionary artist, and producer Erik Rico. Completed shortly before his passing last year, the EP stands as both a creative evolution and a tribute to an artist whose influence crossed genres and generations.

Erik Rico first connected with Cosmocities founder Matt Soulie through Inkswel during the release of Cosmic Love Affair EP in 2022, leading to further collaborations including The Rare Groove Project. Following that release, Soulie encouraged Rico to explore a more techno driven sound, which became the foundation for Tech Rico EP.

The EP sees Rico stepping into new sonic territory while maintaining the rich musicality that defined his career. “Tokyo By Train” marks his first full dive into techno with driving rhythms and atmospheric textures, while “Afro Beatdown (Let’s Go)” blends Afro rhythms and broken beats inspired by the spirit of Fela Kuti. “Summer In Chi Town” pays tribute to Chicago house with warm synths and skippy drums, later reworked by Inkswel with additional vocals from Erin Buku and Marley Love into a soulful bruk infused remix. Closing track “Madrid or Manhattan” delivers a hypnotic house groove layered with trippy vocoder vocals.

A singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist, producer, and DJ, Erik Rico spent more than two decades shaping a sound that bridged soul, house, hip hop, and Afrobeats. His career included collaborations with Tupac Shakur, Q Tip, Ladybug Mecca, and Jurassic 5, as well as scoring work for HBO, MTV, and PBS.

More than just a release, Tech Rico EP celebrates Erik Rico’s artistic spirit, fearless evolution, and the deep musical connections he built throughout his life. Cosmocities is honoured to share this final chapter with the world.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Adult Themes, the latest full length offering from El Michels Affair. This album takes the band's "Cinematic Soul" aesthetic literally and sends the listener on a journey through a whirlwind of moods and energies. With their 2005 debut album Sounding Out The City, EMA spearheaded an instrumental funk / soul movement that inspired a slew of bands and even lead to the creation of a few independent record labels. El Michels has since lent his signature sound to artists from Adele to Dr John, Lana Del Rey to Aloe Blacc, and a who's who list of others. In 2016 he co-founded Big Crown Records and has since produced the lion's share of its output. A short stint as the touring band for Wu Tang Clan in 2007 led to the cult classics Enter The 37th Chamber (2009) and Return To The 37th Chamber (2017). Adult Themes marks the long awaited, highly anticipated return to an album of original compositions from El Michels Affair. In 2017 in between producing, playing, and recording on other artists' records Leon Michels began creating compilations of short interludes intended to be sampled by hip hop producers. Some of these wound up becoming songs by Jay Z & Beyonce, Travis Scott, and Don Toliver. These minute-long snippets were inspired by the dense moody work of `60s composers like David Axelrod, and Francois de Roubaix, as well as Moondog's brand of classical jazz. Michels was having so much fun creating these instrumental / orchestral nuggets that he decided to expand on some of the ideas and create what would become the soundtrack for a movie that has yet to be made, an imaginary film entitled "Adult Themes." The album plays like the colors on an artists pallet. Songs like "Rubix" and "Villa" are densely orchestrated with the hard-hitting drums that El Michels Affair is known for. On "Life of Pablo", Leon's son makes his first appearance on record and intros a song with an epic arrangement and a moving mood. "Hipps" is a drum heavy ballad that could've easily fit on EMA's debut record, Sounding Out the City. Other compositions like "The Difference" and "Kill The Lights" are bare, melodic mood pieces with sparse drums and sophisticated chord movement. All of these tunes come together to make perfect backgrounds for dialogue and action. One of the beautiful things about instrumental music is that the listener can decide what the narrative is. With Adult Themes El Michels Affair has created a "choose your own adventure" in musical form.

Following vibraphonist and long-standing member Lewis Wright"s move to the USA, the award-winning UK jazz ensemble, featuring Nathaniel Facey on alto saxophone, Tom Farmer on double bass and Shaney Forbes on drums, have embraced a more flexible lineup. The trio enlist high-caliber guest artists to expand their sound, with long-time collaborators Ivo Neame on piano and David Preston on guitar lending their distinctive musical voices to the album. The album traverses the musical terrain between contemporary classical music, soundscape, post-bop and free jazz. The jazz of the 1960s has long been a guiding light for Empirical, not least in the way it represented Black musicians" struggle for respect, freedom and civil rights, often drawing on their faith as a moral foundation.

Reissue. As undeniably powerful, durable, and straight-shooting as Motorhead's Lemmy Kilminster, Spirit Caravan's inveterate founder and leader, Scott "Wino" Weinrich, is an absolute rock lifer. Following on the heels of the band's debut, Jug Fulla Sun, Dreamwheel is a Spartan-sounding five-song EP, the perfect compliment to the dense, doom-laden psychedelia of the full-length. In fact, Dreamwheel's greatest strength is the breathing space between notes, provided by the rock solid rhythm section of drummer Gary Isom and bassist Dave Sherman. Such rhythmic austerity -- the kind championed by the effort of bands like Free, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, and Grand Funk Railroad -- allows Wino's compelling, soulful baritone voice and sizzling Hawkwind-esque leads to truly sing out. As the voice behind St. Vitus and the Obsessed, Wino helped formulate and configure the shape of modern stoner rock and doom metal. Spirit Caravan, as evidenced by this brilliant, relaxed gem of an EP, is perhaps his most able vessel. Each song burns with analog warmth, intensity, and brightness. Though it took nearly a decade for Wino to receive his overdue appreciation as an artist, the late '90s and early part of the new millennium have seen his stock soar, even if not financially. - All music

Aqua Blue Vinyl, limited to 300 copies. As undeniably powerful, durable, and straight-shooting as Motorhead's Lemmy Kilminster, Spirit Caravan's inveterate founder and leader, Scott "Wino" Weinrich, is an absolute rock lifer. Following on the heels of the band's debut, Jug Fulla Sun, Dreamwheel is a Spartan-sounding five-song EP, the perfect compliment to the dense, doom-laden psychedelia of the full-length. In fact, Dreamwheel's greatest strength is the breathing space between notes, provided by the rock solid rhythm section of drummer Gary Isom and bassist Dave Sherman. Such rhythmic austerity -- the kind championed by the effort of bands like Free, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, and Grand Funk Railroad -- allows Wino's compelling, soulful baritone voice and sizzling Hawkwind-esque leads to truly sing out. As the voice behind St. Vitus and the Obsessed, Wino helped formulate and configure the shape of modern stoner rock and doom metal. Spirit Caravan, as evidenced by this brilliant, relaxed gem of an EP, is perhaps his most able vessel. Each song burns with analog warmth, intensity, and brightness. Though it took nearly a decade for Wino to receive his overdue appreciation as an artist, the late '90s and early part of the new millennium have seen his stock soar, even if not financially. - All music

This first release inaugurates Sistema Infinito, a new platform by Sabla created as a space for a more continuous release flow and for exploring different angles within his sound. SI 00 sets the tone for a shifting direction while remaining connected to previous work.

The first track, Zerozero, shares its name with the release itself and reflects it sonically. An exercise in bass minimalism, defined by quasi-weightless low-end pressure and reduced, suspended form.

Punti leans closer to Sabla’s previous outputs, where skeletal drums and percussion wander throughout the 7 minutes.

Punto Uno and Punto Due sit on side B, creating 15 mins of atmospheric texture. They extend the conceptual axis of Sistema Infinito, where the same material resolves into different structural states.

All of these sounds operate as a starting point for forthcoming SI releases, creating a flux of recurring and evolving sounds and ideas.

Following on from his debut album, Miles Spilsbury returns to New Dawn with Spirit Level. A new project in collaboration with close friend Gorse Panshawe (formerly known as Slugabed - who also produced Miles Spilsbury's first album Light Manoeuvres).

Recorded over one weekend in a weaving shed in Frome, in the English countryside. Surrounded by reels of yarn, they explored saxophones, flutes, dusty old keyboards & drum machines. The resulting record conjures the murk and moss of Forestland and grounds with grooves from the Bongo setting on a Casio keyboard. Jake Long added mallet drums from his London studio to round off the album.

After years of shaping his sound, Makz steps forward with his debut EP. No big statements, just four tracks that speak for themselves.

On the A side, Clubmate sets things in motion with a steady drive. Execution Style follows up with heavy drums and a rolling bassline that keeps pushing forward.

On the flip, Ferro brings his own take on Clubmate. His DDC Tornado remix pulls the track into a deeper, more hypnotic space, made for those later hours.

B2, 926813, is a small nod to The Set Crew. Light in name, but the track itself carries real weight.

No gimmicks, no extras. Just honest house music, built for the floor.

Some grooves don’t rush to the dancefloor — they crawl there, slow and heavy, like smoke wrapping around a bassline. With Fragments of Reality, The Balek Band sculpt an electronic funk that lives between shadow and light — an end-of-the-world fever dream, a Barjavel-style Ravage where chaos turns nihilistic.

No sequencer grid here — just four musicians sharing the same room, shaping air and tension together: drums locked tight with a slap bass, a guitar dripping with echo and heat, and a one-man orchestra behind his machines, weaving acid lines and synth arpeggios while mixing the band live — drenching it in delay, reverb, and saturation, like a dub producer in a Kingston studio, Lee Scratch Perry or King Tubby conjuring ghosts through smoke.

This isn’t fusion — it’s friction. A living ritual where the TB-303 hums, and machines don’t dominate but converse with the human pulse. Each track feels like a night that refuses to end — that humid in-between where trance slips into languor, and the body starts to think for itself.

The record recalls the cosmic jazz of Alain Mion or Eddy Louiss meeting the fiery energy of West African afrobeat musicians freshly arrived in a smoky Belleville basement in the mid-’80s. When The Balek Band summon ghosts, it’s only to reshape them — bending the past into something futuristic, alive, and strangely refreshing. Both disciplined and delirious, Fragments of Reality feels like a promise at dawn: dark funk for the late hours, slow acid for warm blood.

This EP isn’t nostalgic, though it remembers. It’s a transmission from a parallel past — a moment when jazz players met drum machines and decided never to stop playing. Each note sweats, each rhythm breathes. You can almost see the light cutting through the haze, faces half-awake, half-possessed.

The Balek Band aren’t recreating a moment — they’re keeping it alive.
Flesh and cables. Impulse and patience.
A band, not a loop.
A trip, not a format.

16 years after debuting, Coyote's hush-hush Magic Wand imprint continues to be one of the most reliable sources of Balearic-minded re-edits and reworks. Their latest is suitably mysterious - a single-sided missive released with no information about either the uncredited scalpel fiend behind it or the source material. What we can tell you is that 'Suntrip' is undeniably ace, with our shadowy editor delivering an extended, lightly dubbed-out take on what sounds like a mid-1980s big studio number: the kind of off-beat pop-not-pop record that Balearic heads love. Think synth marimba lines, fretless bass, effects-laden drums, glassy-eyed male lead vocals, glistening guitars, nods to dub and lashings

Foxbam Inc is building up a fine head of early steam and after featuring the likes of LFO's Gez Varley and Mark Archer, that looks set to continue into 2026 with this latest various artists EP. It's a white knuckle ride through panel beating techno fervour, starting with Foxtrot's 'Tartam Tripper', which could be called paint stripper, it's that caustic. Collision lays down flat, hard, distorted drums on 'Plop Projekt', Egebamyasi offers up a stuttering, bass-driven club take on an unmistakable 80s electronic classic and Minimum Syndicat's 'Tunnel Chase' is a slower, darker, more foreboding closer that carries serious weight and a soot-black atmosphere from which there is no escape.

More unknown artist business from the Only Music Matters crew and it's a case of more essential minimal across three fresh cuts. The first manages to pair the sort of drive you need to keep you locked with some swirling, heady pads that encourage letting your mind wander. After that full-sided odyssey, 'BBB001B' stars the flip with tighter, more rubbery drums and bass and alien sounds weaving in and out. 'BBB002B' shuts down with some tech-y loops and a little more menace and mischief in the clipped vocals and wispy synth modulations.

While brothers Simon and Robin Lee have kept themselves busy, both with EPs as Faze Action and numerous offshoot and solo projects, it's been almost 12 years since we last heard a fresh, full-length excursion from the long-serving duo - at least under their most famous moniker. Predictably, Distant Dreams was worth the wait, with the Lee siblings continuing their richly organic approach - think live bass, guitars, strings, keys, flute and percussion alongside synth sounds and drum machine beats. Musically, it draws on their now well-known influences - warming disco, jazz-funk and Balearica with nods to other musical cultures - and delivers eight impeccable tracks that undoubtedly sit amongst their classiest work to date. It's good to have them back.

"After being praised as one of the best releases of 2025 by multiple platforms, the highly praised debut album from Obeka lands on vinyl via YUKU.

The rhythmic dynamics and emotive attitudes of A World No More captures the density of soundsystem culture in Obeka's ancestral roots. YUKU presents the Bermudians debut album capturing a Neo-Colonial dystopia, protest and Afro-Futurism hyperextended through decaying sonic structures of a dark past and its grievances which very much exist today.

Growing into adulthood within the walls of British and European Colonial systems meant the disconnection and lostness in a new country hid me from the world at a young age. Unlike London's vast and culturally engaging migrant communities, the industrial milling town of Stockport introduced a coldness towards people from other countries I experienced in my first year after relocating from Bermuda. I couldn't understand why. Whether cold words thrown towards me or actions upon other people who look like me, it has shown to be a dooming societal virus with no cure. The most comfort was found through what was familiar - drums and rhythmic spirituality of my homeland. It was a safe-haven, a place to empty the anger and confusion. It's been 15 years since relocating and as my sound evolved, it seems classism, racism, oppression and civil control of ethnic peoples has become worse - even now more legalised and normalised. Ogun (a powerful Yoruba deity associated with anger, justice and war) acts as the opening sequence of the record and its symbolism. Using distorted bass frequencies and dissected Regga-Dub immersed in live-sampled ghostly voices of the lost ones. This sonic exercising is also applied in Drillaman - a stampede of industrial framework and metallic instruments wielded over moody Dancehall MC'ing, magnifying two parallel worlds in cocooned evolution. The resurrection of Transatlantic African cultures and identity have never been silenced, rather carried elsewhere through trade routes of enslavement, which was pivotal when composing and completing the album upon returning home to the Caribbean for the first time ever. After reconnecting with my heritage my blurred vision of what's wrong in the world became so clear. Guidance in empty plains seek truth throughout the pain - A statement of finding oneself expressed on the poetic closing track A World No More.

On Fawohodie (A West African Adinkra symbol that represents independence, freedom, and emancipation stamped on the album cover) the motive and atmosphere begins to change. Afro-Caribbean idealism which refers to the philosophical concept that emphasizes the interconnectedness of individuals and the importance of community, often contrasting with Western individualism, begins to take shape in a new universe. We can co-exist. The track framework uses machine-led software forming frequencies we have no control over, then manipulated through decomposing soundscapes, scattered hand-drums and human-made weapons of control - exposing the hidden disparity that's been carried over generations whilst balancing hopeful and musical foundations towards equality and peace. On Pressure and Kuduro! the writing direction attempts to wake people up. Not settling for a composed approach like in past projects, quite the opposite. A call for native sonic awareness, dismantled vocals of protests, eroded percussion using chains, gears and motorised harmonies sculpted in challenging abstract behaviors far outside my comfort zone. A direct abrasiveness and weight I want people to feel, whilst finding hope and solace through enchanting choirs and hypnotic basslines in complete synchrony.

"Purity in sound manifests when you least expect it. The smallest memory or feeling grows from a seed into a sonic language that you, and only you can interpret and release back into the world." "

DiscoGram's self-titled label is quickly becoming our disco dealer of choice. This third massive gets us further hooked on the groovy goods. After a Brazilian flex last time out, there is more of an Afro overtone to this 12": 'Africa Tribal' is a percussive sun-soaked sound with expressive horns and equally expressive vocals over a ton of percussion, hand claps and wiggly grooves. 'Chillin' Out' is more US-flavoured with a low-slung and breezy vibe and sunny vocals. 'Coconut' ups the pace and injects florid feels with Philly strings and stomping drums. 'Hi Tension' then keeps its foot down with a heavy but funky disco sound and irresistible double-claps.

Nite Hawk is a new name to us, but one we'll be keeping an ear on, just off the back of this new EP on York-based John Deevechis's The Owl label. The opener plays with a classic rhythm and serves it up with a bleeping synth sequence that will also be familiar, while the rickety drums unfold in off-grid patterns. It's a great start before 'Shake Ya Rump' brings machine-made disco with sugary synths and playful vocals over funky basslines, then 'Be Together' closes with another cold analogue groove that ramps up the pressure and is the sort of tasteful and timeless crowd pleaser you will be playing forever.

UK tech stalwart Aubrey has dropped many classics, but this one from all the way back in 1997 takes some beating. It came on the Offshoot label and has been in demand and much coveted ever since, and now reappears on his own Solid Groove imprint. 'Marathon' opens up with a liquid synth and dubby bass combo that comes to life with a warm, fizzy lead that suspends you just above the floor. 'Evacuation' has a more rigid lead and mechanical drums that work you into a lather and '6 Pole' sits somewhere between the two as a stylish, soul-infused tool that sounds as good today as ever. This is a top reissue that will excite all the real heads.

Trajectories collide in a wormhole as Tokyo-based Igaxx and Amsterdam-based Gropina converge on a crepuscular four-track 12-inch and digital release for Paesaggi Records. Igaxx drifts through near-beatless, spiralling psychedelia: “The Perception” is a slow-burn ascent, suspended in a state of perpetual anticipation, forever circling a climax that never arrives. “Someday in Time” settles into a steady pulse that glides outward, dissolving into the distance as if lost in quiet contemplation.

On the flip, Gropina reshapes the two pieces through his own sonic lens, like stepping through the looking glass. “The Perception (Version)” brings a supernatural, Kraut-inspired vibe, opening with a deceptive 2:35 intro before unfolding into Mother Sky-esque drums, primitive flutes, and reversed guitars. “Some Day In Time (Version)” is a dubby reinterpretation driven by a ’70s Ace Tone drum machine, a funky bassline, dub-soaked guitars, noir alto saxophone, and subtle details swirling through the mix.

MUSICA SOLIDA Vol. 3 finally touches down.

Flexi is wrapping up their 40th-anniversary celebration with a bang, and trust me, the wait was worth it. This VA 12” is a heavy-duty blend of family ties and international heat.

The Breakdown

* Gratts: The Adelaide-based crate-digger returns to Flexi with "Ghost Swell." It’s a deep, atmospheric builder that keeps the soul intact.

* Slowaxx & Ai Lati: Pure "rollin" energy. This Tuscan duo delivers a rhythmic, four-handed organic groove that’s been the secret sauce in the Italian underground.

* Melchior Sultana: The Maltese Deep House maestro brings the sub-heavy vibes. Total class, total depth.

* Robotalco: Fresh off his LP, he drops an Acid House banger. This 303-laced heater is strictly for the warehouse heads.

* DJ Soch: the "Italian Stallion" puts his classic old-school vein aside and reveals a darker, more minimal side: sharp drums, soulful vocal touches, and an essential, hypnotic groove shape a timeless track.

Forty years of curation distilled into one essential plate. It’s raw, it’s solid, and it’s built for the crates. Don’t sleep.

Berlin-based producer and DJ KaioBarssalos returns to Smile Sessions with his most visceral statement yet. 'Whale' is a six-track EP built for bodies in motion : obsidian grooves that pull you under, primal percussion that speaks directly to the hips, and a low-end surge that turns a dancefloor into a ritual.

Old-school in its bones, stripped back to what matters: the kick, the groove, the trance of it all. Repetitive, hypnotic, communal. The bark of a drum that doesn't ask permission. No distractions, just tools honed for the floor, weapons a DJ can reach for at peak time and trust completely.

"The electroclash genre sure has been having a bit of a renaissance moment. During its first coming an odd 25 years ago the French act Sweetlight was a favorite over here. Originally active between 2002 and 2010, they quickly positioned themselves within a refined strand of the global underground scene: inspired by 90s acid house club culture, they rose to prominence by releasing a sparse selection of original tracks and a multitude of remixes that were both dancefloor-effective and immediately recognizable. After the EPs stopped coming, the project seemed to have faded. But their tracks never left our bag: they combined minimalism with ambiguous elegance and retained a distinct, timeless quality, easily transcending the turn-of-the-century style they were most closely associated with. We are delighted, in what we consider nothing less than a full-circle moment, to release "Selected Recordings: 2004 - 2006" and shed light on an underrated yet, in our eyes, absolutely essential project. ALT022 is an anthology release featuring four extensive, remastered cuts. Abusator, arguably the act's hallmark track and a crossover hit, kicks off the EP. It is joined by Mecaniques Remontees, which opened the milestone Suck My Deck mix by Ivan Smagghe, and Too Shy, both initially part of the same EP back in 2004. Noir Comme Le Beat, an unreleased curiosity from the same era, closes the record. You will find dark, endless, ever-modulating arpeggiator basses, Detroit-via-Paris chord progressions, and spartan drums. The work is, in the artists' own words, low-profile, detail-oriented, and built for late hours. It's an ideal compilation or - depending on the case - introduction, especially now that new work is rumored to be finally on its way."

Applying the solid structures of floor-focused Berlin techno to the expressive space of introspective electronica, Answer Code Request returns to Delsin with his first album in eight years. Halo finds Patrick Gr?ser broadening his sound palette more than ever before, matching atmospheric synthesis with dynamic beat constructions true to his impressive legacy while breaking new ground. Across Halo, smoky clouds of pads and chords lend the album an introspective quality in the grand tradition of ambient techno. In front of these haunting melodic forms, Gr?ser is free to explore all manner of rhythmic directions. There are fractured, downtempo micro beats and angular fractals on the likes of 'Fading Shadows' and 'Refraction' that take their cues from breakbeat -- finely detailed drum sequences constantly evolving into new arrangements. A pointed nod to D&B rears its head on the aptly named, hard-edged 'Fracture' and you might hear a firmly submerged hint of ravey acid coursing under 'Sublith'. Elsewhere, the firmer kick-anchored pulse of the classic Answer Code Request sound manifests for more forthright techno excursions such as 'Halo' and 'Bliphar'. In the context of the album, though, these tougher tropes are channeled into mesmerising soundscapes that soften the attack without diminishing the potential for club impact. In this era of his craft, Gr?ser moves instinctively through the sounds and approaches that inspire him, and the end result is an album that feels natural and open, all the while steadily progressing the ongoing evolution of Answer Code Request.

AMBASSADE ventures into the world of Manrira - a dark, alluring feminine presence that confronts systems driven by value, profit, and power. Emerging from dystopian structures, Manrira exists in the liminal space where organic and digital forces collide, merge, and mutate. This new audiovisual work is devoted to the enchanting acoustics of the human voice and its relationship to bodies, architectures, and shifting environments. At the heart of Manrira is the human voice - alive, breathing, and full of presence. It flows like a living instrument, shaping space and emotion. Manrira explores the voice as resonance, as body, and as spatial event. Manrira moves from dynamic song compositions into extended structures, blending live bass, neo-classical elements, ethereal vocals, drum machines, breaks, and techno-driven textures. The result is an immersive experience that invites the audience to listen closely and reconsider their connection to sound, space, and their surroundings.

*** Special edition on yellow flame colored vinyl. Comes with a poster and stickers *** AMBASSADE ventures into the world of Manrira - a dark, alluring feminine presence that confronts systems driven by value, profit, and power. Emerging from dystopian structures, Manrira exists in the liminal space where organic and digital forces collide, merge, and mutate. This new audiovisual work is devoted to the enchanting acoustics of the human voice and its relationship to bodies, architectures, and shifting environments. At the heart of Manrira is the human voice - alive, breathing, and full of presence. It flows like a living instrument, shaping space and emotion. Manrira explores the voice as resonance, as body, and as spatial event. Manrira moves from dynamic song compositions into extended structures, blending live bass, neo-classical elements, ethereal vocals, drum machines, breaks, and techno-driven textures. The result is an immersive experience that invites the audience to listen closely and reconsider their connection to sound, space, and their surroundings.

Ira James continues to navigate his Vessel Recordings Group label through classy house waters with a new EP from influential Brazilian underground talent Vivi Seixas. She opens up this new package with 'Fica', which is a lithe house groove with rising tones and trippy drones making it primed for the afters when reality is blurred. The drums are quick and the bass is rubbery and trippy Portuguese vocals pan about the mix to disorientate you. Hector Moralez remixes with chunkier drums and then Nonfiction, Vessel Recordings & Jon Lee hook up for a West Coast Connection that has a dubber and more stripped-back feel.

Collecting Orders For 2026 Repress

As Soul Capsule, Baby Ford and Thomas Melchior made some of minimal techno's most accomplished records. It has been many years since they stopped turning out new material - sadly - but their archive tracks are still in hot demand and undeniably relevant. While 1999's 'Lady Science' might be their most famous offering, this EP from 2001 on Aspect Music is no less vital and it will currently cost you well over L250 on second-hand markets. It is Ford's Trelik label who reissues it here in all its glory: the entirety of the a-side is taken up with 'Law Of Grace,' a delightfully deep and breezy minimal dub house roller with pensive chords draped over the frictionless drums. 'Meltdown' has a more experimental feel with brushed metal drums beneath a wordless vocal musing. The cult 'Lady Science' (Tek Mix) is also inched with the whole package being remastered by D&M to make this one utterly essential.

Reissue 2026

The track "I'm So Crazy" by Par-T-One vs. INXS (a remix of INXS's "Just Keep Walking")

is widely praised in dance/electronic circles for successfully fusing classic rock attitude with driving house beats,

retaining the iconic guitar and vocals while adding powerful drums,

making it a timeless and energetic club anthem that captured the spirit of the original for a new generation.

Produced in 2001 by the Italian electronic duo Par-T-One (Sergio Casu aka Sergione and Andrea Pareo),

reviews highlight its infectious energy, inspiring guitars, and effective dancefloor appeal.

The song has been classified as "Punk House" because the video depicts people performing the Pogo move and Michael Hutchence's skinhead-like vocal style.

The song also features samples of Dennis Parker's "Like an Eagle" and "I'm So in Love."

The single reached number 19 in the UK singles chart and the video (directed by Sam Brown and Paul Gore,

who later found success directing videos for James Blunt and The Bravery) won and was nominated for various awards

in the Short Film category and Best Promotional Video.

2026 re-release remastered by Gianni Bini at HOG Studio

The evolution of Andreas Tilliander's moniker TM404 has reached its third stage. The first TM404 album was a heavily self-restricted concept album, live recorded with classic Roland machines. The subsequent album had a more playful vibe, shaped by Tilliander's extensive live touring. This third TM404 album on Kontra-Musik simply tells the story of what he's been up to since. The third part of a musical diary, initiated in 2013. The TM404 venture might have started out as a dreamy acid dub project, more suited for the chill-out than the main floor. But by popular demand Tillander found himself touring big clubs around the globe and the TM404 sound adapted organically. As a result, the album features tracks like Vactro and Rymdeko: fast paced acidic techno tracks in the same vein as classic Plus 8 releases, but with more space echo. Much more. But never fear, fans of the classic warm and bubbling TM404 sound. You'll certainly get yours as well. A substantial portion of this album was recorded in a studio flat in Berlin as part of an artist residency. For obvious reasons, Tilliander could only bring a small portion of his studio gear to this German sanctuary. As a consequence, this album has a more stripped down vibe than its predecessors, which creates more space for Tilliander's glowing melodies. The last track on the album, a loving homage to Kontra-Musik's label boss, is a sublime example. And for the Instagram generation, here's the short version: The album is called Syra. That translates to Acid. You're welcome.

With absolute joy we can announce that one of our favorite dubplates of the last years is finally going to be released. If you heard Lion’s Den play, you heard this one. This is Violinbwoy’s take on a Belarusian traditional song. A beautiful interpretation by Laboratorium Pieśni remixed for sound system play by Violinbwoy in his laboratory.

A tune gathering the ancient spirits - from that time to this time… play it loud and feel the vibrations!

There are records that follow the rules, and others that rewrite them in real time. With O R G A S M A N I A, Byron The Aquarius returns to Skylax with a deeper, freer and more unpredictable statement — where jazz instinct meets raw machine funk, and structure dissolves into pure feeling. Rooted in the lineage of Detroit yet never confined by it, Byron operates in that rare zone where house music becomes expression rather than format. His sound doesn’t chase functionality — it breathes, it stretches, it resists. The EP opens with Back 2 Zion (Tomorrow), a spiritual and meditative journey built on loose drums and luminous chords, carrying a sense of elevation — early morning music where the dancefloor begins to think again. Enter the Co$mos (Fool) pushes further into abstraction, with drifting synths and broken rhythms unfolding in a non-linear structure, navigating between Sun Ra’s cosmic language and Detroit futurism. On the flip, Mr. Captain Crunchhh brings a raw, playful energy — crunchy textures, off-grid swing and an almost improvised groove, alive and unpredictable, a leftfield tool designed to disrupt expectations. Finally, O R G A S M A N I A stands as the centerpiece — hypnotic, sensual and immersive, locking into a deep repetitive groove while evolving in subtle layers, a late-night body experience guided by a sharp musical mind. Across four tracks, Byron The Aquarius confirms his unique position between jazz musician, house producer and sonic storyteller, with a trajectory spanning Sound Signature, Axis, Eglo, Apron and Shall Not Fade, continuing to resonate from Detroit to Berlin and beyond. Artwork by H5 — the iconic studio behind Daft Punk, Air and Vitalic — reinforces Skylax’s timeless and art-driven identity. This is not fast music, this is not algorithm music — this is music for those who still listen. Strictly for the heads. Vinyl only. No repress. Skylax Records.

UnOwn is back with a third outing of magical edits and this time the enigmatic Fava Luva is cooking up the heat. First up is an edit of 'Roze', a disco gem that gets pulled apart and rebuilt in slow, sensuous fashion. The drums are loose, the funk is real and the vocal is full of tease that will warm up any setting in any season. On the flip, 'Fishy' is just as much of an elastic and playful sound, this time with a sleazier vocal and some mad, cosmically inclined synth expressiveness and plenty of Parliament-style vocal oddness. A pure heater from this ever-more-vital label.

Earth Dog Records label heads djfix & Jek present the 12th release on their label, Unknown Species.

The A-side, “Unknown Species,” highlights the duo’s signature bass driven, swampy tech steeze. The original track snaking listeners deep into tech-house hypnosis, with neck-snapping, pitch bent basslines, spiraling vocal chops, and crunchy looping drums.

To beef things up, they’ve asked Koduku for his deep techno take on the title track. He takes the original to a hypnotic sweet spot with time-stretched rippling textures and subtle, hard hitting percussion.

On the flip side, “Datura” and “Earth Dub 2” go full on freak mode. Tunes perfect for the deepest, darkest part of the night, or as the sun starts to break through a smoke-filled dance floor.

Pre-orders available now through One Eyewitness, with digital available via Earth Dog Records Bandcamp.

Credits:
Written by Ethan Donovan & Jack Anderson in Bedstuy, Brooklyn
Mastered by Mike Grinser, Manmade Mastering

For the decennial release on Punctuality Warsaw duo W.A.C., aka Private Press step up with their Forever W.A.C EP. Moving away from their more techno-oriented offerings, Forever W.A.C. keeps the tempo and energy of their earlier work but suffuses the mood with warm, glowing trance and prog energy. This is peak-time Punctuality business in its purest form– on time as ever. “No More No Show” comes in hot from the get-go: galloping snare rolls, raved-up breakbeats, uplifting pads, big basslines, acid licks, and the low-end wubs that have become synonymous with the Punctuality sound. One for that point in the night when the dancefloor has melted into sweaty, eyes-closed, hands-up amorphia.

Barely recognisable to its original counterpart, the Rhyw remix strips the A1 down to the bare essentials. Preserving only a few percussive elements, the euphoria of No More No Show is replaced with hazy, cinematic synth washes that drone around a skeletal groove loaded with bassweight, warping the original into a dubbed out psychedelic UK stepper. Shifting to the morning light, “Only Froggerz” is a shimmering roller that ebbs and flows around barreling kick drums, kaleidoscopic synth lines, and vaporous FX, with lustrous chord work driving the emotion dial to 11. Elegant and restrained but relentlessly pummeling, it’s early-morning club gear at its finest.

Rounding out the EP with an essential slice of modern prog, “Close” utilises all the good bits: skippy basslines, filtered squelches, tribal-leaning percussion, and a relentless groove that builds around the subtle interplay between the stabs and the vocals. An epic closer that feels as true to the Punctuality canon as ever.