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Repress!

Having initially forecast his production energy into his own Tartan imprint, Wallace’s music quickly developed a cultish following among record collectors and influential DJs including Gilles Peterson, Optimo, Hunee and Ryan Elliott. Another supporter has been CWPT’s founder Palms Trax, who, following releases on Studio Barnhus and Rhythm Section, snatches four highly sought-after tracks for the seventh release on the label, each showcasing Wallace’s inimitable and enviable skills as an engineer and a willingness to stoke the sort of organic euphoria that DJs dream of igniting.

Amongst the curios, rarities and other finds that have peppered Palms Trax’s sets this past summer, it’s title track ‘Willow’ that has levitated entire club and festival dance floors like few others. Escalating from a disco percussion loop, ‘Willow’ soon brings on high-energy melodies and a captivating sense of something more ethereal, seemingly reinvigorating old tricks with exciting new flavours: if you only raise your hands to one climactic snare roll this year, we ask you to make it this one.

This refreshing intersection between flourish and function is felt even more heavily on ‘Breathe’, a contemporary electronic battle weapon whose breaks-and-bassline arrangement fluctuates between weightless wonder and heavy business. Frontloaded with the detail and atmosphere of a vintage Chems or Leftfield cut, 'Breathe' exhales then explodes all the skill and reverie of the most memorable 90s techno.

Wallace appears to dip into the chillout room for the swampy rhythm of ‘Masada’, before proving his slow-motion mettle, a Sergeant Peppering of psychedelia creating true hedonistic density and groove. In conclusion and on the contrary, ‘River Dancers’ maintains subtle hypnosis at a similar pace with much less, employing simple timbres and a stuttering, innocent vocal inflection to conjure wide-eyed whimsy far downstream from the EP’s earlier, maximal wonders.

The first in a series of archival releases from Cranes, the band’s John Peel Sessions are collected for the first time.

John Peel Sessions (1989-1990) will be available on black vinyl with a worldwide pressing of 500 copies.

Artwork by feted 4AD/v23 sleeve designer Chris Bigg (Cocteau Twins, Pixies etc)

Formed in mid-1980’s Portsmouth by the brother & sister duo of Jim Shaw (drummer, keyboardist, guitarist, programmer) & Alison Shaw (vocalist, guitarist, bassist), Cranes first appeared in 1986 with Fuse, a self-released & now highly sought-after cassette of demos.

Their debut album Self-Non-Self followed in 1989, catching the attention of legendary DJ John Peel, who invited them to record two sessions for his show in 1989 & 1990, the second seeing Mark Francombe (guitarist, keyboardist, bassist) & Matt Cope (guitarist) join ranks to form the line-up who would go on to record multiple albums for Dedicated including the much-loved album, Forever, which enjoys it’s 30th anniversary this year.

Cranes are releasing John Peel Sessions (1989-1990) on their own Dadaphonic label. The first in a series of archival releases, this compilation features original artwork by fêted 4AD & v23 sleeve designer Chris Bigg (Pixies, Cocteau Twins, The Breeders

Unadorned with any post-production tricks or overdubs, Garcia/Grisman breathes with naturalism and presence. You will effortlessly detect the full body of the instruments, witness the woody grain textures, and get lost in the surprisingly velvety qualities of Garcia's lullaby-like singing. Our pressing also marks the first time this delightfully joyous affair has been issued in analogue form. You will never hear a better-sounding Americana-styled recording.

Pals since the mid-1960s, Garcia and Grisman bonded over their love for traditional folk and bluegrass. The two teamed up amidst what became a gold rush of top-notch productivity and creativity for Garcia. Partnering with bassist Jim Kerwin and percussionist/fiddler Joe Craven, the pair approaches every passage with innate ease, as if either musician could finish the others sentence. The affable chemistry and soothing interplay wash over a selection of songs as notable for their diversity as the way Garcia and "Dawg" turn them into the equivalent of old friends you haven't seen in years.

Exquisite melodies and jewel-shaped notes decorate the simple, convivial structures of tunes that hop, jump, skip, skitter, and bop. The atmosphere is reminiscent of the legendary gypsy-jazz exchanges between Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, and equally sharp. Swirling with Middle Eastern modality, the closing 16-minute-plus rendition of Grisman's rippling "Arabia" – complete with a section based on a Cuban fold theme - is alone enough worth the price of admission to this sensational session. But there's so much more.

The quartet delves into Celtic themes ("Two Soldiers"), jazz-grass ("Grateful Dawg"), old-world ballads ("Russian Lullaby"), and Appalachian flavours ("Walkin' Boss") with nonpareil skill and soulfulness. Garcia and Grisman's tandem picking throughout epitomize sublime. And for many listeners, the duo's revised version of the Grateful Dead staple "Friend of the Devil" ranks as the finest-ever recorded, the pace patient, the narrative vocals heartfelt, and the synchronous solos tailor-made for the enveloping progression. Better yet, it's all captured in astonishing fidelity.

To address the weight of the world without speaking of weariness. To march the song to breathlessness but loosen your grip when the band wanders. To tell all your secrets but shield your loved ones from vulnerability. To dress up in the charm and temptation of the pop song but maintain a core of peculiarity, of a single voice trying to navigate this world. This is the project of the Spatulas. Think of the few songwriters who know they're the only ones in the world who could write their songs. The ones who sing in the confidence that the song couldn't exist without them: Peter Jefferies, Jenny Mae, Ron House, Heather Lewis. Jonathan Richman? Put Miranda Soileau-Pratt and the Spatulas on this list. All eleven songs on `Beehive Mind' share a percussive, unshadowed presence, a steady, clear-voiced clop. Every note on the record is a little bit sad on its own but then they're organized in a way that you don't actually notice. Credit this to the band's skill_Jon Grothman, Lila Jarzombek, Kyle Raquipiso and Miranda Soileau-Pratt all play with no limits and they all play with profound ease. The songs breathe in warmth and patience, they are immediate and sweet. And then they start to meander. The guitar skitters with the deliberate unpredictability of a wild animal. Parts repeat and reset with the obsessiveness of an anxious mind. The lyrics open doors to unexpected scenes of lovers, family, and violence. This is all intentional: "I need to play music and listen to music as a form of therapy," explains Soileau. This means safety, this means encouragement, this means trauma, this means hard questions. Only a band so comfortable at the margins, only a band so capable, only a band so trusting can achieve all this. Miranda Solileau-Pratt wrote the first Spatulas song in 2020, while living in Oregon. Since that time, the band has released two cassettes and toured the United States. Members of the Spatulas have also played in The Blimp, Honey Bucket, Hot Gum, and Meerkaz. The band has shared stages with Helen, Lavender Flu, Debt Rag, Pink Reason, Blues Ambush, and Kath Bloom. `Beehive Mind' is their debut LP.

Eastside Edits strikes again with two DJ friendly versions of 1976 chart toppers! Their 7th release features
two tracks from the talented Greek DJ/Producer/Remixer, DJ S! DJ S returns to the classics with two
70’s dancefloor weapons guaranteed to get the party started!

SIDE A) “Moves At Midnight” takes an all-time Disco favorite and updates it for 2024 with chunkier
drums and a steady, mixable groove. All the feel of the 70’s original without the clumsiness of mixing a
70’s 45. Disco perfection from DJ S!
SIDE B) “Lay Down That Boogie” breathes new life into a 70’s Funk/Rock staple. This funky edit adds a
DJ friendly intro, subtle arrangement changes, and chunkier drums, all without losing that original 70’s
feel. Another very tasteful edit from DJ S!

Longtime enthusiasts of ambient music have much to celebrate as Rafael Anton Irisarri's cherished out-of-print cassette, "Midnight Colours," returns in a meticulously remastered edition and makes its inaugural debut on vinyl. The significance of this album's announcement is accentuated by its historical resonance, coinciding with the same day in 1952 when the world bore witness to the first-ever test of the hydrogen bomb.

"Midnight Colours" is far more than a mere album; it's an exploration of the enigmatic relationship between humanity and time. Conceived as a sonic interpretation of the Doomsday Clock, which symbolizes the world's existential vulnerabilities, Irisarri's work beckons listeners to contemplate the gravity of our existence and the delicate balance that envelops it.

"I wanted to capture the essence of humanity's relationship with time, both the anxiety and the serene beauty that coexists within the shadows of the night," explains Irisarri. "The vinyl format adds a tactile dimension to the experience, inviting listeners to physically engage with the music."

Known for his contributions to the ambient and electronic music genres, Irisarri often explores themes of introspection, nostalgia, and the interplay between sound and emotion.

Recorded in 2017, when the Clock was at 2½ minutes-to-midnight (and at the time, the second-closest to midnight since the Clock's inception in 1947), "Midnight Colours" permeates with the melancholy of memories resurfacing as one approaches the end of life: the regrets, the closure, the uncertainties, the anxieties.

Originally released as a limited tape on the beloved Atlanta-based label Geographic North, "Midnight Colours" swiftly garnered praise and acclaim within the ambient music sphere. Now, with this newly remastered edition on his own Black Knoll imprint, fans, both longstanding and newfound, can rediscover the album's captivating beauty in unprecedented clarity and depth.

"I've wanted to release 'Midnight Colours' on vinyl since it first came out, and I'm thrilled to finally be able to. The remastering process, brilliantly done by Stephan Mathieu, has breathed new life into the work, and I'm eager for listeners to experience it in this format."

The reissue of "Midnight Colours" features band-new artwork and design by the renowned Mexican visual artist Daniel Castrejón. A frequent collaborator and friend of Irisarri, Castrejón's imagery impeccably complements the album's mood and themes, extending a compelling invitation for listeners to explore its aural world visually.

This landmark release serves as a testament not only to Irisarri's enduring impact on the ambient music genre but also as a long-awaited gift to those who have patiently anticipated the album's vinyl debut.

2024 repress

Staying on the Mediterranean coast for their third release, Music From Memory this time shift their attention to the work of Mallorcan musician Joan Bibiloni. TIP!

Primarily a guitarist, Bibiloni was creating music at an early age, releasing his first single at the tender age of 15. In his twenties he formed Spanish progrock outfits Zebra and Euterpe where he would meet Pepe Milan, the two of them becoming the bluesy folk duo 'Milan & Bibiloni'. Bibiloni himself would later go on to play with a number of luminary musicians such as Larry Coryell, Daevid Allen and John Cage to name but a few.

In 1982 Bibiloni set up his own label Blau in order to highlight the muchoverlooked work of musicians not only on his home island of Mallorca but across the Balearic Islands. In doing so he created a platform not only for
local talent but also for his own music to breathe a new life, much influenced by the landscape and life that surrounds the islands.

Whilst Bibiloni's first solo releases on his Blau imprint have stronger echoes of contemporary Jazz fusion of the time, it is on the album known as 'Una Vida Llarga I Tranquila' where Bibiloni really began to experiment with new sounds
and technologies; fusing tape loops, drum computers and synthesizers.

Taking these more electronic infused works as a departure point for the compilation and drawing on material from across his following five albums, 'El Sur' sets out to highlight Joan Bibiloni's unique ambient fusion and sun-drenched Mediterranean beach boogie.

The Stabbing Jabs - vocalist Peter Aaron (Chrome Cranks), guitarists William G. Weber (Chrome Cranks, GG Allin & the Murder Junkies) and Chris Donnelly (Gang Green), drummer Andrew Jody (Barrence Whitfield & the Savages), and bassist Jamie Morrison - breathe fiery life into the type of tough, timeless rock 'n' roll a generation had left for dead. Here it is, ready to make your life a living hell: an arsenal of hard, hammering tunes built on thick, cinder-block guitars. Blood-flecked screams. Dirty, fuzzy low end. Drums that swing as hard as they bash. And RIFFS. Riffs, riffs, and more riffs. Did we mention the riffs?

Genre-defying Dutch death metal legends Pestilence have singled-out and re-recorded twelve emblematic anthems from across their 38-year career into "Levels of Perception". Patrick Mameli - whose signature vocal, guitar and songwriting skills constitute the hallmark of Pestilence - finds "Levels of Perception" to be a testament to the band's role in death metal's progression. Re-recording of the tracks has not only managed to breathe new life into them - half thanks to new line- up, and other half by implementing subtle changes which reflect Mameli's matured vision and refined with years of experience aesthetic - but also sets them apart from cheap, unimaginative compilations, by unifying the album's sound as befits a full-length release. "I've always wanted to do a best-of album, because it would mean that I've achieved something in the past; something that still has its value today," Mameli comments. "To be able to choose from songs that I composed in the distant past, transporting them into the now, with the line-up of the recordings that consisted of Michiel van der Plicht (drums), Rutger van Noordenburg (guitar) and Joost van der Graaf (bass) - I found this to be of great value and sheer awesomeness."

Genre-defying Dutch death metal legends Pestilence have singled-out and re-recorded twelve emblematic anthems from across their 38-year career into "Levels of Perception". Patrick Mameli - whose signature vocal, guitar and songwriting skills constitute the hallmark of Pestilence - finds "Levels of Perception" to be a testament to the band's role in death metal's progression. Re-recording of the tracks has not only managed to breathe new life into them - half thanks to new line- up, and other half by implementing subtle changes which reflect Mameli's matured vision and refined with years of experience aesthetic - but also sets them apart from cheap, unimaginative compilations, by unifying the album's sound as befits a full-length release. "I've always wanted to do a best-of album, because it would mean that I've achieved something in the past; something that still has its value today," Mameli comments. "To be able to choose from songs that I composed in the distant past, transporting them into the now, with the line-up of the recordings that consisted of Michiel van der Plicht (drums), Rutger van Noordenburg (guitar) and Joost van der Graaf (bass) - I found this to be of great value and sheer awesomeness."

Genre-defying Dutch death metal legends Pestilence have singled-out and re-recorded twelve emblematic anthems from across their 38-year career into "Levels of Perception". Patrick Mameli - whose signature vocal, guitar and songwriting skills constitute the hallmark of Pestilence - finds "Levels of Perception" to be a testament to the band's role in death metal's progression. Re-recording of the tracks has not only managed to breathe new life into them - half thanks to new line- up, and other half by implementing subtle changes which reflect Mameli's matured vision and refined with years of experience aesthetic - but also sets them apart from cheap, unimaginative compilations, by unifying the album's sound as befits a full-length release. "I've always wanted to do a best-of album, because it would mean that I've achieved something in the past; something that still has its value today," Mameli comments. "To be able to choose from songs that I composed in the distant past, transporting them into the now, with the line-up of the recordings that consisted of Michiel van der Plicht (drums), Rutger van Noordenburg (guitar) and Joost van der Graaf (bass) - I found this to be of great value and sheer awesomeness."

Genre-defying Dutch death metal legends Pestilence have singled-out and re-recorded twelve emblematic anthems from across their 38-year career into "Levels of Perception". Patrick Mameli - whose signature vocal, guitar and songwriting skills constitute the hallmark of Pestilence - finds "Levels of Perception" to be a testament to the band's role in death metal's progression. Re-recording of the tracks has not only managed to breathe new life into them - half thanks to new line- up, and other half by implementing subtle changes which reflect Mameli's matured vision and refined with years of experience aesthetic - but also sets them apart from cheap, unimaginative compilations, by unifying the album's sound as befits a full-length release. "I've always wanted to do a best-of album, because it would mean that I've achieved something in the past; something that still has its value today," Mameli comments. "To be able to choose from songs that I composed in the distant past, transporting them into the now, with the line-up of the recordings that consisted of Michiel van der Plicht (drums), Rutger van Noordenburg (guitar) and Joost van der Graaf (bass) - I found this to be of great value and sheer awesomeness."

Aural Imbalance has enjoyed a colourful and celebrated journey through music over the years, taking in ambient soundscapes, deep house and of course, a pioneering role in atmospheric drum & bass. With Spatial, he has unearthed a pure, varied musical prowess seldom seen, with the ability to control both the lighter aspects of the mix as well as expert breakbeat craft. Infinity Spectrum showcases the breadth of talent Aural Imbalance possesses in one incredible package, not to be missed.

A1 - Aurealis
Opening the album with a wonderfully serene track, Aural Imbalance delicately rolls out his trademark smooth ambience with building cymbals and an energetic break merging perfectly in the mix - along with a great, pounding undertone of bass. Riddled with old-school sensibilities, Aurealis layers the building blocks until the track opens up further through a superbly lush breakdown, blooming like a flower in the summer sun before the breaks return.

A2 - Glistening Stars
Washing strings and the chitter-chatter of playful effects introduce Glistening Stars, before familiar, crisp old school breaks steal the limelight. A happy earworm melody soon reveals itself, and the breaks are gradually filtered back in following an other amazing breakdown before the melody takes on new life. Packed with detail and soul, this track will repeat on you long after you've moved on.

B1 - Alpha
Curious, apprehensive tones punctuate a fascinating intro, with a deep old school bassline creeping out first to greet us, before the hi-hat laden break loses its inhibitions and roams free.
Crafting a deliciously textured atmosphere, Aural Imbalance continues to showcase the breadth of his production techniques in his Spatial form, flecking the track with sumptuous melodies to create yet another gem.

B2 - Stargazers
This piece opens with a special blend of quiet, epic serenity, evoking hope and wonder as amen cymbal work and a stabbing snare-heavy break pattern rise and fall in the surrounding symphony. The quietly musical bassline plays a key role in the aural world-building here, complementing the breaks it harmonises with superbly. Aural Imbalance allows the composition to breathe and flourish for a superbly executed final act. Delightful.

C1 - Slow Motion
Introduced with quietly filtered breaks, Slow Motion dials back the pace with a break pattern which relaxes the snare while still maintaining a playful energy as the kicks and bass bumble along below. A uniquely atmospheric yet eccentric melody takes shape with dreamy pads filling the backdrop, and calming scatterings of echoing effects colliding and combining to generate a blissful collage of sound.

C2 - Apparition
Switching up the vibe we have Apparition, which boldly utilises long, tranquil yet purposeful pad work before an immense break pattern riddled with stark snares and a jumpy bassline which rides the smothered kickdrums so well, they appear to be fused as one. The breaks on this are truly special and will move the discerning dancefloor for sure, Aural Imbalance continuing to reveal a never-ending depth to his sound.

D1 - Artificial Satellite
Introduced with smooth synths and DJ-friendly hi hats, Artificial Satellite sees Aural Imbalance laying down a fresh showcase of old-school breakbeats, laced with that inimitable Spatial flavour. A swirling low-key sci-fi vibe punctuates the breakdown before the beats re-emerge. A deep, brooding bassline pulses beneath throughout, while the perfectly executed breaks enjoy their final flourish.

D2 - Unknown Forces
Finally, up steps Unknown Forces for a blistering finale to the LP. Aural Imbalance is at his amen-editing best here with a truly superb showcase of analogue break patterns to nourish the ears and set pulses racing on the dancefloor. Deep bass elevates the gentle intro before thumping kicks begin an epic workout, chopped to perfection with synths and strings flying gracefully above. We couldn't have a Spatial LP without an amen banger could we? What a way to end

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial/Red Mist)

Join Us on a Journey Through Hedonistic Disco Escapades With Our 7th Label Release by HOLDTight. For This Release, HOLDTight Delved Deep Into His Vinyl Treasure Trove, Unearthing Disco Funk, Folk, and Soul Gems, Which He Has Breathed New Life into.
On Side A1, We Present "Disco Ladies," a Mellifluous Disco Track Overflowing With Positive Vibes That will Enrapture Your Very Soul. on A2, Prepare for "Everytime," a Slow-Burning Soul Rework Infused With an Irresistible Swing. on Side B1, We Invite You to "Reach Out" to a Disco Funk Sensation Tailor-Made for Dance Floors and Sheer Pleasure. Lastly, on B2, "Cool Lady" Awaits, a Hypnotic Folk Masterpiece destined to Transport You to Uncharted Musical horizons.
This Release, as Always, Is a True Gem for Collectors and Avid Vinyl Enthusiasts. Dig Deep and Embrace the Allure of HOLDTight's Sonic Treasures....

Adiel's "Il Significato Delle Parole Remixes" EP Returns with Captivating Remix Package includes Donato Dozzy & Pinch

In the ever-evolving landscape of electronic music, where sonic landscapes morph and intertwine, Adiel's "Il Significato Delle Parole" EP stands as a testament to the power of artistic collaboration and sonic exploration. Now, this boundary-pushing release returns with a mesmerizing remix package, featuring reinterpretations by acclaimed artists Donato Dozzy, Pinch and Adihell.

Originally conceived as a collaborative effort between Adiel and musician Flavio Accorinti, "Il Significato Delle Parole" delves deep into the intersection of techno and experimental sounds. Its tracks serve as conduits for a journey through fragmented realities, weaving together elements of cyberpunk futurism and introspective dreamscapes.

Leading the remix charge is none other than Donato Dozzy, whose masterful touch breathes new life into the EP's ethereal atmospheres. His reimagining of "Nulla Resta" takes listeners on a hypnotic voyage, layering intricate textures over a pulsating rhythm, while maintaining the track's emotive core.

Joining him is Pinch, a visionary producer known for his genre-defying approach to bass music. His Remix of "Sospesa" injects the track with a sense of urgency, blending dark trip-hop aesthetics with futuristic sound design to create a truly immersive sonic experience.

The EP also includes Adihells' captivating remix of "Nulla Resta," returning after leaving an indelible mark on the original release. This rendition adds another layer of depth and intrigue to the already mesmerizing collection. It's worthnoting that Adihells isn't merely an alias but rather a darker iteration of Adiel, embodying a distinct sonic persona.

Adiel is a visionary artist whose sonic explorations defy conventions and push boundaries. With a keen ear for intricate soundscapes and a fearless approach to experimentation, she continues to captivate audiences worldwide.

With these remixes, Adiel's "Il Significato Delle Parole" EP transcends its original boundaries, inviting listeners to explore new dimensions of sound and emotion. As words continue to shape our understanding of the world, this release serves as a reminder of the transformative power of music to unite and inspire.

Embrace the journey and let the music speak for itself.

The third studio album from Rebecca Downes with 12 new, original blues-influenced, rock tracks all written by Steve Birkett and Rebecca. Album mixed by Bill Drescher and Chris Childs. With exciting new material that continues the evolution of the music towards rock, More Sinner Than Saint is worth the wait. At the outset, Downes consulted with producer Chris Kimsey, who has previously worked with The Rolling Stones, to select and refine the 12 tracks and to achieve what she and co-writer Steve Birkett see as the perfect expression of their current writing. With five of the fabulous tracks having been mixed by Californian based Bill Drescher, whose previous accolades include working with Rick Springfield and The Bangles, Downes showcases her trademark powerful vocals throughout. With the remainder of the tracks being mixed by Thunder’s Chris Childs, the pedigree of this album is faultless. With her superb studio band that includes Dan Clark, Lloyd Daker and Magnum’s Rick Benton, there was no shortage of artists queuing to join her on the odd track or two. The multi award winning Alan Nimmo (King King) plays guitar on If I Go To Sleep and Magnum’s Tony Clarkin delivers a fabulous guitar solo on Breathe Out. With her signature voice, style and song writing, it was little wonder that last year she was voted Female Vocalist of the Year at the FORM UKBlues Awards. The release of this jubilant new album once again gives her the chance to showcase her formidable powerhouse and gutsy vocals in tracks that have greater range and depth than anything she’s done before. Rebecca said: “We were honoured and humbled to receive Chris Kimsey’s guidance. He gave us confidence about the direction of our writing changing to a rockier sound and advice on the way the material should be recorded. Meeting Bill Drescher in LA was fantastic – such a lovely, down-to-earth guy – and his mixing took the five tracks to the next level. Chris Childs has since done an excellent job on the rest in matching Bill’s mixing style. We are very proud of this album – and the way the music has evolved towards rock. More than ever before we believe it captures the best of our song writing.”

Disco Segreta breathes new life into two of the most elusive and coveted italo disco tracks of all time!

Originating from the paradisiac island of Sardinia, Italy, Susy Pintus embarked on her musical journey alongside her brother at Radio Cagliari Centrale, one of Sardinia’s very first “free radios,” which opened its doors in 1977. Her singing career took flight in 1978, and by 1979, she attained national acclaim with her single “C’Est Magnifique,” a disco reinterpretation of the renowned Cole Porter track.

However, Susy’s most sought-after single undoubtedly remains her 1986 italo-disco 45 featuring the tracks “Fragile” and “Live for Your Love”. These compositions, expertly arranged by Italian jazz piano virtuoso Danilo Rea and superstar musician Aldo Tamborrelli, weave a captivating tapestry of sound using instruments like Yamaha DX7 and CP80, Roland Juno 60 and JX 8P, as well as the omnipresent Linn 9000. The result is a distinctive blend of italo-disco, synth-pop, and a touch of the “balearic” vibe.

Originally released in a limited run of 1500 copies on a 45, these tracks have become exceedingly rare over time, finding their way into the wishlists and collections of discerning italo-disco enthusiasts.

Now, Disco Segreta proudly reissues these two exceptional italo disco gems, granting them the expanded 12” treatment they rightfully deserve.

This deluxe edition includes the original tracks, meticulously remastered to meet contemporary standards without destroying the feel of the originals, along with two remixes of “Fragile” and “Live For Your Love” by Italian wonder Cosimo Mandorino aka Cosmo Dance.

There’s a profound tenderness that imbues The Butterfly Myth, the debut album from Toronto artist Caitlin Woelfle-O’Brien. Each of the nine songs, unreserved in their beauty, contain strength and softness in equal measure; a delicate balance that invites the listener to feel themselves held and reflected. Steeped in the lowkey balladry of 90s alt-rock soul searching, propelled by timeless r&b undercurrents and tinged with a few country flourishes, The Butterfly Myth manages to speak of grief in a way that feels warm and nourishing.

"The Butterfly Myth" by Blunt Chunks includes the following tracks: "High Hopes", "Every Day", "Breathe", "Can't Be The End" and more.

How do you follow up a work described in the Independent on Sunday as “the best debut album since Marquee Moon”? That’s the question facing singer-songwriter John Canning Yates, twenty years on from the critically acclaimed ‘The First Album’ by his band Ella Guru.
‘The Quiet Portraits’ will appeal to anyone who loves the beautiful melodic soundscapes woven by Brian Wilson, Burt Bacharach, and Tom Waits, while Yates’s unique vocals evoke the emotional fragility and compelling narrative of Neil Young, Paul Buchanan, Mark Linkous and Elliott Smith.
Mastered by Jason Mitchell (PJ Harvey, Robert Forster), and featuring guest contributions from pedal steel maestro BJ Cole and friend and multi-instrumentalist Andy Frizell (Kevin Ayers, Wizards of Twiddly), those dedicated followers of Ella Guru who stayed the path will find their patience very well rewarded. ‘The Quiet Portraits’ is a remarkable achievement from an unassuming, yet hugely talented artist.

It’s a welcome relief amid the rapidly changing musical landscape to find that all that has changed in John’s world is the number of musicians around him. The beautiful storytelling, the art of finding those magical musical moments that will remain with you for years to come: all of that has survived the passing of time intact.
Happiest with headphones on, working alone in the small hours from his Liverpool home, Yates has created another masterpiece.
He explains: “In the wee small hours, with loved ones safely asleep and the busy day done, there comes a hush. Within it, you can breathe and listen. Listen for the infinite possibilities. From those possibilities emerged these portraits. I have sought to find those precious moments: of love and peace in turbulent times, of truth and hope for calmer days ahead. I hope you find them too.”
Entitled ‘The Quiet Portraits,’ the new solo album from John Canning Yates tells tales of people and places, of time, family, history, belonging, forgetting and remembering.

"Baby Chaos are a Scottish rock band from Glasgow. Kerrang! magazine featured the band as one of their ""Klass of '94"" feature, comparing them to Therapy? and the Smashing Pumpkins. Their debut album Safe Sex Designer Drugs & The Death Of Rock 'N Roll is one of the prime examples of mid-nineties Brit rock. Heavy riffing, pop sensibilities and all-out punk attitude. Safe Sex Designer Drugs & The Death Of Rock 'N Roll is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on red coloured vinyl. "

Safe Sex Designer Drugs & The Death Of Rock 'N Roll by Baby Chaos, released 12 April 2024, includes the following tracks: "Go To Hell ", "Hello Victim ", "A Bullet For The End", "Golden Tooth " and more.

This version of Safe Sex Designer Drugs & The Death Of Rock 'N Roll comes as a 1xLP.

The vinyl is pressed as a red disc.

Discovered while working as a publishing assistant at Mute Records, Pallot signed to Polydor Records and released her first album in 2001. The release of her critically acclaimed second album 'Fires' in 2006 drew comparisons with Joni Mitchell, Fiona Apple and Tori Amos, and spawned hit singles 'Everybody's Gone To War' and 'Sophia', plus Brit Award and Ivor Novello nominations. 'Fires' has been newly remastered by Phil Kinrade at AIR Mastering and is accompanied by a second CD featuring a selection of B- sides (including 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' as featured onBBC/RTE's 'Normal People'), rarities, and eight previously unreleased tracks. Nerina Pallot will be performing the 'Fires' album in full during a headline performance at The London Palladium on 13th April 2024.

"Fires" by Nerina Pallot includes the following tracks: "Damascus", "Learning", "Mr King", "Sophia" and more.

Raphael Schön might still be best known for his Fiesta 2000 hit, but that ought to be changed with Heart Times. Hailing from Augsburg in Germany, RS represents a young generation of producers that draw their own deductions from golden days (insert your favorite era here) of dance music. Respectful and without handling it with kid gloves, he manages to inject fun, freshness and a fertile imagination into these sometimes dusty topics.

Conceived during a very emotional turbulent time for Schön, it is a showcase of his whole spectrum as a producer. Imagine a singer-songwriter coming back from his first rave. So, on this six-track EP for Running Back, his sound ranges from classic house (Baerhit) to crooner prog (Sometimes I Miss You), with mellow trance (Distant City Tranceport) and jiggy hits (Do You Like That) in-between. A dance hall unifying and colorful bouquet of flowers that does not shy away from vocals, emotional undertones and most of all bass and hook lines to die for. Schön means beautiful in German and that’s what this mean record is. Do you like it like that?

Utilising a mammoth bank of saxophone samples, Shmuel Hatchwellpresents his new alias hoyah with an engrossing album captured in tape and digital form on Bruk.

The process leading to Set + Setting started out with a need for limitations to provide some focus for long-serving sound engineer and producer Hatchwell. He set out the following guidelines to accompany the overarching idea of 'set + setting':

No 'beats'
Saxophones are the voice
Stay away from the computer for as long as possible

Hatchwell took a deep dive in search of every saxophone sample he could find, threw them all into his MPC and then proceeded to weave together a variety of pieces. The focus on a particular instrument brings cohesion to the album, but equally the limited sound inspired freedom to experiment with other techniques and tools. At times one or two sax voices sound naked and undisturbed, while elsewhere you might only hear jagged shards or distant ghosts as they pass through aggravated processing.

Beyond the sound itself, the name hoyah was born with the flippancy of the 21st Century and ratified by ancient tradition. After the music had been made, After the music had been made, Hatchwell plucked the name out of thin air as a play on the TikTok meme 'can I get a hoya,' and subsequently discovered on a dive into his Jewish heritage that in old Hebrew hoyah means, 'to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.' This distinction between Jewish concepts and modern political conflations is important to Hatchwell, who finds himself consistently having to separate Judaism from the situation in the Middle East and its ongoing genocide.

Subtly calling to mind the understated cosiness of real-life sax players like Sam Gendel as well as the fragmented sample manipulation of Matmos and Tim Hecker's approach to processed noise, hoyah's debut album absolutely manifests an idea and musical practice as something new and intentional

New York City"s Jennifer Vanilla, aka Jennifer Vanilla and Brian Abelson, offered a portal into a colourful world of innovative electronic sound with their 2022 debut album "Castle In The Sky", traversing new wave, post-punk, art pop, and experimental R&B. Now Love Injection, the multi-faceted brainchild of Barbie Bertisch and Paul Raffaele comprising a print magazine, radio show, record label, and production duo breathe new life into one of the album"s standout tracks "Jennifer Pastoral" on home turf, in the form of a 12" single alongside two ethereal mixes featuring maestros Dave Darlington on mixing duties and Francois Kevorkian as mastering engineer.

decade-plus together, the four-piece - Julia Shapiro (guitar, vocals), Lydia Lund (guitar, vocals), Gretchen Grimm (drums, vocals), and Annie Truscott (bass, vocals) - have created a resonant body of work. Live Laugh Love is a natural continuation. Against the bizarre backdrop of the past few years, Chastity Belt remained a supportive space for the members to grow and experiment, drawing on the ingredients most essential to their process since the beginning: authenticity and levity. Recorded over three sessions in as many years (January 2020, November 2021 and 2022), the focus became more about enjoying their time together in the studio than making it feel like work. Their ease and familiarity with engineer Samur Khouja in LA, who also recorded their last album, made for a particularly enjoyable process. Once completed, they returned to renowned engineer Heba Kadry who mastered the album. Album opener "Hollow" sets the tone with a gently driving rhythm while guitar layers stream like sun rays through an open car window. A warmth radiates through Shapiro's voice, even while grappling with feeling lost and stuck. "The older I get," Shapiro says of the lyrics, "the more I realize that I might just always feel this way, and it's more about sitting with the feeling and accepting it, rather than trying to fight it." That wisdom seems to anchor Live Laugh Love . Chastity Belt has never shied from navigating the spectrum of difficult emotions, and an existential thread weaves throughout the subject matter. And yet the songs feel more grounded than ever; there's a sense of quiet confidence and self-assurance that comes with being less numb and more present. Facing discomfort takes more fortitude, after all. Live Laugh Love finds the members in their prime as musicians. Their parts trace intricate patterns over one another, but there's room to breathe between the layers. Everyone contributes to the writing, sometimes switching instruments, and for the first time, all four members sing a song. It's never been more apparent that they are creative siblings, cut from the same belt. "We've been playing music with each other for over a decade," says Shapiro, "so it really does feel like we're all fluent in the same language, and a lot of it just happens naturally." "Laugh" seeks in the balm of friendship, aware of the anticipatory nostalgia that hits during a good time that you're already missing before it's gone; the heavier guitar tones on "Chemtrails" streak ominous chord progressions over Grimm's precision timekeeping, lamenting memories that won't fade easily. During a transitional time, Truscott came across a note in their phone that read, "it's not hard all day, just sometimes," which inspired a poignant line in the chorus of "Kool-Aid," their first song as lead vocalist on a Chastity Belt recording. Another standout, "1-90 Bridge" shines with a silvery melody that soars as Lund belts one of the most resounding moments on the album: "Tell your girlfriend she's got nothing to fear/I'm set in my head/My body's a different story." The track "Blue" saunters nonchalantly with a wink; you can almost hear Shapiro's smile as she sings "Faking it big time/So I can hit my stride/Man, it feels good to be alive," channeling early Chastity Belt channeling early '90s before channeling the late Elliott Smith in a spiral of distortion and insight: "Don't get upset about it/It's gonna pass/Tell all your friends about it/They're gonna laugh." "We have such a strong sense of each other's musical inclinations" says Lund. "I think this allows for a lot of playfulness...we can kinda surprise each other, like a good punchline would."

“This record breathes a second life into these songs,” says Alejandro Escovedo of Echo Dancing, the Americana pioneer’s new album where he reconceptualizes the songs of his storied career. The variety of songs range from his short-lived rock quartet Buick MacKane, rarities from his ‘80s alt-country outfit The True Believers, to the celebrated songs of his solo discography from his debut album all the way to his most recent sprawling masterpiece, The Crossing. Highlights include a reimagined trip-hop-funk hybrid of Escovedo’s “Castanets” (retitled here as “Castañuelas''), a blistering version of “Bury Me” that finds that songwriter now older than the characters he was singing about, as well as songs co-written with trailblazers such as Chuck Prophet, Peter Buck, Scott McCaughey and J. Steven Soles. At age 73, Escovedo continues to reshape his ever-changing sound and experiment with the boundaries of Americana music. The 2xLP vinyl edition of Echo Dancing is pressed on gold vinyl and arrives in a gatefold jacket.

Echo Dancing by Alejandro Escovedo, released 29 March 2024, includes the following tracks: "Bury Me", "Too Many Tears", "Outside Your Door", "Thought I’d Let You Know" and more.

This version of Echo Dancing comes as a 1xCD.

Loup Vert is the first jazz album of French pianist Julien Grassen Barbe, joined for the occasion by double bassist Sébastien Bacquias and drummer Fabien Duscombs. Conceived and composed in the Pyrenees mountains, recorded around Paris, it is an album of twelve tracks that came as a response to the proposal of Julien Galner (producer, founder of HIDD label). Loup Vert is the name of a fetish, a creature that breathes inspiration. Informed by many influences, from Frédéric Chopin to Morton Feldman, from Erik Satie to Herbie Hancock, through Keith Jarrett, Madlib and Naftule Brandwein, Julien Grassen Barbe's music opens a space dedicated to improvisation, melody, and the exploration of textures. Trained in classical music, graduate of the conservatory of the Hautes-Pyrénées region, where he is originally from, Julien Grassen Barbe is a songwriter and a musician, but also an ethnomusicologist, specialist in Jewish music, and a published author. A trip to New-York, land of Thelonious Monk, had a deep impact on him. He used it as a time for jam sessions, lessons with some of his favorite musicians, Aaron Parks, Aaron Goldberg, Barry Harris. Between 2014 and 2016, he explored pop, invited by Chateau-Marmont and Exotica to collaborate on two records as a keyboardist. It is on this occasion that he got closer to Julien Galner, producer, founder of the HIDD record label who asked him to record a jazz record. They entered the studio to record Loup Vert, a project that is a cross between impressionism, cinema, be-bop, mathematics and improvised music. Most of the pieces were written by Julien Grassen Barbe, mixing acoustic and electric/electronic worlds.

Individualität lebt von Unvorhersehbarkeit. Anstatt einem ausgetretenen Pfad zu folgen, bahnt sich Royal Tusk ihren eigenen Weg. Das Trio aus der
kanadischen Provinz Alberta verbindet hypnotische Hooks mit harten Riffs, die von unnachgiebigen Rhythmen und unbestreitbar ehrlichen Texten
begleitet werden. In einem Moment servieren sie ein erdbebenartiges Sperrfeuer aus Verzerrungen, nur um im nächsten Atemzug einen kühnen,
stadiongroßen Singalong zu entfachen.
Nach mehreren Millionen Streams und Lob von Billboard, Loudwire, CoS, Brave Words und vielen anderen, werden sie sich auf ihrem kommenden
dritten Album "Altruistic" noch einmal steigern.

Stop. Breathe. Reload. And dive into "El Paso, Elsewhere: The Album". Black Screen Records, Lost In Cult Records and Strange Scaffold are teaming up to bring the original songs of RJ Lake and LAKE SAVAGE to life on glorious vinyl. "El Paso, Elsewhere: The Album" takes aim at the key songs that punctuate the game's dark and introspective journey through haunted hallways - with heavy doses of hip-hop, electronica and Trace-Wave coalescing into a pellucid vision of influences and a deeply entrenched sense of identity, akin to the works of seminal hip-hop artists such as Kendrick Lamar and Open Mike Eagle. All tied together within the beautiful gold foil cover artwork by Bri Neumann. RJ Lake shared some of their thoughts going into the creation of this album: "Months before the first thing I ever started working on with Nelson Dog Airport Game (that's not the actual title, but it might as well be) even came out, he asked me if I knew anyone who could make a horror game. I knew a guy. A few months in, we did a touch-base about the music and mutually agreed that none of it at that point was totally working. It was good (look, I'm not going to put myself down here; even back in 2020, it kicked ass) but it wasn't RIGHT. He gave me a bunch of reference materials and kept pointing to them and saying: 'Okay, but these? These are RIGHT. These have the juice we want.' The thing every single song he showed me had in common, was that every one of them had vocals. After some back and forth, we both agreed: 'El Paso, Elsewhere' had to be a rap record as much as it had to be a game. So, three and a half years later, here we are. This is probably the most lavishly mixed thing I've ever made, full of weird, intricate beats, layered vocals from both myself and Nelson, lyrics that go everywhere from bleak to so-party-that-you'll-die to totally ridiculous, loads and loads of genre switch-ups, and absolutely zero subtlety. For 'El Paso, Elsewhere', I made a full score, but that's not what this is. This vinyl is a fucking album and it's sequenced like one. Play it loud!" Alongside the LP, explore what happens after the events of "El Paso, Elsewhere" within the diaries of James Savage - an exclusive in-world archive of the thoughts and feelings directly from the heart and soul of our protagonist within the liner notes. As well as a 5-page excerpt from the "El Paso, Elsewhere" original script and never before seen concept art by Demente Animation Studio.

Die «Amapiano-Prinzessin» Tyla stellt ihr gleichnamiges Debütalbum "TYLA" vor. Das Phänomen Tyla mit ihrer vibrierenden Persönlichkeit bietet eine einzigartige Musik mit R&B- und Afropop-Einflüssen. Die junge Künstlerin treibt den Amapiano-Stil international voran und bestätigt ihren Starstatus, indem sie mit ihrem Hit "Water" den Grammy für die beste afrikanische Musikdarbietung 2024 gewinnt.

As the beats echo through time, Isolate proudly marks its fifth anniversary with a resounding celebration of creativity. Five years of great music, unforgettable events, and unwavering support from our dedicated community have brought us to this momentous occasion.
With gratitude for the boundless talents of our artists, the steadfast support from our community, and the dedication of our team, Isolate reflects on this joyful journey. Building on the anticipation we shared earlier this year, we are excited to unveil the grand finale—a remix compilation that breathes new life into some of our most cherished tracks.
This compilation isn't just a retrospective; it's a heartfelt exploration of Isolate's history. From melodic transformations to rhythmic reinterpretations, this remix compilation stands as a tribute to the nuanced fusion of emotions and relationships intricately woven into the fabric of our musical community.
Isolate's fifth anniversary transcends being a mere marker of our past; it stands as a promise for the future. It's a strong affirmation of our dedicated commitment to supporting emerging talent, offering a platform for them to share their distinctive musical stories. In this celebration, we see not just where we've been, but where we're heading—a future that echoes with the distinct voices of those yet to be discovered.
Stay curious, join the rhythm, and come celebrate with us

Hot wiring dancefloors with their immersive orchestration of uplifting sonic waves, Soft Crash sets out to soundtrack the unified, euphoric heartbeat of the crowds they foster with their mechanical yet fantastical, Italo Body Music. Presenting their highly anticipated EP ‘NRG’, the Berlin-based collaborative project of Berghain resident and BITE label head Hayden Payne (aka Phase Fatale) and French prolific producer Pablo Bozzi works to forge Soft Crash’s unique vocabulary of post-humanist production with the harmonic grandeur of their rhythmic, machine-made anthems.

Fresh off the back of their 2022 debut album ‘Your Last Everything’, Soft Crash present their latest 4 track EP ‘NRG’, chronicling their synonymous surrealist visuals infused with the contagious punch of Italo and Synth-wave. Geared towards the dancefloor from a fresh perspective, Bozzi and Payne pull from their respective wheelhouses to curate a sound additionally influenced by Wave-Pop, Acid House and Post-Punk sensibilities.

Procuring their cerebral yet zealous indentation of dance music, the EP features sanguine vocals from Kyiv-based singer and musician Ready in LED on the first single ‘Free Yourself’. She comments about the track “I became captivated instantly with the idea of the track that Hayden and Pablo sent me. At that moment, I was a bit tired of carefree disco and wanted to reveal my dark side in music. The demo sounded very daring. This track demands attention to itself from the first seconds. My sources of inspiration were glam rock and grunge. I had a blast in the studio, and I hope the people on the dance floors will feel that energy too.”

While full throttle vitality and booming grooves on the title track ‘NRG’ showcase Soft Crash’s take on 90’s sample-filled techno. Closing the extended play with an updated cut of the bewitching ‘Your Last Everything’, featuring Canadian musician and producer Marie Davidson, Soft Crash breathe a new life into the namesake track from their preceding album, concluding with an additional remix of the track by cult favourite producer Alen Skanner. The intrinsic dance floor vigour emulated in NRG further fleshes-out the pair’s recognisable DNA of nurturing a revitalised techno sound, cementing them as pioneers of the Italo Body genre.

Written and produced by Hayden Payne & Pablo Bozzi
Mastered by Conor Dalton at Glowcast Mastering

The debut album by musician and producer GO.SOUL.MAP. is a little gem in which pop and soul intersect and the clichés between
mainstream and underground leap. A sexy and pensive nocturnal journey, immersed in thirteen songs between soft bass and space disco trips, with the voice of Londonbased Derane Obika of Living Sounds.
The selection of songs in this album were made with the hope to bring the listener to deep thought, the lyrics and melodies seamlessly
married to tracks that drive the listener's emotions.
Produced, written and performed by Derane and Salvo, they came together by chance and were inspired to make the album making
sure to balance the sound between the Lyrics, Melody and Music to insure that not only the songs are heard but the experience
remembered and both spirit and soul are touched.
The album is truly "Music From The Heart"
Behind the alias GO.SOUL.MAP. hides one of the most authentic and purest talents of the current Catania music scene. Of which,
moreover, under other guises and names, he has been an indispensable pillar for over a decade. An artist of immediate sensitivity, not only artistic. His training is fairly canonical: as a child, he studied piano. From there, as if following the movements of concentric circles, the passion for synths, drum machines, the world of samples and the recording studio. Above all, an uncommon ability to breathe in music. Accepted and found without prejudice, but always with the need to reveal a distinctive track, a signature. Touring between bars, streets, concerts and clubbing. An experience very consistent with the subject matter of this disc. Which is, in fact, the debut of a nonrookie. An ambitious record, because it possesses a sound that is as sexy as it is thoughtful and a writing style, exemplary, that lies on that borderline that, in the stereotype, defines underground and mainstream. Fields that instead it crosses naturally and between which it moves without any particular problems. After all, the music comes not from the malice of the intellect but from the nuances, tender or vehement, of naivety.
Peaceful Sound For Broken Minds is a pop record, pop soul, of modern urban pop. Yes, labels, even in the sense of tags, are definitely that. Of course, it is the way in which ideas are rendered that makes the difference. The record is about the need to find one's peace, but it is the fall that it shows and not the landing. With honesty and, above all, style. That is, mastery of means and an important file work with which to decline that therapeutic soul pain in which his songs are immersed.
We wait for hours more, the initial Fall Into The Flame and I Am Believe seem to tell us from there we move on. Hold The Line is where trip hop forgets itself, immersing itself, to the point of blurring, with the retro atmospheres of someone like Curtis Harding. Pushing has a space disco cadence that, more pronounced, we also find in the lunar expedition sound of Watergate. The exotic visions of Back In Underwater, between the stardust of Air and the innocence of Plone, become more jazzy in Cat With Camera. Just as in the urban streaks of Don't You Worry, which in upbeat mode would sound like a great reggae song, or Are U Ready, or in the disco funk of Right Of Me, the soulful accent of Derane Obika of Living Sounds emerges, a Londoner of Nigerian origin who grew up listening to gospel, Prince and Stevie Wonder, whose voice guides us through the songs of Peacefull Sound For Broken Minds. Which is a new point for that work of redefining the standards of pop today that Space Echo is doing. Throwing the clock overboard, because the time it wants to capture is nothing more than the movement of its hands.

Focus On Nature ist das neue Studioalbum des gefeierten Post-Psych/Independent Singer-Songwriters Nick Saloman und seiner Band The Bevis Frond. Fünfundsiebzig Minuten herrlicher Melodien, die sich zwischen 60er-Jahre-Psych, englischem Folk, den Seattle Art-Punks The Wipers, dem Buzzsaw-Pop von Dinosaur Jr. und Hendrix-esken Erkundungen bewegen. Ihre Musik hat immer etwas spielerisch Englisches an sich. Die Kult-Ikonen, die sicherlich The Lemonheads, Teenage Fanclub, Elliot Smith, Pavement und Dinosaur Jr. beeinflussten, haben eine weitere schräge Mischung aus melodischer, klaviergeführter Melancholie, akustischen Grübeleien, kratzigem Garagen-Rock mit punkigem Einschlag und voller Gitarren-Histrionik produziert. Wie der viel gelobte und äußerst erfolgreiche Vorgänger "Little Eden" befasst sich die neue Platte mit dem Überdruss der Welt, füllt aber eine größere Leinwand aus: Fast Food und globale Erwärmung, gebrochene Herzen und lange Nächte, alltägliche Unsterblichkeit und Gottes Geschenk - all das findet seinen Platz. Es ist wie Townshend in seiner thematischsten Phase; Big Star in all ihrer akustischen Pracht, perfekt ausbalanciert mit der punkigen Garage-Rock-Combo, die auf "Empty" mit Gilmour-Breaks endet, die das Ganze zur Größe erheben. "Sie mischen immer noch Pop, Punk und Psych mit schwindelerregender Wirkung. The Guardian "Selbstreflexion gepaart mit einer reumütigen Bestandsaufnahme des aktuellen Zustands der Nation." Uncut zu Little Eden - Erhältlich auf Ltd Double Purple Vinyl, DL-Karte und/oder als CD im Digisleeve -

Best known for his work for legendary Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (he even designed the enigmatic “bang” in 2021’s labyrinthine ‘Memoria’), Japan’s Koichi Shimizu has been honing a unique musical language since the early ‘90s, where some of his earliest material can be found on a split LP with Yoshiteru Himuro via once-iconic imprint Worm Interface (itself home to music from Autechre side-line Gescom). ‘Imprint’, was initially released quietly back in 2021 and has been remastered for this new edition, removing one track and bumping it up with four more, making it all available on vinyl for the first time.

The album offers a perfect overview of Shimizu’s broad palette, ranging from fine-wrought keys to electronic brutalism and guttural rhythmic pulses, plotted with an underlying narrative cadence that evinces his ability to heighten the impact of moving image, whilst also colouring the imagination with ephemeral sound imagery. His tekkerz are in bracing, anticipatory effect on a retooled, expanded version of his music from ‘Memoria’ within the convulsive, swarming silhouette of ‘Imprint’, and ‘The Path’ finds his aural accompaniment to ‘Uncle Boonmee...’ given room to breathe and develop into an unexpected, OOBE-like experience. In ‘Moth’ he magnifies and anthropomorphises a winged insect with finely chiselled technical nous, and his exquisite arrangement to ‘Faded Sign’ is somehow comparable to the ephemeral emotional register of cinematic collaborations between Ryuichi Sakamoto and Carsten Nicolai.

Record label boss, producer / DJ, and revered collector Marc Davis returns to his Chi-Talo series with the much-anticipated second volume. A concept of a split EP, taking one ultra-rare Chicago gem and the other a scarce Italian disco record and re-interpreting them for the modern dancefloor aesthetic.

With the first volume, released on Marc’s own Black Pegasus label, now trading hands for considerable amounts of money, round two sees him impart another double dose of digging sorcery for this Mr Bongo 12”.

Marc began his illustrious career in the Windy City in the ‘80s and was one of the first out of Chicago to be recognised for his eclectic approach to DJing. Presenting a global sound palette that took in choice cuts from Brazil, Africa, jazz fusion, house, soul and disco, whilst mixing it together Chicago style. Decades of knowledge and experience that is now distilled down into the Chi-Talo series.

The Italo selection came via a tip from Marc's Swedish friend, Julian Wareing. Hearing the track led Marc down the rabbit hole to secure a copy of this Italo-Disco, album cut oddity by the New Sound Quartet from 1979. The original of 'Bass Construction', measures in at four and a half minutes and is already a feverish funk groover. But Marc saw an opportunity to extend and re-edit the track, keeping in the vein of the original but giving it space to breathe. Tweaking out every last ounce of goodness, Marc locks you into a hypnotic groove for maximum dancefloor deliverance.

The Chicago side is as rare, as the rarest of hens-teeth, only ever existing as a one-off acetate by the band The Saucer Planes. One of the members of the group was the sadly passed-away older brother of Marc’s DJ mentor, Jahmal Anderson. From the very first listen, Marc knew he’d been hooked up with an undiscovered boogie gem. A long-lost track that the world needed to hear. But the project has remained dormant until now, not least due to the fact that the original recording of this low-fi vocal boogie groove is housed on an ever-deteriorating solo acetate. Rescued, restored and given a brand-new lease of life, Marc has turned the track into a low-slung, psychedelic instrumental boogie bounce. Raw, rough and mesmerising, it’s a refreshed relic that is a testament to Chicago’s club sound and swagger.

Whichever side you draw for, this is guaranteed to move bodies as much as it wins over hearts.

The second album by F.K. Raeithel, just after the operetta DIE WURLITZERORGEL DES GEISTES, explores the realms of interlocked rhythm sample and hold music. On 16 tracks different setups of self generating modular synthesizer patches are gathered on this release.

The concept of Dance With Uncertainty is deeply rooted in philosophical, artistic, and cultural traditions. The notion of embracing uncertainty and change has been explored in various forms throughout history, often symbolizing the human experience and the impermanence of life. In the context of music and sound, Dance With Uncertainty could be seen as a reflection of the constant ebb and flow of life‘s uncertainties, captured and conveyed through sonic textures and evolving compositions.

Interlocked Rhythm Sample & Hold Music, this approach to sound creation weaves a mesmerizing tapestry of rhythm, texture, and sonic exploration, captivating listeners and defying traditional musical boundaries. At its core, Interlocked Rhythm Sample & Hold Music is a synthesis of technology, creativity, and a deep understanding of rhythmic intricacies. The foundation lies in the Sample & Hold circuit, a device that captures and freezes incoming voltages, creating distinct musical snapshots that evolve over time or an Linear Feedback Shift Register (eg. Rungler), a circuit used in electronic music synthesis and sound manipulation to create unique and evolving musical textures. The Rungler was created by Rob Hordijk. A more sophisticated use of a 8 bit shift register and by combining this with a typical sequencer design is the Klee Sequencer developed by Scott Stites. A cheap version of this design is the Turing Machine. Another tool is the Analog Shift Register. In the context of creating arabesque melodies, an analog shift register (invented by Fukushi Kawakami and later adapted by Serge Tcherepnin) can be a fascinating tool to generate intricate and ornamented musical patterns. Yet, it‘s the interlocking of these snapshots that sets this genre apart, infusing the compositions with an intricate dance of patterns and pulses. A fourth device is a pendulum or random addressed sequencer, that in the first case moves in a drunken unpredictable manner. Each of these devices for uncertainty becomes a rhythmic sculptor, freezing the dynamic interplay of melodies, beats, and textures. These frozen moments are then interwoven, each snapshot forming a unique thread in a sound tableau that stretches and contracts, pulses and breathes. The result is an auditory experience that challenges preconceptions of rhythm and structure. The interlocked rhythms give rise to complex grooves that ebb and flow in unpredictable ways, evoking a sense of perpetual motion and transformation. The music becomes a living organism, its heartbeats synchronized yet untamed, its evolution both deliberate and free-spirited. The juxtaposition of staccato bursts and fluid flows, of machine-like precision and organic unpredictability. As listeners delve into the world of Interlocked Rhythmic Sample & Hold Music, they embark on a sonic odyssey. The music becomes a companion, guiding them through a labyrinth of rhythmic landscapes that simultaneously challenge and invite them to the dance with uncertainty.

orange marbled vinyl

A1 - The Construct
Opening the EP in style with a slew of darkly FX, The Construct sets a suspenseful tone before a thorough atmospheric amen on slaught takes center stage - solid, weighted breaks are chopped and edited to the standards fans have come to expect from ASC with a morose, anxious energy to the vocal samples and synthy backdrops punctuating the track in style. A banger for the club as well as the phones.
A2 - Tidal Lock
Distinctive thumping quadruple kicks thunder like a furious heartbeat as Tidal Lock mixes up the vibe and experiments with off-key tones and delivers a neurotic energy to the breaks. Rapid hats and snares accelerate the mix with deep undertone sub bass, as ASC crafts a cacophony of detail and delirium to a track that somehow fuses both calm and a tenacious ferocity in one. Unique, stylish and a joy to listen to.
AA1 - Centurion
A DJ-friendly intro opens Centurion with initially simple breaks which are soon joined with detail and a forceful finesse. Curious, inquisitive FX and melodies bristle melancholically as a stunning deep bassline seizes the attention and the atmosphere elevates. Familiar classic atmospheric signatures add to the complexity later in the track, with all layers continuing to breathe throughout.
AA2 - Nexus
ASC concludes the EP with a deep, rapid fire workout in Nexus -a track which quickly exudes a moody, tense vibe driven by a nervous vigor - inviting you to explore its immersive tapestry of quality modern atmospheric breaks. Persistent hi-hats and snares dominate the mix with vocal samples and otherworldly
effects, and parallel high horn notes complement the composition perfectly.