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Ken Jacobs, an essential figure of avant-garde cinema, developed the »Nervous Magic Lantern« in the 1960s — a self-made apparatus containing a spinning shutter, a light source, and lenses set in a wooden frame. Hand-painted circular slides, gently moved by hand, produce flickering imagery: geometric patterns, Rorschach-like inkblots, and three-dimensional forms that seem to float beyond the screen. These hallucinatory visions challenge perception and suggest what Jacobs once called »a whole new play of appearances«.

Unlike Jacobs’ politically charged works, the »Nervous Magic Lantern« is patently abstract, examining how the brain regulates perception. For these performances, Jacobs requested »sounds of daily life« — environmental recordings that anchor the phantasmagoria in reality. Field tapes of Chinatown streets, conversations, and other uncategorisable sounds became the material for Aki Onda’s sonic compositions, adding narrative resonance to the abstract visuals and creating an almost documentary dimension.

This album documents a performance of »Nervous Magic Lantern« at Spiral Hall, organised by Sound Live Tokyo on November 3, 2015. Jacobs’ selection and sequencing of slides offered improvisatory space, mirrored by Onda’s flexible arrangement of cassette recordings. The result is a work where life and art dissolve into one another — a soundtrack for life in the depth of illusion.

Music by Aki Onda Cassette field recordings by Ken Jacobs

Let’s Start Again – A Collaboration between Mikekon & BTA (Byron The Aquarius), connected whilst Byron was touring Australia in 2023. Mike threw an intimate afterparty for Byron after his Nature’s Calling festival tour and got talking about Music, DJing and Life.
They threw some beats around to feel out and Byron began laying some lush keys, and within hours the magic was made. The project was left to cool off a little while and the two picked it up and polished it (Hence the title “Lets Start Again” before setting the date for a mid 2025 release via Mother Tongue distribution.

WIP Music is proud to have this as their first vinyl release under the label, further emphasising its desire to share timeless electronic music.

I Against I by Bad Brains, released 9 August 2024.

Editions Mego presents Bosko, landing exactly 30 years after the initial General Magic flights into the fantastic; the legendary first Mego release, a collaboration with Pita whereby all sounds were harnessed from the buzzing, drinking, humming sounds of fridges MEGO 001 General Magic & Pita and a 12” with Elin called Die Mondlandung (The Moon Landing) MEGO 002 which embarked on a minimal techno template so austere and strange it was one of the historic progenitors of austere and wonky rhythms alongside Sakho and other European explorers.

The initial return of the playful and mystical Austrian outfit General Magic came with the 20th year anniversary vinyl reissue of their classic debut Frantz eMEGO 010. A record so audacious and playful it still baffles as much as it entertains. At some point whilst working on this reissue GM’s Ramon Bauer and Andi Pieper were spurred on to rummage around with ideas and tools once more and after more than two decades of inactivity sonic sorcery was conjured once again. Live shows in honour of Peter Rehberg were performed in Vienna and London. Softbop, a limited risograph collaboration with Tina Frank came with the first new recordings as a digital download came out discreetly online. The first full length album following Rechenkönig in 2000 MEGO 032 “Nein Aber Ja” released in 2023 on Finlay Shakespeare’s GOTO Records on CD and cassette. An ongoing series of mix tapes online further highlights their interests encapsulating a new found angle on electronic mayhem. All of these elements retain the wildly eclectic and ecstatic glow that only they can harness and hand out to an unprepared world.

Now, we have General Magic’s second official full length comeback recording, Bosko. The new album is initially notable prior to the needle hitting the wax or the cursor identifying a track due to the artwork. Made by long term collaborator Tina Frank, this is Frank’s first analogue artwork, with a painting of a happy/nervous machine thing hovering in a landscape of no discernible identity. It’s quasi science fiction hovering amongst the potential for fun. Suited to the music? Natürlich.

Bosko sees Bauer and Pieper update and reframe their original investigations with a fresh supply of head scratching, heart racing tunes that hit the inexplicable with a wild mesh of drums, pianos, synthetic voices and all manner of immaterial sonic play. Startling sonics shock the ears on Club Duchamp which sounds like a conversation between synthetic adult ants in an environment still in development. Elfer features vocals supplied by a female-ish voice who, whilst grappling melody, has trouble executing a firm identity. Noorenhalt catapults along a mainframe of syncopation so unwieldy it feels like the voice, which is utterly alien, provides the only comfort. Seite 5 inhabits a fuzzy zone where a synthetic Horn of Jericho type ambience competes with rhythms never quite sure of who they are. Rise of the Ombré raises the spectral dread. Is this Science Fact? Absolutely nothing within Bosko is predictable.

The amount of change in the miasma of existence and the things we touch in order to make things has shifted so exponentially we are at the point where minds are starting to glaze over. All of this makes the return of the always original, always surprising, always fresh and exciting General Magic totally in tune with the artificial intelligent apocalyptic age we currently inhabit. The tools may have changed but the wonderfully warped gaze of Bosko offers a fresh new vision of perplexing funk and robotic punk.

"Back in print with a brand new 2024 cut by Carl Saff at Saff Mastering, pressed on striking Transparent GOLD colored vinyl and topped off with a collectible “Footlong” OBI. NPR calls “Angherr Shisspa” a “vital reissue of a punk-prog opus”.

Japan's Koenjihyakkei blend progressive rock, jazz fusion, symphonic rock and neoclassicism with the energy of hardcore punk, the volume of metal and the attitude of rock in opposition.

Tatsuya Yoshida’s (of the renowned bass and drum duo RUINS), progressive rock powerhouse is Area and ELP at their most excessive; Deus Ex Machina with tempo changes multiplied by 100; and Magma at their orff-ian choral, fusion jazz, overcharged gospel peak.

“Angherr Shisspa”, the band’s landmark fourth album explodes with glittery keyboard lines, speedy bass/drum workouts, emotive reed respites, and operatic female vocals that take the listener from sheer exuberance to absolute apocalypse... all performed with superhuman technique in confoundingly catchy, complex arrangements.

“...towers over most modern progressive rock because of an attention to detail and an almost overwhelming force of conviction. No irony here: this rocks with the teeth and heart to cut through scenes and the ""overground"" like a knife."" - PITCHFORK"

Influenced by the vibrant Caribbean community and the reggae sounds that permeated his environment, Danny Red was drawn to music at a young age. His journey began in the 1980s, but it was in the early 1990s that Danny Red truly started to make his mark in the reggae scene. Rise to prominence was marked by his unique voice and his commitment to the Rastafari movement, which heavily influenced his music. In the 1990s, as dancehall began to dominate the reggae scene, Danny Red stayed true to his roots reggae origins, focusing on socially conscious themes and spiritual messages.

Known for his powerful vocal delivery and a profound lyrical approach, Danny Red’s music often explores themes of cultural identity, social justice, and spiritual awareness. Here teamed up with south Italian collective Mystical Powa to bring lyrically rich and musically vibrant single. Exploring Rasta believe in holy place called Mount Zion that awaits for each good person. Backed with highly popular anthem horn piece entitled Kunta Kinte played by Eddie T-Bone. Both tunes comes with tuff dub versions ready to mash up all dances worldwide.

Marja Ahti is a Swedish artist living in Turku, Finland. She works with found sounds, objects and electronics, creating auditory assemblages that reveal a profound sensitivity to sound’s tactile potential. This new record sees her palette expand to include more recognisable acoustic instrumentation, albeit working in collaboration with musicians who are already reconfiguring how those instruments can sound.

Touch This Fragrant Surface of Earth has its roots in a tape piece presented at Lampo in Chicago. Ahti then started working with Isak Hedtjärn (clarinet), Ryan Packard (percussion) and My Hellgren (cello) at the electronic music studios (EMS) in Stockholm. Incorporating recordings from those sessions, Ahti presented a new iteration of the work at the Seventh Edition Festival for Other Music in February 2024 with the trio performing live on stage whilst Ahti helmed the mixing desk, spatialising a specially made tape part through the INA GRM’s Acousmonium speaker orchestra. The piece has since gone through several further iterations before arriving at the version we have here on the LP's B-side where immense bass pressure and high frequency tones buffer restless amplified breath and scrape that folds over itself with extraordinary dynamics and subterranean activity before giving way to gorgeous resonant forms and passages of ritual purpose and sheer, unmistakeable beauty.

The A-side is Touch This Fragrant Surface of Earth’s gentle double. Still Life with Poppies, Mirror and Two Clouds offers a companion reconfiguration of Ahti’s resynthesised percussion sustain and the same recordings of Hedtjärn and Hellgren from EMS, but here they’re nestled in a sonic landscape of calm and restraint that gives them a wholly other character. Ahti also draws on older recordings she’d made of Sholto Dobie’s diy pipe organs and uses these to create repeating patterns and flourishes of sliding pitches that emerge unexpected out of cycling passages of Ahti’s clear struck metal, destabilising electronic interventions and minimal piano figures.

Marja Ahti: “I’ve been fascinated with the kind of elemental quality the sounds I'm using have such as airy sounds or earthy, wooden sounds. These qualities can also be found in wind instruments and percussion and the musicians I worked with on Touch This Fragrant Surface of Earth are really good at enhancing these qualities in their playing. I wanted to have this connection between found sounds, field recordings, or pre-recorded sounds, objects, and material, and see where these sounds might meet each other, and hopefully blend is a natural way without a divide between instrumental music, or acoustic music, or electronic music. But also, when you bring in people they come with their personalities and their ideas which is also energizing and brings surprising things into the collaboration that I couldn't come up with myself. I was really interested in making this a proper collaboration and not just coming up with the piece and giving it to them. We had the sessions at EMS where we could share ideas and Isak, Ryan and My could bring in their own ideas. Making recordings there gave me time to process these ideas and to also approach them in the same way that I would work with any other sound.”

Lemon Yellow Vinyl. Eine der umfangreichsten Instrumental-Hip-Hop-Reihen aller Zeiten, MF DOOMs gefeierte Special Herbs"-Serie versammelt eine riesige Sammlung seiner Beats, von exklusiven Tracks bis hin zu leicht überarbeiteten Favoriten, die er für sich selbst und andere produziert hat. Unter dem Pseudonym Metal Fingers veröffentlicht, gelingt es Special Herbs", DOOMs äußerst einflussreichen Sound einzufangen, der immer wieder die Regeln des Spiels zugunsten des Super-Bösewichts bricht und neu interpretiert. Super-Villain. Die Welt ist eine Fundgrube für Sounds, und der Metal-Fingered DOOM kennt keine Grenzen: 70er-Jahre- Soul-/Funk-Klassiker, 80er-Jahre-R&B-Hits, Rap-Nostalgie und sogar Soundbites aus Kinderplatten und dem Fernsehen finden ihren Platz in den Zutaten, die er für seine perfekten Rezepte benötigt.

Re-issue of the long out of print Virtual Geisha album by Japanese Telecom (aka Dopplereffekt / Der Zyklus) first released in 2001. A further exploration of the culture and technologies from the land of the rising sun by Heinrich Mueller on the successor to the Japanese Telecom EP. This time the inspiration is more adult and Manga orientated and even goes a little more 'poppy' with Y.M.O insprired tracks. On Virtual Geisha there's also a first glimpse of the directions he'd take his other projects in the future on tracks like 'Enter Mrs. Suzuki' and 'Japanese Matrix'. While still keeping true to his Detroit Hi-Tech Machine Funk roots with Electro anthems like 'The Making Of Ultraman' and 'Beta Capsule'. Remastered and re-issued for the first time since its original release. Essential!!!

Following the success of last year’s Dance State EP, Berlin-based artist Revivis returns to his Santo Tomas label with Energy Ghosts—a tightly focused four-tracker built for peak-time dancefloors.

Leaning into stripped-back, percussive grooves, the EP takes cues from early 2000s and 2010s tech house, filtered through Revivis’s crisp, contemporary production style.

The release features three original tracks alongside a remix from in-demand Berlin- based DJ and producer Running Hot.

Sleeve photography by Stephanie Elizabeth Third.

Spectrum marks Shook's bold evolution expanding his analog synth-funk roots into lush, cinematic territory. This 2014 release includes the breakout track Milestones, which reached global audiences through its feature in Better Call Saul. Rich in dreamy keys, retro-futuristic grooves, and emotional depth, Spectrum solidified Shook's voice as a one-man orchestra of vintage soul and electronic storytelling. A fan favorite, now ready for rediscovery on limited 180 gram vinyl.

Am 28. Februar 2025 machen Stereolab sieben Studioalben erneut als 2LP-Formate erhältlich. Diese verwenden dieselben Remaster wie die erweiterten Vinylausgaben von 2019, die von Bo Kondren bei Calyx Mastering von den Original-1/2-Zoll-Bändern unter der Aufsicht von Tim Gane (Stereolab) geschnitten wurden, jedoch ohne das Bonusmaterial der 3LP-Versionen (die inzwischen eingestellt wurden). Die Idee dahinter besteht darin, Fans und Läden kostengünstigere Formate dieser begehrten Alben zur Verfügung zu stellen. Jede Platte wird im 5 mm dicken Cover mit bedruckten Innenhüllen und einer schützenden PVC-Aussentasche geliefert.

Die Alben:
1. Transient Random-Noise Bursts With Announcements (1993)
2. Mars Audiac Quintet (1994)
3. Emperor Tomato Ketchup (1996)
4. Dots And Loops (1997)
5. Cobra And Phases Group Play Voltage In The Milky Night (1999)
6. Sound-Dust (2001)
7. Margerine Eclipse (2004)

"Reflection Code" is an EP that delves into the multifaceted aspects of human reflection through a collection of immersive musical compositions, each inviting the listener on a unique sonic journey.

The Practice of Desire — A deep techno track featuring enveloping pads and modulating metallic cosmic sounds, reminiscent of heavy matter from outer space. Accompanied by a lecture from Gangaji, this track adds an extra layer of depth and meaning to the musical experience.

Port Del Compte — Inspired by memories of Spain's stunning landscapes and a performance at the Parallel festival, this track transports the listener to picturesque settings, filling their heart with joy and harmony.

Bad Trigger — This track offers a profound reflection on life events, utilizing an expressive electronic soundscape with a compelling bass line at 144 bpm. It creates an atmosphere conducive to introspection and self-discovery.

Green Frequency — A shamanic sequence infused with forest vibes and the calls of an electronic bird. This composition immerses the listener in nature, evoking a sense of unity with the surrounding environment and the inner self.

"Reflection Code" invites listeners to explore their inner reflections and connect with each composition on a profound level, creating a unique auditory landscape that lingers long after the music ends.

Toki Fuko music can be described as mechanical signals are structured in a hypnotic substance. Their constant musical experimentation actor perceives as an analysis of the surrounding world.

Introducing Hussain Bokhari and his debut album “Possessions” on Mood Hut Records. Hussain has been a close friend of the label for years and we’ve been quietly obsessing over his bedroom transmissions forever. With “Possessions”, we get a glimpse into the endless archives of a Vancouver underground legend.

Born in Bangkok but calling Vancouver home, Bokhari creates intuitively and freely, and you can hear it in the way "Pull Me Up" rolls out its plush carpet bedroom boogie, or how "Bangkok Boy"'s Thai vocals carry childhood memories across oceans and decades, while "Whatever Counts" sounds like Durutti Column moved from Whitworth Street to Cordova.

This is music for the spaces between - between cities, between eras, between yourself and the person you were, all held together by a minimalist studio setup and maximum heart approach that makes "Possessions" feel like an invitation into Bokhari'sparticular way of seeing.

Crafted for the depths of the club, the album pulses with raw analog energy - warm, gritty, and immersive. Each track is designed to resonate through concrete walls, blurring time and space, guiding listeners through dark corners and waves of bass.
But Lost Echoes goes beyond the dancefloor. It's a journey into the invisible - a sonic excavation of forgotten memories and buried emotions. Some echoes are loud and shaping, others faint whispers lost in the flow of time. This album revives them, layer by layer, melody by melody.
A deeply personal and physical experience, Lost Echoes invites you to dive into sound, movement, and memory - to lose yourself and perhaps find something long forgotten.

‘Two taches intertwine. An EP born out of Demi’s visit to Melbourne during his AU tour, and Luke’s easily accessible studio based above an inviting pub, naturally the vibes were high after a couple of schooners in the summer sun.’
Life & Death welcomes a standout collaboration from Demi Riquísimo and Luke Alessi with the release of their new EP ‘Yes Bby’ landing 29 August 2025. Setting themselves the brief of, “upbeat rollers and a little bit of naughtiness,” the two producers blend their sonic identities on this club-ready two tracker, formed of ‘Basement Trash’ and title track ‘Yes Bby’.
“Basement Trash was actually the first track we wrote. A funky, fun, hypnotic groover thatlocks you in on the d floor, made for those late nights (or early mornings) in the “basement” of a grungy club. For ‘Yes Bby’ we wanted something that worked on a bigger scale. We dialled up the French rave synths, bigger builds, more drive in the groove and added a cheeky classic vocal chop for the hook.”
– Demi Riquísimo & Luke Alessi

Known for his genre-blending productions and distinctive edits, Semi Delicious head honcho Demi has steadily carved out his space in the scene, a respected tastemaker and Ibiza mainstay, while Luke Alessi has continued to establish a global profile over the last 12 months with major European and US gigs, plus releases on Shall Not Fade, SMiiLE records and of course Life & Death, making this pairing a natural fit.
Already receiving support from the likes of Chloé Caillet, Call Super, Moxie and more, ‘Yes Bby’ marks an exciting moment in both artists’ trajectories. For Demi, this EP also serves as the first in a new chapter, one that places him at the centre of a more collaborative space, setting the tone for landmark projects to follow on his own imprint later this year.
As one of dance music’s most respected tastemakers, Life & Death continues to shape the global underground through its diverse output, with ‘Yes Bby’ slotting seamlessly into the label’s catalogue of playful, sexy and forward-thinking club music.

Wishbone Ash reigned supreme through the 1970s — centered on inspired musicianship, joyful spirit and inventive songs. Their concerts were uplifting and their recorded work sublime. Argus remains a stunning high point in the band's startling repertoire. Argus was a 1972 tour de force, a hard-rocking masterpiece that has gone on to have a huge impact on rock bands moving forward. If you've never heard Argus, you've surely heard music that it inspired.

The British quartet's trademark harmony guitars became a touchstone for many: Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, Opeth, and Lynyrd Skynyrd have all acknowledged an Ash influence, and tracks such as Lizzy's "The Boys Are Back in Town," Maiden's "The Trooper," and even Steely Dan's "Reeling in the Years" all have twin-guitar moments that hark back to Argus. But Wishbone Ash were different from the start. They were never strictly a hard rock band; their soaring vocal harmonies and musical grandeur placed them close to progressive rock.

But they weren't strictly prog either: They had no keyboards, no real classical influence and weren't into side-long suites. Their roots were in the blues, and their calling card was twin lead guitars in harmony (played in the original lineup by Ted Turner and Andy Powell). Even the hardest Ash rockers — like "Blowin' Free," the most famous track from Argus — had an ethereal touch. They could rock the big stages, but they did it with subtlety and grace. This is reflected perfectly in the classic album sleeve by prog-associated designers Hipgnosis: The front cover shows a Greek sentry — the "argus" of the title — staring off into the distance. It's a mythic, old-world kind of image until you look closely at the back cover, and see that he's heralding the arrival (or perhaps watching the departure) of a spaceship.

Two worlds colliding. Exactly what the band and album were all about. By the time of Argus, Wishbone Ash were stars in England and cult heroes among Anglophiles in the US. What made Argus a step forward was its flow of moods. The songs don't run together, but there's an emotional connecting thread from the album's somber beginning to its heroic end. The band insisted at the time that lyrics were something of an afterthought: Shortly after its release, main lyricist Martin Turner told NME that he wrote them mainly to fit the mood of the music: "The music that was coming out was very English, very medieval, and the lyrics had to reflect that." Added Powell at the time, "The expression comes out in the guitars. We wouldn't play it if it didn't express something." Now, Analogue Productions has applied all of its vaunted craft and technical expertise to make this epic album shine! Two 45 RPM LPs pressed on virtually silent 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings make the remastered audio sparkle. Quieter lyrical sentiments and softer musical passages are rendered precisely, while majestic riffs and fist-waving anthems fully reveal the energy of the music! Argus isn't just another rock record — it's a journey through a sonic landscape rich with depth, emotion and technical prowess. It's the album that solidified Wishbone Ash as masters of twin guitar harmony. Discerning audiophiles will find Argus an essential addition to their record collection. It's a masterclass in sound engineering that fully captures the intricate interplay of dual guitars with pristine clarity and a warmth that only analog recordings can provide.

The rediscovery of Terry Callier is of the high points of in the history of Acid Jazz Records, who present the reissue of the 7” version of the song that started it all - ‘I Don’t Want To See Myself (Without You)’. A true classic of the modern soul scene.

‘I Don’t Want To See Myself…’ was the final release from Callier, whose career encompassed recording for Prestige, Chess’s Cadet label and Elektra, before this one- off single on the independent Erect label.

Despite the record fetching huge sums by the 1990s, his career had been largely unexplored, until Acid Jazz founder Eddie Piller decided to track him down. After several attempts, Eddie finally found him working as a computer programmer, and in July 1990 Acid Jazz reissued the single.

Over the next decade Terry resumed his recording and performing career, releasing new music, and was finally recognised for his brilliance as an artist. In 2006 Eddie found himself once more in conversation with Terry and they agreed on releasing a 7-inch version of the single, with an edit created by Andy Lewis.

This single is long since deleted, and now sells for upwards of £30, so with the full co-operation of his daughter Sundiata and licensed from Terry Callier Music, it is set for reissue in March 2025, backed with ‘If I Could Make You’.

"Wao" ist das spontane und traumhafte neue Album von Joseph Shabason, Nicholas Krgovich und dem legendären japanischen Duo Tenniscoats. Aufgenommen an zwei ungeplanten Tagen in der Künstlerunterkunft Guggenheim House in Kobe am Meer, fängt "Wao" die Magie der reinen Improvisation, die Freude an einer sofortigen Verbindung und die stille Poesie des Alltags ein. Das Projekt begann im Frühjahr 2024, als Shabason und Krgovich zu ihrer ersten Tournee als Duo nach Japan reisten. Labelchef Koji Saito organisierte nicht nur ihre Termine, sondern auch für Tenniscoats - Saya und Takashi Ueno -, die sowohl als Vorgruppe als auch als Backing Band fungierten. Nach nur zwei Proben stimmte die musikalische Chemie auf der Bühne sofort, und ihre Auftritte wurden von Abend zu Abend flüssiger und spielerischer. In Erwartung ihrer Synergie buchte Saito während einer kurzen Tourneepause Zeit für Aufnahmen im Guggenheim House. Die Sessions waren völlig unstrukturiert: keine Songs, keine Pläne - nur Instrumente, ein paar Mikrofone und der Schwung eines gemeinsamen Gefühls. Was dabei herauskam, ist eine Sammlung von Songs, die sich in Echtzeit entwickelt haben. Am ersten Tag schrieb Nick im Garten eine Melodie, inspiriert von japanischen Bezeichnungen für verschiedene Wolkentypen, während die anderen unwissentlich eine vergessene Tenniscoats-Melodie wiederbelebten. Stücke wie ,A Fish Called Wanda" und ,Departed Bird" entstanden in solchen Momenten, geprägt von Intuition und sanften Einwürfen alltäglicher Wunder. Zuggeräusche von den nahegelegenen Gleisen driften in die Aufnahmen hinein und wieder heraus und fügen dem luftigen, intimen Sound Textur und Lokalität hinzu. Musikalisch schwebt Wao zwischen dem zarten, experimentellen Folk-Pop von Tenniscoats und der charakteristischen Wärme und melodischen Klarheit von Shabason und Krgovich. Es gibt ein sanftes Gefühl der Überraschung, das sich durch das Album zieht - Ideen, die von Hand zu Hand gereicht werden, Gesang, der wie ein Geschenk dargeboten wird, jeder Track kommt ohne Gewalt an. Die Reihenfolge des Albums folgt der Reihenfolge, in der die Songs entstanden sind, um die Frische und den Fluss der Erfahrung zu bewahren. "Wao" ist eine Hommage an die Leichtigkeit, das Vertrauen und die Freude, gemeinsam etwas Ephemeres zu schaffen, und ist weniger ein ausgefeiltes Statement als ein wunderschöner gemeinsamer Moment. Wie Saya nach einer Aufnahme flüsterte: "Oh_ wao". Diese stille Ehrfurcht sagt alles.

LA-based composer/arranger E. Lundquist (aka Eric Borders) returns with ‘Art Between Minds’. Having cut his teeth in the LA hip-hop and beats scene and explored realms of cosmic-funk under previous monikers, E. Lundquist’s music displays a rich tapestry of influences including the cinematic & experimental jazz-infused library music that influenced his previous LP ‘Multiple Images’. Now he is back with another ample helping of his hallucinogenic sonics, utilizing a bevy of vintage gear to replicate that warm glow of ’70s jazz-funk. From the Fender Rhodes MKI to the ARP Odyssey, to the Mellotron, the keys and synths he employs on these tracks display a genuine appreciation for the groove-driven music of The ‘Me” Decade.

The album plays like the score to a cult classic B-movie. The sun-drenched haze of “Soliloquy” could easily be what you hear during the calm before the storm in a Blaxploitation flick and the laidback crawl of “Euphoria” seems ripped right out of a fuzzy ‘70s blue movie. But there is a certain sophistication here, like the way the horn section, slinky guitar, and trippy synths combine on “Escape” to sound like liquid one moment and like a summer breeze the next.

While E. Lundquist’s artistry will eventually take him to new plateaus of sound, where he is right now is undoubtedly a high watermark in his career. He has become a torchbearer for jazz-funk in a new jazz revolution, updating the sub-genre with his delicate balance of digital and analog elements that will easily appeal to fans of Kamaal Williams, Surprise Chef, BADBADNOTGOOD, Khurangbin, Robohands and similar.

Die internationale Rocksensation The Hives, die beste Liveband der Welt und immer noch eure neue Lieblingsband, hat wieder einmal, schneller als erwartet, ein neues Werk geschaffen, wie man es noch nie gehört hat und wahrscheinlich auch nie wieder hören wird. Ihr siebtes Album 'The Hives Forever Forever The Hives' erscheint am 29. August auf dem ehrwürdigen Label Play It Again Sam. Ein neues Album voller Energie, Freude, Wut und Leben! Jeder einzelne Song eine Single, jede einzelne Single ein Hit, jeder Hit ein Volltreffer mitten ins Gesicht. Diese neue Meisterwerk entstand unter der Leitung des langjährigen Kollaborateurs Pelle Gunnerfeldt in Stockholm. Mike D von den legendären Beastie Boys ist als Gast vertreten und auch Josh Homme (Queens Of The Stone Age) stand mit Rat und Tat zur Seite.

The Hives, bestehend aus Howlin’ Pelle, Chris Dangerous, The Johan And Only, Nicholaus Arson und Vigilante Carlstroem, haben sich in über dreißig Jahren in die Annalen der Rockgeschichte eingeschrieben. Dank ihrer Erfolge füllten sie große Stadien und teilten die Bühne mit so monumentalen Acts wie AC/DC und den Rolling Stones. Die BBC bezeichnete sie als „Naturgewalt“, und der Rolling Stone kürte ihr Album 'Veni Vidi Vicious' zu einem der 100 besten Alben des Jahrzehnts. Mit Millionen verkaufter Alben, Platin-Auszeichnungen und zahlreichen Preisen - Grammys, MTV Awards, NME Awards - gelten sie als Titanen der Musikwelt. Oder wie Joe Strummer es gesagt hat: The Hives haben den Rock ’n’ Roll gerettet!

The mighty Ron Sexsmith, will release his wonderful new album Hangover Terrace. Ron is one of Canada"s most accomplished singer-songwriters. He has collaborated with Daniel Lanois, Mitchell Froom, Ane Brun, Tchad Blake, and Bob Rock. His songwriting appears on albums from Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Feist. Film-maker Doug Arrowsmith made an acclaimed documentary about Ron in 2010 called "Love Shines". In 2017 Ron published his first book, a fairy tale entitled "Deer Life".

Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy presents ‘Balearic Breakfast’ Volume 4
Heavenly Recordings, limited edition 9 track double 12” vinyl

Released 29th August 2025
“There are curators, and then there's Colleen 'Cosmo' Murphy.” Resident Advisor

The sun has finally come out. It’s the first time something like this has happened for months and months; the first glow of an approaching summer, whatever date the calendar is currently saying it is. The whole thing acts as a curative meditation, miraculously wiping away all the greyness of the past few months. Right now, optimism abounds, outlooks change and your daily soundtrack has shifted from spiky and uptight into a kind of cosmic space where songs ebb and flow and drift on like rivers run on forever towards the glimmering sea. Bliss, right?

If you’re reading this, we’re assuming that you’re the kind of person who views summer as a state of mind rather than a good looking day on the BBC Weather app. With that in mind, we reckon you already know all about Heavenly Recordings’ series of untouchable, utterly essential Balearic Breakfast compilations, each one lovingly compiled by visionary DJ, producer and broadcaster Colleen ‘Cosmo’ Murphy - the genius club legend whose radio show of the same name (broadcast 10am to high noon every Tuesday via Mixcloud) began as an escape route from the pandemic before rapidly building a global community of dedicated Balearican listeners.

Each Balearic Breakfast album has provided a spiritual getaway from the greyness of the everyday through a handpicked selection of glorious, psychedelically coloured, expansive music. It doesn’t matter where on the planet the music hails from, or when it was made, it just matters that it fits like a jigsaw piece into the musical whole. Be it off world jazz music or vocoder led robo-disco music; whether decades old or pressed to vinyl for the first time, everything on these flawless Balearic Breakfast collections just needs to flow together and bring the listener into the sunshine, whatever time of year they’re listening.

Due for release this August, the fourth Balearic Breakfast compilation sees Cosmo take this head trip further than ever before. From the opening track’s swoop and glide that nods to Vangelis’ Blade Runner soundtrack before gliding into it’s own expansive voyage to the stars (Kandeen Love Song) to Cosmo’s own glorious Parisienne stroll through Saint Etienne’s recent Alone Together to Ilya Santana’s Spanish space disco anthem Cosmovision - a track that rolls through like a turbo powered Supernature - and the phenomenal 2015 disco version of Gloria Ann Taylor’s early ’70s classic Love Is A Hurtin’ Thing, this Balearic Breakfast offers the perfect soundtrack to the summer, whether it’s actually happening outside or just taking place in your head. After all, they don’t call breakfast the most important meal of the day for nothing.

Released in September 1974, the album is regarded as one of the band’s finest and featured a new line-up of the band which saw the departure of Robert Calvert and Dik Mik, but the arrival of keyboard player and violinist Simon House.Featuring such classic tracks as 'The Psychedelic Warlords’, 'Wind of Change’, 'D-Rider’, 'You’d Better Believe It’, 'Lost Johnny’ and 'Paradox’, the album was formed of studio recordings and over-dubbed live recordings made at concerts at Edmonton Sundown in London in January 1974. 'Hall of the Mountain Grill’ was another UK Top Twenty hit for the band.This new edition has been newly remastered from the original master tapes and cut at Abbey Road studios and fully restores the original LP artwork. It also features a bonus 12-inch 45 rpm EP featuring four tracks issued as singles in 1974.

The definitive best of collection from “the only band that matters”, Hits Back was originally released in September 2013 and sequenced to replicate the set played by the band at the Brixton Fair Deal (now the Academy) on 10 July 1982, with the addition of some essential numbers that were not included in the set that night.

'it’s his loosest, dreamiest dispatch yet, an enveloping and atmospheric collection that constantly comes together and breaks apart.'

Maxo releases his new album Mars Is Electric. Earlier this week, Maxo released a third haunting video, directed by Vincent Haycock, from the visual world of ‘Mars’ for the title track. Maxo previewed the album with the release of singles “Human?” and “Donahoo’s Chicken” this spring, which arrived with equally raw, inventive, and unnerving music videos.

Mars Is Electric is Maxo’s first official release since he dropped two critically acclaimed albums in 2023 with Even God Has A Sense of Humor and Debbie’s Son. His fifth full-length album finds the Southern Californian artist self-aware and mature. Having lived the last decade of his musical life intentionally creating specific bodies of work rooted in imagery, observation, and capturing moments, Maxo spent this previous year freely creating without a specific plan, relieved from all obligations and restrictions.

“This is the first time that I really didn’t care, I didn’t approach things so seriously,” the artist shrugs off, meaning that without expectations or specific goals, his creativity flourished. This opening finds the artist having conversations he’s been avoiding, having lived silently in the pain of those topics for the past few years. Exploring uncomfortable themes about personal life, relationships, and family fractures, life before and after the loss of innocence, and an abundance of existential spirals.

The exploration was not only thematic but also musical in nature. During the creation process, Maxo was immersed in a wide array of music from past to present - France Joli, $amaad, Steve Spacek, Cherelle, DJ Quik, Lisha G - influences that seeped their way into these songs. The album opens in a loose, dreamlike state—experimental and searching, mirroring the emotional fog of someone looking for something real to hold onto. But as it progresses, so does Maxo’s energy as he fiercely rides and weaves on songs with a contagious confidence, producing some of his most kinetic and lyrically impressive music to date.

As the work and vision coalesced into a body of work, Maxo found that he was unlocking a creative language with his collaborators that felt wholly new - a new understanding of why and how he was making art for this world. What emerged from this year-long process was a new musical journey and a future where Maxo refuses to be another bad example of what could be, refusing to mind the blueprint set down. Maxo is the sole voice on the album featuring production by lastnamedavid, Quelle Chris, Baird, Groove, and more.

Listen to Mars Is Electric above, see full album details below, and stay tuned for more from Maxo very soon.

Released in 1972, Blue Öyster Cult’s eponymous debut failed to garner initial interest from the music-loving public upon release, but is now considered a must-have classic. The exceptional psychedelic hard rock album with stunning cover art, features songs such as "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll", "Stairway to the Stars", and "Then Came the Last Days of May", all of which the band still plays regularly during its concerts. The band toured with artists such as The Byrds, Alice Cooper and the Mahavishnu Orchestra to support the album, which received a positive reaction from critics. The Village Voice called it "the tightest and most musical hard rock record since - dare I say it - Who's Next".

After a two-year hiatus from recording, the OC based band reconvened in 2023, returning to where it all started: drummer Lucas Ovalle"s garage. It was in this familiar environment that Ovalle, guitarist lead singer Josiah, guitarist Corbin Jacques,and bassist Seth Thomson learned how to be friends again and shared all the anxieties and revelations they"d endured on hiatus through crafting songs. The 13 songs that make up Big Smile are the band"s emotional champions that track the tumultuous period between the start of their break and the peace they found on their way back to each other. In the studio with fellow California legends Rob Schnapf (The Vines, Beck) and Matt Schuessler (Kurt Vile, Cat Power), GREER grew up again, taking more ownership over their sound and learning to speak producer-ese. Big Smile is the sound of a band exorcising their demons, learning to trust themselves, and asserting themselves with newfound earnestness and maturity. It"s the sound of a band that"s fallen in love with rocking out again. It"s the sound of friends rediscovering each other and the magic that they can create together when they embrace each other"s vulnerable side. With Big Smile, GREER has arrived as a serious, and seriously fun, alt rock band with diversity of sound and unity of vision.

"Ben Harper has unveiled his new album Winter Is For Lovers, and in many ways his entire musical life has culminated in this moment. The solo recording, which features just Harper and his Monteleone lap steel guitar, is a 15-song work of original instrumental compositions imagined as a symphony. Harper has pushed musical boundaries since his 1994 debut and his lap steel guitar has played a tremendous role in his distinct sound throughout his career. But he"s never made an album that so purely distills his reverence for the instrument, and his mastery of it. Meditative and affecting, the music featured on Winter Is For Lovers is deeply ingrained in Harper"s DNA and leads directly back to The Folk Music Store, the influential California instrument shop his grandparents opened in the 1950s. The store hosted luminaries of all stripes, including Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, the Rev. Gary Davis, Doc Watson and John Fahey. While Harper worked in the shop throughout his childhood, he met and even strung guitars for iconic players like Ry Cooder, Leonard Cohen, Taj Mahal, David Lindley and Jackson Browne.

Legendary postmodern, post punk, post human, past caring collective Mekons return with a brand-new album for 2025. Their first release on Fire Records, ‘Horror’ a collection of songs written in late 2022 but providing a horribly prescient reflection of the world in its current miasma and how we got here. ‘Horror’ looks at history and the legacies of British imperialism with mashed up lyrics set against a typically eclectic sound that amalgamates everything from dub, country, noise, rock & roll, electronica, punk, music hall, polka and you can even take your partner for a nice waltz on ‘Sad And Sad And Sad’. The roots of their global sound reflect their nomadic journey through time and space from Leeds to California in the West and Siberia in the East and is woven into the fabric and intricacies of their song creation… Sounding like The Chills and R.E.M circa the I.R.S Records years, ‘Mudcrawlers’ sees just about the whole band joining Jon Langford on vocals speaking of Irish famine and refugees journeying to Wales. ‘War Economy’ shivers in the cold of such Boroughs spiked one-liners: “Clinical coercion will not achieve dominance!” Sounding like its straight off a Jenny Holzer neon sign (she of Abuse Of Power Comes As No Surprise), it’s held together by a disgruntled swaggering riff that underpins an explosion of disquiet. Meanwhile, Rico takes the lead on the maliciously luscious ‘Fallen Leaves’ an appalled and appalling Hammer Horror take on climate breakdown reminiscent of Rolling Thunder Dylan, that recalls The Pogues at their most introspective, its Celtic twilightism augmented by Susie Honeyman’s keening violin as the dying sun sinks down and the river Styx flows on in the pitch black night. Almost 50 years in the making, these Mekons continue to astound, their sound, sentiment and method of delivery blended to perfection by bass player and studio wizard, Dave Trumfio. The Mekons are Jon Langford, Sally Timms, Tom Greenhalgh, Dave Trumfio, Susie Honeyman, Rico Bell, Steve Goulding, and Lu Edmonds. "Effortlessly eloquent post-punks" Pitchfork // “The Mekons are still vital” Rolling Stone // “The most revolutionary group in the history of rock ‘n’ roll,” Lester Bangs // UK Tour 8-15 May 2025 (including London, Manchester, Glasgow, and more).

Café Croissant Records serves up its first course: Breakfast Dance CAFCR001
First pressing, first powerful wake-up call. On the Taboos.

From smooth Electro to progressive House vibes — perfectly toasted to spice up your morning (or your after-party).

I have been playing Eternal a lot in my DJ sets & it all started with Dev/Null posting a video clip of a tune he was working on, in a Skype group chat we're both a part of. It was probably the best thing I'd ever heard from him and I hassled him relentlessly to finish this track so I could start playing it and then potentially signing it for Future Retro London. That tune he was working on ended up being Eternal & I had no hesitation towards taking the tune for the label. I asked him who he would like to remix Eternal for the release and he picked DJ B (who's had tunes out on Demolition Squad & Brazen) and he did a nice 4x4 version, taking the track down a stompier path (I don't know if stompier is a word but can't think of a better word to use).

Watch The Spin is a tune I first heard when I was in Helsinki, playing at a night called 20hz, organised by DJ Sofa & ODJ Pirkka. Pirkka played after me and during his set, I heard him play this track which had a wicked 90s Bristol jump-up flavour, but with new twists & style to it. I went into the booth and asked him who it was by, and he told me it was by him & another guy called Onni and that they'd recently started making music together under the alias of Unlimited Vibes. When I got back to London the next day, I asked him to send the tune and he did and I really liked the track, so decided to sign it for Future Retro London, to fit alongside Eternal on this release. And to complete the release, Ricky Force has done an exceptional remix of Watch The Spin, bringing his modern jungle sound to the table.

Just a year after the last compilation stood out as one of the best of 2024, Pete Herbert is back with a another brilliant collection of poolside sounds that again explore leftfield Balearica. These are delightfully horizontal grooves that transport you to sunny climes and starry skies in an instant. His own reworks feature, including a version of Sidirum's blissful and astral trip 'Ex Plane', a more tropical and propulsive dub of Lulla's 'Love Comes Quickly' and a quietly epic ambient daydream rework of Bill Mango's 'Inflight Sample.' These are grown-up sounds for cathartic moments lost in your own thoughts.

DJ Feedback

Don Letts/BBC6:
"Good to go on my show!"

Phil Mison/Cantoma:
"Another great MFSP release . Very summery, full support."

Leo Mas/Amnesia:
"Great Stuff."

Sean Johnston/ALFOS:
"PH on fire once again."

Trepanado/Selvagem/Brazil:
"Makes me wanna set sails and just go."

Ruf Dug/Pikes:
"Yeah this ticks loads of my boxes. Mega work."

Bill Brewster/DJ History/Lowlife:
"Some nice cuts on here especially Marius, Fernando etc."

Marco Gallerani/Hell Yeah:
"Beautiful compilation overall."

Sally Rogers/A Man Called Adam:
"Loads of lovely tracks here."

Feel Fly/International Feel:
"Definitely the compilation of the summer! thank you for this fresh breath of summer!"

Max Essa/Jansen Jardin,Tokyo:
"A beautifully curated collection providing a sublime listening experience!"

Following on from FR023, Soulox & Soeneido are back once again on Future Retro London with a solid 2 tracker release. They sent me "It Been" last year, shortly after their first release had gone into manufacture and I really liked the tune and was playing it a lot in DJ sets but I didn't really have any plans to release it.

At the same time, I remember there being a track in Phineus II's set from the Future Retro London event that took place in February 2023 and I really really liked it but had no idea who it was by. When I later found out it was by Soulox & Soeneido and it was called "Why", it give me the idea for this release as neither track was signed to any other label and I felt that both tracks needed to see the light of day.

Big ups to the both of them on their solid output & many thanks to Shireen for the design of the b-side artwork.

LQ (label owner of Echo Chamber Sound/Run It Red) sent me a track he had done with Kloke called "2049" and as soon as I listened to it, I knew I had to have it for the label. It's the kind of tune where I hear it and it makes me wish that I was the one that had made it!

When I was considering producers best suited for remixing "2049", Equinox was the first that came to mind because I knew that he'd be able to build on the dark amen flavour of the original whilst taking it to a new place that still respects the vibe. They were up for it & so was he, so thankfully it all came together & here's the end result.