Suche:cha wa

The journey continues.

For the seventh edition of the Vega Records 5 Pack Unreleased series, Louie Vega once again opens the vault to reveal a special collection of unreleased recordings, alternate versions, remixes, demos, tribute reworks and deep cuts from the Vega Records musical family.

5 Pack Unreleased VII brings together 15 tracks across five 12-inch records, showcasing the wide musical spectrum that has always been part of the Vega Records story. From soulful house and deep grooves to jazz, soul, Brazilian influences, live instrumentation, Latin influences, powerful vocals, disco-rooted rhythms and the freedom to experiment in the studio, this collection moves through many different sides of the music.

Some of these recordings have been waiting patiently in the vault. Others represent alternate versions of songs that continue to evolve through different interpretations. Together, they create another musical journey through the sounds, collaborations and ideas that have shaped the Vega Records universe.

These final recordings speak to something that has always been important to Louie’s musical journey: respecting the music that came before while finding a way to reinterpret it through his own musical language.

From Loleatta Holloway and Duane Harden to Elements Of Life, 2SoulFusion, Domo Domo, Brutha Louie & Brutha Basil, and the tribute recordings, 5 Pack Unreleased VII brings together different generations, different voices and different musical influences under one roof.

The Elements Of Life sound continues throughout the collection, with “Sunshine (I Can Fly),” “Every Step” and “Dreamer” offering special previews into the musical direction of the forthcoming 2027 Elements Of Life album.

This is the seventh chapter of the series, but the philosophy remains the same:

Open the vault.
Share the music.
Let the DJs discover it.
Let the dancers feel it.
Five records.
Fifteen tracks.

A collection of unreleased music, special versions, studio discoveries, tributes and musical experiments from the world of Vega Records — with plenty more waiting inside the vault.

*Originally pressed in 2021 - this is a brand new master and cut.**

In partnership with Analogue Foundation, Oshu Records is proud to present the exclusive vinyl repress of "Laroyê" in a thick cardboard tip-on gatefold jacket on 2x 180g vinyl.

Acclaimed Hungarian, Berlin-based producer, composer and pianist Àbáse (AKA Szabolcs Bognár) returns, sharing a special, 5 anniversary remaster of his breakthrough project 'Laroyê'. Releasing on Friday 1 May via Bridge The Gap & Oshu Records, this sensitive exploration of Afro-Brazilian culture originally began as an audio diary, documenting Szabolcs’ travels and collaborations in Brazil through a collection of voice memos, fragmented beats, sketches and field recordings. As his journey progressed, and his collaborations and research deepened, the music project started to take on its own life:

"Laroyê evolved through weeks and months of research and collaborations into the album that it is now. That means that all the sessions were done in different apartments, small studios, often with borrowed equipment, which all adds to the character, but makes the creation of a coherent sound a challenge. Benjamin Tierney, Erik Breuer and Analogue Foundation did an incredible job with the mixes and with this new remaster. I truly believe that we are able to hear the tracks in a new light, with even more depth and clarity."

Coming from the West African Yoruban language, Àbáse stands for "collaboration" – a key element of the music perfectly encapsulated on 'Laroyê'. Recorded in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, Àbáse spent five months working with diverse artists, from young talents to veterans of the Brazilian scene including Letieres Leite, Luciane Dom, Dofono d'Omolu, Afrojazz and more. The album explores the rich heritage of afro-brasilian culture through samba, MPB and Candomblé, mixing these with broken beat, hip hop and afrobeat, creating a contemporary homage to the classic Brazilian sound. Szabolcs shares:

"Despite already leading and managing musical projects that are close to my hearth, I always felt that one day I would like to start a solo project, where I could take full responsibility for the artistic direction and the music would reflect a truly personal vision. In 2017, I decided to take five months to fulfil a childhood dream and travel to Brazil to expand my creative horizon and expose myself to new influences."

An album standout is the bass-heavy, afro-brazilian ‘Agangatolú, which Àbáse describes as "best exemplifying the story and concept of Laroye as a collaborative effort - a research project exploring the rich heritage of Afro Brazilian culture through my own lens." The track features singers and percussion players Jadson Xabla and Gabriel Santana - two artists based out of one of the oldest terreiros (houses of worship) in Bahia, whilst drummer Jorge Dubman is an integral part of one of the most famous afrobeat bands from Salvador IFA. The contributions of one of Szabolcsoldest collaborators - Hungarian flautist Fanni Zahar - also made the track a full-circle moment.

On a quest for cosmic grooves of unity, Àbáses music pulls from an eclectic blend of global reference points, including modal jazz, Hungarian folk, West African, Brazilian, hiphop and underground electronic music. His work has drawn widespread critical acclaim from the likes of MOJO, Songlines, Soulection and The Guardian, and been supported by key tastemakers including Gilles Peterson, Jamz Supernova and BAMBII. As a keyboard player, Szabolcs has also collaborated with the likes of Wayne Snow, Dele Sosimi, Patti Smith, Emmanuel Wilkins, Gulty Simpson and Zeitgeist Freedom Energy Exchange.

'Laroyê' (2026 Remaster) will release on Friday 1st May via Bridge The Gap & Oshu Records.

Danza Nativa was founded in Buenos Aires in 2019 and has been drip-feeding us with a few choice releases a year ever since. The latest is another deeply immersive take on atmospheric techno from BLNDR, and it opens with the mystic, murky sounds of 'Tidal Veil'. The rhythm rolls freely, but the vibes are dank and grainy, as if you're in a dark underground cavern with the walls closing in. 'Mangrove' is just as aquatic as the title suggests, with wispy motifs buzzing about like mozzies above the humid groove. 'Arwing' has a more astral sound design with cosmic melodies over another low-key but meticulous mix of drums and hits. Finally, Alderaan enters on remix duties with a swirling late-night energetic charge.

Ramjac Corporation, aka Paul Chivers, emerged from the UK's late-'80s rave underground, performing live at parties like Sunrise, Energy, Back to the Future, Fun-da-Mental and Synergy. Building tracks with an Atari computer and an E-MU 12-bit sampler, turning severe technical limitations into raw, elastic club music, 88-92: It is What it Was gathers music born in bedrooms then tested in front of crowds at warehouse raves, while the culture was still inventing itself without boundaries, completelyfree.

Ramjac was the original artist on Irdial Discs, following label founder Akin Fernandez's Aqua Regia, and introduced Lee Purkis' In Sync and Neuropolitique to the label, shaping the singular catalogue of that extraordinary imprint alongside Luke Slater's Morganistic, Thee J Johanz and Anthony Manning.


That legacy is now revisited by Musique Pour La Danse, with the release of a limited edition vinyl and digital edition featuring extended liner notes by Nick Halkes of XL Recordings, Positiva and Kicks Like A Mule fame, who witnessed the early Ramjac period first-hand. The release is illustrated by Grant Fulton, who created the visual identity for The Shamen's Synergy events and Orbital albums.

This album presents music written exclusively between 1988-92 and forms the foundation of Ramjac Corporation's ongoing live performances. Restored from the original floppy discs, the recordings preserve the uniquerelationship between early digital technology, sampling culture and live improvisation that defines the Ramjac approach.

Mixed for release for the first time by Trevor Lancaster-Smith, whose 90s engineering work encompassed Leftfield, Faithless and Roni Size, the album brings these compositions into sharp focus while preserving the character of the original instruments and performances. Not just a historical document, 88-92: It is What it Was is a living body of work: music created then, realised now, and continuing to surprise and evolve.

Faitiche presents the debut solo album by cellist, sound artist, and composer Topu Lyo: “quiet scenes from tokyo” brings together sixteen miniatures for solo cello and tape echo that oscillate between abstracts drones and rhythmic pizzicato sketches – all recorded at Topu’s Tokyo apartment. The constant traffic noise from a nearby highway has become an accompanying soundtrack for his compositions and can be heard on the recordings. Topu’s playing is marked by a distinctive idiom oriented more towards abstract electronic studio effects than classical technique.

The artist spoke to Jan Jelinek about his work:

JJ: A solo cello album may seem like an odd fit for a label that has to date released only music that is electronic in the broadest sense. But I think “quiet scenes from tokyo” complements the Faitiche repertoire exceptionally well. Its sixteen miniatures showcase the cello in all its complexity: the bowed passages sometimes recall a tape feedback drone; the pizzicato playing conjures up the percussion recordings of Moondog; and the abstract textures might be mistaken for the product of a granular sampler rather than rapid finger work on the cello. I’m constantly surprised by just how rich and varied this album is – without ever losing the charm of its sketch-like quality. Could you say a few words about the making of your album – first of all, from a rather technical perspective: what production tools did you use, and why?

TL: My production tools were very sparse. Just a solo cello and my Roland 301 Space Echo, which I only used at the end, running everything through it during mixing, tape only. After years of working with electronics, pedals, and synthesizers, moving to Tokyo pushed me toward minimizing my setup. But my aesthetics shifted too, toward simplicity. I wanted to strip everything back to just the acoustic cello and see how far I could push it — replicating some of my favorite electronic effects through extended technique: slow portamento, LFOs, filters, detune, noise. I’d also been listening to a cassette of ocean sounds for years. When I moved to Tokyo I was horrified to find myself living directly across from a freeway. Eventually the freeway started sounding almost identical to the ocean — and that ended up playing a prominent part in the recording.

JJ: That’s super interesting: mimicking electronic production as a compositional idea for the cello! You say the sound of the freeway is crucial to the album: I, too, tend to interpret steady traffic noise as a positive soundscape – do we hear the freeway on the album? I can also hear other field recordings, for example on “a street car with announcements”. Can you say a bit about how these field recordings influence your playing?

TL: Yes, you can hear the freeway on the album! The freeway is most prominent in “old trees in lonely spring”, “yuyake koyake”, and “the moon” (you can clearly hear individual cars). When I first began recording I had my balcony door shut tightly, but after a while I began leaning into the highway sound and slowly opening the door little by little to control the amount of noise. “streetcar with announcements” was a moment I was recording and a car passed by making announcements in the background. I loved how it sounded! Same thing with “yuyake koyake”, and later I realized that every day at 5pm the same song plays to mark sunset, telling children it’s time to go home. Having this bedrock of sound puts less pressure on me to put music on top or to play more notes.

JJ: It’s astonishing how much this differs from what I’d imagined: I’d been picturing peaceful landscape recordings, but had never thought of a freeway. Which goes to show how open to interpretation traffic noises are. So the room by the freeway had a major influence on the album – how are you going to perform it live?

TL: The contrast between the freeway and the beautiful landscape in my head couldn’t have been starker. I too was imagining a beautiful landscape in which to create the album, but somehow it still worked out. I've been going back and forth a lot on live shows and I think the most honest way is to have it the most stripped down. I was thinking of using traffic samples etc., but I think the duet really comes from the background sounds from every unique venue/environment. So as it stands, I’ll just be doing acoustic solo cello.

,Manifold of Partially Actualized Realities" ist das neue Album bei Kou Records von Randall Dunn - Produzent, Komponist und einer der markantesten Gestalter von Low-End- und räumlichen Klängen in der zeitgenössischen Musik, bekannt für seine Arbeit mit Sunn O))), Oneohtrix Point Never, David Torn und unzähligen anderen aus den Bereichen Heavy-, Experimental- und Avantgarde-Musik. Das Album ist eine Meditation über zerbrochene Realitäten, Zeit und Sterblichkeit - ein Spiegel, der sich auf sich selbst zurückfaltet und darüber, wie zukünftige Ereignisse die Vergangenheit beeinflussen. Sein tragender Geist ist Philip K. Dicks ,Pink Light Experience" von 1974, in der der Autor berichtete, eine Übertragung von einer gewaltigen, außerirdischen Intelligenz empfangen zu haben: informationsreich, uralt und überwältigend. Dunn nähert sich dem sowohl als Konzept als auch als kompositorische Logik - Musik, die in Schichten auftaucht, zusammenbricht, sich neu formiert und sich einer Auflösung verweigert.? In vier Stücken setzt Dunn ein ganzes Arsenal an Vintage-Synthesizern ein - Korg MonoPoly, Korg MS-20, PPG Wave, CS-80, Juno-60, Waldorf Strings, Fizmo - neben einer außergewöhnlichen Ensemblebesetzung. Spoken-Word-Beiträge von Jim Jarmusch (basierend auf PKDs Prosa) und Laima Leyton (basierend auf Robert Graves' ,Time") verankern zwei der vier Stücke in Sprache, ohne sie zu erklären. Das Album bewegt sich von orchestraler Kammermusik über elektroakustische Abstraktion hin zu einem abschließenden Stück - ,Ayn" -, das sich zu ekstatischem Jazz entfaltet, mit Cyro Baptista, Briggan Krauss, Henry Fraser, Charmaine Lee und Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe. Wahre elektroakustische Komposition im vollsten Sinne: spektral, körperlich und weit offen. Produziert und gemischt von Randall Dunn bei Circular Ruin, April 2026. Aufgenommen und gemastert von Ben Greenberg. Dolby-Atmos-Mischungen von Ben Greenberg. Lackschnitt von Paul Gold bei Salt Mastering. Cover- und Rückseitengestaltung von Steve Rude.

,The Long Ear" ist das Debütalbum von Noh Age _ Charmaine Lee (Parabolmikrofon, Feedback, Gesang), John McCowen (Kontrabassklarinette, Bb- Klarinette, Blockflöte) und Li-Chin Li (Sheng) bei Kou Records - live aufgenommen über drei Tage bei Brooklyn Recording im März 2026 live aufgenommen und von Randall Dunn (Sunn O))), Oneohtrix Point Never) produziert. Das Parabolmikrofon hat seine eigene Geschichte: ein Überwachungsinstrument aus dem Kalten Krieg , das dafür konzipiert war, aus der Ferne zu lauschen, um das zu orten und zu verstärken, was sonst unhörbar bleiben würde. Hier ist es nach innen gerichtet - nicht auf einen Feind, sondern auf den Klang selbst, der durch vier Vintage-Röhrenverstärker geleitet wird. Die Parabolantenne spürt Resonanzen auf, die durch den Raum übertragen werden, und stellt sich auf Frequenzen ein, die von Kontrabassklarinette, Sheng und Gesang erzeugt werden, bis sich eine Rückkopplung entlädt - ein vierter Interpreter mit eigener, unvorhersehbarer Wirkmacht. Das Ergebnis ist spektrale Musik in ihrer viszeralsten Form - verwurzelt in der Tradition von Gérard Grisey, Kaija Saariaho und Iancu Dumitrescu, doch herkommend von der Überwachungsstelle, dem Abhörposten, der Abhörleitung. In sechs Stücken, die auf kompositorischen Rahmenwerken aus zellulären Automaten und grafischen Partituren basieren, bewegt sich das Trio zwischen extremen Registerbereichen - CBC-Grundtöne gegen dichte Sheng-Cluster-Klänge , die kristallklaren Obertöne von Blockflöte und Mini-Sheng - während das Feedback durch all das wandert, sich verdichtet, auslöscht, wiederkehrt. Cover- und Rückseitengestaltung von Shintaro Kago - einem in Tokio ansässigen Manga-Künstler und Pionier der ,Ero-Guro"-Tradition, der international für seine Arbeit an Flying Lotus' ,You're Dead!" (Warp, 2014) bekannt ist. Aufgenommen, gemischt und produziert von Randall Dunn. Zusätzliche Synthesizer und Sounddesign von Randall Dunn. Gemastert von Ben Greenberg. Dolby-Atmos-Mischungen von Ben Greenberg. Schablonenschnitt von Paul Gold bei Salt Mastering.

LP with insert

In the artist’s own words:

"Thank Goodness brings together an overdubbed ‘chamber band’ of bass guitar, viola, piano, harpsichord, voice and drums. Made on my own in London and Ireland between 2023-26 as a slow channelling inward of a lot of social energy.”

Seán Being is a committed figure at the sharp edges of Irish music, including being the key instigator of the band Princ€ss, touring bass player with Maria Somerville, and a long-time affiliate of Dublin label wherethetimegoes. Their various collaborations include contributions to live and recorded projects with the likes of Spellcaster, Nashpaints, Florian TM Zeizig, Jennifer Moore, Olan Monk, Dylan Kerr, Asa Nisi Masa, Life is Beautiful, Polido, Adriana João and Usof.
Not always in the business of ‘popular music’, Seán also has Gregorian Chant and car horn performances in their repertoire.

Aspects of all of this activity have made their way, directly or otherwise, into this first full-length album.

A love letter to Canada sees Adams explore new musical territory, drawing on country, folk and rock while telling stories inspired by the people, places and history of home. How's It Goin' could be the most Canadian album ever written! Inspired by the landscapes, characters, stories and current affairs that are all part of Canada's ongoing history, How's It Goin' sees Adams explore a different musical landscape of his own. Alongside the unmistakable songwriting and voice that have been at the heart of his music, the album introduces elements of country and folk, giving the record a warm, roots-y character. Among the songs are "Diesel and Dirt," "How's It Goin'," "Iron Ribbon" and "The Battle of Lundy's Lane". "The idea was simply to make a record about Canada," says Adams. "It started with writing the song for the documentary, 'Canada's Wild Eastern Edge' and after doing so much research, I was inspired to start writing more songs about Canada. Musically it took me somewhere a little different too, which made the whole thing exciting." One of the album's most poignant moments is "The Ballad of Terry Fox," Adams' tribute to one of Canada's most inspirational figures.The song will also be featured in the forthcoming new documentary film about Terry Fox, entitled "Run Terry Run". How's It Goin' acknowledges Adams' roots and delivers an album that is at times personal, cinematic and, occasionally, reflective but always unmistakably Adams.

A love letter to Canada sees Adams explore new musical territory, drawing on country, folk and rock while telling stories inspired by the people, places and history of home. How's It Goin' could be the most Canadian album ever written! Inspired by the landscapes, characters, stories and current affairs that are all part of Canada's ongoing history, How's It Goin' sees Adams explore a different musical landscape of his own. Alongside the unmistakable songwriting and voice that have been at the heart of his music, the album introduces elements of country and folk, giving the record a warm, roots-y character. Among the songs are "Diesel and Dirt," "How's It Goin'," "Iron Ribbon" and "The Battle of Lundy's Lane". "The idea was simply to make a record about Canada," says Adams. "It started with writing the song for the documentary, 'Canada's Wild Eastern Edge' and after doing so much research, I was inspired to start writing more songs about Canada. Musically it took me somewhere a little different too, which made the whole thing exciting." One of the album's most poignant moments is "The Ballad of Terry Fox," Adams' tribute to one of Canada's most inspirational figures.The song will also be featured in the forthcoming new documentary film about Terry Fox, entitled "Run Terry Run". How's It Goin' acknowledges Adams' roots and delivers an album that is at times personal, cinematic and, occasionally, reflective but always unmistakably Adams.

Nashville’s Jess Kerber focuses on the profound resonances of simple moments, pairing delicate acoustic guitar lines with her rich and captivating tenor. The World Is Dark, but I Want It to Be Funny, her second LP for Felte, is a deeply affecting collection of homespun poetry and natural artistry that finds the artists reflecting on personal history, the emotional intricacies of relationships, and the value of cosmic perspective. She explains,“These songs come from a space of feeling a little left behind, so a lot of the album is about realizing and accepting impermanence, and learning how to be good to yourself and to others.”
Opening with “Familiar Strangers”, Kerber gets to the heart of her greatest talents: fluid fingerpicking, emotive vocal cadences, feather-light touches of piano, and subtle harmonies. “Louisiana Song” positions a lyrical chain of childhood recollections up against the literal rising waters that will one day submerge a cherished place: “I think about being southern / and the sand on the gulf coast / When I think about returning / I am wading in a graveyard”.
Throughout The World Is Dark, Kerber navigates an emotional tightrope, fully aware of the ills of the world while trying to find connections and peaceful corners. Even with all their nuances and challenges, she suggests, our relationships are essential to staying grounded, even when we lose them. “Much of my writing is about facing the struggles head-on, balancing what you need to do to survive while remaining true to yourself,” she says. There are echoes of influences like Joni Mitchell, Gillian Welch, and Lomelda, though Kerber injects her own unique wit, wonder, and humility into every passage, allowing the listener into her head for a spell while quietly taking up residence in theirs.

Thirty years of Spice Girls. One definitive collection in one iconic box.

For the first time ever, all of the Spice Girls’ singles are brought together in one complete collection.

From Wannabe to Holler, Spice Up Your Life to Goodbye; The Singles Collection brings together the singles,

original artwork, B-sides and previously unreleased recordings from the Spice Girls archive in a handbaginspired

box, finished in white holographic gloss and maC black foil.

Inside the box:

• 14 individually coloured 7” vinyl records

• All original singles with their lead B-sides

• 14 sleeves featuring the original single artwork

• Bonus discs: Step To Me and Tell Me Why

• Two previously unreleased demos, including Do You Think About Me, one of the group’s earliest

recordings

• Limited-edition numbering card

• Five collectable art cards

• 28-page booklet featuring brand-new messages from all five Spice Girls

• Exclusive Spice Girls 30th anniversary acrylic charm

The Singles Collection is released on 6 November, 30 years to the week since SPICE turned five girls into a

global phenomenon and Girl Power into a worldwide movement.

Devotional and visceral, patient and euphoric, a poem, a hymnal. Shygirl calls Swallow! a reintroduction. Her 2022 debut Nymph announced an artist fluent in sonic languages: slippery club structures, toothy pop hooks, juicy production—music that invites you to come closer, pay attention, keep up. That magnetism took her from the electronic underground to the foreground of contemporary pop. She’s collaborated with producers Sega Bodega and Mura Masa, Charli xcx, Arca, SOPHIE, fka twigs, and Björk, and performed on stages across the globe. Swallow! is a new kind of rapturous indie songwriting, woven through the electronica she came from, recorded with Karma Kid and Casey MQ. It is the scripture of the cult of falling in love—radiant, clear-eyed, all-encompassing, divine transformation. “I want people to remember how big the world is even when you feel so small and singular,” she says. “Swallow! is the soundtrack to that experience. “This record is my message in a bottle. Let’s see who picks it up.”

Originally released in 2009, this massively in-demand record has been changing hands for anywhere between £50 and over £100 now finally available once again. You only need to check the width and depth of the DJ support tells you all you need to know.

DJ Support: A-Trak, Andy & Jaymo, Annie Mac, Brodinski, Cagedbaby, Damon Martin, DJ Mehdi, Erol Alkan, Filthy Dukes, Groove Armada, Hell, Jesse Rose, Joe Ransom, Kissy Sellout, Kris Menace, Pedro Winter, Riton, Rory Phillips, Seth Troxler, Severino, Shit Robot, Simian Mobile Disco, Thomas Schumacher, Trevor Jackson and The Whip

Retro Grade, (Serge Santiago and Tom Neville) an exciting act on the electronic music scene, revolutionising the world of Italo House with their release titled "Moda." This captivating track, infused with nostalgic vibes and infectious grooves, promises to transport listeners back to the heyday of '90s dance music while maintaining a fresh and contemporary sound.

"Moda" showcases Retro Grade's ability to seamlessly blend classic Italo House elements with modern production techniques. The track features pulsating bass lines, and euphoric synth melodies all meticulously crafted to create an irresistible sonic experience. From start to finish, "Moda" exudes an infectious energy that gets floors moving.

Not content with delivering a stellar original track, Retro Grade enlisted the talents of acclaimed artist Sound Klash to provide a mind-blowing Remix of "Moda." Sound Klash, known for this boundary-pushing approach to music production, puts his unique spin on the track, infusing it with his signature dubbed-out house sound. The result is an extraordinary reimagining that takes "Moda" to different heights, showcasing Sound Klash's unparalleled ability to reinvent and elevate electronic music.

"Moda" and its captivating Sound Klash Remix are set to make waves across the scene.

Although nearly two decades after its release the legendary album Eksel by D'Arcangelo has achieved cult status, it is worth remembering that it all started in the early 90s in Rome. The twin brothers Fabrizio and Marco D'Arcangelo sculpted this electronic IDM treasure with a minimalist arsenal of hardware and analog synthesizers, achieving a raw though sophisticated sound that immediately caught the attention of Aphex Twin & Grant Wilson Claridge, Rephlex record label heads themselves.

While in 1993 and 1994 a large part of the European scene was carried away by the faster, more commercial rhythms of hardcore or eurodance, the D'Arcangelo brothers preferred to look toward the mental landscapes and abstract textures coming out of Detroit and Warp Records. By fusing the machine-like coldness of electro with melancholic melodies and complex rhythm structures, the Italian duo became one of the undisputed pioneers of braindance music in Mediterranean Europe.

Looking back, Eksel—released on Rephlex in 2007—stood as a challenge to the listening habits of its time. Positioned between mental experimentation and dancefloor functionality, the album moves effortlessly between hypnotic club contexts and intimate, detail-rich home listening. Now twenty years later, its legacy continues to resonate among collectors and lovers of analog sound. Eksel stands as proof that electronic innovation extended far beyond the major hubs of London or Berlin, strengthening the dialogue between British IDM and the Italian school, and establishing D'Arcangelo as architects of a distinctive sound.

Marco D'Arcangelo looks back on the album's origins with characteristic wit: "Eksel was conceived to celebrate our 40th Birthday. At Rephlex, they thought we should include a Roman attribute, just to remind people of our so-called 'ancestry'—which isn't really anything, but being born in Rome did sound cool. The XL in Roman numerals is 40, spelled 'Eksel'. And funnily enough, this year we are turning 60 (oh my god!), and 60 in Roman numerals is LX, spelled 'Leks'."

For this release, the partnership brings together a range of elements into a cohesive and refined sonic language. D'Arcangelo seamlessly blend leftfield electronica, avant-garde techno, and glitch, shaping a forward-thinking sound. Vintage synthesizers intertwine with crisp programmed percussion, while melodic structures interact with classic 808 rhythms. This deluxe reissue also exclusively includes RFLX1902 and Electronic Lounge, two tracks from the same era never before pressed on vinyl. The result is a warm and reflective body of work, deeply rooted in electro's legacy, yet unmistakably oriented toward the future.

,Settle Down City" war 2006 das Debütalbum von Young Widows und markierte den Neubeginn der Musiker nach dem Ende der Hardcore-Band Breather Resist. Die Gruppe aus Louisville entwickelte darauf ihren charakteristischen Stil aus Post-Hardcore, Noise Rock und düsterem Post-Punk, geprägt von schweren, basslastigen Grooves, kantigen Gitarren und einer intensiven, oft beklemmenden Atmosphäre. Einflüsse von Bands wie Fugazi, Hoover, The Jesus Lizard und den Melvins sind deutlich hörbar, werden jedoch zu einem eigenständigen Sound verarbeitet. Im Zentrum stehen das kreative Gitarrenspiel von Sänger Evan Patterson sowie das kraftvolle Zusammenspiel der Rhythmussektion mit Nick Thieneman und dem damaligen Schlagzeuger Geoff Paton. Die Songs verbinden rohe Energie mit ungewöhnlichen Songstrukturen und legten den Grundstein für die spätere Entwicklung der Band zu einer der wichtigsten Noise-Rock-Formationen ihrer Generation. Zum 20-jährigen Jubiläum erscheint ,Settle Down City - Anniversary Edition" in einer umfassend überarbeiteten Fassung. Das Album wurde von James Plotkin neu remastert, mit restauriertem Original-Artwork versehen und um den bislang unveröffentlichten Bonus-Track ,White Water" erweitert, der bereits während der ursprünglichen Aufnahmesessions entstand. Die limitierte Neuauflage auf opak-gelbem Vinyl bietet damit die definitive Version eines Albums, das den Beginn der inzwischen zwei Jahrzehnte andauernden Karriere von Young Widows dokumentiert.

A quiet intensity permeates Chantal Michelle’s music, like a veiled flame. Even at its most spare and delicate, an undulating tension unsettles the ear through wavering microtonal interference and uncanny spatial juxtaposition. She takes seriously the mandate of the composer to foster new relationships between various types of sounds, bringing together disparate field recordings, instrumental stems, and the sounds of circuitry in unheard configurations. Resolution is elusive, in its place a sense of oblong cyclicality and prickly uncertainty. When the veil is pulled back, we find more depth, more complexity, and more mystery.

Unit of Heart, Michelle’s second album of 2026, presents two interrelated pieces that highlight diverging compositional modes. Here she brings in two key collaborators: Patrick Shiroishi, who contributes flutes and saxophones throughout, and poet Funto Omojola, whose words and voice bookend the title composition. Both compositions unfold gradually, but where the album’s a-side “Sudden Oceans” presents a minimal tonal palette focused entirely on the subtle grain of wind instruments, “Unit of Heart” proceeds linearly, moving through passages of synthesizer, environmental recordings, and full-cheeked wails of saxophone. Both encourage a state of focused listening as the scope of the music deepens and widens.

“Sudden Oceans” allows the listener to hover in rippling currents of air, breath overlapping breath in a shimmering patchwork. All flutes and saxophones on the piece are played by Shiroishi, which are molded by Michelle into a pattern that resembles the flow of tidal waters, surging and receding moment to moment as the tonal density increases. Expansive and recursive, it reflects both the restorative awe and eerie disquiet of encountering the sublime. The first and last sounds we hear are the gentle rush of unmediated breath as Shiroishi connects and disconnects from his flute.

Michelle’s skill at presenting the familiar as preternatural comes to the fore on “Unit of Heart, ” one of her most ambitious works. Omojola’s voice begins with a melody that could be a lullaby, but as it’s bounced around the stereo field it takes on a haunted quality. Their poem, reprinted on the LP’s inner sleeve, hints at a similar type of transformation: “I mean this is where our mouth turns saliva into spears only a throat can recognize. ” Pads of downy synthesizer billow and are subsumed by a discordant ringing. The climactic section features atonal electronics and field recordings, first of water and then the evening call of insects, processed in such a way to transform them into pulsating bursts of noise. What we think we know about the world, what is elemental, can change with even the slightest adjustment of the lens.

With “Rides Again Again And Again” US born and London resident singer, songwriter, producer, arranger und multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire Shawn Lee releases the third part in a series of very personal albums.

“Returning to my ‘Rides Again’ project feels like a home coming of sorts-familiar yet completely different from how I remembered it,” Shawn Lee says. “This time out it felt really fresh and freewheeling. Discovering things which were already there but somehow had remained hidden just out of sight. The genius of JJ Cale provided a lot of inspiration for this album. I had to pay tribute with the song ‘JJ’ in his honour. I also wrote a song for my dad called ‘Helluva Way’ who sadly passed while I was finishing the album. Multiple US tours last year with Young Gun Silver Fox informed lyrics on several tunes particularly ‘Hot Food’ and ‘Plastic Forks and Paper Plates’. The latter features a motley cast of characters on the ‘hell yeahs and the outro sing -a-long. My wife Kiren, Andy ‘Young Gun’ Platts, his wife Jodie and daughter Frankie plus all the live members of YGSF band, Ederlezi, as well as Smith & Liddle and our tour manager Claire Darling all contributed to the cause on ‘Plastic Forks’. Songs about Evel Knievel, my dog Carla, Tacos and Abilene Kansas round out the album as-well as a few instrumentals to boot. Three albums into the ‘Rides Again’ trilogy and I feel like I’m just getting started. So saddle up partners and join me on this musical ride!”

When Swingrowers released their debut in Sept 2012, electro swing was a bubbling cultural zeitgeist. This Italian band were among the earliest pioneers who helped shape the sound of the vintage-influenced genre. Their debut 12 track collection paved the way for the brilliant albums that followed and indeed for the ongoing popularity of the genre. A little rougher around the edges but with all the early promise on show, this album completes a 4 piece set for fans and collectors.

Swingrowers went on to release a further 3 studio albums, toured internationally, playing major festivals includingMontreux Jazz Festival, Glastonbury, Boomtown and Tokyo’s Blue Note Festival. Their music has to date amassedmore than 100 million streams worldwide on Spotify alonewith videos clocking up many millions more.

Pronounceditself is a revelation. It stood the test of time as one of the earliest complete and fully-realised Electro Swing albums that seamlessly blend 20’s and 30’s influences - violin, gypsy jazz guitar, saxophones and swing music - with polished contemporary production. Here, superb musicianship meets great songwriting meets a unique modern sound from Swing Hop to Drum n Bass with jazz-inflected vocals in English and Italian.

As we approach the 15 year anniversary, Pronounced is being released on wax for the first time.

This releasecompletes Swingrowers’ entire album discography on vinyl, joining existing editions of Remote, Outsidein and Hybrid.

For long-time fans, collectors and anyone who discovered electro swing through artists such as Caravan Palace and Parov Stelar, Pronounced is a chance to finally own the sound of a young band (and indeed an up-start young genre) at the very start of their career.

Following their self-proclaimed LP trilogy (2020-2024), Straw Man Army returns with a new songwriting experiment in the form of True North; a collection of 11 songs written for acoustic instruments over three 72 hour sessions at a cabin, isolated in the woods north of NYC. The result is a concept album in practice as opposed to subject alone. Attuned to both the spiritual and political dimensions of seeking refuge in our times, it asks what exactly we mean by “peace” in this era of increasing violence, incarceration, and skepticism towards a future worth living. Does it feel like relaxation, does it tend towards silence? Is it the cooling of our collective rage? Not here. On True North, peace is a spiritual contradiction; a chimera incorporating our innermost desires and the brutality of the world that surrounds us. The album’s central character is a “sleepwalker” trudging through the waking nightmares that have defined daily life since the release of 2024’s Earthworks. Because True North is music that dreams. Sonically, the band toys with the aesthetics of psychedelia, folk, and kosmiche music for contrast, creating a still pool into which their deepest anxieties ripple and flow and flower into ever darker shapes. And while the musical palette plays on tropes of peace—lush piano instrumentals, fingerpicking guitars, gong, vocal harmony—the subject remains steeped in environmental collapse, death, mental breakdown, and the rejection of our most closely held myths. The clash of these forces is the engine that turns the musical wheel. True North is the sound of music mourning a future that never took place and a bout of anticipatory grief for something that’s only just begun…

Celestial Echo Records presents Nathaniel Best – Set Your House In Order, an incredible gospel soul LP from 1986, finally back in circulation.

Originally released on Spirit Records of Nevada, the album is very much of its time in the best way — gospel music with drum machines, warm synths and basslines that push it right into modern soul and boogie territory. Nathaniel Best’s voice carries the whole record with real conviction, joined by group vocals and arrangements that give the album that rich, uplifting 80s gospel soul sound.

For us, the standouts are clear. “Call Him” is the boogie dancer — bright, driving and full of movement, the kind of gospel cut that sits perfectly in a modern soul or boogie set. The title track, “Set Your House In Order”, is something else entirely: a beautiful downtempo soul glider, deep and heartfelt, with that slow-burning quality that makes the whole LP feel so special.

Those two tracks tell the story, but the magic runs through the whole record. Scattered across the album are these amazing slower gospel soul moments, balanced with enough groove and lift to keep it moving. It’s not just a one-tracker, it’s a proper LP with feeling, range and a sound that collectors have been chasing for years.

Best’s musical story runs deep. He grew up around gospel, recorded from a young age, played piano in church, sang with the Love Center Choir under Bishop Walter Hawkins, and later worked with names including The O’Jays and The Fairfield Four.

Original copies have always been hard to come by, and the album has built a serious reputation with gospel, soul and boogie collectors over the years.

Buy or Cry.

Celestial Echo Records presents Nathaniel Best – Set Your House In Order, an incredible gospel soul LP from 1986, finally back in circulation.

Originally released on Spirit Records of Nevada, the album is very much of its time in the best way — gospel music with drum machines, warm synths and basslines that push it right into modern soul and boogie territory. Nathaniel Best’s voice carries the whole record with real conviction, joined by group vocals and arrangements that give the album that rich, uplifting 80s gospel soul sound.

For us, the standouts are clear. “Call Him” is the boogie dancer — bright, driving and full of movement, the kind of gospel cut that sits perfectly in a modern soul or boogie set. The title track, “Set Your House In Order”, is something else entirely: a beautiful downtempo soul glider, deep and heartfelt, with that slow-burning quality that makes the whole LP feel so special.

Those two tracks tell the story, but the magic runs through the whole record. Scattered across the album are these amazing slower gospel soul moments, balanced with enough groove and lift to keep it moving. It’s not just a one-tracker, it’s a proper LP with feeling, range and a sound that collectors have been chasing for years.

Best’s musical story runs deep. He grew up around gospel, recorded from a young age, played piano in church, sang with the Love Center Choir under Bishop Walter Hawkins, and later worked with names including The O’Jays and The Fairfield Four.

Original copies have always been hard to come by, and the album has built a serious reputation with gospel, soul and boogie collectors over the years.

Buy or Cry.

The 2018 album Igor Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale is the adaptation by Roger Waters (co-founder of Pink Floyd) on the 1918 same-titled theatrical work. Waters recorded this version with members of the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival at Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church.

The original theatre work is one “to be read, played, and danced” by three actors (the soldier, the devil, and a narrator) and dancers, accompanied by a septet of instruments. The libretto relates the parable of a soldier who trades his fiddle to the devil in return for unlimited economic gain. The music is scored for a septet of violin, double bass, clarinet, bassoon, cornet or trumpet), trombone, and percussion. The libretto is adapted by Roger Waters from the translation by Michael Flanders and Kitty Black, based on the original text by Charles-Ferdinand Ramus.

The Soldier's Tale is available as a limited edition of 1000 individually numbered copies on green vinyl and comes in a gatefold sleeve with linen laminate finish. The vinyl package includes a 4-page booklet with lyrics and pictures.

A soaring new chapter unfolds from the forthcoming Elements Of Life album with the release of “Soar,” an uplifting and deeply moving collaboration featuring the incomparable Lisa Fischer. Written by Josh Milan and Louie Vega and produced by 2SoulFusion—Louie Vega and Josh Milan—the song is a powerful testament to resilience, transformation, and the limitless possibilities that emerge when spirit, soul, and music unite.

Built upon a rich tapestry of live musicianship, “Soar” embodies the signature sound that has made Elements Of Life a beloved musical movement around the world. At its core is Lisa Fischer’s breathtaking vocal performance, delivering a message of hope, elevation, and self-discovery with the emotional depth and conviction that have made her one of the most revered voices of her generation.

At the heart of “Soar” is a message of encouragement, resilience, and unconditional support. Through its uplifting lyrics and soaring melody, the song speaks to anyone navigating life's uncertainties while striving to become their fullest self. Lines such as “Clouds hang low, but the sky's still wide” acknowledge the challenges we all face, while the recurring refrain, “I just want you to soar,” serves as a powerful affirmation of faith in another person's journey. Equally moving is the song's central sentiment, “The more you do for you, the better I feel,” expressing a selfless form of love that celebrates growth, healing, and personal fulfillment. Universal in its message yet deeply personal in its spirit, “Soar” reminds us that one of the greatest gifts we can offer is the encouragement to rise, evolve, and embrace our own potential.

The production blends organic instrumentation with sophisticated arrangements, creating a timeless soundscape that feels both expansive and intimate. Multi Grammy Award-winning bassist Christian McBride anchors the composition with his masterful upright bass work, while Josh Milan's lush keyboards, piano, organ, clavinet, and atmospheric textures provide the song's harmonic foundation. Live drums from Tony Cintron and vibrant percussion from Luisito Quintero infuse the track with an irresistible pulse, while Ivan Renta's expressive soprano saxophone solo adds another layer of emotional richness, and a tasteful guitar groove by Sherrod Barnes.

The song's message is elevated further through a powerful vocal ensemble featuring background vocals from Lisa Fischer, Dawn Tallman, Ramona Dunlap, and Lea Lorien, creating moments of communion and uplift that echo the song's central theme of hope, growth, and believing in the possibilities that lie ahead. For Louie Vega and Josh Milan, “Soar” represents another defining moment in their longstanding creative partnership. Through Elements Of Life, they have continually blurred the boundaries between house music, soul, jazz, Latin rhythms, gospel, and global influences, creating music that resonates as deeply on the dance floor as it does in the heart. “Soar” continues that tradition, offering listeners a song that inspires movement, reflection, and renewal.

Recorded at Honeycomb Studios in Pennsylvania and Manhattan Center Studios in New York City, and mixed at Daddy's Workshop in New Jersey, the production benefits from the expertise of recording engineers Yas Inoue & Josh Milan, with final mastering by the Maestro of mastering Herb “Pump” Powers for PM Mastering.

As anticipation builds for the forthcoming Elements Of Life album slated for February 2027, “Soar” offers a powerful glimpse into the project's next evolution— a celebration of musical excellence, spiritual connection, and the enduring power of song to lift us higher.

Do not adjust your tuning! Cowper emerges disc in hand from the liminal static, exposing us all to his peculiar brand of outsider club chaos. Boldly, slowly, Goa-ing into the fray, these three tracks chew your ear off in the sonic language of acid, trance and progressive house, churning and gurning their way deep into the darkness. In the time since the first dispatch of edit excellence, Cowper’s Between Stations has firmly established itself as an essential underground outpost, adding tape releases by Tolouse Low Trax, Zato and Miles J Paralysis to a growing catalogue of genre-fluid mayhem, consistently captured by his essential Noods Radio shows. Introducing itself with a gut punching kick and gurgling prog throb, the first track here is simultaneously upbeat and downcast, a glorious gloom-core ode to narcotic indulgence.
Extra-terrestrial pads and choral synth hark back to childhood days of Perfect Dark before a trance lead interrupts all remaining neural connections. When that snare lands in the second half we’re in fully fledged techno-pagan mode, red-faced and rushing right till the end. Assuming that even xenomorphs dance sometimes, this end of the world apocalypso is absolutely their jam. Track 2 tunnels further into the planetary core, 16bit woodblocks and bells sitting atop synthetic swells and hoover-ish vamps, before a hooning bassline drops like a sledgehammer on your unsuspecting ear drums. An unexpected, but very welcome left turn into mid track breakbeat provides a moment of airy reprise before we lock back into the cavern-shaking groove until the run out abates. For the encore, Cowper didgeri-doesus with the oscillating bass and molasses-apache break of a techno-tribal, prog-frog delicacy. Complete with the type of mantra vocal usually found on pound-bin trance or superspenny Dream House rarities, and a little acid-gwamph resonance abuse Josh Wink would be proud of, this chug-athon sounds a bit like Psychic TV tuning into Psy-trance, which is a very good thing indeed. Dark, dense and musky stuff that will drive a proper dance floor wild.

The Liber series was always about the dancefloor. Dark rooms, loud systems, repetition, pressure and the point where the machinery takes over. Liber Eleven continues that idea. The tracks have been remastered and are now available again on CD, vinyl and download.

This is The Black Dog in full techno mode. Hypnotic, physical and built for big systems, with enough strange corners to keep things interesting when the lights go down.

The Liber series started with Liber Kult, Liber Temple and Liber Nox, followed by Liber Dogma and Liber Chaos. Eleven picks up that thread and carries it forward.

No nostalgia trip. No archive dusting for the sake of it. Just The Black Dog making techno...

We’re proud to present Further Reflexions, the new EP from our young striker Roto, featuring a closing B2 collaboration with Nulek.

Across three forward-thinking solo cuts, Roto explores a trance-driven language infused with techno energy and hypnotic textures. The EP moves through tension, transformation, and emotional intensity, balancing dancefloor functionality with introspective atmospheres.

“Evolution and change are part of life. Evolution comes naturally; change is an unavoidable force. You either allow it to reshape you, or resist until you succumb to it. This is the philosophy behind this EP.” — Roto

The release closes with a collaboration that has already become a signature within the label’s identity. Nulek and Roto unite once again to deliver a dark, stomping B2 cut where the electron analog power meets the raw pulse of bass guitar. Together they shape a dense and immersive sonic landscape and a warning whispered from within: avoid the devil.

2026 Repress


New EP from Polish label Kooky is a challenging and ambitious one. Jay Tripwire, Canada's finest DJ and producer, offers a solid set of 3 minimal (techno) tracks, crafted with a unique passion for detail, raw energy and dark soundscapes. Every track differs in intensity and dynamics, but all of them are a feast for the ears to demanding music lovers. If you are searching for the true beauty of minimal and want to escape from modern dance music that is unfortunately more and more generic these days, this release is just for you.

Die erfolgreiche „ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of“-Reihe geht in die nächste Runde und präsentiert mit Vol. 8 erneut eine erstklassige Auswahl an Italo-Disco-Klassikern der 1980er Jahre. Auf dieser Doppel-LP erwarten den Hörer 14 sorgfältig ausgewählte Tracks, die den unverwechselbaren Sound der legendären Italo-Disco-Ära widerspiegeln.

Mit dabei sind beliebte Genre-Highlights wie J.D. Jaber‘s „Don‘t Wake Me Up“, Alan Ross‘ „Valentino Mon Amour“, Brian Ice‘s „Night Girl“ oder Cyber People‘s „Doctor Faustu‘s“. Ergänzt wird die Compilation durch weitere seltene Maxi- und Extended-Versionen, die bis heute auf Tanzflächen und in DJ-Sets weltweit geschätzt werden.

„ZYX Italo Disco: Best Of Vol. 8“ verbindet eingängige Melodien, atmosphärische Synthesizer und den typischen Charme der goldenen Italo-Disco-Zeit zu einem authentischen Hörerlebnis – ein Muss für Fans, Sammler und Liebhaber klassischer Dance-Music.

This record was born as a tribute to two great classics of Latin music: “El Reloj” and “Lluvia con nieve”, two songs that have travelled through decades while keeping their popular and emotional power intact.

On the A side, “El Reloj”, composed by Roberto Cantoral, popularised by Trío Los Tres Caballeros and later covered by artists such as Los Panchos and Luis Miguel, is transformed into an elegant rocksteady version, preserving its romantic and melancholic character.

On the B side, “Lluvia con nieve”, a song associated with Mon Rivera, takes the form of an instrumental ska piece, full of bright and danceable energy, led by the horns, the rhythm and the melodic arrangements.

This release is part of Latin Goes Ska, a collaboration between Gatzara Records, Sotasons and STQBlack, together with The Jeggaes, Memi Sillah and Lenin “Güiroloco”. A meeting point between Latin music, rocksteady and ska, conceived as both a tribute and a celebration.

2026 Repress

Swedish talent Dold drops nuanced techno cuts on 10" via SHDW's Mutual Rytm X.

Stockholm-based Patrik Eriksson, aka Dold, is a cultured producer known for crafting hypnotic loops with a minimalist, emotive touch-bridging underground dancefloors and introspective listening.

As a DJ, producer, and co-founder of Arsenik, Dold has championed raw, unembellished techno since 2015. His releases on Key and Fuse blend Detroit techno's legacy with IDM's intricacy and ambient's ethereal tones, creating a style that is both timeless and forward-thinking. Whether it's crafting tapestry's recorded via hardware in the studio or performing live, Dold continues to innovate, honouring techno's roots while exploring its future, and his talent is on full display across his label debut on Mutual Rytm X.

'Grainy' opens the EP and showcases Dold's ability to craft deep and loopy techno with a stripped-back, emotive
edge. It's deft but enthralling, with innovative synths rising and falling through the minimal drums. 'Surface' is another compelling deep cut with hurried drum funk and subtle synth pulses, adding a futuristic edge to the groove. The fantastic 'Blush' brings smears of warm synth and machine soul to a dynamic dub techno rhythm that bends the
past with the present. Digital bonus cuts 'Dub at Heart (Club Version)' and 'Dub at Heart (Sofa Version)' offer
contrasting perspectives of the same track, with the first aiming directly for peak-time sessions, while the latter closes the package on a laid-back tip.

10" series

Exos inaugurates the new sub-label on SHDW's Mutual Rytm with four 90s techno cuts, with offshoot imprint X building on the main imprint's DJ-friendly tools to delve deeper into a broader spectrum of electronic music.

Founded in 2022, SHDW's Mutual Rytm label has quickly become one of techno's most supported labels, with wide-reaching love and well-earned hype following a series of carefully curated VA offerings and solo EPs from a wealth of the scene's best. Continuing to push the pace, with more records capturing high-quality, fresh soundscapes, April brings a new project to the mix with the launch of a new sub-label X, with techno pioneer Exos drafted to deliver the first instalment.

Hailing from Iceland, the Planet X boss is a master of crafting perfect dancefloor weaponry. Over the last twenty years, his high-octane sounds have come via vital labels like Figure and X/OZ, never failing to make an impact with both DJs and dancers. Whether dubby or hard, his techno is always authentic and channels the purity of the 90s sound, and he brings this signature sound to four fresh productions across his 'Infrared' EP, marking an impressive debut for both label and artist.

The title cut 'Infrared' opens up the package in style and showcases a track that looks set to be a go-to anthem for many in the months ahead. With searing synth lines and drilling bass, the blistering production delivers a thrilling, high-impact techno sound that will devastate the dancefloor. The well-designed 'Kaldur Klaki' ups the ante even more with tightly coiled loops of drums, rusty hi-hats and stuttering synth lines that canter along with a muscular feel. 'The Bad' is twitchy and paranoid, anxiety-riddled techno that is perfect for dark warehouses and freaky dancers before digital bonus 'DS4BR' lands with a more stripped-back aesthetic with dubby undercurrents and static electricity fizzing across the face of the cut.

Each of the releases on Mutual Rytm X will be available on limited edition, coloured 10" vinyl, hence the Roman numeral X, and Exos' 'Infrared' EP kicks off the series on 19th April ahead of a new wave of killer releases scheduled across 2024.

Following the passing of our dear friend DJ Romain earlier this year, we've spent a long time reflecting on when to share some of the new music he entrusted to Hard Times Records. The incredible response to 2024’s 'The Lost D.A.T.S.' EPs reignited Romain's creative spark at a time when, unbeknownst to many, he was quietly battling serious ill health. After relocating from his beloved New Jersey to Cleveland, the studio once again became his sanctuary, inspiring a remarkable new chapter of music. The 'New Jersey' and ‘Cleveland’ EPs were the first recordings from that period.

Funky Streets completes the first trio of new EPs, but it is also just a glimpse of the wealth of music Romain crafted before his passing. His final studio sessions became an escape from his daily battles, inspiring a remarkable outpouring of new material that he was determined to finish, knowing his beats would continue to warm dancefloors and further cement the legacy of one of house music's true masters.

Opening with the horn-driven swagger of the title track, the EP moves seamlessly into the soulful groove of 'I Like To Boogie' before culminating in the deep, organ-led dancefloor energy of 'This Is Where I Wanna Be’. Romain signs off with 'The Chocolates’ - an uplifting, guitar-laced boogie jam filled with warmth, joy and unmistakable soul.

Beautifully crafted from beginning to end, Funky Streets stands as a lasting testament to DJ Romain's extraordinary talent, timeless musicality, and enduring contribution to House music. His legacy lives on in every groove.

A timeless classic - coming up on nearly 20 years since the original 12's were released and the very first time this LP has collectively been available on wax. (over 15 years since last in circulation)

This edition was remastered to analog perfection from the Grammy award winning ears @Stardelta Mastering. paying close attention to every finite detail - this album has never sounded so alive!

A multidimensional sound experience; it's like taking a swim in an analogue ocean and being immersed into the deepest end of the Mariana's Trench. Sonic Submersion of the Highest Order!

Credits:
Written & Produced by Steven Hitchell.
Vocal & Rhodes Performance by Paul St. Hilaire (Tikiman), courtesy of false tuned. Published by Basic Channel Publishing. (BCP)
Additional Mastering, Mixing and Engineering by Mark Richardson @ PrairieCat/Metropolis Mastering, Chicago, USA. (2007-2009)
Remastering and Lacquer cutting by Stardelta, UK. (2024)

Mount Kimbie’s forthcoming contribution to the acclaimed fabric presents series marks one of the duo’s most dancefloor-focused bodies of work in years. More than simply a release on fabric Records, the project sits within the revered fabric presents mix series, placing Mount Kimbie alongside artists such as Daniel Avery, Midland, Helena Hauff and Overmono, artists who have each delivered defining entries for the series.

Leading the project is first single “Monroe”, a warm yet uplifting club track that unfolds gradually through loose percussion, driving synth work and subtle vocal fragments drifting in and out of the mix, adding flashes of emotion without interrupting the track’s momentum. An ode to their 2017 hit ‘Marilyn’ featuring Micachu, the track carries elements of the original throughout, with flourishes over reverb washed vocals that float around you amongst driving drums and bass. There’s a summery energy running throughout the track, making it equally suited to late-night club systems and open-air festival stages.

Long celebrated as pioneers of the post-dubstep and future garage movements, Mount Kimbie continue to evolve beyond genre boundaries while maintaining the unmistakable sonic identity that has made them one of the defining acts in UK electronic music. Their contribution to the fabric presents series captures the duo at their most refined and exploratory, without losing the emotional atmosphere and understated intensity that has always defined their work.

Released as part of the prestigious fabric presents series via fabric Records, the project signals a bold new chapter for Mount Kimbie.

Severed Heads reattach themselves to Dark Entries for an expanded reissue of their 1991 opus Cuisine (With Piscatorial). As originary Aussie industrial legends – although founder Tom Ellard would balk at being branded as such – Severed Heads shaped the continental subcultural sound with their kitchen electronics, chaotic tape loops, and infectious nursery-rhyme-esque melodies. Cuisine (With Piscatorial) was the long-running project’s ninth album, and is a commentary on the state of music. Ellard explains: “The whole food joke is really about what music's about and how disposable it is; people have records like they have cups of coffee.” The album also presents a turn away from the dancefloor formalism of the era, which Ellard dismissed as already sufficiently explored. Cuisine brings us punchy pop kernels of the prime Heads variety, all clocking in around three minutes. Cuts like “Pilot in Hell” and “Ugly Twenties” rank among the band’s best through their deadly skewering of synth pop tropes. But the album also offers us a Piscatorial section, where Ellard felt free to “go fishing for ideas.” Here we get a taste of the project’s demented cut-up sensibilities, like on the “Quest for Oom Pa Pa” suite, where vintage jazz records are collaged into an angular nightmare. This double-LP reissue is the first time that Cuisine (With Piscatorial) will appear on vinyl, with a previously unreleased early version of “Seven of Oceans.” Also included is a 6-page booklet with liner notes, lyrics, and press clippings.

Edgar debuts on Dark Entries with Pavor, an 11 track LP of sleazy disco, warped synthpop, and gothic cumbia. Veteran musician Luis Gutierrez has spent the past two decades touring in bands, running Lalalandia Studio, and building his practice in Oakland and Guadalajara. But now, for his first solo outing, he has become Edgar, a pop star who knows no limits! “Edgar feels mightier than anyone but is always reduced to his vices” says Gutierrez, and Pavor delivers vices in spades. From the opening salvos of “Otra Agua,” it’s clear we’re in for a wild ride: seasick synths slide along slamming disco beats, menacingly chanted vocals sit amid a flurry of careening horror movie samples. The mischief does not abate as we’re guided through a demented funhouse of genre detournements.

Edgar puts his indelible fingerprints over every inch of this vinyl, from uptempo numbers like the spooky chip-tune frenzy of “Nunca Mas” to the twisted cumbia of “Panteon.” We’re even treated to a fairly faithful (and majestic) Spanish-language cover of Amanda Lear’s “Follow Me,” here titled “Sigueme.” EBM, space disco, and horror movie soundtracks all find their way into the mix on Pavor, but the diverse palette comes together perfectly, like a Yello album for the 21st century. Pavor comes housed in a sleeve designed by Eloise Shir-Juen Leigh and features a photograph by Izaak Schlossman. Also included is an insert with lyrics and notes. On Pavor, Edgar brings us a healthy dose of pure excess, reminding us that dread can be a hell of a lot of fun.

Ruf Kutz reaches release twenty-two with something close to heart...

Mike Kee is a face from the early days - red-lit rooms of the Bodega mushroom squat parties in Sydney. This is a second release for Mike Kee on Ruf Kutz since 'Seeing Crystals' on RK2 in 2010.
Recorded in the rainforests of Bundjalung Country (northern NSW, Australia). Making good use of a Fender Rhodes and a JX-8P synthesiser.

WHITE CLOUD PLACE is a destination that doesn't exist. Glimpsed once on a street sign, filed away in the imagination and allowed to bloom into an imagined geography of warmth and weightlessness.
The music is lush dream house that elicits euphoria out of the speakers and into the body. Mike Kee has been chasing this feeling across his music and here it lands cleanly.

Flip the record and the temperature ratchets up. BANANA MOON is one for the dancers - shuffling congas push the pace while Rhodes chords and those big analog synth strings hold the whole thing aloft.

Where the A-side invites you to float, Banana Moon keeps it pitched up and jazzy.

'Space Between' is the debut album of The Hague based Belgian vocalist/ composer Sam Nera. This experimental indie pop album is characterized by Sam's soft repetitive vocal phrases, shifting layers, and melodic, hypnotic soundscapes that clearly echo her background in jazz.

Few contemporary labels even come close to the output and influence of Lempuyang in terms of dub techno. Albums, 12"s and EPs come thick and fast and the latest is the first part of the fourth in the Pura Lempuyang series, which offers a glimpse at what they do best. Upwellings begins with Maurizio-style, smoky dub techno before Rothchord ups the drive with a more forceful kick. Paul Simmons's 'Burial (Natty Haffi Dread)' reflects the traditional roots of dub with a more 70s style cut, Another Channel slows to a crawl with an eerily empty arrangement and Inner Echo drives things home with a timeless fusion of molten dub chords and cuddly kicks.