Cerca:count

Originally released on seven-inch by the tiny PRM label in 1986, ‘Witches’ was the product of a sister-brother song writing team whose music was mostly recorded in the front room of a terraced house in Nanpean, a small industrial village in Cornwall, England’s most south-westerly county. While the single was infectious and dancefloor-ready, it sold in limited quantities at the time.

Zenana’s story can be traced back to the early 1980s, when singer-songwriter Anita Tedder founded the all-female trio as a vehicle for her socially conscious and politically charged songs, with a burning desire to put strong depictions of women front and centre. To bring Zenana to life, she joined forces with her brother Mike, an early adopter of electronic music who had built a small studio in his Cornish home, and recruited two fellow bandmembers, Penny Griffiths and Ruth Elder.

This specific release is a limited reissue that the band created in 2023 and holds three more songs ; The Final Winter, The Touch Of Woman & When The Comet Comes. This issue comes with an 8 page booklet including background stories as well as historical photographs.

There’s a particular magic that happens when seasoned producers with global roots come together under a shared ethos - not for hype, but for connection. That’s precisely what MISINGO represents. A cross-continental studio experiment born out of Covid-era isolation, the group spans hemispheres and histories: Yorkshire's Doorly, L.A. legend Gary Richards (aka Destructo), and Australian duo Colour Castle. Their debut offering, Give You Love, lands via UK House Music institution Hard Times Records, and it’s as emotionally resonant as it is built for the floor.

Anchored by a slow-burning acid line and moody, immersive synthwork, 'Give You Love' carries the DNA of classic house without feeling like pastiche. DJ Rae’s smokey vocal, recorded in Doorly’s Ibiza studio, sets the tone - raw, intimate, immediate. Gene Farris enters with a gravelly, magnetic counterpoint, flipping the call-and-response into something spiritual. It’s a record that feels both new and deeply lived-in, a jam session from afar that somehow lands with unity and purpose.

For the remix suite, Hard Times dig into family ties and deliver a heavyweight lineup that spans generations of dance music lineage.

First up, DJ Pierre, the Phuture pioneer himself, brings a Wild Pitch revision that is pure summer sleaze and shimmer. Glistening keys, kinetic snares, and a syrup-thick bassline collide in a mix that’s tailor-made for golden-hour sets and open-air systems.

DJ Romain brings that New York swing. All velvet chords, stabbing pianos, and organ swells that spiral skyward. It’s gospel-house energy that doesn’t need to shout to be heard, a reminder that soul still moves the dancefloor.

Closing out the package is Charles Lavine of Soul Clap fame, whose Boston-bred funk sensibility steers things into new territory. He strips back the mix, lets Rae’s vocal ride the groove, and injects a subtle bounce that turns heads and hips in equal measure.

With 'Give You Love', MISINGO and Hard Times haven’t just released a single, they’ve bottled a moment: one born of distance, stitched together with soul, and destined for collective release on dancefloors worldwide.

First ever release of pioneering radiophonic / experimental / electronic / soundtrack composer you may never have heard of but really should have by now. 26 tracks in all.
As we began the mammoth task of whittling down material for this album Elizabeth recalled the time she met Delia Derbyshire. It was during a party for existing and former Radiophonic Workshop composers at BBC Maida Vale in the early 1980s. Delia introduced herself with typical energy and exuberance proclaiming "It's up to you now - I'm passing the baton. Show these men how we get things done". That must have been quite an honour and responsibility for a young, female composer establishing herself within the male-dominated environs at Delaware Road.
Looking back over a musical career spanning almost five decades, it's clear Elizabeth rose to the challenge and made her mark. She was consistently in demand with television and radio producers, composing for an array of ground-breaking, critically acclaimed and popular BBC projects. Whilst Delia's legacy has achieved mythical status with her position as an innovator and feminist icon secured, the majority of Elizabeth's recorded work remains unavailable so her contribution to the output of the Workshop and evolution of British electronic music is somewhat under-appreciated.
Perhaps this record will help start to remedy the situation. Included are early tape experiments, home demos and non-BBC commissions from the early 1970's to the late 2000s. Having listened to 260+ digital audio tapes from Elizabeth's personal archive we have barely scratched the surface but hope to provide an indication of the breadth of her compositional and sound design skills.
Classically trained in cello and piano, Elizabeth graduated from the University of East Anglia with a degree in Music in 1973. She was mentored by Tristram Cary who helped her to become UEA's first recipient of a Masters in Electronic Music and later awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Staffordshire University. Joining the BBC as a studio manager in 1975, Elizabeth transferred to the Radiophonic Workshop in 1978. One of her first tasks was to create special sound effects for Blake's 7 using tape loops, the EMS 100 and trusted VCS3.
Her celebrated score for The Living Planet in 1982 featured early use of the PPG synthesizer and earned an Emmy nomination. Over the following years studio technology evolved rapidly, but Elizabeth transitioned from analogue recording techniques to newer digital platforms with relative ease, using samplers, midi sequencing and computer controlled workstations.
With an incredible 1,400 commissions to her name, she created special sound for The Day Of The Triffids, Lord Of The Rings, countless radio dramas including Iris Murdoch's The Sea, The Sea, Harold Pinter's Moonlight, all of Howard Barker's plays, productions of King Lear, Wordsworth's Prelude and The Pallisers. The success of The Living Planet led to further work for the BBC Natural History Unit followed by numerous commissions for The Natural World. At one point in the late 1980's at least five of her signature tunes were being broadcast every week including Points Of View, Horizon, Doctors To Be and Everyman.
After the closure of the Workshop in 1996 Elizabeth became freelance, arranging Faure's Pavane for the BBC World Cup '98 coverage (reaching no. 9 in the UK singles chart). She wrote additional music for Monty Python's Holy Grail DVD, scored Michael Palin's Full Circle and Sahara TV series, The Lost Gardens Of Heligan and The Human Body with Robert Winston.
Retiring from the music industry in the late 2000's, Elizabeth recently returned to her East Anglian roots and now lives near the coast. She walks daily, listening to all kinds of music, new and old, on her beloved air-pods.

Movement and Soul Records is the highly-anticipated imprint, founded by Nonna Fab...

The label aims to capture deeper sounds and meditations in rhythm, spanning spiritual jazz, broken-beat and deeper house.
Nature is Enlightenment is the debut release on the label. With flute, keys, bass and drums from Nonna Fab and saxophonefrom Benjamin Ten-Bruggencate.

The B1, 'TROPIC' invites Kali, lyricist, poet and azz influenced vocalist from Sheffield, accompanied on piano/rhodes by Nonna Fab.

The broken-beat focussed B2,'FLOAT' featuring bassist Tom French and an opening poem, that touches on thecosmos, by Kali.

Multi-instrumentalist, producer, band leader, record collector and party'starter, Nonna Fab has launched the label as a platform to push the sound of his own music, working closely with a range of musicians from the North.

"It's come at the right time for me to allow a space to push a very new, organic sound working with a lot of the musicians I play with regularly, interweaving the sound with dance music."

Nonna Fab is behind audiophile party, Apricot Ballroom, which was named in the top 10 nights in the country in TimeOut Magazine as well as being acknowledged for being a pioneer of northern contemporary jazz by BBC for Footprints. As well as this, Nonna Fab is co-owner of Grub Records, which has been written about in DJMag, Mixmag and Resident Advisor.

"The label is a true hybrid of both live sound and electronic dance music and really allows focus on true communication and expression. I have always appreciated more free-form styles of dance music so it really is a space for me to explore the more expressive andspiritual side of my sound"

Pain Management welcomes London cult favourite DJ ojo, who arrives on the label with a hazy three tracker of trademark nether zone system music. On his most dubbed out full length to date, ojo span’s the full emotive spectrum of dub sonics with a range of both the eerie and more tender expansions of low end atmospherics, the resulting 12” equally suited for the club and the journey home alike.

‘Tongue Tied’ opens the record, a lysergic offering from the darker edges of dub music. A slippery fugue-state hit of narco-ambience built around a crooning, intelligible vocal refrain and chest shot sub weight. A real nightfall system pusher built to simmer in the early hours. It kicks off the EP on an amorphous, hypnotic note that sustains throughout.‘Oil Dub’ sinks deeper into the fog, melodic kinesis and expansive delays upholding an underworld of feedbacked percussion and tongue in cheek sub motion; a seven minute sound bath of ambiguous dub ASMR.

The B-side balances out the darker strains found on its counterpart with an overtly tender digidub closer. Clocking in at almost ten minutes long ‘Cloud Suck’ is a nebulous bliss of perpetually ascending late-summer warmth. The kind of liminal dream-state embrace that you wish would never end. True to the name, it evokes tender, dusk and dawn hued moments, a quiet ride-home flash of introspection on the way to or from some pursuit of meaning. Pain Management essential right here.

Limited run of 200 hand-stamped 12” records available now.

2025 Record Store Day title - now available for general sale. A selection of top quality tracks from some of reggae’s legendary singers backed by some of the best musicians - Tyrone Taylor, Joseph Cotton, Errol Dunkley, Gregory Isaacs,Frederica Tibbs, J Nile featuring his son J Nile, Cornell Campbell, Jimmy James (of Jimmy James and the Vagabonds fame, one of the first Jamaican recording artists), Winston Reedy (Mr Dim The Lights – lovers rock king) , The Heptones - top Jamaican group who recorded countless hits for Studio One, and BB Seaton (one of Jamaicas best songwriters). Recorded at the Room in the Sky Studio, Tuff Gong Jamaica, Music Lab Jamaica, and Ariwa,. Musiciams: Sly Dunbar, , Winston Horseman Williams, Michael ""Megahbass"" Fletcher, Flabba Holt, Alan Weekes, Vin Gordon,,Noel Fish Salmon, ,Ashanti Selah, Bongo Herman.

[b] A2 Omelet Rice; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Clarinet – 小林未侑; Guitar – 國田大輔*; Percussion – 石若 駿*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[c] A3 Day By Day; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Drums – 伊吹文裕*; Flute – 野津雄太; Guitar – 井上 銘*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴

[e] A5 Ambition; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Guitar – 井上 銘*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴

[g] A7 Motivation; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Clarinet – 小林未侑; Drums – 菅野知明*; Electric Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Flute – 片山士駿; Guitar – 國田大輔*; Percussion – 石若 駿*; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴


[j] A10 Monologue; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Cello – 向井 航*, 篠崎由紀*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Trombone – 三原万里子; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴

[l] Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴

[n] B1 Next Step; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Drums – 菅野知明*; Electric Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Guitar – 國田大輔*; Percussion – 石若 駿*; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[o] B2 Challenge; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Guitar – 國田大輔*; Trumpet – 伊藤 駿*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[p] B3 Kick Off; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Drums – 菅野知明*; Guitar – 國田大輔*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Trombone – 三原万里子; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴


[s] B6 Recollection; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Guitar – 國田大輔*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[t] B7 No Way Out; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Guitar – 國田大輔*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[u] C1 New Day; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Drums – 伊吹文裕*; Flute – 野津雄太; Guitar – 井上 銘*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[v] C2 Reunion; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Drums – 伊吹文裕*; Flute – 野津雄太; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴

[x] C4 Faith; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Guitar – 井上 銘*; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[y] C5 Nostalgia; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Piano – 上原ひろみ*; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴
[z] C6 What It Takes; Bass – Marty Holoubek; Cello – 向井 航*, 下島万乃; Conductor – 挾間美帆*; Guitar – 井上 銘*; Oboe – 神農広樹; Viola – 中 恵菜*, 古屋聡見; Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴


[xc] Violin [1st] – 田中笑美子, 田村直貴, 西江辰郎; Violin [2nd] – ビルマン聡平*, 松崎千鶴

[f] B2 Eminence Front; Electric Piano – Tim Gorman; Synthesizer [Synthesisers] – Pete Townshend; Written-By – Pete Townshend

[h] C1 One Life's Enough; Piano – Pete Townshend; Synthesizer [Synthesisers] – Pete Townshend, Tim Gorman; Written-By – Pete Townshend

The songwriter Joseph Allred is always prolific, but breaks up their string of solo releases for one of the most orchestrated offerings since the excellent Branches And Trees. Allred’s often monastic guitar works are fleshed out here on Old Time Fantasias, turning them towards ensemble visions of country, Americana, and Appalachia. Album opener, “The Groundhog,” features the distinctive piano of Hans Chew, with bass from Daniel Kimbro and brass from Mikey Allred. Elsewhere the new album features Kelby Clark, Courtney Werner (Magic Tuber String Band), Evan Morgan (Magic Tuber String Band), Lydian Bramblia, and Jack Bird in the mix. “I started recording this album in Spring ‘23, thinking I might be making a mostly solo acoustic album with a couple of duets thrown in for good measure. I met Hans Chew at a Nashville show a few months earlier and sent him a few tracks to see if he wanted to add anything to them. Before long the ‘solo acoustic album’ had given way to what’s probably the most involved and densely orchestrated album I’ve made to date. “I enjoyed following some threads of influence that aren’t as easily discernible in my solo playing—I hear some classic country and psychedelic flourishes, baroque pop glockenspiel and horns, percussion ideas that may be cribbed from Danny Elfman and Tom Waits albums, nods to post-rock-filtered western guitar twang, and a little Cocteau Twins dreaminess. “All in all this was a satisfying record to make. I’m especially grateful to the collaborators for adding their touches and making it a less solipsistic affair than it would have been otherwise. The political climate has changed so much over the last two years that I find it hard to imagine I could make a record with this kind of fantastic mood if I started now. I hope that it can maybe re-enchant those of us who are felling disillusioned.” —Joseph Allred

Possessing one of the greatest jazz voices of all time; a breathy, husky whisper that promised and seduced the listener, before dancing away again with a glance over her shoulder. Much of Billie’s vocal delivery style was hammered out as she sang live in smoky nightclubs, and relied on her ability to improvise. She rose through the ranks of jazz singers during the Swing era until she was collaborating with greats like Count Basie. The tracklist of Body And Soul is a mixture of well-known standards and comparative obscurities Comes Love, They Can’t Take That Away From Me, Darn That Dream and Moonlight In Vermont to name but a few.

Rando Arand is an Estonian electronic music producer from Tallinn. With a strong foundation in sound design, Arand released his debut record on Asphalt Soliloquies in 2017 and has since captivated audiences at clubs and festivals across the Baltics with his unpredictable and unique live sets. Drawing inspiration from a range of genres such as broken jazz, dubtechno, breakbeat and jungle, Arand incorporates modular synth patches into his performances. He has shared the stage with artists like Dorian Concept, Gerry Read and King Midas Sound. In 2019, Arand released the "Alles" EP on Ali Asker's LIITHELI imprint, which focuses on promoting local talent from Estonia's capital. Arand's latest EP, "Aru" (2022), showcases his exploration of a new "Linki" format. In addition to his musical pursuits, Arand was also a host at the underground venue Ulme in Tallinn.

About the album „Child of the Internet”

The new album by experimental sound designer and electronic music producer Rando Arand takes the artist on a completely different path compared to the previously known dance music influenced deep and contemplative instrumental tracks. Featuring several notable guest artists, the album is a sizzling hot record that makes feet tapping and bodies grooving. On the artist’s most listener-friendly work to date, an impressive lineup of Estonian vocalists makes an appearance: Hyrr IV, the lead singer of the indie band Ouu; Jon Mikiver from Elephants from Neptune; actress Mirtel Pohla; alternative pop artist Kitty Florentine; queer artist Helgi Saldo; comedian Maiduk; and hobby musicians Maihe and David.

The conceptual album "Child of the Internet" is dedicated to young kids for whom the internet has been a defining part of growing up. Genre-wise, the album is very flexible, weaving through various musical chapters and styles with the help of numerous musical sketches, touching on both the comedic and the darker oddities that circulate online.

The album features scorchingly hot, electrified synth-funk jams with a nostalgic touch reminiscent of Prince ("Slidin in Yo DM’s", "Refresh"). Kitty Florentine delivers a sensual neo-soul ballad ("Just Scrolling"), filled with soft tones, soulful warmth, and a smooth groove. For more demanding listeners, the record also explores elements of chillwave, glitch, lo-fi hip-hop, techno, house, and breakbeat. Longer tracks and shorter interludes come together like a bouquet of favorite memes or a collection of countless open web browser tabs that we all keep running. At the same time, the album hints at the immense impact the internet has on our everyday lives.

Rando Arand’s latest studio album is an intriguing listen — perfect for enjoying alone with good headphones or as an ideal background soundtrack for a larger gathering with friends.

49th & Main veröffentlichen ihr lang-erwartetes Deübtalbum ‘Happy Tears’ im Juni auf Counter Records.

Mit über 200 Millionen Streams, 2 Millionen monatlichen Spotify-Hörer:innen, zahlreichen von den Medien unterstützten Veröffentlichungen und einer Berücksichtigung in den NME 100 sind die beiden zu einem der populärsten Acts der irischen Musikszene geworden und stehen weltweit an der Spitze der Indie-Elektro-Musik. Von der Selbstveröffentlichung von Tracks im irischen Kilkenny bis hin zu ausverkauften internationalen Tourneen haben 49th & Main einen Sound entwickelt, der UK-Garage, Jazz-infizierten House und emotionsgeladenen Indie-Pop miteinander verbindet. Sie haben sich entgegen dem traditionellen Schema der Branche vom Tiktok-Buzz zu großen Festivalauftritten beim Glastonbury Festival, Electric Picnic und The Great Escape entwickelt. „Happy Tears“ ist ihr bisher wichtigstes Statement - ein Album, das alles, was 49th & Main ausmacht, in 21 (!) Tracks bündelt. Es fängt den Rausch der Live-Musik und die Katharsis des Songwritings ein, kanalisiert alles, von der chaotischen Schönheit einer Nacht bis zum Schmerz der Nostalgie in einer vertrauten Melodie oder der flüchtigen Klarheit eines Sonnenaufgangs nach dem Schlaf. 49th & Main haben ein Album geschaffen, das den Puls der Indie-Elektronik einfängt und gleichzeitig eine Fülle von Klangelementen einfließen lässt. Seit ihrem kühnen Aufstieg von Kilkenny zu internationalem Ruhm hat das Duo einen unkonventionellen und inspirierenden Weg eingeschlagen. Ihre Mischung aus von der Kritik gefeierten Live-Auftritten, der Unterstützung von Fachmedien, dem viralen Streaming-Erfolg und einer tiefen Verbindung zu den emotionalen Strömungen der heutigen Jugend hat sie zu einem kulturellen Phänomen gemacht. 49th & Main sind eine Geschichte, die die Aufmerksamkeit verlangt, die sie verdientermaßen bekommen.

HEXVESSEL erkunden auf ihrem epischen siebten Album "Nocturne" liminale Räume, z.B. zwischen Licht und Dunkelheit sowie Natur und Einsamkeit. Die sich kontinuierlich wandelnde finnische Band besinnt sich wieder auf ihre Wurzeln im Folk und im psychedelischen Rock, indem sie akustische Zwischenspiele, kosmische Synthesizer und geisterhafte Pianoklänge kunstvoll mit den frostgesponnenen Fäden ihres Black Metal Geflechts verwebt. "Nocturne" klingt sowohl vertraut als auch unverhohlen progressiv, da HEXVESSEL ihre eigene Tradition mit einer frischen Neuerfindung ihres charakteristischen Sounds vermischen. Der Keim für dieses Meisterwerk wurde durch die Aufführung eines Auftragswerks beim Roadburn Festival 2024 gesetzt, das ursprünglich den Titel "Music for Gloaming: A Nocturne" trug. Mit diesem Album nimmt das Projekt eine ausgearbeitete physische Gestalt an. Dieses opus magnum verbindet den rauen Geist von Quorthons Black Metal mit dem komplexen Minimalismus zeitgenössischer Komponisten wie Philip Glass, György Ligeti und Avro Pärt. Den eklektischen Charakter von "Nocturne" unterstreichen ausgewählte Gastauftritte wie der ätherische Gesang von Saara Nevalainen oder die harschen Stimmen der Avantgarde Black Metal Vorreiter Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez (DHG/DØDHEIMSGARD) und ORANSSI PAZUZUs Juho Vanhanen. HEXVESSEL stammen zwar aus dem finnischen Tampere, die Band wurde aber vom englischen Sänger und Songwriter Kvohst alias Mat McNerney gegründet, nachdem er im Jahr 2009 in das nordische Land gezogen war. In vielerlei Hinsicht spiegeln HEXVESSEL die Natur ihres Gründers wider. Der Sänger und Songwriter war schon in vielen erfolgreichen Gruppen und Projekten aktiv, deren Spektrum von der britischen Black Metal Band CODE über einen Abstecher bei den norwegischen Legenden DHG bis hin zu den Rock-Shootingstars BEASTMILK reicht, die er später mit GRAVE PLEASURES fortsetzte. Mit "Nocturne" laden HEXVESSEL alle dunklen Seelen der Erde zu einem transzendentalen Nachtritual ein, das unter anderem die Klangvisionen von DARKTHRONE, TANGERINE DREAM und Philip Glass aus der toten Vergangenheit erweckt und mit neuem Leben erfüllt.

With their seventh full-length "Nocturne", HEXVESSEL explore the liminal spaces between light and darkness, nature and solitude on an epic album. The ever evolving and shifting Finnish band has reawakened their treasured roots in folk music and psychedelic rock as they artfully weave acoustic interludes, cosmic synths, and spectral piano into the frost-spun threads on their black metal loom. "Nocturne" sounds both familiar and fearlessly progressive as echoes of tradition entwine with a fresh reinvention of their characteristic sound. The seed of this masterpiece was sown by the performance of a commissioned work at Roadburn Festival 2024 that was originally entitled: "Music for Gloaming: A Nocturne". With this album, it arrives fully fleshed in recorded form. This opus magnum blends the raw spirit of Quorthon's black metal with the intricate minimalism of contemporary composers such as Philip Glass, György Ligeti, and Avro Pärt. Its eclectic nature is elevated and underlined by select guest performances, including the vocals of Saara Nevalainen, as well as the avant-garde black metal luminaries Yusaf Vicotnik Parvez (DHG/DØDHEIMSGARD), and ORANSSI PAZUZU's Juho Vanhanen. While HEXVESSEL are based in Tampere, Finland, they were founded by English singer & songwriter Kvohst aka Mat McNerney after he moved to the country in 2009. In many ways, HEXVESSEL reflect their founder. The vocalist and songwriter has instigated and been involved in various bands ranging from UK black metal act CODE, a stint in Norwegian legends DØDHEIMSGARD, and to rock shooting stars BEASTMILK – later 'continued' with GRAVE PLEASURES to name but a few of his success stories. With "Nocturne", HEXVESSEL invite all souls on earth to a transcendental night ritual that is imbued with DARKTHRONE, TANGERINE DREAM, Philip Glass, and sounds unearthed from the dead past, now instilled with new life.

PHASE SHIFTING INDEX is a time capsule record of Jeremy Shaw's vast original artwork that includes audio excerpts, voiceover passages and music composed by There in Spirit and Konrad Black. Shaw's seven-channel video, sound and light installation-that premiered at Centre Pompidou in 2020-uses science fiction, documentary, visual effects and synchronisation to induce an ecstatic experience in narrative temporality. Each video details the belief systems of one of seven fictional subcultural groups spread across time that aspire to induce parallel realities that could redirect the evolution of the human species through embodied forms of ritual, ideology and movement. The vinyl release serves as a gathering of the piece's key audio elements, focussing on their importance to the engineering of the artwork and their stand-alone listening qualities. Side A of the record follows the dramaturgy of the artwork in full-swing, including audio segments from four of its five distinct chapters. Written by long time collaborators Konrad Black and Jeremy Shaw together as There in Spirit, "Cross- Temporal Sync" soundtracks the strobing peak of the installation at the moment when all seven disparate videos fall into a unified choreography in which every person on every screen performs the same ecstatic series of slow-motion movements. The pulsing, hypnotic dirge aligns with the locked choreography in mood and action, caught somewhere between ecstatic trance and somatic takeover. A steady sub line, clipped stabs and a swooping choral gasp harmonise with the dancers movements onscreen while restrained filters open slowly to reveal a submerged melody that builds in intensity towards the chaotic rupture of Black's "Mosh". Here the score breaks into digital shards as heard through analog bodies colliding and pixelating into each other. The dancers eventual dissolution into "Particles" sounds like the field recording of a disembodied neural cosmos. The B-side of the record contains a narrative outline edit of the artwork comprised of music, excerpts and pieces of narration from each video. Listeners can follow along in an accompanying thirty-six page booklet of full-bleed film stills documenting each of the seven groups as they move through the five chapter dramaturgy. Composer Konrad Black's authentically backwards-glancing production and sound design is as disparate as the groups represented on screen. From the bespoke-16mm-tribal-techno of "The Cyclical Culture" and retro-cyber-funk of the "Zero-Ones," to the VHSdark- wave of "The Violet Lux" and skewed vocal/piano minimalism of the "Quantum Modern," each group exists in its own custom-made world out-of-time. The record ends where it began, with the full sequence of "Ramping" playing out as each subcultural world begins to lose control, galvanise, sync, rupture, atomise and scatter throughout the universe, only to loop back into another inevitable beginning. Phase Shifting Index premiered at Centre Pompidou, Paris, in 2020 and has since been exhibited in nine international venues including ARoS, Denmark, MONA, Tasmania, MAC, Montreal and Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin

F.G.S.–the musical project of Los Angeles artist Flannery Silva–announces the first-ever vinyl release of her debut album ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’, arriving May 27 via Scenic Route. Alongside the release comes a new single, ‘The Punisher (Tinker Bell’s Edit)’, and an exclusive vinyl-only live track, ‘Passions (Live at Tinker Bell’s Clubhouse)’.

Co-created with musician and producer Chase Ceglie, ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ is a surreal Americana record that filters the language of girlhood, heartbreak, and fantasy through a warped, theatrical lens. It’s Lana Del Rey meets David Berman in a cartoon whirlwind, with traces of Dolly Parton, Arthur Russell, and David Lynch.

Silva describes the record as “fairy tale theatre”. It’s packed with alt-universe country hits (‘Beth’s Deth’, ‘American Shield’), uncanny ballads (‘I’m Growing A Cross Around My Neck’), and leftfield pop songs rooted in character and place. ‘Passions’, the opening track, was inspired by Mary MacLane’s ‘I Await the Devil’s Coming’, while the title track imagines Tinker Bell herself singing a lullaby to God.

New single ‘The Punisher’ is an anthemic road song about loneliness and transcendence. “It’s about driving north on I-5 in California, worrying my car will overheat, bargaining with God, and falling in love with dust tornados,” Silva says.

Raised in the woods of upstate New York and formerly one half of the cult duo Odwalla88, Silva brings a visual artist’s sensibility to music. She studied art in Baltimore and continues to make sculpture and performance work that informs her songwriting. ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ was written on the Rhode Island coast, where she and Ceglie met weekly to write and record—drawing from old texts, visual references, and poetry.

F.G.S. has drawn praise from NTS, The FADER, Gorilla vs. Bear, The Line of Best Fit, Artforum, Sex Magazine, and more. With the reissue of ‘Tinker Bell’s Cough’ and the release of ‘The Punisher’, Silva continues to expand the strange, magnetic world of F.G.S., one that feels both deeply American and entirely her own.

Albion Collective’s new dance-driven catalogue, Gold, opens its doors to a neck-snapping three-track EP limited to a vinyl edition of 100 from a brand-new name in dubstep, Adel Force. The name may be brand-new, but you’ve heard the Estonian producer’s celebrated talents across countless labels, soundsystems and DJ sets under the 15-year-strong moniker Bisweed. Now ready to metamorphose into the next phase of his artistic journey, Adel Force brings you the Twirl EP on Albion Gold.

Dropping the needle onto each Albion Collective release reveals a labyrinth of unique, experimental dubstep styles lauded for both their success in DJ sets and original sonic visions. Holding these pillars of pioneering creativity close to its heart, the new branch of Albion Collective intensifies its focus on moving people. No song could better exemplify the Gold catalogue’s dancefloor-igniting mission statement than Adel Force’s full-throttle opening track, Is This What You Want.

The Twirl EP vinyl, like all of the Gold releases to follow, is hand-stamped, numbered, and features a gold embossed logo. Following the DIY, hand-painted aesthetic, splashes of gold make each sleeve as distinct and unique as the music it cloaks. Albion Collective are proud to work with Adel Force on their debut release and bring you Twirl, the first EP of the Gold catalogue.

Tennessee Ernie Ford, will go down in music history for his bestknown song ‘Sixteen Tons’. Penned by country legend Merle
Travis, it put Ford at the top of the Billboard chart for seven
weeks in late 1955-early 1956, selling a million copies in just
three weeks. It was also Capitol Records’ first Number 1 of the
rock era. He also hosted a Thursday-night variety show, which
ran for nearly five years, and had several big hits in the US and
UK. His music endures, and this vinyl collection of his very best
songs is testament to a unique performer.

Nach 25 Jahren Herman Dune und 15 Alben freut sich BB*ISLAND, Odysseús zu präsentieren, eine neue Sammlung von Songs, die den Hörer auf eine Reise durch das turbulente Leben von David Ivar mitnimmt, eine Reise voller Sehnsucht, Schmerz, Liebe, Tod, Glaube und Erlösung. Es ist das erste Mal, dass Herman Dune mit einem externen Produzenten, David Garza, zusammenarbeitet. Das Set-up besteht fast ausschließlich aus akustischen Instrumenten, die live mit der Band in einem Raum aufgenommen wurden. Es ist Folk-Musik im typischen Stil von Herman Dune mit Anklängen an Americana, Country, jüdische und hispanische Traditionen, aber mit einer ganz neuen Wendung in Sound und Arrangements, vor allem im Vergleich zu seiner letzten rein akustischen Trilogie The Portable Herman Dune. David Herman Dune über die Produktion: "...David Garza getroffen zu haben war reiner Zufall. Ich mühte mich gerade mit einem Geigenarrangement für einen der Songs ab, als er sich in einem überfüllten Café in der Innenstadt von San Pedro an meinen Tisch setzte und mich fragte, woran ich gerade arbeitete. David, ein mit einem Grammy ausgezeichneter Produzent und Musiker, hatte mit Fiona Apple, Iron & Wine, John C. Reilly und den Milk Carton Kids gearbeitet und mit einigen meiner musikalischen Helden wie Lucinda Williams und Townes Van Zandt gespielt. Wir verstanden uns auf Anhieb, und er bot mir an, meine Songs zu produzieren. Wir begannen, die Stücke jeden Abend bei mir zu Hause zu spielen, und einmal pro Woche in einem französischen Restaurant namens Le Compagnon. David kannte die besten Musiker in L.A. - Leute wie Sebastian Steinberg am Kontrabass (Fiona Apple), Richard Edson (Schlagzeuger von Sonic Youth, Schauspieler in Jim Jarmuschs Stranger Than Paradise und Spike Lees Do The Right Thing), Odessa (violin, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) und Paul J. Cartwright (violin, Olivia Rodrigo). Als wir uns bereit fühlten, versammelten wir alle in meinem Haus für drei Tage Live-Sessions. Es war ein chaotischer, schöner Prozess, bei dem alle in einem Raum zusammen spielten, keine Kopfhörer, keine Overdubs - nur rohe, echte Musik. Aufgenommen und gemischt wurden die Sessions von Chris Sorem (ebenso Grammy-prämiert für seine Arbeit mit den mit den LA-Legenden Los Lobos). Chris brachte eine Wagenladung alter Mikrofone mit und konzentrierte sich auf "Raummikrofone" - djene, die die Atmosphäre des Raums einfangen. Er sagte, dies sei eine Technik, die auf Alben wie Buena Vista Social Club verwendet wurde, und es erzeugte eine Magie im Raum, die spürbar war. Sogar die traurigsten Lieder wurden lebendig mit so viel Freude, Energie und Elektrizität. Die Aufnahmen waren ungefiltert, organisch und hatten Seele. Als wir mit dem Abmischen begannen, waren wir alle vom Ergebnis erstaunt, wir hörten einen Moment in der Zeit, der sich gleichsam zeitlos anfühlte"

,Dogs" ist Cash Langdons zweites Album unter eigenem Namen, aber das erste mit seiner Band Meadow Dust (Bassist Matt Whitson und Schlagzeuger Reagan Bruce). Die Aufnahmen fanden größtenteils in den Portside Studios (dem ehemaligen Standort des legendären Muscle Shoals Sound) statt und wurden in nur zwei Tagen aufgenommen. Der Tontechniker Brad Timko (Dan Sartain, St. Paul and The Broken Bones) sorgte dafür, dass das Trio wild und tight klingt. Ihre unscharfe Interpretation von schwerem Country-Rock erinnert an Neil Young & Crazy Horse und verströmt die Hitze von Langdons Heimatstadt Birmingham. Wie bei Young ist seine Stimme gleichzeitig ernst und weltmüde, aber es gibt auch einen Sinn für Humor und die Resignation, weiterzumachen (,Dogs"). Diese Songs sind wunderschöne, brennende, südlich-gotische Zeugnisse der fortwährenden Gewalt, die es bedeutet, wach zu sein für die Welt um einen herum (,Lilac Whiskey Nose") und die Entschlossenheit, trotzdem wach zu bleiben (,Magic Again").

DESCRIPTION
Having endured no less than three long-players and a brace of singles featuring the caterwauling of Messrs Hampshire and Childish, the Milkshakes’ audience figured it might be time for an instrumental outing. In response the group gave them just that. But this was to be no run-of-the-mill effort – no Dick Dale-esque surf marathons or Shadowsy twangers are apparent here. These tunes are more ‘rhythm-and-mood’-based compositions; occasionally leaning more towards the Link Wray end of the spectrum – as you would probably expect. This IVth album (hence the name) was recorded in 1983 at Oakwood Studios – as were all previous releases – but this was the first in their new facilities in a converted church near Canterbury, which opened up a whole new golden vista of shimmering, silvery sounds in atmospheric conditions. Of course, the Milkshakes were having none of that. We suggest you plonk the wax on your gramophone and let whatever happens happens. Hasty bananas.

Musiklegende BRIAN ENO und Konzeptkünstlerin BEATIE WOLFE veröffentlichen mit den gemeinsamen Alben LUMINAL und LATERAL zwei Projekte, die ebenso eigenständig wie miteinander verbunden sind.

Das Alternative Music/Vocal-Album LUMINAL featured Vocals + Lyrics von Wolfe und wurde von Eno produziert. Beide nennen die Musik auf dem für beide Künstler ungewöhnlichen Album „electric-countrydream-music“.

LATERAL bezeichnen beide dagegen als „ambient-landscape-dream-music“ und „like the familiar, but better“. Eno selbst gilt als Erfinder des Begriffes „Ambient Music“ in den 1970er Jahren.

Beide Alben erscheinen am 6.6. auf LP, CD und digital. Die Künstler sind Mitglieder von EarthPercent, einer Non-Profit-Organisation, die Klimaschutz innerhalb der Musikindustrie einfordert und unterstützt. Die schwarzen und limitierten LPs des Projektes werden deshalb in BioVinyl (bio-basiertem PVC) gepresst.

Musiklegende BRIAN ENO und Konzeptkünstlerin BEATIE WOLFE veröffentlichen mit den gemeinsamen Alben LUMINAL und LATERAL zwei Projekte, die ebenso eigenständig wie miteinander verbunden sind.

Das Alternative Music/Vocal-Album LUMINAL featured Vocals + Lyrics von Wolfe und wurde von Eno produziert. Beide nennen die Musik auf dem für beide Künstler ungewöhnlichen Album „electric-countrydream-music“.

LATERAL bezeichnen beide dagegen als „ambient-landscape-dream-music“ und „like the familiar, but better“. Eno selbst gilt als Erfinder des Begriffes „Ambient Music“ in den 1970er Jahren.

Beide Alben erscheinen am 6.6. auf LP, CD und digital. Die Künstler sind Mitglieder von EarthPercent, einer Non-Profit-Organisation, die Klimaschutz innerhalb der Musikindustrie einfordert und unterstützt. Die schwarzen und limitierten LPs des Projektes werden deshalb in BioVinyl (bio-basiertem PVC) gepresst.

On its tenth anniversary outing, Sofia Records doesn’t just mark a milestone - it distills its essence in a four track EP. The compilation reunites the original, 25 year strong, pBPM crew and the fresh talent of Impe´rieux.

KiNK delivers a dancefloor juggernaut “Let The Bass Kink” - raw, kinetic and unmistakably his.
KEi counters with “Killing God Theme“ - a deep, hypnotic slow-burner, rich in emotion that evolves with patient intensity. Then we have the debut of Tegav - a new alias from the pBPM forming member Kalin Baychev with “Stomper“ - an edgy melody on top of a percussive backroom swagger. Impe´rieux, ever the outlier, continues his quest for dance music’s future with “Jarka”, a leftfield yet playful groove that breaks convention while rattling the floor.

With a smiling family snapshot, framed in smoke, strobe light and sweat, Sofia shows how to throw the needle where it matters - squarely pointed to the future.

Third album by singer and producer Charlotte Marionneau. A collection of sonic trips that try to capture the spark of beat poetry. She is almost a magician who has captured the directness of punk and can do magic with the emotion of pop. And she is always in the experimental grab bag. On the track 'Two-Love' Noel Gallagher plays piano and bass. Further on there is a Daniel Johnston cover presented as a duet with Terry Hall and his son Theodore and here Noel plays guitar. Marionneau reminds one of a female Syd Barrett. She counts among her admirers: Kevin Shields, Mazzy Star, Noel Gallagher, The Television Personalities, Simon Raymonde, Grimm Grimm, Piano Magic and Cillian Murphy. Le Volume Courbe "Planet Ping Pong" is a collection of sonic trips echoing fulgurances of beat poetry. Charlotte is a magician who can weave the directness of punk with the emotions of pop while staying in the realms of edgy experimentation. The bunny comes out of the hat smoking a cigarette and looks you in the eye. The single "Two-Love" is a collaboration with Noel Gallagher on piano and bass and Lascelles Gordon on percussions. The album also includes a cover by Daniel Johnston "Mind Contorted" which is presented as a duet with Terry Hall, and also features his son Theodore Hall and Noel Gallagher on guitars. The originality of Charlotte's music shares something with outsider art: naïve, primitive, primal, rather than following the standard rules. The new album selfproduced and mixed by Brendan Lynch and Charlotte is no exception, It's a unique and compelling listen laced with surprises, subversions and a refreshing candour which sets it apart from anything else. Charlotte was born and raised in France and moved to London in 1995. She was first signed to Alan McGee Poptones label in 2001, and her debut "I killed my best friend" was released in 2005 on Honest Jon's Records. She has also worked with a number of other bands and musicians including Kevin Shields, Mazzy Star, Noel Gallagher, The Television Personalities, Simon Raymonde, Grimm Grimm, Piano Magic etc.. Her song "Born to Lie" was featured in Series 2 of Killing Eve and Spotify selected her song "Rusty" for their "best of the decade 2010-2020" alternative compilation. Cillian Murphy selected the same song for his BBC6 compilation. "She reminds me of a female Syd Barrett... she keeps running into me all over the place from concerts or serving me ice cream at the Curzon on a wet Saturday night or on Jools Holland with the High Flying Birds... I love Charlotte... a great talent and a real psychedelic soul musician." Alan McGee "Inspiring originality, fiercely independent beautiful music, always years ahead of its time. I remember hearing Charlotte's music for the first time and being immediately taken by the freshness, great melodies and utterly unique approach." Kevin Shields "When I first met her she was wearing a cape... she looked like a little piece of Lego. She told me she liked some of my songs but not all. (I hadn't even asked her opinion!!) She's beautiful, fearless and one hell of a tambourine player." Noel Gallagher. "Charlotte is bewitchingly talented, a true rarity that has inspired many creative people. The kind of woman songs are written about. She's an artist that steals your heart away and then comforts you with her stunning music." Hope Sandoval. "A true original and a truly unique artist. There is not many I can say this about, but I honestly think I love everything she's ever recorded! All hail the Scissor Queen!" David Holmes.







e BAG OF EXCUSES [V3]

[g] DUFFY AND MR SEAGULL [V3]

[i] MIND CONTORTED [V4]





[e] BAG OF EXCUSES [V3]

[g] DUFFY AND MR SEAGULL [V3]

[i] MIND CONTORTED [V4]

This is a repressing of their EP from 2018.

"Boys" is the second release from Caamp, the American folk band from Upper
Arlington, Ohio (who actually met at summer camp!)

This is a repressing of their EP from 2018.

"Boys" is the second release from Caamp, the American folk band from Upper
Arlington, Ohio (who actually met at summer camp!)

Crafted entirely on an analog monophonic synthesizer with no overdubs, Pièces Monophoniques is a tribute to simplicity in an era of limitless digital possibilities. Since his debut album, Music For Prophet (Les Disques du Festival Permanent, 2017), Majorca-born composer Marc Melià, now a long-time resident of Brussels, has been redefining the contours of electronic music through a minimalist, reductionist approach. Much like a solitary hike through the vastness of mountains, where one carries only the essentials, Melià’s work invites listeners on a journey stripped of excess, focusing instead on the purity of sound and intention.
While some have dismissed monophonic music as overly simplistic, others have embraced its distinct charm. Historical records, such as those by Johannes Quasten, reveal that early Church leaders were drawn to monophonic music because it resonated with the era's cosmological beliefs, highlighting the harmony and unity of all creation. In an age of digital abundance, Marc Melià deliberately embraces constraint, crafting an album that thrives within a limited palette of choices. Yet, from these self-imposed boundaries emerges a stunning universe, brimming with rich textures and elegant harmonies. For his debut album, Melià worked exclusively with a Sequential Prophet. With Pièces Monophoniques, his third LP, he returns armed solely with an analog monophonic synthesizer and handcrafted MIDI sequences etched directly onto a single stereo track. These recordings seek to uncover beauty within the boundaries of limitations and simplicity, rejecting any embellishments that are not essential. Melià presents the bare skeleton of music, highlighting the power of absence and silence as creative forces. Like the hidden mass of an iceberg, what is not heard becomes as significant as what is heard.
The album navigates the boundary where the quest for an uninhibited emotional response intersects with the mechanical sounds generated by synthesizer circuitry. Despite being a collection of beatless tracks, a pulse occasionally surfaces, like in the closing piece, "224 Steps. A sharp sequence blended with multiple delays and reverbs creates the vaporous celestial specter of multiple voices in "Illusions of Polyphony", while "Échoes et Fantasies" conjures the illusion of dual harmony. The expansive reverbs and silences between the euphoric synth phrases in "Overture" transport us to an imaginary magestic landscape shaped out of an electric field. "Resonances," a one-note drone-like sequence, embodies the album's aims as a series of resonances created with the synth filter emerge from the fundamental note.
"Pièces Monophoniques," aims to contribute to a tradition that dates back to the dawn of humanity. After all, there is no denying that the earliest music crafted by humanity was monophonic, from the soothing lullabies sung to newborns to Gregorian chants, traditional labor songs, and the repertoire of solo compositions by countless composers.

Rock’n’roll revivalists Split Dogs are not here to make 15 second viral videos, they’re not here to sell you a lifestyle, they’re here to destroy. Born from the frustration of seeing music become commodified and soulless, vocalist Harry Atkins and guitarist Mil Martinez had the idea to form a band as far back as 2015, with the name ‘Split Dogs’ pulled from the classic zombie film ‘Return of the Living Dead’.
In South London, a young Martinez would hear Status Quo, Bachman Turner Overdrive and Dire Straits on the car radio while his father drove him to school. At home he would invade his older brothers’ record collection which leaned towards the harder sounds of punk and heavy metal. Meanwhile in the Black Country, Harry’s mother instilled a love of Northern Soul, Slade and rock’n’roll, with stories of nights out at Club Lafayette and family singalongs at home. According to Martinez, “Our sound is a culmination of all those early influences and, to be honest, it really shows.”
It wasn’t until 2022 that Split Dogs officially arrived on the scene with bass player Suez Boyle joining the band in 2023. Already a prominent figure in the queer punk scene, Suez played the first ever Rebellion Festival at the tender age of 16 with her band The Walking Abortions. Up until that point, drummer Chris Hugall, an old friend of Martinez and former member of ska punks Mouthwash (signed to Rancid’s label Hellcat back in the day), was only on hand to help design artwork. It wasn’t until 2024 Hugall joined the band full time, cementing the current line-up.
The raucous live shows and infectious lyrics saw the four-piece make a name for themselves among the punks of Bristol, a scene that has always welcomed LGBTQ+ and marginalised people. As word spread, so did the gigging, and soon enough Split Dogs were playing to sold out rooms in mainland Europe, eventually grabbing the attention of UK label Venn Records (Gallows, Bob Vylan, High Vis). ‘Here to Destroy’ was recorded over three days at Middle Farm Studios by producer Peter Miles. All tracks were laid straight to a 16 track reel-to-reel tape machine, no autotune, no effects pedals, no computers. To add to the music’s authenticity, the album was recorded live, with Harry singing along in a vocal booth. No cutting and pasting, just nailing takes. According to Martinez, “It was a blast! We fully immersed ourselves, sleeping in a small apartment below the studio, cooking meals and listening to Pete’s extensive record collection”. While the final result is a step away from Split Dogs early punk sound, the attitude is still there in droves. “We wanted the album to have a raw bones feel,” Martinez tells us, “real 1970s rock’n’roll!”. Harry channels the spirit of Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister as they tear through hook after hook, singing about the Northern Soul clubs their mother once frequented (‘Lafayette’), the Orwellian nightmare we’re heading for (“Stay Tuned”) and a touching homage to British working class culture (“And What?”). As the album title makes clear, Split Dogs are here to destroy, but they’re also here to rebuild and remind us of music’s essence. “We’re not beholden to the digital age, we don’t want to get famous on social media, we just want to show the world that rock’n’roll is alive and well”.

'Clover' is the debut LP from Sleeper's Bell, the project of vocalist/lyricist/librarian-by-day Blaine Teppema & guitarist Evan Green. Recorded with Jack Henry (Friko, Horsegirl), 'Clover' is a product of Chicago's reliable DIY scene, offering a more confessional & folk-influenced lens. Instrumentation spans from fiddle to saxophone, combining an expansive sound with laser-focused lyrics. Praised by New York Times ("Sleeper's Bell captures the lingering wounds, self-doubt and distrust") , Stereogum, ('Clover' is shaping up to be the perfect heartbreak album"), Chicago Reader ("tender"), NPR Music and more, ‘Clover’ spit-shines dive bar wisdom into polished folk-rock. These songs date back as far as 10 years, having changed form countless times throughout the year. As the duo continued steeping themselves in the city’s storied independent scene, their newfound momentum expanded initial conceptions of what Sleeper’s Bell could be. Sleeper's Bell "shine in layers of musical finery" (For The Rabbits) and have cultivated a strong fanbase in their hometown of Chicago, supporting the likes of beloved twangers Merce Lemon, Fust, @, and more.

Like a fine wine, Fu Manchu's 1999 classic, King Of The Road, gets better with age and fans continue to demand hearing these tunes the way the band intended - on wax. Out of print since 2019, the Joe Barresi (Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Queens Of The Stone Age) helmed work is back and this time on yellow and black splatter vinyl in a limited edition. This is a repressing of the 2015 remaster done by Carl Saff, which includes 2 bonus tracks: "Breathing Fire" (originally on the German vinyl release) and "Hanglider" (which was previously unreleased). "After a bit of a break from albums, not counting the Return to Earth singles compilation, Fu Manchu fully fired up and took off again with King of the Road, an album that doesn't so much follow on from The Action Is Go as flat out continue it. Hill has a touch more bite to his vocals this time around, but otherwise there's little to differentiate the two records -- and that's very much meant as a compliment. With plenty of touring and other things under their belts, the lineup has fully jelled and sounds it, Bjork's bad-ass drumming (and occasional cowbells, of course) and Balch's insane lead guitar crunch possibly even better than ever. Together it's all one megariff and nasty, slamming rhythm after another, and face it, anyone expecting anything else from Fu Manchu really needs to find another band. Joe Barresi co-produces with the band, and while there's no extra keyboard/organ weirdness this time around, it hardly matters. In as much as there's a theme to King of the Road beyond the basics of driving, drugs, and that demon rock & roll, it's driving -- there's a reason why the cover and internal art features a slew of great '70s-era photos from a massive van rally. The one shot of the fully leather-covered interior of one mobile love nest, complete with black curtains, about says it all. Then there's the megachugging title track ("King of the road says you move too slow!"), "Hell on Wheels," "Boogie Van," and so forth -- call it a concept album that doesn't waste time with elves and yogis. As with the last album, a punk/new wave nugget gets the cover treatment here -- none other than Devo's "Freedom of Choice." Needless to say, now it sounds just like a Fu Manchu original." ALLMUSIC

José James just can’t leave the ’70s alone. Or maybe it’s the other way around. The singer, songwriter, bandleader, and producer was born in 1978, after all, but over his past 17 years of fundamentally forward-looking, blessedly mercurial music, he keeps getting pulled back in. His 2013 Blue Note breakthrough No Beginning No End revisited the hooky, funky, jazz-streaked songcraft of the time through a modern crate-digger’s ears. On 2020’s No Beginning No End 2 — James’ debut on his own Rainbow Blonde Records — he went back through the portal with a small army of fellow celebrated eclecticists. Just last year, there was the album 1978, a richly layered love letter to said year that felt deep, luxe, and cool. It’s as if — vested with the restless fluidity of jazz, the tuned-in sensitivity of soul, and the revisionist grit of hip-hop — he is trying to play his way into the exact moment when, culturally speaking, everything was about to change.

“I'm still so fascinated by the tension in that era of all these seemingly clashing things happening at once,” says James. “The loft scene, the jazz scene, Elton and Billy, Bob Marley, the Isleys, Funkadelic, disco being this behemoth in a way I don't think we even understand today… And then there’s where everybody went from there — into hip-hop, into punk rock, exploding jazz. It's like a summation of the ’70s, and it's about to transform. It's the peak of the rollercoaster.”

Literally breaking into history is impossible, of course, but James’ new LP, 1978: Revenge of the Dragon, does feel like breaking through or bursting out. In loving contrast to its predecessor, the fresh set plays hot, like a Friday night out at the Mudd Club in its prime. Though he’s dreamt up albums with collaborator counts approaching the dozens, James gathered a tight crew for this one. Himself and Taali on vocals. BIGYUKI on keys and analog synth. Jharis Yokley on drums. Bass split between David Ginyard (Blood Orange, Terence Blanchard) and Kyle Miles (Michelle Ndgeocello, Nick Hakim). And an all-star brass lineup: Takuya Kuroda on trumpet, young lion Ebban Dorsey on alto sax, and genre-spanning ronin Ben Wendel on tenor sax. They set up in Dreamland Studios near Woodstock, a restored 19th century church, and recorded live to tape, two tracks, drums pushed to the max — “a small homage to the rise of punk,” says James.

In that place out of time, the band laid down a handful of choice covers and some wild originals, like the single “They Sleep, We Grind (for Badu),” a decades-collapsing cut powered by an ugly groove. Steeped in dub, funk, and sampledelia, James chants an artists’ mantra (“They sleep, we grind / Man, f--- your nine to five”), makes lyrical callouts to Marley and Nas, and channels everything from George Clinton to J Dilla, not to mention the earthy mysticism of Erykah Badu. In 2023, James released and toured his Badu covers LP, On & On. “Living in her musical house for a year was transformative,” he says. “This is my summary of everything I learned through her, tying it to this idea that artists move differently. We are in society but we are outside, too, looking out and in at the same time. Our hours are different, our schedules are different.”

To that point, James and co. actually began each day in the woods, filming the album’s visual companion piece, Revenge of the Dragon, an honest-to-God kung-fu short complete with bad overdubs, training montages, camera tricks, and plot twists. The film pays tribute not only to the genre’s greatest year (1978, of course), but also its cinematic exchange with Blaxploitation, plus James’ own recent Shaolin training and admiration for Bruce Lee as a culture-bridging force (the LP’s cover recreates an iconic shot of Lee). On top of that, says James, “We had this immediacy in the studio. Live, one take, no overdubbing. I feel like that's where the martial arts piece comes in, where it's about being relaxed but also aware, and there's immediacy in your movements.”

Across the project, tribute takes that refracted, multifaceted form. From his personal late-’70s playlist, James chose four covers reflecting the era’s disco-fied churn: the MJ-meets-Quincy dancefloor masterpiece “Rock With You”; Herbie Hancock’s prescient vocoder fever dream, “I Thought It Was You”; and a pair of Black-radio hits from two bands whose fans typically wouldn’t have been caught dead in the same stadium: “Miss You” by the Rolling Stones and the Bee Gees’ “Inside and Out.” All of it gets filtered through a contemporary Black (and beyond) lens, coming out loud, free, funky, and buzzing — dynamic, yes, but also of a joyous piece.

1978: Revenge of the Dragon transports you to a crowded room where all this is playing out in real time. That feeling is helped out by opener “Tokyo Daydream,” a bass-driven swan dive into a neverending night of boutique bar-hopping and neon revelry. Later, “Rise of the Tiger” finds James bringing rare braggadocio to a propulsive track with growling synth lines and a hunger for whatever comes next. And then there’s the closer, “Last Call at the Mudd Club,” which with its upbeat energy and string of Stevie-inspired pickup lines, evokes the sort of unabashedly elated track the DJ throws on at 3:56 a.m. before everyone is kicked out. “I wanted to leave the album on that note,” says James. “If this was a night out in New York, this would be the last thing you hear before you get in that taxi and go back to your apartment.” Or, perhaps, back to 2025.

Green Sonic Opaque w/ White Ink Cassette. Limited to 150 copies.


Minecraft is a dreamscape, a limitless world where anything is possible. Minecraft is a tool, a means of bringing the imagination to life. Minecraft is a community, a platform on which inventive minds of all ages can share their creations and ideas. Minecraft, of course, is also a game, the most popular and best-selling video game of all time. Created in 2009 by Swedish programmer Markus "Notch" Persson, this cultural phenomenon speaks volumes of our current zeitgeist's love for virtual spaces, but its unprecedented success couldn't be pinned on one factor alone. Countless layers of thoughtful artistry flow through Minecraft's singular experience, not the least of which is its transportive soundtrack by C418, the project of German composer and musician Daniel Rosenfeld. Minecraft Volume Alpha, the first installment of a two-part OST, helped breathe life into the game's voxel-based universe. Upon release, fans and critics were universally enamored with C418's beatless, nuanced electronic pieces. Popular gaming site Kotaku named it among The Best Game Music of 2011, calling the music "remarkably soothing." The Guardian compared Rosenfeld's delicate piano and sparse ambient motifs to legendary artists Erik Satie and Brian Eno. Polygon distilled Volume Alpha to its essence: "It's not bound by the retro aesthetic of Minecraft's graphics. It transcends them. The album is an attempt to uplift the combined game/music experience into the sublime."