quête:digital emotion

In Walter Benjamin’s seminal essay “Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction”, he posits that the aura of art objects is destroyed by the ability to photographically reproduce them. When you had to make a pilgrimage to a work it remained elusive, charged, ever distant; but when you can easily see a reproduction, such aura dissipates. What Benjamin did not anticipate is that in the age of AI and the frictionless fount of digital content, we have imbued mechanical and analog means of media production with aura. Film cameras from the last 100 years are in high demand (the point and shoot Olympus Mju I featured in Wim Wenders film Perfect Days still sells for $200), vinyl sales continue to grow year by year, 35mm and 70mm film screenings have become aura-drenched events people travel across country for, and as to the world of vintage and analog synthesizers, when a friend asked for the price on the Yamaha CS-80 synth used on Toto’s “Africa”, the answer was a cool $60,000.

Despite the ability to simulate almost any synthesizer on a computer, the original physical units retain their mystique. Perhaps this lies in the physical process, many of these synths are temperamental and difficult to fully utilize, and the effort and ingenuity can be felt in ways that will always be absent from easy digital simulacra. Perhaps there is an aura in their imperfection, as Brian Eno wrote: “Whatever you now find weird, ugly, uncomfortable and nasty about a new medium will surely become its signature. CD distortion, the jitteriness of digital video, the crap sound of 8-bit - all of these will be cherished and emulated as soon as they can be avoided.” Some may call this nostalgia, but such sonic imperfections are the sounds of humans interacting with the physical world, and it is understandable to feel a pang of emotion and attachment in a time of exponential alienation.

Marche 22 was recorded over a week at the Museo Del Synth Marchigiano in Macerata, Italy. The museum is filled with rare and obscure synths (especially CRB, GEM & Elka) as well as salvaged materials from a nearby shuttered Farfisa organ factory, including MARS, an unfinished realtime audio processing application developed by IRIS - similar to the now well known MAX/MSP. Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein play a suite of pieces that encompasses the last sixty years of synthesizer music—there are nods to Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Jean Michel Jarre, and Morton Subotnick. Dixon and Stein are like jazz masters playing the American songbook with their own riffs and quotations. What shines through in these varied works that are sometimes rhythmic, sometimes melancholic, and sometimes both, is a soul, a spirit, an emotion vibrating through the tones like the charge of coming rain or the thrum of a distant train on the tracks. - Neil Fauerso

Toller Doppel-LP-Sampler mit den ersten 3 EP's der Indierocker Beach Bunny um die charismatische Frontfrau Lili Trifilio, die zwischen 2015-2017 nur im digitalen Format erschienen. Das Trio hält seit einem Jahrzehnt engen Kontakt zu seiner treuen Fangemeinde, organisiert eigene "Pool Party"-Festivals in seiner Heimatstadt Chicago, tritt regelmäßig bei Festivals wie Coachella und Lollapalooza auf, kooperiert mit Künstlerinnen wie Tegan & Sara und Marina, und erreicht mit Songs wie "Prom Queen", "Cloud 9" oder "Sports" Gold- bzw. Platinstatus, die Nr.1 der Billboard "Heatseekers Albums" Charts mit der 2022er LP "Emotional Creature", sowie mit der Single "Vertigo" (2024) einen echten Radiohit.

Die renommierten Gitarristen Steve Hackett und Steve Rothery freuen sich, ihr lang erwartetes gemeinsames Album "The Roaring Waves" vorzustellen. Sieben Instrumentalstücke, die von gekonnt-absurd bis brillant-erhaben reichen, aber alle ein gemeinsames Thema haben: die Tiefe des Meeres. Rothery erklärt: "Im Winter konnte man bei stürmischem Wetter das Rauschen der Wellen hören. Whitby war ein sehr inspirierender Ort zum Leben, ein sehr poetischer und kraftvoller Ort, um aufzuwachsen. Ich denke, dieses Album ist eine Möglichkeit, einige dieser Erinnerungen und Emotionen darüber auszudrücken, was das Meer für mich bedeutet hat." "The Roaring Waves" entstand über einen Zeitraum von fast acht Jahren, obwohl die ursprüngliche Idee, gemeinsam ein Album aufzunehmen, bereits drei Jahre zuvor entstanden war. Aufgrund ihrer jeweiligen Tagesjobs und Tourneepläne konnten sie jedoch monatelang nicht zusammenarbeiten. Die Aufnahmesessions im Racket Club und in ihren jeweiligen Heimstudios brachten jedoch eine Fülle an Kreativität hervor. "Unser Ansatz war ein bisschen old school, so wie die Idee, dass Freunde sich in der Garage treffen, um zu spielen und zusammen abzuhängen", sagt Hackett über ihre Herangehensweise an Kreativität. Derzeit handelt es sich um ein Einzelalbum, da keiner der beiden Gitarristen Zeit für Live-Auftritte aufbringen kann, geschweige denn daran denkt, gemeinsam ein weiteres Album aufzunehmen. Während die Gezeiten kommen und gehen, blicken alle Gesichter auf den leeren Horizont und warten darauf, dass ein letztes Schiff an Land gebracht wird, um endlich nach Hause zurückzukehren. "The Roaring Waves" wird als limitierte CD & Blu-ray Mediabook mit Dolby Atmos-Mixes von Andy Bradfield sowie als Gatefold 180g LP & LP-Booklet erhältlich sein, das von Miles Showell in den Abbey Road Studios mit Half-Speed Mastering gemastert wurde. Das Album wird auch als Standard-CD-Jewelcase und digital erhältlich sein.

OUR ENDLESS WAR zeigt eindrucksvoll wie moderner Death Metal zu klingen hat!" Metal Hammer (Florian Krapp, 6 von 7 Punkten)

Info:
Wer es brutal will, kommt an diesem Koloss nicht vorbei!

Auch auf dem fünften Album in ihrer beeindruckenden Karriere kennen WHITECHAPEL kein Halten. Our Endless War bündelt alle Stärken, die das Sextett aus Knoxville in Tennessee seit seiner Gründung entwickelt hat. Das Album wurde penibel ausgefeilt und geht partout keine Kompromisse in Sachen Brutalität ein, ist aber zugleich das bisher geradlinigste, atmosphärischste und emotional packendste Album der Bandgeschichte und hievt jeden Aspekt ihres Sounds auf ein neues Niveau.

,been thinking bout confession", das dritte Studioalbum der Musikerin und Produzentin Frances Chang, ist eine synthlastige, experimentelle Pop-Erkundung des Selbst und der unermesslichen, unbekannten Tiefen, die es birgt. Das Album, das größtenteils auf einem hundert Jahre alten Stutzflügel komponiert wurde, bettet die unbändigen Emotionen von Changs DIY-Wurzeln in eine komplexe und poetische Klanglandschaft ein, die orchestrale Arrangements mit eigenwilligen, fast skulpturalen, elektronischen und analogen Elementen verwebt, bei der die durchscheinende Stimme der Sängerin die eigenwillige Instrumentierung leitet. Durch eine sich stetig steigernde Poesie führt uns Chang durch eine chaotische Architektur, ein Kerzenlicht fest umklammert, das zugleich selbsttäuschend und schonungslos transparent ist. Auch wenn ,Been Thinking About Confession" klanglich der außerirdischen Schönheit von Björk und der retrofuturistischen Verträumtheit von Broadcast verpflichtet ist, nennt Chang auch eher unerwartete Einflüsse wie Chet Baker, Dionne Warwick und Burt Bacharach, die das emotionale Rückgrat des Albums bilden. Chang hat ihre übliche Gitarre größtenteils beiseitegelassen und diese 11 Songs am Klavier geschrieben, einem Instrument, das sie als ,die weibliche Wurzel meiner Psyche" bezeichnet. Die unheimliche Verschmelzung von unkonventionell eingesetzten Federhall-Effekten, älteren Kompressoren und Röhrenvorverstärkern vor einem eindeutig zeitgenössischen digitalen Hintergrund sorgt für ein Hörerlebnis, das sich gleichzeitig über Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft auszudehnen scheint. Für Fans von Cate Le Bon, June McDoom, Cindy Lee, ML Buch, Bill Callahan, Joanne Robertson

Jetzt auch als "Translucent Purple Vinyl" LP erhältlich. ,been thinking bout confession", das dritte Studioalbum der Musikerin und Produzentin Frances Chang, ist eine synthlastige, experimentelle Pop-Erkundung des Selbst und der unermesslichen, unbekannten Tiefen, die es birgt. Das Album, das größtenteils auf einem hundert Jahre alten Stutzflügel komponiert wurde, bettet die unbändigen Emotionen von Changs DIY-Wurzeln in eine komplexe und poetische Klanglandschaft ein, die orchestrale Arrangements mit eigenwilligen, fast skulpturalen, elektronischen und analogen Elementen verwebt, bei der die durchscheinende Stimme der Sängerin die eigenwillige Instrumentierung leitet. Durch eine sich stetig steigernde Poesie führt uns Chang durch eine chaotische Architektur, ein Kerzenlicht fest umklammert, das zugleich selbsttäuschend und schonungslos transparent ist. Auch wenn ,Been Thinking About Confession" klanglich der außerirdischen Schönheit von Björk und der retrofuturistischen Verträumtheit von Broadcast verpflichtet ist, nennt Chang auch eher unerwartete Einflüsse wie Chet Baker, Dionne Warwick und Burt Bacharach, die das emotionale Rückgrat des Albums bilden. Chang hat ihre übliche Gitarre größtenteils beiseitegelassen und diese 11 Songs am Klavier geschrieben, einem Instrument, das sie als ,die weibliche Wurzel meiner Psyche" bezeichnet. Die unheimliche Verschmelzung von unkonventionell eingesetzten Federhall-Effekten, älteren Kompressoren und Röhrenvorverstärkern vor einem eindeutig zeitgenössischen digitalen Hintergrund sorgt für ein Hörerlebnis, das sich gleichzeitig über Vergangenheit, Gegenwart und Zukunft auszudehnen scheint. Für Fans von Cate Le Bon, June McDoom, Cindy Lee, ML Buch, Bill Callahan, Joanne Robertson

2026 Repress

WRWTFWW Records is extremely excited to announce the first ever vinyl release for Pizza Hotline’s brilliant 2022 full-length Level Select, originally only released on cassette and digital. The liquid drum & bass meets Y2K era video gaming aesthetics monster is now available in a limited edition transparent vinyl double LP with a glorious 45rpm cut, packaged in a heavyweight 350gsm sleeve.

Entirely written and composed by UK producer Pizza Hotline (apart from "GLACIER ZONE", a collaboration between Pizza Hotline and DJ Total 90), the stellar 8-song album was initially released as a limited cassette in January 2022 and quickly gained cult status - making a full-on vinyl release quite the necessity. It’s here now with the the previously unreleased track "POLYGON DREAMSCAPE" (which sounds as magical as its title) and 45rpm cut for louder, bigger, deeper bass rumbling.

Spellbinding, atmospheric, and beautifully melodic, Level Select is a large scope dreamy adventure of liquid DnB filled with ambient escapades, ethereal jungle, high vibe breaks, and a heavy loving dose of late 90s / early 2000s video game influences. Hypnotic late night hype and pensive chill moods mesh with ease in a cinematic soundscape that re-contextualizes and gives a new life to a beloved music genre - LTJ Bukem, Peshay, the Wipeout OST or Soichi Terada's Ape Escape come to mind, and sounds and soundtracks from the Sony Playstation, the Nintendo 64, and the Sega Saturn resonate from the speakers. It’s all fresh with a subtle nostalgia and so much heart. An instant classic.

Wormwood ist eine 2014 gegründete Metal-Band aus Stockholm, die für ihre unverwechselbare Verschmelzung von Extreme Metal, atmosphärischer Tiefe und filmischem Storytelling bekannt ist. Durch die Verbindung von unheimlichen Klanglandschaften, skandinavischer Melancholie, Folk-Elementen und roher Rock-Intensität hat sich die Band eine einzigartige Identität geschaffen, die beim Publikum weltweit großen Anklang findet.

Mit vier Alben in voller Länge, einer EP und einer Live-Veröffentlichung – sowie der kommenden EP „Å“ – hat Wormwood ein beeindruckendes und sich stetig weiterentwickelndes Repertoire aufgebaut. Die Band wurde zweimal bei den schwedischen P3 Gold Awards als „Bester Rock-/Metal-Act“ nominiert, erreichte hohe Platzierungen in den offiziellen schwedischen Charts und erntete breite Anerkennung von internationalen Rock- und Metal-Medien, einschließlich häufiger Platzierungen auf weltweiten „Album des Jahres“-Listen.
Wormwoods Ruf reicht weit über das Studio hinaus. Die Band ist ausgiebig in ganz Europa aufgetreten, hat bei großen Festivals gespielt und Clubtourneen als Headliner bestritten, während sie sich stetig eine treue internationale Fangemeinde aufgebaut hat – insbesondere in Deutschland, Frankreich, den Niederlanden, Großbritannien und den USA. Ihre starke digitale Präsenz und ihre filmischen, hochwertigen Musikvideos verstärken ihre globale Reichweite und visuelle Identität zusätzlich.
Abgemischt und gemastert vom renommierten Produzenten Sverker Widgren (Wing Studios, Stockholm), verbindet der Sound von Wormwood ausgefeiltes Songwriting und musikalisches Können auf höchstem Niveau mit einer rauen, authentischen Note. Angetrieben von kraftvollen Melodien, atmosphärischer Fülle und emotionaler Intensität, erweitert die Band weiterhin kreative Grenzen und behält dabei eine klare künstlerische Vision bei.

Wormwood zählt heute zu den faszinierendsten und zukunftsweisendsten Acts der schwedischen Metal-Szene und vereint Kritikerlob, internationales Wachstum und einen Sound, der sie von anderen abhebt.

Wormwood ist eine 2014 gegründete Metal-Band aus Stockholm, die für ihre unverwechselbare Verschmelzung von Extreme Metal, atmosphärischer Tiefe und filmischem Storytelling bekannt ist. Durch die Verbindung von unheimlichen Klanglandschaften, skandinavischer Melancholie, Folk-Elementen und roher Rock-Intensität hat sich die Band eine einzigartige Identität geschaffen, die beim Publikum weltweit großen Anklang findet.

Mit vier Alben in voller Länge, einer EP und einer Live-Veröffentlichung – sowie der kommenden EP „Å“ – hat Wormwood ein beeindruckendes und sich stetig weiterentwickelndes Repertoire aufgebaut. Die Band wurde zweimal bei den schwedischen P3 Gold Awards als „Bester Rock-/Metal-Act“ nominiert, erreichte hohe Platzierungen in den offiziellen schwedischen Charts und erntete breite Anerkennung von internationalen Rock- und Metal-Medien, einschließlich häufiger Platzierungen auf weltweiten „Album des Jahres“-Listen.
Wormwoods Ruf reicht weit über das Studio hinaus. Die Band ist ausgiebig in ganz Europa aufgetreten, hat bei großen Festivals gespielt und Clubtourneen als Headliner bestritten, während sie sich stetig eine treue internationale Fangemeinde aufgebaut hat – insbesondere in Deutschland, Frankreich, den Niederlanden, Großbritannien und den USA. Ihre starke digitale Präsenz und ihre filmischen, hochwertigen Musikvideos verstärken ihre globale Reichweite und visuelle Identität zusätzlich.
Abgemischt und gemastert vom renommierten Produzenten Sverker Widgren (Wing Studios, Stockholm), verbindet der Sound von Wormwood ausgefeiltes Songwriting und musikalisches Können auf höchstem Niveau mit einer rauen, authentischen Note. Angetrieben von kraftvollen Melodien, atmosphärischer Fülle und emotionaler Intensität, erweitert die Band weiterhin kreative Grenzen und behält dabei eine klare künstlerische Vision bei.

Wormwood zählt heute zu den faszinierendsten und zukunftsweisendsten Acts der schwedischen Metal-Szene und vereint Kritikerlob, internationales Wachstum und einen Sound, der sie von anderen abhebt.

Sasha takes charge of the 200th release on his influential label, Last Night On Earth.

The two richly detailed cuts balance cinematic emotion, club functionality and meticulous sound design and arrive on vinyl alongside the digital release.

Electronic music titan Sasha launched Last Night On Earth in 2011, and for 15 years, it has been at the forefront of the melodic underground. Breaks, house, techno, ambient and progressive have all been explored by a mix of original pioneers, new school innovators and Sasha himself, either solo or often in collaboration with friends, peers and exciting emerging talents. The label swiftly became a movement, with regularly sold-out showcases around the world and exclusive merch. Enduring tastemaker Sasha remains as busy and innovative as ever in the studio and on the road, and just weeks after his last outing here with Franky Wah, he returns with another standout single.

Majestic opener 'Hollow Sun 25' is a slow-burning seven-minute odyssey with an acid-infused bassline and Sasha's signature celestial touch in the spectral vocal fragments that infuse the mix. The wavy, fl uid grooves provide a constant, gentle uplift to this widescreen, immersive gem. 'Hollow Sun 24' reworks the same cut into something with a more epic and spine-tingling breakdown that douses dancers in classic Ibizan trance synths while the bassline is darker and the groove more heads down.

Future Palace kehren mit ihrem neuen Album "Resurgence" zurück, einer kraftvollen Auseinandersetzung mit Isolation, inneren Konflikten und dem Kampf um den eigenen Wiederaufbau. Mit einer Mischung aus Post-Hardcore-Intensität, cineastischer Elektronik, mitreißenden Melodien und erdrückenden Breakdowns taucht das Berliner Trio tief in Themen wie Depression, Zweifel und emotionale Transformation ein. Von den erstickenden Tiefen von "Deep Blue" über die explosive Intensität von "Supernova" bis hin zum von der Wiedergeburtsthematik geprägten Titeltrack fängt "Resurgence" den fragilen Moment ein, in dem Verzweiflung langsam in Kraft umschlägt. Erhältlich als Standard-CD-Digisleeve, als LP-Edition in der ungewöhnlichen Farbe Pearlescent Lagoon sowie als digitales Album.

Music From Memory presents 'Mood Programs – Extended Play', a two-track release by LA MARR, a new project conceived by Ron Trent. Representing the first in an ongoing series of releases on Music From Memory, ‘Mood Programs - Extended Play’ opens a new chapter within Trent’s deep and continually evolving body of work, rooted in mood-driven composition, spatial depth and the emotional resonance of sound within physical space.

Influenced by ambient and environmental music, New Age, dub traditions, New Wave, Krautrock and HiFi sound system culture, LA MARR reflects many of the formative ideas that informed Trent’s evolving approach to sound and sonic architecture from the early 1980s onward. Rather than revisiting these influences nostalgically, the project recontextualises them through a contemporary production language, balancing analog warmth with precision and spatial depth.

Developed through years of sonic experimentation and research into the physical and psychological qualities of sound, LA MARR extends Ron Trent’s long-standing interest in the relationship between rhythm, acoustics and human connection. Built through a combination of analog processes and contemporary computer-assisted production, the project explores warmth, resonance, depth and sonic clarity through carefully sculpted environments of tone and texture.

Gently unfolding within a spacious, ambient-leaning framework, 'Mood Programs – Extended Play' moves beyond passive background listening toward something more intentional and immersive. Across both tracks, ‘Good Magic’ and ‘Clear’, layers of hypnotic synthesizer arpeggios and gently floating pads gradually unfold alongside organic percussion and subtle low-end movement, creating compositions that feel simultaneously meditative, physical and emotionally responsive. Sound is treated not simply as musical information, but as an environmental force capable of shaping perception, mood and awareness within a room.

'Mood Programs – Extended Play' will be released digitally and on vinyl through Music From Memory on July 15th. Sleeve art and design by Michael Willis.

ONE MUST FORGET, the post-industrial polish/french alignment of MK (michał kiełbasa of whalesong, lugola, and harmony of struggle) and enigmatic female vocalist EA, emerges as a singular force of cold minimalism and unfiltered emotional intensity. rooted in classic industrial aesthetics yet fiercely contemporary, the project rejects digital sterility in favor of raw hardware and tactile analog decay. their debut album, PILLARS OF SHAME, manifests as a terrifyingly elegant monument to human fractures, functioning as a severe, ritualistic purification for the disillusioned through what is defined as angstpop.

the sonic architecture of the record balances suffocating minimalism with mechanical violence, where hypnotic, industrial pulses hit with the weight of heavy machinery. shards of piercing feedback and raw white noise tear through the compositions, yet beneath this abrasive exterior lies a seductive, deeply unsettling undercurrent of melancholic melodies. EA’s volatile vocal presence collides with MK’s suffocating grim architecture to create a psychological landscape of collapse and introspection.

First-time repress of Thrum's 1994 cult classic Rifferama, newly remastered with enhanced depth and clarity. Features Monica Queen (Belle and Sebastian / Snow Patrol), the album offers a signature blend of shimmering hooks and fuzzed-out guitars. The long-awaited reissue of Rifferama, the acclaimed debut album by Glasgow indie trailblazers Thrum. Out on Fire Records, the remaster revisits one of the most revered cult records of the 1990s UK guitar scene (the vinyl release includes an exclusive digital download of the band's reunion show recorded live at Airdrie Town Hall in 2025, along with a new studio version of 'Hey Joe'). Originally released to critical acclaim, Rifferama captured a moment when melody, distortion and emotional urgency collided to create something timeless. Now newly remastered from the original recordings, the album returns with enhanced depth and clarity, reaffirming its reputation as a lost classic of the era. Fronted by the unmistakable voice of Monica Queen (known for her work with Belle and Sebastian and Snow Patrol), Thrum's sound blended shimmering pop hooks with driving, fuzz-laden riffs. Alongside Johnny Smillie's distinctive guitar work, the band forged a sonic identity that stood proudly alongside the era's most influential alternative acts. This reissue is dedicated to the late great Phil Vinall, who mixed the album.

After spending the last few years relentlessly touring across Europe and the UK, building a fiercely loyal fanbase through sold-out shows and unforgettable live performances, LEAP have built unstoppable momentum with their recent album, ENTROPY. First released digitally in late 2025, the album didn"t just connect-it exploded, racking up 21 million global streams and catching the ear of Epitaph Records, who quickly brought the band into the fold. There"s a magnetic push-and-pull at the heart of ENTROPY: big, anthemic alt-rock hooks wrapped around lyrics that don"t shy away from life"s messier moments. Frontman Jacky Scott leads the charge with a voice that can pivot from raw confession to fist-in-the-air release, turning heavy themes into something unexpectedly uplifting. It"s that balance-dark edges with a bright, communal core-that"s earned early praise from Rolling Stone and Kerrang! alike. And the fans are already all in. Following a sold-out European run, tickets for LEAP"s first U.S. shows in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles vanished months in advance-proof that their emotionally charged, high-energy sound translates far beyond the studio. At its core, ENTROPY feels like a shared experience: songs built for singalongs, for release, for connection. LEAP aren"t just channeling chaos-they"re turning it into something unifying, loud, and impossible to ignore.

Lip Critic’s 2024 Partisan debut Hex Dealer was one of the most-hyped experimental releases of that year (“Like the B-52s on ketamine” -Paste) and signaled the Brooklyn band’s arrival as a borderline-batshit creative force. Theft World is their next chapter, built again from the chaos of two drummers locked in psychic combat, a sampler that sounds like it was struck by lightning, and frontman Bret Kaser’s paranoid preacher energy. But where Hex Dealer leapt from one absurdist vignette to the next, Theft World plays like a fully locked-in transmission. Themes orbit around the concept of theft, not just as a political force or digital dilemma, but as a surreal, emotional constant. Club rhythms and hardcore breakdowns pull as much from Tyler the Creator’s ‘Igor’ and Korn as they do Skrillex and Soul Coughing, coming together to soundtrack a world that’s constantly being striped apart and resold.

After appearing on Kulture Galerie Volume 4 alongise Uncanny Valley and fellow North Marcedonian Herzel, L.O.V.D joins the Digital Artefacts series with 'Dive'.

L.O.V.D is a doctor by day, synth geek by night, set between North Macedonia and Berlin. The title track of this new EP on Kulture Galerie was being picked for a mixed comp by Voltage Lab and his sound is started to being recognised internationally with appearances at many music festivals with his live set as well as international hotspots like Kiosk Radio.

This brand new 4 tracker is a personal journey that Ljuben describes like this:

'Dive is a collection of songs that embody my perception of the complex emotions experienced between two people in love. Sometimes beautiful, sometimes sad, always heavily emotionally charged, never perfect.'

Melchior Productions Ltd. returns to his own My King Is Light imprint with a brand-new 12″—this time alongside Romanian-Russian pianist-producer Mischa Blanos, one third of the acclaimed Amorf trio, Jupiter Tracks pt. 1 is a beautiful record, deep and emotional, as if beamed in from another world—yes, Jupiter.

Across “Push,” “First Eva,” and “Spirit Of 23,” the pair interlace meticulous programming and crystalline sound design into an ever-shifting strain of minimal house. Dispensing with overt drama, the EP zooms in on nuance: textures flicker between digital shimmer and tactile grit, while Melchior’s trademark restraint leaves ample space for Blanos’s melodic Midas touch to radiate quietly.

Deep Detroit-rooted house for a release overflowing with soul, class and underground authority. An absolutely massive release for lovers of true house music, and another stunning chapter for Detroit Boogie Assemble.

Parisian label Chuwanaga announces the upcoming release of Inner Circle Vol. 1, the first installment in a series of house music releases bringing together artists from the label’s close circle. Available on limited 12" vinyl (300 copies) and digital.

The VA opens with “We All Got To Feel” by Argentine producer J. Koen (Nervous Records / Nite Grooves), a track that encapsulates the essence of deep house. Classy, colorful stabs, refined melodies, and a warm, funky bassline come together in a club-ready cut. It's exactly what you expect when you need a track that delivers — just drop it.

It is followed by “Sunny California” from French producer Kaffe Crème (Floors Records), an ode to the sun — both a celebration and a form of incantation recalling the spiritual energy of Ron Trent and Joe Claussell. The track builds toward a break filled with deep, jazz-inflected harmonies before returning with an electrifying melody carried by layered percussion, leading to an emotional climax.

On the flip side, “It’s A Feeling (House Music)” by the French duo Milk & Honey (Chuwanaga) draws clear inspiration from the Chicago lineage, in the vein of Boo Williams. A looping bassline, deep silky chords, and steady drums create a hypnotic, flowing texture with a myriad of ear candy. It's a feeling, it's a vibe!

The record closes with “The Gatekeeper” by French producers Saint-James (Chuwanaga) & KX9000 (Pont-Neuf Records), a track influenced by the London boogie sound and its broken beat scene. Fans of Dego and Kaidi Tatham will recognize its syncopated grooves and percussive depth, bridging house and broken beat aesthetics.

H- side is etched
The American cable-television industry exploded in the 1980s, pushing broadcasts of diverse programming and emissions of low-laying cultures into homes. Community stations piggybacked on the digital developments of the time, extending their existence through telephony and broadcast a iliates. For those growing up in this time, in locations such as New York City, the localized communications beamed into their homes exposed them to an impressionable array of disparate sounds and visions.
Move into the 1990s and New York was filled to the brim of emergent cultures drawing from this ebullition of communication. From Rammellzee’s shapeshifting to the late Judy Russell and Frank and Karen Mendez’s Nu Groove imprint fusing reggae, poetry and house, nascent ideas emanated from the city walls, from within stores such as Sonic Groove store and on VHS releases such as Stakker’s The Evil Acid Baron Show, a legendary technicolor psychedelic trip along the wildest frontiers of acid house. As scenes expanded and identities developed, such individuals weather the events of the visceral now, expressing themselves right into an unpredictable future.
Function’s long career has seen him uncover a vast range of sonic identities, a mainstay through house, techno and industrial with collaborations with the likes of Regis, Damon Wild alongside his highly influential Infrastructure imprint. With influences deeply tied to pop art, rave and gay scenes, and early memories of block-parties emitting Kraftwerk and Strafe, he found himself seeking out the undercover illegal nights of the 90s on a quest of sexual unearthing, mixing the ever-yearning escapology mission of disco with the influential DJ sets of Jeff Mills.
For his new album Existenz, he marks a clear step away from the corporeal techno of his recent releases. Pivoting around themes of religion, sexuality, trauma and healing, it is a work expansive and celebratory, a clear liberation from a deeply internalized past. Formed from a collection of recordings made in a period from late 2016 to mid 2019, Existenz takes the form of a creative outburst in reaction to a number of traumas - recent, childhood and throughout Function’s life. Life partner Stefanie Parnow assisted the production process in its entirety, providing inspiration, spiritual healing and featuring vocal contributions.
Cosmic synths soar and swoop in ‘Pleasure Discipline’ through towering stacks of rhythm that stutter and creak to a halt before rebooting, a firm robotic response to human intervention. ‘Zahlensender’ reflects a spatial tetris of urban life, as digitalization set within an XYZ matrix confronts the sprawling city. Constant arpeggiated meditations echo synaptic transmissions, e ecting a dissolution of boundaries. ’The Approach’ recalls the unification of the self, a state of delirium non-subjective and smooth, as all connections and functions give way to simple intensities of feeling, crossing the threshold into spirituality. ’Golden Dawn’, featuring Stefanie Parnow, marks a further elevation of dubbed-out euphoria, as once more positive rays emerge. His ode to the effortless short-trip urban navigation 'Kurzstrecke' finds Function in motion, upfront and bold, snapshots of conversation and flickers of light. 'Ertrinken' finds metallic bass jabs swamping snipped synthetic voices, with hidden stores of emotion set as a nod to the history of vocoders as a tool for encrypted military communication. House icon Robert Owens features on 'Growth Cycle' and 'Be', entrenching a celebratory atmosphere over Function's clubwise leanings. Closing track 'Downtown 161' reflects the unmistakeable filtered and squashed interjections of television, and sampled dance vocals - a sound for the curious, dreamers and dancers.
With Existenz, Function reveals an essential body of work, spread over 4LP - thought experiments on the role of identity and spirituality after a lifetime of upheaval and trauma. Leading up until the release date, Function will undertake an album promo tour with select dates - A/V shows at Berlin Atonal and Rural festival in Japan, and three dates as part of his Bassiani residency.

A super-powerful mashup where a female vocal shines over the groove of “Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”!

This 7-inch release extracts the backing track from McFadden & Whitehead’s legendary 1979 Philly soul classic and layers it with Qubiko’s “Set Me Free,” resulting in a deeply groovy rework.

This release features two powerful tracks by French prvoducer Assal, who energetically delivers killer dance tracks mainly in the digital distribution field. The tracks are selected from the extensive catalog of the French label Plaizir Muzic, run by Stephane Deschezeaux, who also releases music by T-Groove.

The A-side reconstructs the hard-hitting rhythm track and lush, memorable string sections of the dance classic-famously covered by artists such as Biz Markie-and overlays them with the soulful female vocals from Italian producer Qubiko’s “Set Me Free,” creating a truly magical tune.

On the B-side, the tempo of Merry Clayton’s 1980 mid-tempo boogie is pushed up and the rhythm intensified, updating it into a fully floor-ready version.

ReVINYL Random Color Edition. Concrete is a bracing jolt of a song, racing forward on a tightly wound post-punk riff, its call-and-response vocals capturing the turmoil and schizophrenic internal dialogue of the song's subject matter."It's about someone who's trapped in a relationship and they're being pummelled into surrender," says singer and lyricist Charlie Steen. "It's not about a physically abusive relationship - more an emotionally and psychologically draining one. The call-and-response vocals between Steen and bassist Josh Finerty is the central figure's own internal dialogue. They are dealing with two different things that they don't want to address."The band cite The Fall, Country Teasers, Television Personalities and Wire among their biggest influences, and the icily claustrophobic sound of Concrete sets it in a lineage with Magazine, Joy Division. As a lyricist, Steen is a modern flâneur, forensically observing the lives of others around him as they unspool and fracture, with Hubert Selby Jr and Irvine Welsh his primary literary influences. "That graphic and harsh style of writing always interested me," he explains. "It's not about the shock factor; it's about the fact they are talking about these things in such great detail without stripping anything back."The London five piece have swiftly earned a reputation as one of the most visceral and exhilarating live bands in the UK, their combustible shows being honed through a heavy touring schedule in the UK and across Europe. Cutting their teeth on the squat-punk scene in the Queen's Head in Brixton in 2015, where they were taken under the wing of Fat White Family, the white heat of their gigs quickly landed them support slots with Slaves and Warpaint. They were also personally invited by Billy Bragg to play the Left Field stage at Glastonbury this year.Following two singles - the AA single The Lick/Gold Hole and Tasteless on Fnord Communications as well as the digital-only Theresa May-baiting Visa Vulture (described by Steen as "the worst love song ever") - Concrete is the first track to be released as part of their record deal with Dead Oceans."We started this band as a joke that went too far," deadpans Steen. "What we do is quite strange and quite weird, but I get to meet a lot of people and I get to hear a lot of things. I am interested in the surrealism of reality."

Uncompromising Italian DJ/producer The Southern makes his vinyl debut on Mutual Rytm's sub-label, Spectra, with remixes from Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri. An EP marking an impressive label debut, Carmine Portarulo, aka The Southern, lands on Mutual Rytm’s sub- label Spectra with a powerful showcase of his much-loved sound. With the lead track featuring as one of label head SHDW's most requested IDs of the year so far, and packaged alongside outstanding remixes by close label associates Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri, the EP comes having established himself with a sound rooted in old school value and pure techno, favouring energy and authenticity over hype. The track’s backstory comes from the moment Carmine and his partner found out they were expecting a child and went for their first ultrasound appointment. Overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment and the beauty of what nature is capable of, he returned home and poured those feelings into the music. The result, ‘Ultrasound’, is an anthemic, punchy techno cut with euphoric energy rising up through the synths and its catchy lead melody. Joyful melodies sparkle amid vocal groans, adding a raw emotional pull as the warm, driving drums march on. Berlin-based artist Alarico is the first to remix on his return to the label, and his ‘Sad Mix’ has a more melancholic mood, with dark chords and tightly programmed drums that bring lo-key funk. Hayes Collective founder Temudo also returns and flips the vibe on his ‘Neuro Interpretation’ with a more psyched-out, twisted tune featuring trippy synths and booming drums for peak-time impact. Italo-Iranian Sublunar Records head Sciahri then drops his trance- inducing, hypotonic ‘Tunnel Vision Mix’, followed by two digital bonuses: ‘The Stripped Mix’, a bouncy workout with futuristic melodies, and Temudo’s ‘Neuro Interpretation 2’, which is raw, textured, and dark.

Uncompromising Italian DJ/producer The Southern makes his vinyl debut on Mutual Rytm's sub-label, Spectra, with remixes from Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri. An EP marking an impressive label debut, Carmine Portarulo, aka The Southern, lands on Mutual Rytm’s sub- label Spectra with a powerful showcase of his much-loved sound. With the lead track featuring as one of label head SHDW's most requested IDs of the year so far, and packaged alongside outstanding remixes by close label associates Alarico, Temudo and Sciahri, the EP comes having established himself with a sound rooted in old school value and pure techno, favouring energy and authenticity over hype. The track’s backstory comes from the moment Carmine and his partner found out they were expecting a child and went for their first ultrasound appointment. Overwhelmed by the emotion of the moment and the beauty of what nature is capable of, he returned home and poured those feelings into the music. The result, ‘Ultrasound’, is an anthemic, punchy techno cut with euphoric energy rising up through the synths and its catchy lead melody. Joyful melodies sparkle amid vocal groans, adding a raw emotional pull as the warm, driving drums march on. Berlin-based artist Alarico is the first to remix on his return to the label, and his ‘Sad Mix’ has a more melancholic mood, with dark chords and tightly programmed drums that bring lo-key funk. Hayes Collective founder Temudo also returns and flips the vibe on his ‘Neuro Interpretation’ with a more psyched-out, twisted tune featuring trippy synths and booming drums for peak-time impact. Italo-Iranian Sublunar Records head Sciahri then drops his trance- inducing, hypotonic ‘Tunnel Vision Mix’, followed by two digital bonuses: ‘The Stripped Mix’, a bouncy workout with futuristic melodies, and Temudo’s ‘Neuro Interpretation 2’, which is raw, textured, and dark.

Composer Vasco Mendonça presents his third album “Third Places”. The album brings together a collection of landmark performances and features some of the leading names in international contemporary music, including countertenor Iestyn Davies, mezzo-soprano Barbara Kozelj, the Porto Casa da Música Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble Het Muziek, and conductors Brad Lubman and Ernest Martínez Izquierdo.

More than just a record, “Third Places” stands as a space for artistic and political reflection on the present. Inspired by Ray Oldenburg’s concept of the ‘third place’ – a space beyond home and work where community life takes place – the album’s title refers to the venues where these works came to life, Casa da Música and the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam: spaces for encounter, dialogue and cultural resistance. For Vasco Mendonça, these spaces symbolise “the ability to elevate the way we communicate with one another and to resist our most primitive and violent impulses”.

The voice lies at the heart of this work. The compositions explore the theatrical, intimate and political dimensions of vocal expression, drawing on texts of great social and emotional weight to create a shared space for listening and questioning the current state of the world.

One of the album’s central works stems from a profound contemporary concern. Inspired by the turbulent political climate in the United States following the 2016 elections and by his discovery of the poetry of Terrance Hayes and Tracy K. Smith, Vasco Mendonça composed a cycle of songs initially conceived for voice and percussion, later transposed for orchestra. The result is described by the composer as “a kind of imaginary American folklore”, where excess, transcendence, fascination and fear coexist.

The album also includes a reworking of material from the opera “Bosch Beach”, created in 2016 to mark the 500th anniversary of the death of Hieronymus Bosch, commissioned by the Dutch foundation Stichting Bosch 500. Based on a libretto by the writer Dimitri Verhulst, the work reflected on the European migration crisis through a scathing portrait of human indifference. In “Third Places”, Mendonça revisits some of this musical material to construct an incisive reflection on contemporary political discourse, transforming the opera’s numbers into archetypes of election campaigns, populism and performative communication.

Straddling contemplation and confrontation, lyricism and political tension, “Third Places” stands as one of the most ambitious recording projects in contemporary Portuguese music, offering an experience that is both aesthetic and critical, where music and thought intersect in a visceral way.

The digital version of the album will include a bonus track, “Marathon”, which explores the analogy between music and long-distance running, creating a piece in which time is transformed through breathing, the heartbeat and the ritualised repetition of movement and the body, in a constant tension between exhaustion and survival.

Parissior, moving between EBM, dark disco, indie dance and electronic music while blending analog and digital production.

The album brings together tracks that originally didn’t belong to previous EPs but eventually formed a coherent narrative exploring themes such as digital identity, illusion, authenticity and human imperfection.

From the sense of social pursuit in “The Chase”, to reflections on artificial validation in “True Connection” and “Smoke and Mirrors”, the record balances introspection with dancefloor energy.

The album also includes “Sintes Guarros” featuring Size M, and two additional digital-only tracks, expanding the project beyond the physical format.

Human Control ultimately works as a sonic map connecting machines, emotion and underground culture.

Belgian violinist and composer Elisabeth Klinck announces the debut album of her ensemble, Klinck Trio, on VIERNULVIER Records. My Hair is Everywhere will be released on November 7, 2025 on vinyl LP and through all digital platforms.

Rooted in improvisation and guided by openness, the Klinck Trio — Adia Vanheerentals (saxophone, voice), Maya Dhondt (piano, voice), and Elisabeth Klinck (violin, voice) —crafts music where sound and silence are equally vital.

Their debut album is an exploration of fragility, unfolding like a delicate conversation in which each note is chosen with intention and every pause carries presence.

Recorded in the summer of 2024 at Studio Ledeberg, My Hair Is Everywhere captures a moment in time: three musicians meeting in sound, each bringing their own timbre, language and natural state of being into dialogue. Klinck offers seeds of material —metaphors, sketches, sonic ideas — that the ensemble shapes into fully formed pieces. The result is an album that stands complete, yet carries within it the openness to unfold further in live performance, where new layers and resonances can emerge.

In the spirit of American composer and pianist Meredith Monk, the trio embraces lightness andvulnerability, crafting soundscapes that feel both childlike in their intimacy and expansive in their emotional reach. My Hair is Everywhere balances melancholy, tenderness, and harmonic interplay with silence, breath, and resonance—the subtle negative space where music continues beyond the notes themselves. By recording in close proximity, every detail emerges: the strike of piano pedals, the clicking of saxophone keys, the intake of breath, and the faint displacement of air. Textures of dragging violin, whispered fragments, and soft humming become almost tangible, drawing the listener fully into this intimate, enveloping present
moment.

Above all, this compelling debut is an invitation to listen differently: to enter a transformative space where three distinct musical voices find each other in fragility.
The artwork, created by French artist Annabelle Guetatra, reflects the album’s sense of lightness through color and playful collage work.

Cinna Peyghamy unveils new album fusing Persian tombak and modular synthesis Five years in the making, "Music For Tombak & Synth" bridges heritage, technology, and personal identity. The project, initiated in 2019 during Peyghamy's master's thesis research on contact microphones, was conceived as a means to reconnect with his Persian roots while exploringexperimental sound design. In the album, Peyghamy seamlessly blends the traditional Persian tombak with modular synthesis and digital signal processing, creating a distinctive musical landscape that bridges live improvisation and studio production. The album’s genesis traces back to Peyghamy’s exploration of improvised electronic music and his desire to craft a performance-ready setup. Over
several years, the project evolved from capturing the energy of his live shows into a fully composed studio work.

"Music For Tombak & Synth" stands as the first record where Peyghamy unites his dual identities as a live performer and producer, resulting in a body of work that reflects his deep connection to family, memory, and cultural heritage. The album features personal elements such as his father’s voice reciting the poetry of Ahmad Shamlo on the track Dar Shab ,?? ??collaborations with long-time friend Quelque Bourdon on clarinet, and the evocative sounds of the Persian setar, all anchored by the physicality and rhythms of the tombak. A sentiment further reflected in the album cover; a photograph taken by his father, Khosrow ‘Payram’ Peyghamy, picturing both his parents and grandparents.

With this release, Peyghamy moves beyond conventional boundaries of "traditional versus contemporary" or "acoustic versus electronic," instead offering a nuanced exploration of identity through sound. Each track serves as a keepsake, referencing cherished memories, emotions, and musical influences that define his experience as a French-born artist of Iranian descent, unable to visit his home country. "Music For Tombak & Synth" invites listeners to engage with a deeply personal narrative, rooted in both cultural history and sonic innovation.

Found Songs gehört zu den ungewöhnlichsten und zugleich berührendsten Projekten in Olafur Arnalds" Werk. Innerhalb einer einzigen Woche komponierte, nahm und veröffentlichte der isländische Komponist jeden Tag einen neuen Song - unmittelbar und ohne Umwege. Das Ergebnis ist ein faszinierendes musikalisches Tagebuch: fragile Piano-Motive, zarte Streicher und dezente elektronische Texturen verbinden sich zu einer intimen Klangwelt zwischen Neoklassik und moderner Pop-Ästhetik. Die Einbindung der Fans - die das Artwork gestalteten - macht dieses Projekt zudem zu einem frühen Beispiel digitaler Kollaboration. Found Songs zeigt Arnalds auf dem Weg zu seiner unverwechselbaren Handschrift: reduziert, emotional und von stiller Intensität.

N.O.B.A. returns on Vibes Addikt with a raw and hypnotic vinyl only release, crafted for the most intense moments on the dancefloor. Blending driving techno energy with dark trance influences, the track unfolds through pounding kicks, razor-sharp synths and relentless tension before descending into an enchanting break layered with haunting Gregorian chants. A cinematic and almost mystical sequence before the track erupts back into full-force rave energy.

Following the identity and collector spirit of previous Vibes Addikt releases, this 10’’ edition fully embodies the label’s vision: dynamic, emotional and entirely dedicated to vinyl culture. No digital format, no streaming platforms — only pure analog pressure for DJs and collectors chasing rare weapons for the dancefloor.

Français

Vibes Addikt, le label de N.O.B.A. — régulièrement soutenu par des artistes tels que Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Klaudia Gawlas, Thomas Schumacher et bien d’autres — dévoile une nouvelle sortie ultra exclusive : un vinyle 10’’ pressé à seulement 150 exemplaires dans le monde.

N.O.B.A. revient sur Vibes Addikt avec une vinyl only release brute et hypnotique, pensée pour les moments les plus intenses du dancefloor. Entre techno frontale et influences trance sombres, le morceau déploie des kicks massifs, des synthés acérés et une tension constante avant de plonger dans un break envoûtant porté par des chants grégoriens hantés. Une séquence presque mystique et cinématographique, avant le retour d’une énergie rave explosive.

Dans la continuité de l’identité et de l’esprit collector des précédentes sorties Vibes Addikt, cette édition 10’’ incarne pleinement la vision du label : dynamique, emotionnel et entièrement dédiée à la culture vinyle. Aucun format digital, aucun streaming — uniquement la puissance du son analogique pour les DJs et collectionneurs en quête de pièces rares.

Back in 2023, Bruce was approached by a band of young and ambitious lads, who wanted him to mix their debut album 'Nacre'. Being fans of his music, they hoped to utilise his renowned, club-informed and emotive sound design to add a shade of hypnotism and psychedelia to their singular strand of post-rock. The band of course were Quade, and the union proved to make perfect sense: Bruce excelled in gracefully fulfilling the band's vision, sealing their relationship for projects to come.

A couple years on, both Quade and Bruce had really proved the scope of their abilities: the sophomore album 'The Foel Tower' won the hearts of fans and critics across the board, who celebrated its "gorgeous" and "tender" sound to great acclaim. The world they had built clearly stood defined and dignified, though at the same time, Bruce couldn't help but wonder if there was more to be said. Besides, the sheer abundance of emotion and rich textures therein, suggested a great deal of potential for further exploring. So with the band’s blessing, he embarked on versioning the album.

Bruce was off the leash: total freedom leant him the ability to dub in wild style, weaving and wrestling with drum, bass et al, connecting to the arrangements' true feelings and expanding them to full frame. The "doomer sad boy, ambient-dub, folk, experimental post-rock" of the original, was blown into a whole new, hypnotic realm: through rattling analogue distortion and huge spaced out effects, Bruce's efforts stand as an exploding supernova of dub and noise, refracted through the band's themes of grief, beauty and the great British countryside.

To be released on his label Poorly Knit, this remix album once again proves Bruce's deft of touch and skill in reworking material. Maximising the sonic potential of such a promising and talented band he marks his personal contribution towards what will surely continue to be a fulfilling and illustrious musical journey for Quade.

Available digitally and on super limited cassette (50 copies)

Originally released in 2014 on cassette and digital only, Till Human Voices Wake Us was the first album by the Iranian artist on Umor Rex. It became a key work in our catalog, and now, 12 years later, it is available on vinyl for the first time. This is the first in a series of four special, limited reissues to be released in 2026 to mark the 20th anniversary of Umor Rex.

Till Human Voices Wake Us comprises ten tracks with a clear and carefully structured script, based on poems by T.S. Eliot, highlighting Siavash Amini’s work as a composer for theater, film, and art exhibitions. His music deliberately leans toward ambient expressions, at times recalling Morricone’s Western film scores. The interplay between synthetic and digital elements, together with multilayered, soul-healing electric guitar passages, creates an opulent sonic texture that moves between dramatic and melancholic moments with a finely constructed, fluid dynamism.

There is an emotional depth in each piece, guided by tonal variations and shifting textures that turn the music into a mental journey, with landscapes, a sense of cold resolution, and the quiet inevitability of an ending. Till Human Voices Wake Us was Amini’s first album on a non-Iranian label. Following this release, he has also published work, in addition to Umor Rex, on labels such as Room40, Hallow Ground, and Opal Tapes, among others, and is now considered one of the most prominent figures in Iran’s experimental music scene.

All music by Siavash Amini. Original master by Nicholas Szczepanik. Remastered for vinyl by Rafael Anton Irisarri. Artwork by Daniel Castrejón.

"Already established within Iran’s music scene, Siavash Amini has crafted a powerful signature sound that blends meticulously assembled ambient synthesis with languid electric guitar melodies, recalling Lanois and Eno’s classic Apollo." — THE QUIETUS (Tristan Bath)

,Paradessence", das dritte Album von Visible Cloaks, ist ein Werk der Entstehung und Illusion. Die vierzehn Songs des Albums verschieben, heben und schimmern vor einem schwach leuchtenden Hintergrund der Nacht, einem höhlenartigen Raum, der durch spärliche hyperreale Darstellungen der natürlichen Welt geformt wird. Die Arrangements sind gleichzeitig grandios und zerbrechlich, sowohl eine Umkehrung als auch eine Kulmination dessen, was zuvor kam, und so abenteuerlich wie alles, was sie bisher produziert haben. Seit ihrer Umwandlung von Cloaks zu Visible Cloaks im Jahr 2014 haben Spencer Doran und Ryan Carlile eine komplexe Matrix gegensätzlicher Konzepte entworfen: organisch und künstlich, zufällig und bewusst, authentisch und repliziert. Der Albumtitel, der aus dem satirischen Portmanteau des Autors Alex Shakar aus ,paradox" und ,essence" stammt, spiegelt diese Spannungen direkt wider: Die Paradessence von Konsumgütern ist der ,schismatische Kern", der ihre Attraktivität ausmacht (in Shakars Beispiel ist Kaffee begehrt, weil er gleichzeitig entspannend und anregend wirkt). Der Balanceakt von Paradessence verleiht diesen Spannungen eine größere Dringlichkeit, da das Leben im 21. Jahrhundert durch eben diese Spannungen neu geordnet wird. Stille ist ein wichtiger Charakter in Paradessence, der nicht nur in der Gestaltung des Klangs zu spüren ist, sondern auch in dem Druck, den er auf alles und alles, was entsteht, ausübt. Die Gruppe ließ sich vom Konzept des ,positiven Raums" des Architekturtheoretikers Christopher Alexander beeinflussen, einer Idee, dass der Form der Leere um ein Objekt herum die gleiche Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt werden kann wie der Konstruktion des Objekts selbst. Wir hören, wie Klänge ihre eigene Stille in sich tragen, zwischen Existenz und Nicht-Existenz oszillieren und wie Mikroorganismen Lebenszyklen durchlaufen. Die Instrumente, die Paradessence untermauern, haben etwas Kollektives an sich. Sie bewegen sich wie eine Herde, so wie wenn der Wind über ein Feld voller Blätter weht und die Luft in der Abwesenheit von Bewegung sichtbar wird; mehrere Arten leben in derselben Melodie zusammen, treten hervor, ziehen sich zurück und verwandeln sich im Laufe von mehreren Minuten. ,Anstatt Stücke zu schaffen, die horizontal als Umgebungen funktionieren", sagt Doran, ,wollten wir sie als lebendes Material konzipieren, das sich im Raum verändert und ständig im Fluss ist." Die Songformen entfernen sich von der Atmosphäre und tendieren zur reinen Abstraktion. Utopismus schwebt am Rande; eine Beziehung zu imaginären Zukünften, die weder naiv, zynisch noch nostalgisch ist. Die Welt, die Visible Cloaks im Laufe der Zeit aufgebaut haben, wird oft von Mitwirkenden physisch umgesetzt, von denen eine vertraute Besetzung für Paradessence zurückkehrt. Motion Graphics (Joe Williams) ist auf ,synthetic woodwinds" zu hören und hat das Album mitgemischt, wobei er ihm mit seinem charakteristischen Glanz Kontur verliehen hat. Die miteinander verbundenen Stücke ,Shapes" und ,Thinking" wurden zusammen mit den Innovatoren der Umweltmusik Yoshio Ojima und Satsuki Shibano entwickelt, die auch mit dem Duo an der generationsübergreifenden FRKWYS-Kollaboration serenitatem gearbeitet haben. Das letztere Stück enthält einen von Ojima verfassten gesprochenen Text, der von Shibano auf Japanisch und von der Komponistin und langjährigen Freundin Félicia Atkinson auf Französisch gelesen wird. Das Componium Ensemble, Dorans Projekt für ,unbestimmte Kammermusik" mit selbstspielenden Software-Instrumenten, bildet die Grundlage für ,System" in einem Moment von Pessoa-scher Heteronymie. Auf dem Album ist auch Ioana Selaru zu hören, eine rumänische Komponistin und Violinistin, die ,Intarsia" mit ihrer Stimme und ihrem Streicherspiel bereichert. Doran beschreibt ihre Zusammenarbeit als ,eine Übung in illusorischer Präsenz", die sie gemeinsam aus ,der Idee entwickelt haben, ihr reales Instrumentenspiel virtuellen Instrumenten gegenüberzustellen, um die Grenzen zwischen synthetischen Streichinstrumenten und denen, die in der Realität existieren, zu verwischen". Selarus energiegeladene Darbietung in ,Intarsia" ist ein deutlicher Beweis für den dramatischen Kern von Paradessence: ein dringliches skulpturales Unterfangen, ein Instrument und eine menschliche Stimme, moduliert von einem Meer synthetischen Wachstums. Doran beschreibt, wie für ihn ,dieses Verschieben zwischen dem Realen und dem Virtuellen etwas ganz anderes einfängt, etwas Seltsames und Unbeschreibliches, das ein fester Bestandteil des Lebens in der digitalen Moderne ist, sowohl online als auch im realen Leben". Es ist elektronische Musik, die nicht nur durch ihre wechselnden Formen eine abstrakte Darstellung unserer aktuellen Traumrealität heraufbeschwört, sondern auch imaginäre Räume schafft, die emotional nuanciert sind und zu Momenten der Anmut führen.

,Paradessence", das dritte Album von Visible Cloaks, ist ein Werk der Entstehung und Illusion. Die vierzehn Songs des Albums verschieben, heben und schimmern vor einem schwach leuchtenden Hintergrund der Nacht, einem höhlenartigen Raum, der durch spärliche hyperreale Darstellungen der natürlichen Welt geformt wird. Die Arrangements sind gleichzeitig grandios und zerbrechlich, sowohl eine Umkehrung als auch eine Kulmination dessen, was zuvor kam, und so abenteuerlich wie alles, was sie bisher produziert haben. Seit ihrer Umwandlung von Cloaks zu Visible Cloaks im Jahr 2014 haben Spencer Doran und Ryan Carlile eine komplexe Matrix gegensätzlicher Konzepte entworfen: organisch und künstlich, zufällig und bewusst, authentisch und repliziert. Der Albumtitel, der aus dem satirischen Portmanteau des Autors Alex Shakar aus ,paradox" und ,essence" stammt, spiegelt diese Spannungen direkt wider: Die Paradessence von Konsumgütern ist der ,schismatische Kern", der ihre Attraktivität ausmacht (in Shakars Beispiel ist Kaffee begehrt, weil er gleichzeitig entspannend und anregend wirkt). Der Balanceakt von Paradessence verleiht diesen Spannungen eine größere Dringlichkeit, da das Leben im 21. Jahrhundert durch eben diese Spannungen neu geordnet wird. Stille ist ein wichtiger Charakter in Paradessence, der nicht nur in der Gestaltung des Klangs zu spüren ist, sondern auch in dem Druck, den er auf alles und alles, was entsteht, ausübt. Die Gruppe ließ sich vom Konzept des ,positiven Raums" des Architekturtheoretikers Christopher Alexander beeinflussen, einer Idee, dass der Form der Leere um ein Objekt herum die gleiche Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt werden kann wie der Konstruktion des Objekts selbst. Wir hören, wie Klänge ihre eigene Stille in sich tragen, zwischen Existenz und Nicht-Existenz oszillieren und wie Mikroorganismen Lebenszyklen durchlaufen. Die Instrumente, die Paradessence untermauern, haben etwas Kollektives an sich. Sie bewegen sich wie eine Herde, so wie wenn der Wind über ein Feld voller Blätter weht und die Luft in der Abwesenheit von Bewegung sichtbar wird; mehrere Arten leben in derselben Melodie zusammen, treten hervor, ziehen sich zurück und verwandeln sich im Laufe von mehreren Minuten. ,Anstatt Stücke zu schaffen, die horizontal als Umgebungen funktionieren", sagt Doran, ,wollten wir sie als lebendes Material konzipieren, das sich im Raum verändert und ständig im Fluss ist." Die Songformen entfernen sich von der Atmosphäre und tendieren zur reinen Abstraktion. Utopismus schwebt am Rande; eine Beziehung zu imaginären Zukünften, die weder naiv, zynisch noch nostalgisch ist. Die Welt, die Visible Cloaks im Laufe der Zeit aufgebaut haben, wird oft von Mitwirkenden physisch umgesetzt, von denen eine vertraute Besetzung für Paradessence zurückkehrt. Motion Graphics (Joe Williams) ist auf ,synthetic woodwinds" zu hören und hat das Album mitgemischt, wobei er ihm mit seinem charakteristischen Glanz Kontur verliehen hat. Die miteinander verbundenen Stücke ,Shapes" und ,Thinking" wurden zusammen mit den Innovatoren der Umweltmusik Yoshio Ojima und Satsuki Shibano entwickelt, die auch mit dem Duo an der generationsübergreifenden FRKWYS-Kollaboration serenitatem gearbeitet haben. Das letztere Stück enthält einen von Ojima verfassten gesprochenen Text, der von Shibano auf Japanisch und von der Komponistin und langjährigen Freundin Félicia Atkinson auf Französisch gelesen wird. Das Componium Ensemble, Dorans Projekt für ,unbestimmte Kammermusik" mit selbstspielenden Software-Instrumenten, bildet die Grundlage für ,System" in einem Moment von Pessoa-scher Heteronymie. Auf dem Album ist auch Ioana Selaru zu hören, eine rumänische Komponistin und Violinistin, die ,Intarsia" mit ihrer Stimme und ihrem Streicherspiel bereichert. Doran beschreibt ihre Zusammenarbeit als ,eine Übung in illusorischer Präsenz", die sie gemeinsam aus ,der Idee entwickelt haben, ihr reales Instrumentenspiel virtuellen Instrumenten gegenüberzustellen, um die Grenzen zwischen synthetischen Streichinstrumenten und denen, die in der Realität existieren, zu verwischen". Selarus energiegeladene Darbietung in ,Intarsia" ist ein deutlicher Beweis für den dramatischen Kern von Paradessence: ein dringliches skulpturales Unterfangen, ein Instrument und eine menschliche Stimme, moduliert von einem Meer synthetischen Wachstums. Doran beschreibt, wie für ihn ,dieses Verschieben zwischen dem Realen und dem Virtuellen etwas ganz anderes einfängt, etwas Seltsames und Unbeschreibliches, das ein fester Bestandteil des Lebens in der digitalen Moderne ist, sowohl online als auch im realen Leben". Es ist elektronische Musik, die nicht nur durch ihre wechselnden Formen eine abstrakte Darstellung unserer aktuellen Traumrealität heraufbeschwört, sondern auch imaginäre Räume schafft, die emotional nuanciert sind und zu Momenten der Anmut führen.

Future Islands feiern ihr 20-jähriges Bestehen mit From a Hole in the Floor to a Fountain of Youth, einer besonderen Sammlung aus Raritäten, alternativen Versionen und Fanlieblingen, von denen viele erstmals digital verfügbar sind. Statt eines klassischen Best-of-Albums zeigt die Band damit ihre Entwicklung und künstlerische Tiefe jenseits ihrer bekanntesten Momente. Die 20 Songs spiegeln 20 Jahre Bandgeschichte wider - von frühen Auftritten in kleinen Clubs bis hin zu einer gefestigten, zeitlosen Klangidentität. Der Titel steht sinnbildlich für diesen Weg: vom Alltag ("Hole in the Floor") hin zur Verwirklichung von Träumen ("Fountain of Youth"). Musikalisch bleibt die Band ihrem Stil treu: treibende Basslinien, atmosphärische Synthesizer und der eindringliche Gesang von Samuel T. Herring sorgen für einen roten Faden. Themen wie Sehnsucht, Liebe, Vergänglichkeit und emotionale Erinnerung durchziehen das Album. Die Veröffentlichung ist keine nostalgische Rückschau, sondern eine bewusste Neupositionierung. Sie macht verborgene Facetten sichtbar und zeigt eine Band, die in ihrer Zurückhaltung, Reife und Beständigkeit überzeugt. Gleichzeitig wird deutlich, dass ihr Erfolg nicht nur auf Musik, sondern auch auf langjähriger Freundschaft und echter Verbundenheit beruht. So entsteht ein vielschichtiges Porträt, das die Geschichte von Future Islands vervollständigt und ihre besondere künstlerische Identität unterstreicht.

Fika Recordings are pleased to present Bring On The Apathy, the third solo record from Scottish songwriter Adam Ross. Adam Ross is an indie-folk songwriter based in north-east Scotland. He is a solo artist and has also led the cult indie band Randolph's Leap for over a decade, releasing music with legendary Fence Records and Lost Map as well as Olive Grove Records and Fika Recordings. He is known for his unique brand of articulate lyricism which blends humour, poignancy, wordplay and offbeat stories.. “Bring On The Apathy” was recorded onto tape, using traditional analogue techniques at Glasgow’s Green Door Studio with Samuel J. Smith. It showcases some of the most emotionally open, lyrically deft and characterful songwriting so far from one of Scotland’s most accomplished writers. The vintage recording approach brings a warmth and intimacy to a record which is in equal parts raw and organic while also beautifully arranged and performed as Adam is joined by a raft of excellent collaborators. The album itself is a reaction. Whether it be in the title, the lyrical content or the method in which the sounds were captured. “I was feeling fairly down and uninspired about the musical landscape” Adam explains. “The risk with digital recording where every instrument is overdubbed separately is that it can end up sounding metronomic, sterile and lacking personality.

I also started to get a bit freaked out by the topic of AI-generated music and the insidious, creeping impact it’s already having. I therefore decided that, as a bit of a protest, I wanted to make something that sounded extra-specially human and hand-crafted, where you could hopefully hear the interplay between musicians.” For this reason, Adam decided to record the majority of the album live, as a band, playing together in the same room without a click track. “I’d put a band together to tour my last album, Littoral Zone, and I really enjoyed the way we all worked together. Green Door Studio was chosen as the destination as it specialises in analogue sound production but it had an extra significance for Adam. “Green Door was the first studio I ever recorded in, back in 2009. This time around, the “unforgiving” nature of tape recording became an inspiration. “The musicians on the record are such great players that they rarely make mistakes, so there was a confidence there that we wouldn’t need to rely on copious amounts of editing or post-production, which isn’t always possible with tape anyway. The core band consisted of Owen Curtis-Williams on drums, Cameron Maxwell on bass, Pedro Cameron on violin, Gillian Fleetwood on harp and (long-time collaborator with Randolph’s Leap) Pete MacDonald on piano. Mercury Prize-nominated artist C Duncan was drafted in to write and perform backing vocal arrangements along with Amanda Nizich and Gillian Fleetwood. Adam says “I’d been listening to a lot of Bob Dylan, Karen Dalton and Bill Callahan records and I thought it might be interesting to apply those sorts of influences to my brand of Scottish quirk-pop”.

After a moment of calm, De Lichting returns with the fourth instalment in its double LP album series, Vier.



Never losing touch with its roots in emotional dance music, Vier is a tribute to the electronic soul, something increasingly overlooked on today’s dancefloors. queniv’s Frequency Match opens the album as a gentle invitation, built on minimal drum work and long, stretched pads. RDS’s Aerial Reflections continues in the same vein, leaning into a more serious mood with old school flavoured rhythms.

The first heavier club moment comes from Human Space Machine with Test Rec. A more tense, primetime leaning, proggy groove unfolds, washed in nostalgic strings and trippy elements for both body and mind. Nathan Kofi follows with Kinesis, a proper Detroit infused techno track that pushes the experimental edge further, darker and more driving.

On the second record, the mood shifts into deeper melancholy with Eversines’ Lift The Veil, featuring classic deep house textures of Rhodes chords and FM basses. Nearing the end of the album, Proxyan’s Another delivers pure credits rolling, emotion drenched analogue funk electro, a track the rest of the group had to beg Robbert to include. We are glad we did.

As a kind of bonus track, RDS and Eversines close Vier with a tech house rework of their earlier track Missing. Released on vinyl for the first time, it was previously available only in digital form via Kalahari Oyster Cult.

Space Ghost returns with Dance Planet – Be Free Edition, a remastered, recut and expanded edition of his beloved 2022 album. Featuring refreshed artwork, newly remastered audio, and a brand-new digital remix package from not even noticed, RAMZi, Crystalline Reality, and Space Ghost himself, this is the definitive version of a modern house classic.

Rooted in uplifting, soulful 4/4 traditions inspired by forebears like Larry Heard and Blaze, Dance Planet flows effortlessly between ambient reflection and warm, driving club cuts. The remaster brings added depth and clarity — from the lush swells of “Afterglow” and the tripped-out breaks of “Dream Weaver” to the R&B-tinged groove of “UFO. ” Dancefloor staples like “Back To The Source” and “Soul Shower” retain their warmth and punch, while “Emotional Healer” and “Be Yourself (Motivational Mix)” continue to deliver Space Ghost’s signature affirmation: don’t be afraid to be yourself, don’t be afraid to let go.

Pressed on 140g black vinyl with new artwork and including a download code for the full extended album + remixes. A timeless, feel-good house LP — restored and expanded for collectors and selectors alike

Killer Groove Records proudly presents the self-titled debut album by Italian cinematic funk trio Atabasca. A sonic journey where funk, psychedelia and desert groove merge into a timeless narrative suspended between rhythm and vision.


"Atabasca" marks the debut release from the cinematic funk trio, dropping March 27th on limited edition LP, CD digipack and digital formats, the latter featuring an exclusive bonus track. This is a project built on evocative imagery: each song unfolds as an open scene, an emotional landscape where listeners can step inside and write their own ending.

Lap steel, kalimba, percussion and guitars interweave with bass and drums, striking an original balance between tradition and experimentation that evokes unwritten soundtracks for worlds at once distant and familiar. The record navigates between melancholy and irony, tension and release, with a sharp focus on dynamics and sonic narrative.


Deserts, seas, imaginary villages, getaways, pursuits and collective rituals: "Atabasca" emerges as a collection of musical landscapes that unfolds through vivid, evocative imagery.

Jazz-funk, world music, afrobeat, psychedelia and the Italian Golden Age of movie soundtracks merge into a singular emotional geography: warm, analog and deeply human.

The musical journey opens with "Dune", a melancholic statement that leaves room for imagination, before igniting with "Kundela Mawedi" and its cascading lap steel over haunting vocal chants. "Paco" tips its hat to classic westerns, tracing a bandit's trajectory, while "Cameo" drifts back to childhood through minimal rumba and shimmering kalimba. The cinematic imagery continues in "Cacopoulos", a nod to Spaghetti westerns and Eli Wallach, built on raw drum patterns and distorted guitars. Intensity builds in "Khettara", where afrobeat rhythms and Middle Eastern textures intertwine, before "Hell Dorado" tears off in pursuit of the American dream's funk-fueled mirage. "Papambra" weaves hypnotic polyrhythms between kalimba and lap steel, while "Porpora" delivers a sensual, visceral tango of passion and tension. The digital edition closes with "Reprise", a sequel that stretches the album's central theme into an expansive, meditative interpretation.

The tracks were recorded in single takes, capturing the raw energy and natural atmosphere of the performance. Artistic production was handled by the trio alongside Andrea Fabrizii (digger, musician, producer and catalogue curator for CAM Sugar), while Riccardo Ricci mastered the album at Velvet Room Mastering Studio in Brighton.

Like a desert blooming within the evergreen forests of the planet's far north, a unique, alien, disruptive environment. This is the vision behind Atabasca, the project of Luca Mongia (guitars, lap steel, keyboards, vocals), Paolo Mazziotti (bass, keyboards, vocals) and Valerio Pompei (drums, percussion, vocals).

Individually active for over twenty years on both the national and international scenes, the three Italian musicians came together in 2023 to create a project that merges experience, experimentation and creative freedom. Their music is imaginative and at times dreamlike, blending the classic concept of the instrumental trio with the worlds of film scoring and sound design.

Atabasca's sound moves through jazz-funk, world and cinematic territories, weaving together afrobeat, desert and psychedelic influences into a personal and timeless language. Each piece is a scene; each sound, a fragment of a world, a journey between reality and imagination where groove, texture and organic timbre merge into a singular sonic ecosystem: a perpetually shifting balance that generates new inner landscapes.


For fans of Khruangbin, Surprise Chef and instrumental psych-funk!