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Since 2013 - Brighton & Barcelona duo PAYFONE have been releasing records on respected NYC and UK labels GOLF CHANNEL , LENG and DEFECTED.

Now releasing on their own OTIS imprint - PAYFONE deliver another deep 12 in preparation for their debut album.
In September 2024 PAYFONE released their WILD BUTTERFLY EP which appeared in many best of 2024 end of year DJ charts whilst gaining the support from the likes of Richard Dorfmeister, Leo Mas and Daddy G.
Phil Passera and Jimmy Day's productions continue to gain fans across the disco world with a template of synth and bass that equates to a heady and intoxicating excursion into early electronic soul disco circa late 70's / early 80's.
Known for their atmospheric, mid-tempo sultry selections, PAYFONE offer up another deep dive of synth-driven drum machine pleasure with remix duties courtesy of San Francisco trio 40 Thieves: Corey Black, Layne Fox and Jay Williams.

Latest offering VOLT to VOLT is a moody meltdown of Moog bass and full frontal vocals featuring the talents of North Carolina's JO GABRIEL HARRIS and New York City's TERI JACKSON.

Always a cut above, this Payfone release will be VINYL ONLY.

Get with it !

Payfone have released over 16 individual 12" releases, including Phonica's 'Record of 2023 - 'I Feel You'

Loyle Carner will release his highly anticipated sophomore record, 'Not Waving, But Drowning' on 19 April via AMF Records.

'Not Waving, But Drowning' follows Loyle's BRIT (Best Male, Best Newcomer) and Mercury Prize nominated, top 20 debut 'Yesterday's Gone'. The bedrock of honest and raw sentimentality that you heard on 'Yesterday's Gone' left an inextinguishable mark on music in general and UK Hip Hop in particular, standing out as an ageless, bulletproof debut.

'Not Waving, But Drowning', Loyle's new album, gives yet more evidence - as if it were needed - of his razor-sharp flow and his unique storytelling ability. Yes, he can rap, but he allies that with the sensitivity of a poet, the observational skills of a novelist, and warmth of your best friend. The album opens with 'Dear Jean', a letter to his mother in which he's telling her that he has found the love of his life, 'a woman from the skies', and he's moving out.

It goes without saying that Loyle's music is hard to categorise, but what is even more impressive is that for someone who grew up listening to Mos Def, Biggie Smalls, Roots Manuva, and Wu Tang Clan, he doesn't sound like any of them. Although he might from time to time give lyrical nods to them, he's no imitator.

Loyle loves cooking. There are two tracks on this album named after chefs. The British-Israeli chef Yotam Ottolenghi, and the now deceased Italian chef Antonio Carluccio. 'Ottolenghi' the first single from the album was featured on the BBC Radio 1 B-list, BBC 6 Music A-list and has already been streamed over 5 million times.

Loyle refers to real life for everything, the title of 'Yesterday's Gone' came from a song of his step father, the title of his new album 'Not Waving, But Drowning' comes from a poem by his grandfather, which in turn came from a Stevie Smith poem. What you hear on the track 'Krispy' is real. He is pouring his heart out to his best friend Rebel Kleff after their relationship went downhill, he invites him on the track to say his piece but he doesn't turn up, so we get a flugel solo instead.

Loyle also has his own personal black consciousness movement. When he refers to his 'fathers' in the track 'Looking Back' he really is referring to two fathers. His biological father, a black man who he knows, but knows very little of, and his step father, a poet and musician who happens to be a white man but died a sudden unexpected death from epilepsy (SUDEP). With no real emotional ties to his biological father, but a deep connection with a deceased step-father, where does a young child turn He succinctly captures many of the great, unspoken, cultural and historical paradoxes of multicultural Britain on 'Looking Back'.

An album like this is hard to find. It is for those who like their Hip Hop to have soul, and their soul to have spirit. This is because it works on so many levels, but it is reflecting the personality of its creator. There are a host of collaborators here, Jorja Smith, Rebel Kleff, Kiko Bun, Kwes, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Tom Misch and more, but none are overpowering. They blend righteously into place.
Loyle is not bitter with people who have let him down, or a society that lets so many down, but the combination of anger and love he has gives his voice the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. This might be a coming of age album, but it's also a coming of ageless album. Loyle's 2019 Spring tour - which includes London's Roundhouse - sold out within 20 minutes of being on sale.

Not Waving, But Drowning



A rapper that raps about family is hard to find. The boys in the 'hood' tend not to be that interested in how much a 'brother' loves his mother, or how much he misses his dad, or even how much he misses his best friend. The boys in the 'hood' tend to be obsessed with the size of their cars, girls, bank accounts, and other personal 'possessions'. Loyle Carner's Mercury and BRIT Prize nominated debut 'Yesterday's Gone' (Released 2017), made it clear that he wasn't that kind of rapper. In fact, every time I talk to him about his work we talk about the world, and we tended to confuse ourselves by calling his work rap, poems, or songs, sometimes in the same sentence. They are in truth all of these things.



Here's some poetry.



Honestly I need them.

I hate them but I grieve them

I think I've finally found the reason

Trust

Like the fire needs the air.

I won't burn unless you're there.





'Not Waving, But Drowning', Loyle's forthcoming new album, gives us yet more evidence, (if it were needed), that he still has what rappers call, flow, but he hasn't lost any of his story telling qualities. Yes, the boy can rap, but a rapper with the sensitivity of a true poet, the observational skills of a novelist, and warmth of your best friend. The album opens with 'Dear Jean', a letter to his mother in which he's telling her that he has found the love of his life, (a woman from the skies), and he's moving out. He really loves the woman from the skies, but he still loves his mum, and so he reassures her that there is no competition, and tells her that 'She's not behind me or behind you, but beside we and beside two', his words. Or to put it another way, moving out without moving out. My words.



It goes without saying that Loyle's music is hard to categorise, but what is even more impressive is that for someone who grew up listening to Mos Def, Biggie Smalls, Roots Manuva, and Wu Tang Clan, he doesn't sound like any of them. Although he might from time to time give lyrical nods to them, he's no imitator. He says finding his own voice was something he always found easy. Although young, (in terms of a musical career), he has confidence in his own words and his own voice, and has never been tempted to sound like he's been hanging out in the USA, or rolling in 'Grime' on the mean streets of East London. And so when it comes to the creative process he doesn't simply find a beat to jump on and ride. Beats are important, but they are tenderly layered with samples, keyboards, or live drums, all imaginatively assembled for the laying on of words. Some tracks start with the idea, some with poetry, and some with a verse from a singer or some other melodic inspiration, but there is no formula.



Here's some poetry.



Don't hold any memories of us

Rather hold you everyday until the memories are dust

Yo we only caught the train

Cos you know I hate the bus





A prolific reader, who has dyslexia is hard to find. Add ADHD (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) to that and life should become even more difficult. To deal with your difficulties you devise coping strategies, which can differ from person to person. Loyle loves cooking. There are two tracks on this album named after chefs. The British-Israeli chef Ottolenghi, and the now deceased Italian chef Antonio Carluccio. Loyle describes himself as 'weird' because he is happy to read a cookbook as if he was reading a novel or a book of poetry. He has opened a cookery school for young adults not just because he loves food and wants to make more of it, but because it is one of the few things that can focus the ADHD mind. And when it comes to his other love, football, his approach is the same. Focus. He wanted to be a striker he says, up front scoring goals, but found his best position was in midfield because he was able to focus, check options, and see passes ahead of time, providing passes for other players just when they needed them. He says, 'You don't grow out of ADHD, you grow into it.' Loyle is also working with Levi's® on their music project where he is mentoring young musicians over a six month period, culminating at Liverpool Sound City festival.



More poetry.



When the going is tough

I wait till it falls on deaf ears

Hearsay

Without the boundaries of love



He also said, 'Ask most people and they will say that they love their mothers, but most are not going to rap about her'. On his first album Loyle's mum Jean wrote about the 'scribble of a boy' that growing up would take things apart to see how they worked. On this album she speaks with pride about a man who has found his place in the world.



Yes, poetry.



I'm still looking for the answers

Trying to find the right questions

Still waiting for my fathers

But can't break them in to sections



This poetry is serious. Loyle has his own personal black consciousness movement. He told me that he always felt safe at home, and being the darkest one in the family never meant a thing, but then when he had to face the outside world he felt hostility. It shook him up. Now he had to start asking questions, but what were the questions. This is serious. When he refers to his 'fathers' in the verse above taken from the track 'Looking Back' he really is referring to two fathers. His biological father, a black man who he knows, but knows very little of, and his step father, a poet and musician who happens to be a white man but died a sudden unexpected death from epilepsy (SUDEP). So to whom would a young black (or mixed race) kid turn He succinctly captures many of the great, unspoken, cultural and historical paradoxes of multicultural Britain when he says, 'My great grandfather could of owned my other one.' We are a people descended from enslaved people on one hand, and enslavers on the other, something we are still struggling to come to terms with, and this can be apparent in one family. A big book could have told you that, but here we get it in one line on the track, Looking Back.





Loyle refers to real life for everything. The album is peppered with captured moments that he records on his phone. These moments can range from conversations with taxi drivers, to capturing the moment when England scores a goal in the world cup. The title of 'Yesterday's Gone' came from a song of his step father, the title of his new album 'Not Waving but Drowning' comes from a poem by his grandfather, which in turn came from a Stevie Smith poem. What you hear on the track 'Krispy' is real. He is pouring his heart out to his best friend after their relationship went downhill, he invites him on the track to say his piece but he doesn't turn up, so we get a flugel solo instead. Yes people, this is real.



An album like this is hard to find. It is for those who like their Hip Hop to have soul, and their soul to have spirit, this is an album for those who have, (I'm sorry, I'm going to say it), emotional intelligence. This is because it works on so many levels, but it is reflecting the personality of its creator. There are a host of collaborators here, Jorja Smith, Rebel Kleff, Kiko Bun, Jordan Rakei, Sampha, Tom Misch and more, but none are overpowering. They blend righteously into place. Loyle is not bitter with people who have let him down, or the society that has let him down, but the combination of anger and love he has gives his voice the perfect blend of strength and vulnerability. This might be a coming of age album, but it's also a coming of ageless album. His first album worked, and this second album is a continuation of that work. Not creating a form, but being formless, as someone like Bruce Lee once said.

And here's some poetry from mum.



We talked long in to the darkest hours

Until we saw the burnished sky

And our eyes stung

As our words blurred and became thoughts

As we were silenced by the dawn

We clung to each other like sailors in a storm

ŽUR (‘Zhure’, party) is absolute cult and one of the most rare Yugoslavian disco funk albums, originally recorded in 1981, reissued on Everland Music for the first time since the original vinyl came out more than 40 years ago. The album was carefully and brilliantly remastered by grammy nominated sound engineer Jessica Thomson.

Boban Petrović is a legend of Belgrade's sophisticated disco funk scene from the late 70s and early 80s.
Back in the second half of the 70s Boban started one of the first disco clubs in Belgrade and he was one of the biggest organizers of private house parties.

The finest balance between Boban Petrović's big-hearted party-maker-turned-philanthropist personality and his hustler one was achieved on Žur.
On Žur, he is at home, in his safe place, since the parties, the music and the people are the first out of many things he had completely figured out in his life. He is at the top of his game, occasionally bothered by a casual heartbreak, but always feeling himself, coming out playful and fundamentally peaceful, satisfied and ready to transcend himself in order to put the rest of the world in the limelight. In fact, Žur isn’t about the party, music, lyrics or its, hands down, beautifully balanced sonics. It’s about Boban and the funk he lived thoroughly. The funk before, but the funk he lived after this album even more so. All the ups and downs that he faced since the moment the first needle dropped on a Žur record to this very day are on this album as the unwritten destiny of that lighthearted character he played.

In short, ŽUR represents the essence of underground club life in Belgrade from the late 70s, when the album was recorded.
The quality of this trust is confirmed by the fact that Boban Petrovic's music is still actively listened to today, not just anywhere, but at the finest club events.
High end production and extremely authentic arrangements outside the mold of classic disco music, and lyrics that literally convey the vibe of his already jet-set lifestyle in Belgrade at the time.

Shortly after his musical career, Boban Petrovic became a businessman of the conscious class. He was living in Spain on his own luxury yacht for years, he had a private airplane, a car park. But all this time living on highest class level he never lost his identity. In all his offices, yacht, airplane and everywhere was playing loud funk music and he was dressed like a musician who just finished or need to start a gig.
Along the way Boban also wrote two books: Rokanje 1 & 2 describing the time when the album ŽUR was created.

The ŽUR album is one of the the holy grails of disco funk music releases on a global level.

ŽUR (‘Zhure’, party) is absolute cult and one of the most rare Yugoslavian disco funk albums, originally recorded in 1981, reissued on Everland Music for the first time since the original vinyl came out more than 40 years ago. The album was carefully and brilliantly remastered by grammy nominated sound engineer Jessica Thomson.

Boban Petrović is a legend of Belgrade's sophisticated disco funk scene from the late 70s and early 80s.
Back in the second half of the 70s Boban started one of the first disco clubs in Belgrade and he was one of the biggest organizers of private house parties.

The finest balance between Boban Petrović's big-hearted party-maker-turned-philanthropist personality and his hustler one was achieved on Žur.
On Žur, he is at home, in his safe place, since the parties, the music and the people are the first out of many things he had completely figured out in his life. He is at the top of his game, occasionally bothered by a casual heartbreak, but always feeling himself, coming out playful and fundamentally peaceful, satisfied and ready to transcend himself in order to put the rest of the world in the limelight. In fact, Žur isn’t about the party, music, lyrics or its, hands down, beautifully balanced sonics. It’s about Boban and the funk he lived thoroughly. The funk before, but the funk he lived after this album even more so. All the ups and downs that he faced since the moment the first needle dropped on a Žur record to this very day are on this album as the unwritten destiny of that lighthearted character he played.

In short, ŽUR represents the essence of underground club life in Belgrade from the late 70s, when the album was recorded.
The quality of this trust is confirmed by the fact that Boban Petrovic's music is still actively listened to today, not just anywhere, but at the finest club events.
High end production and extremely authentic arrangements outside the mold of classic disco music, and lyrics that literally convey the vibe of his already jet-set lifestyle in Belgrade at the time.

Shortly after his musical career, Boban Petrovic became a businessman of the conscious class. He was living in Spain on his own luxury yacht for years, he had a private airplane, a car park. But all this time living on highest class level he never lost his identity. In all his offices, yacht, airplane and everywhere was playing loud funk music and he was dressed like a musician who just finished or need to start a gig.
Along the way Boban also wrote two books: Rokanje 1 & 2 describing the time when the album ŽUR was created.

The ŽUR album is one of the the holy grails of disco funk music releases on a global level.

Diamond Dogs may be a bunch of renaissance rockers deeply rooted in the early 70s British rock and roll, but just like our forerunners, we owe
almost everything to Little Richard, the architect of it all! It's impossible to even imagine rock and roll without him.

Little Richard is the soul, spirit and passion of the Diamond Dogs lifestyle, and I was six years old when I first heard 'Rip It Up' with love at first feel.
The raw energy and the blood screaming lyrics over that manic hammering piano embodied everything I craved in music, straight from the speakers to my young heart. Even if I discovered a lot of other influences later on in life, I always kept Little Richard close to where he once hit me. One of Diamond Dogs' early tunes is called 'Lunatic Eye-Rolling Delivery' which is a line nicked from a concert review of Little Richard, and we believe it sums up the essence of his greatness pretty well. He was much more than a rock pioneer, the way he dressed up and spoke was something the world had never experienced before.

Little Richard got Paul McCartney to write 'I Saw Her Standing There', got James Brown a new haircut, and put a silly little mustache on Prince!
So, the idea of recording a homage to the true king of rock and roll had been with all of us for many years when Chris Spedding one day called me
and asked if we should record something together. Of course, I immediately said yes, and then asked him to join Diamond Dogs in the upcoming
studio session to record some well selected Little Richard gems for an LP. All said and done, and Chris was extra thrilled that his favorite 'Send Me
Some Lovin'' was among the songs we picked.

And on a cold and windy January day we gathered the Dogs and the new old puppy in the sweet premises of Dog Pound Studios, along with our
beloved friend and engineer Jonas Åhlén.

So, when the room is geared up, we do our melodies as we normally do it, no rehearsals, all live, straight to tape. One hour per track is usually a
good thing! An amazing energy and swagger filled the atmosphere as Diamond Dogs and Chris fulfilled my dream.

Now that I'm listening through the vinyl, I must say that I've never been prouder of anything we've achieved with this shady bunch so far. It's like
walk the full circle, like I've been graduating from the 12-bar rock and roll academy.
Sulo, Stockholm/Sweden, 2024

Sound Like: The Faces, Rod Stewart, Frankie Miller, Elton John, Mott
The Hoople, J Geils Band, The Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Little
Richard

Diamond Dogs may be a bunch of renaissance rockers deeply rooted in the early 70s British rock and roll, but just like our forerunners, we owe
almost everything to Little Richard, the architect of it all! It's impossible to even imagine rock and roll without him.

Little Richard is the soul, spirit and passion of the Diamond Dogs lifestyle, and I was six years old when I first heard 'Rip It Up' with love at first feel.
The raw energy and the blood screaming lyrics over that manic hammering piano embodied everything I craved in music, straight from the speakers to my young heart. Even if I discovered a lot of other influences later on in life, I always kept Little Richard close to where he once hit me. One of Diamond Dogs' early tunes is called 'Lunatic Eye-Rolling Delivery' which is a line nicked from a concert review of Little Richard, and we believe it sums up the essence of his greatness pretty well. He was much more than a rock pioneer, the way he dressed up and spoke was something the world had never experienced before.

Little Richard got Paul McCartney to write 'I Saw Her Standing There', got James Brown a new haircut, and put a silly little mustache on Prince!
So, the idea of recording a homage to the true king of rock and roll had been with all of us for many years when Chris Spedding one day called me
and asked if we should record something together. Of course, I immediately said yes, and then asked him to join Diamond Dogs in the upcoming
studio session to record some well selected Little Richard gems for an LP. All said and done, and Chris was extra thrilled that his favorite 'Send Me
Some Lovin'' was among the songs we picked.

And on a cold and windy January day we gathered the Dogs and the new old puppy in the sweet premises of Dog Pound Studios, along with our
beloved friend and engineer Jonas Åhlén.

So, when the room is geared up, we do our melodies as we normally do it, no rehearsals, all live, straight to tape. One hour per track is usually a
good thing! An amazing energy and swagger filled the atmosphere as Diamond Dogs and Chris fulfilled my dream.

Now that I'm listening through the vinyl, I must say that I've never been prouder of anything we've achieved with this shady bunch so far. It's like
walk the full circle, like I've been graduating from the 12-bar rock and roll academy.
Sulo, Stockholm/Sweden, 2024

Sound Like: The Faces, Rod Stewart, Frankie Miller, Elton John, Mott
The Hoople, J Geils Band, The Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf, Little
Richard

Folk musician Seth Lakeman is set to release his self-produced new album The Granite Way, in February 2025 via his own label Honour Oak Records. It’s a collection of songs that was recorded within a week alongside a group of longtime collaborators of Seth’s, staying true to his roots and referring to ancient stories that inspired early West Country storytelling. Seth’s expert grasp of using folk music to convey a multitude of emotions in mere minutes cannot be overstated as he once again explores West Country folklore. ‘I made a point at the beginning of this writing period to stick with a narrative as best I can,’ he explains. ‘Each song feels strongly connected through history to the moors and the sea. I had written the stories and songs beforehand and had the melodic tunes ready for us all to explore when we recorded in the room, and the musical interplay between this lineup really displays their appetite for sounds and subjects within the folk tradition.’ While all the tracks on The Granite Way were written and produced by Seth Lakeman himself, the album was made possible with a group of musicians he has played alongside for many years, and will also be touring with them in early 2025 on his upcoming UK headline tour. They are Benji Kirkpatrick (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin and harmonica), Ben Nicholls (double bass and electric bass), Cormac Byrne (percussion and bodhrán), and Alex Hart (vocals), with additional studio contributions from Archie Churchill Moss on accordion and Dany Crimp on whistles.

Folk musician Seth Lakeman is set to release his self-produced new album The Granite Way, in February 2025 via his own label Honour Oak Records. It’s a collection of songs that was recorded within a week alongside a group of longtime collaborators of Seth’s, staying true to his roots and referring to ancient stories that inspired early West Country storytelling. Seth’s expert grasp of using folk music to convey a multitude of emotions in mere minutes cannot be overstated as he once again explores West Country folklore. ‘I made a point at the beginning of this writing period to stick with a narrative as best I can,’ he explains. ‘Each song feels strongly connected through history to the moors and the sea. I had written the stories and songs beforehand and had the melodic tunes ready for us all to explore when we recorded in the room, and the musical interplay between this lineup really displays their appetite for sounds and subjects within the folk tradition.’ While all the tracks on The Granite Way were written and produced by Seth Lakeman himself, the album was made possible with a group of musicians he has played alongside for many years, and will also be touring with them in early 2025 on his upcoming UK headline tour. They are Benji Kirkpatrick (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, banjo, mandolin and harmonica), Ben Nicholls (double bass and electric bass), Cormac Byrne (percussion and bodhrán), and Alex Hart (vocals), with additional studio contributions from Archie Churchill Moss on accordion and Dany Crimp on whistles.

2023 was a whirlwind year for Oracle Sisters. The trio—Julia Johansen, Chris Willatt, and Lewis Lazar—followed the release of their debut album Hydranism with a globe-spanning tour that captivated fans and critics alike. From the highways between Knoxville and Nashville to sold-out clubs in rain-soaked Seattle, and festival stages across the UK, they logged countless hours on the road. Their journey was a tapestry of exhaustion and exhilaration, falling apart, brawls and disputes, love and acceptance. By the year’s end, just two days before Christmas, they found themselves in Tokyo, reflecting on the fleeting nature of time and the fragments of inspiration gathered along the way. It was there the seeds for their next album, Divinations, began to sprout. Composing as a true trio for the first time, Oracle Sisters pieced together sketches formed during stolen moments on tour. These fragments coalesced into Divinations, an album shaped by the band’s nomadic existence. The recording sessions spanned cozy Parisian studios, a barn in northern France, and the storied Valentine Studios in Los Angeles. Their creative process embraced experimentation—swapping primary instruments, playing with toy drum machines, and crafting melodies on quirky tools like the OP-1 and a baby Casio keyboard. This spirit of discovery lent the album a sense of spontaneity and wonder. At its core, Divinations channels mysticism and timeless storytelling. The band’s songwriting draws on diverse influences, from the surrealist poetry of Baudelaire and Rimbaud to the introspective philosophies of Carl Jung. Musically, echoes of Talking Heads, Air, and Leonard Cohen resonate throughout the album and tracks like “Riverside” delve into existential questions— “How far are you going? Is it more than money can buy?” Elsewhere on the album “Marseille,” born in the city that gave the song its name, kicks off as a trance with lyrics that play between the sincere and desperate self-help affirmations, we give ourselves while trying to find a bridge between our individual lives and a universal feeling. Lead-single “Alouette” is Oracle Sisters at their most direct; propelled by a driving bassline and exuberant strings, the track summons the sound of 80’s, 90’s, and early 2000’s rock n roll as they sing about “getting out of dodge, finding a pirate ship and sailing home.” Inspired by the book Caliban and the Witch, “Blue Left Hand” is a lyrical tapestry weaving together history, philosophy, and cultural critique. The lyrics, “It’s in the harbor of every page / It’s in the corner of the playwright’s stage / And every player and every fake / And every witch that we burned at the stake,” reflect on the forces that shaped the capitalist society we know today. Across Divinations’ 11 tracks it’s not only geographic boundaries that were crossed but also the boundaries of time and circumstance. While their work may not consciously reflect specific worldly events, they seek to embrace the universal and offer a space for healing. “Good music would make sense to a farmer in 17th century France as it would to a pastry chef in Slovenia in the 21st century,” shares Lazar. “It’s not written for any temporal powers that be. It’s about expressing our common humanity and taking it from there.” This intuitive approach fuels Oracle Sisters creative process - whether composing in a frozen French farmhouse or performing live with an ever-expanding lineup of collaborators, the band remains committed to exploring the unknown. Through Divinations, they hope to leave listeners feeling transcendent, levitating on waves of intuition and discovery.

SPLIT#4 is the final release for the 10th anniversary year of the Pi project featuring Elements of Joy (a.k.a. UVB) and Stave both returning to the label after their earlier appearances with PI08 and PI07 respectively.
The vinyl release showcases six original tracks--three from each artist--with bonus tracks included in the digital release.

On the A-side Elements of Joy delivers 3 original tracks of New-Beat leaning techno including one song that features vocals by Zanias. The opening track "Prutaneousa (A1)" connects the dots between his previous entry on the label and this one with the use of retro 80s inspired vocal samples but this time on a rather driving beat sequence than an industrial/noise one. "A Master of Distress (A2)" dives deeper into a hypnotic mood while "Vampiric Habits (A3)" takes it even further to an ethereal atmosphere through the input of Australian vocalist Zanias.
On the B-side Chicago producer Stave presents his signature hypnotic broken-beat techno. The side opens with "Weingart (B1)" a characteristically Stave textured track. "900MPH (B2)" combines IDM elements with dynamic broken rhythms while "Capital, Selves (B3)" blends experimental with Grey Area influences.
The digital release includes two more bonus tracks: an energetic EBM techno piece by Elements of Joy and an atmospheric techno by Stave completing this diverse split release.
SPLIT#4 is a fitting close to the project's milestone year celebrating a decade of our Pi vision.

The Very Polish Cut outs are back with a new release, this time a solo outing by POLOTRONIC - who also happens to be a member of the infamous warsaw duo - Holiday80.
The EP entitled "Marzenia" (translated "Dreams") contains 4 tracks. 2 original productions, one remix and one reowrk and as with all TVPCO releases - its a very diverse affair aimed at the dancefloors. The EP kicks of with a brilliant re-imagination of a polish early 90s hip hop classic "Spalam Si?" ("I'm going down in flames") which the producer transforms into a house anthem with infectious vocal hooks, breaky percussions and lush piano stabs. This one is for sure some peak time material that will make the crowd dancing and asking themselves at the same time - where the hell did that one come from? Moving on is the title track "Marzenia" that might be the water to cool down the fire started by "Spalam Si?". It's a dreamy breakbeat house affair with lush bells and 90s inspired synths and female vocal snippets. It will for sure make you nostalgic. On the flip you will find the mesmerizing electro inspired remix for the track "Pami?tnik Manekina" by Grupa Jot, which was part of the 2022 released "Echo Wielkiej P?yty" compilation with obscure polish electronic music. This one was already available for some time in digital format only but now finally makes the jump to vinyl - as a long-time fan favourite. The EP ends with the jacking acid infused track "Jack" that is a deep mid-tempo heavy hitter for the later hours of the night. Polotronic adds here a male polish vocal sample that repeats the phrase "dyskoteka" ("disco"). The brilliant cover is as always, the work of the labels long time collaborator Bartosz Szymkiewicz.

The 5 track cult classic EP from 2014 finally repressed! MERWYN SANDERS of OG house group VIRGO FOUR lends vocals to INKSWEL'S early drum machine experiments. Backed with outer worldly remix from UK enigma LINKWOOD, and STONES THROW alum GB. Xtra dope pic sleeve by DISCREET UNIT.

It's another 45 Rocafort treatment!

"If There's a Will, There's a Way" was written by Don Covay and Donny Hathaway and released in 1972 on the American Janus Records label. Covay, a key figure in the 1960s and 1970s soul scene, was known for his gritty voice and songwriting for artists like Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett. Hathaway, on the other hand, was an influential soul singer, composer, and pianist often celebrated for his collaborations with Roberta Flack. This song blends both of their distinct styles: Covay's raw, Southern soul vibe and Hathaway's sophisticated, jazz-influenced arrangements. Like Donny Hathaway's live album released that same year in 1972, this track grabs you from the very first notes. A classic soul groove, with a powerful vocal delivery!

Notably, this track was later sampled by Pete Rock in his remix of "Lots of Lovin'" with C.L. Smooth, bringing the soulful essence of the original into the realm of 90s hip-hop.

On the b-side, another track from the fantastic Janus Records catalogue. Harvey Mandel's "Baby Batter," originally released in 1971 is a blend of funky blues and psychedelic rock vibes representing another popular genre from the early 70's in the USA. Mandel's signature guitar work shines throughout the track and the drum break in the introduction will please the hip-hop heads and 45 DJs out there.

Berlin based label "Matasuna Records" kicks off the new year 2025 with a soulful 7inch featuring songs by Barcelona's "The Blaxound" and singer "John Vermont". Their common love for vintage soul from the 60s and 70s brought them together for this project to compose and record classic soul sung in Spanish. This 45 shows that the concept worked out wonderfully: Spanish Soul at its best, sounding authentic and contemporary at the same time!

Matasuna Records, known for its reissues of musical treasures from the past, also has an eye for exciting new discoveries in contemporary music. With "The Blaxound & John Vermont" the label has once again found an interesting project for soulful & contemporary music that fits perfectly into the label's sound spectrum and will appeal to lovers of authentic soul music.

The two songs "No Es Por Ti" and "Qué Más Te Da?" from their recently released album will be released for the first time as a 7-inch vinyl single on Matasuna Records. The instrumentation and the lovely harmonies are the ideal basis for John Vermont, who with his versatile voice, sometimes powerful, sometimes smooth - but always soulful - can fully develop his vocal spectrum and fill the songs with his presence. Instrumental and vocal arrangements are beautifully balanced and harmonious. Beatific!

Artist info


"The Blaxound" is a Barcelona-based music project with deep ties to the city's Funk and Soul sceney. The project started in 2003 under the direction of musician, songwriter and producer "Marta Roman". The Blaxound has released four studio albums between 2007 and 2024 on different labels.

Years ago, Marta focused on the idea of recording a classic soul album sung in Spanish, respecting as much as possible the original production and sound of the late 60s and early 70s. Luckily, she met singer "Ivan Espejo" aka "John Vermont", which was the turning point and led to the full vocal album "Déjalo Ir" released on "Love Soul Productions" in 2024.

All songs were composed, recorded and produced by Marta Roman in her own studio, Black Flamingo Recordings, in Barcelona, Spain.

Possessing lyrics heavily focused on political and social justice, inspired heavily by West Coast gang culture and Islam, Da Lench Mob made waves throughout the hip-hop scene when they first appeared on the track "Rolling With Da Lench Mob", off Ice Cube's famed 1990 solo record AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted. Initially, the titular "Lench Mob" of the track namesake referred to Ice Cube as well as the other participating rappers, but J-Dee, Shorty, and T-Bone would adopt the name for their own in time. Their standout appearance on the Ice Cube track would earn the trio critical interest, (as well as shout-outs on Ice Cube's 1991 follow-up Death Certificate) and generate palpable anticipation for a studio album of their own. Guerillas In Tha Mist, their 1992 debut record, was recorded in the wake of the Rodney King riots, taking its name from infamous comments made during the riots. The record was uncompromising and confrontational in its depictions of urban decay and an unjust system wreaking havoc on an economically disadvantaged Black population. It was starkly realistic (bordering on abrasive) in the content of tracks like the armed revolution-advocating "Freedom Got An A.K.", the kill-your-idols style of "You And Your Heroes", and the anti-pusher anthem "All On My Nut Sac." These harsh manifestos were made all the more smooth via Ice Cube's jazzy G-funk and Bomb Squad-influenced production, which sampled heavily from classic songs by Parliament, Kool & The Gang, The Incredible Bongo Band, and even Vangelis. Cube himself would make guest appearances throughout the record, as well as an appearance by B-Real of Cypress Hill on the track "Ain't Got No Class." Guerillas In Tha Mist was a Billboard success upon its release, reaching #24 on the Billboard 200, and rendering rap radio hits out of its title track and "Freedom Got An A.K.", but Da Lench Mob would fall into obscurity over the years, eventually going their separate ways after creative differences, financial rifts, and the life conviction of rapper J-Dee for suspected murder in 1993. Despite their loss of commercial fortunes, Guerillas In Tha Mist would develop a strong reputation as an unheralded gem among hip-hop heads, and would be considered one of the great lesser-known releases of the era among critics (in 2018 Complex would declare the title track as one of the 100 Best L.A. Rap Songs). Decades after its initial release, and in tribute to the memory of Da Lench Mob member Shorty, who passed in 2019, Get On Down now presents an exclusive LP reissue of Guerillas In Tha Mist, which previously was only released officially on wax in Europe. The LP is pressed on a deluxe Green and Orange Splatter-colored vinyl, and features remastered audio and a painstakingly recreated full color jacket.

Clystre's debut album 'Arpichelago' is reminiscent of Kraut, early synth pop, psychedelic and electronica. Carefully crafted synth voices, rhythms and textures form this joyous yet compelling sonic menu. With his album Carsten Rochow invites us to the eastern German countryside where we witness how a multitude of electronic music gear and natural surroundings can lead to detailed compositions whose repetitive but multifaceted structures provide a sense of timelesness and immersiveness. 'Arpichelago' is a ticket to a sonic vacation including the four seasons:

After days with '15 Inches of Snow', vernal gardening sessions do follow in 'Gartentraum'. While the title track of the album reminds of hot, summery moments, 'Cutting Wind' reminds of a long autumn walk out in the Fields of the Altmark. Includes our 'Eggplant Kraut Salad' recipe - a ¬avorful starter/side dish for your next asian-in¬uenced tapas night.

Icelandic dub techno legend Yagya returns to his own Small Plastic Animals label with Vor, an album of dreamy dub techno indebted to seasonal differences. After exploring vocal-led composition on Faded Photographs, this new album finds Aalsteinn Gumundsson returning to the purely electronic sound he first forged in the early 2000s. It's an album split between the distinct moods of Spring ('Vor') and Autumn ('Haust'), four tracks apiece. Steeped in the pristine dub techno pulses and broad synthstrokes which made his early albums like Rigning and Sleepygirls instant classics, Gumundsson delivers a widescreen masterpiece true to his long-standing legacy in Iceland's lauded dub techno scene.

JORDY arrived as a pop disruptor with the 2018 breakout “Just Friends,” gathering tens of millions of streams in the process. He continued to progress from Mind Games 2021 to the critically acclaimed BOY 2023. Huffington Post hailed the latter as “an introspective listen that doesn’t skimp on sonic joy,” and Rolling Stone applauded its lead single “Story of a Boy” as “a welcome twist with lyrics that speak to JORDY’s all-too-relatable experience as a queer person coming of age.” Meanwhile, JORDY not only shined on stage at festivals such as Lollapalooza, Firefly, OUTLOUD at WeHo Pride, and Bottle Rock, but he also ignited television on NBC’s TODAY and The Kelly Clarkson Show. And during his ascent, his diaristic, authentic voice earned him nominations at the GLAAD Media Awards (Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist), the iHeartRadio Music Awards (Social Star), and the Queerty Awards (Favorite Music Video i get high + Best Anthem [Story of a Boy]).

JORDY's third studio album, SEX WITH MYSELF, is a bold and uninhibited exploration of love, pleasure, and self-discovery. Packed with danceable, retro-infused tracks that delve into hookups, heartbreak, and unapologetic self-love, the LP showcases JORDY’s signature diaristic lyricism, creative evolution, and newfound artistic confidence. SEX WITH MYSELF includes the singles, “NICE THINGS,” & “SECOND MINUTE HOUR.” Pressed on Coke Bottle Clear Vinyl.

Cold Blow proudly presents Bonus Beats: Rare & Unreleased Finnish Electro 1990–2002, a landmark compilation capturing Finland's underground electro scene from the late 1990s and early 2000s. This double-LP features 9 rare and 3 previously unreleased tracks from pioneering Finnish artists, showcasing a distinctly Nordic approach to the genre. With contributions from notable names such as Jori Hulkkonen, Mr. Velcro Fastener, Mono Junk, and the late Mika Vainio, this release highlights the experimental and DIY ethos that defined Finland's electronic music scene during this period.

Carefully curated by Erkko Lehtinen, a key figure in Finland's electro scene as a DJ and promoter, the compilation explores a broad sonic palette, spanning early techno influences, robotic allure, and dark, bass-heavy tracks. Standout contributions include Decepticons and Dr. Robotnik's unreleased dark electro cuts, with the latter veering into minimal wave territory. Feng Shui feat. Monsieur delivers a striking collaboration that fuses a trance-like lead with raw, industrial beats, uniting members of Huoratron, Nu Science, Polytron, and Op:l Bastards. Keeping alive the legacy of Perttu Häkkinen (aka Randy Barracuda), this release wouldn't be complete without Imatran Voima's bass-driven anthem from their debut EP. Also featured are Spektor's retro synth experiments, Tero's Commodore 64-based creations, Brothomstates' (later a Warp signee) futuristic soundscapes, and a rare cover of Kraftwerk's The Model by the anonymous duo Markus & Kristian. Erkko's extensive liner notes provide additional insight into this culturally and musically significant era. Available in double-LP, this collection is a must-have for electronic music aficionados and vinyl collectors.










j 10: Feng Shui - Hao Hao (I`m Back) feat. Monsieur

The influence of the UK’s Steel City on electronic music is well documented and undisputed and continues to push the envelope with key figures such as Winston Hazel (Forgemasters, The Step), DJ Parrot/Crooked Man, Richard Benson (RAC, SWAG, Altern 8), Chris Duckenfield (RAC, Popular Peoples Front, SWAG, All Ears Distribution), a thriving underground club scene and the likes of Synaptic Voyager reinforcing the city’s rich musical legacy.

Matt White and Paul Baines have been making off-kilter, emotive, late night electronic jams since meeting in the early 90’s and while life took them on different paths for a while, they have recently blown the thick layer of dust from their synths and drum machines and got busy in the studio to create some amazing new music which draws influence from that classic UK techno sound which played such an important part in the development of dance music culture around the world. With recent releases on Frame Of Mind, Acquit and Telomere Plastic the duo are clearly on a roll, wearing the heritage of their city on their sleeve and delivering what can only be described as heartfelt, authentic machine music made with love and soul.

From the opening beats of lead track Dawn Till Dusk we are drawn in to another place which feels comfortably familiar yet organic, fluid and loose in a way that tugs on the heartstrings. A million miles from cookie-cutter tech house, this is two guys in a bedroom studio, digging deep on hardware machines to create a sound to get completely lost in. Lonely Promontory takes things deeper still with immersive pads, taught electro beats and blissed-out melodic lines which give just hint of optimism and recall those beloved sounds of B12, Redcell and Likemind.

Flipping over we have Stellar Engine which goes a littler heavier on the beats and bass whilst still retaining a floating quality, once again highlighting the hardware jam workflow that Synaptic Voyager utilise in their studio. Once Exposed takes us back to those heady days of the early 90’s when techno, house and ambient electronics combined to create a heady blend of deep atmospherics and driving beats which could work on both dance floors and car stereos alike. Rounding off the EP we have Cognitive Network which goes for a straighter four on the floor techno groove and a killer bassline to lose yourself in. These recordings were delivered to the label in unedited long form (some tracks totalling 15 minutes or more in length!) which Jimpster lovingly edited into the versions which you hear on this release.

Volume 1 of this expertly curated project of 90s Italian House - put together by Don Carlos.

If Paradise was half as nice… by Fabio De Luca.

Googling “paradise house”, the first results to pop up are an endless list of European b&b’s with whitewashed lime façades, all of them promising “…an unmatched travel experience a few steps from the sea”. Next, a little further down, are the institutional websites of a few select semi-luxury retirement homes (no photos shown, but lots of stock images of smiling nurses with reassuring looks). To find the “paradise house” we’re after, we have to scroll even further down. Much further down.

It feels like yesterday, and at the same time it seems like a million years ago. The Eighties had just ended, and it was still unclear what to expect from the Nineties. Mobile phones that were not the size of a briefcase and did not cost as much as a car? A frightening economic crisis? The guitar-rock revival?! Certainly, the best place to observe that moment of transition was the dancefloor. Truly epochal transformations were happening there. From America, within a short distance one from the other, two revolutionary new musical styles had arrived: the first one sounded a bit like an “on a budget” version of the best Seventies disco-music – Philly sound made with a set of piano-bar keyboards! – the other was even more sparse, futuristic and extraterrestrial. It was a music with a quite distinct “physical” component, which at the same time, to be fully grasped, seemed to call for the knotty theories of certain French post-modern philosophers: Gilles Deleuze, Félix Guattari, Paul Virilio... Both those genres – we would learn shortly after – were born in the black communities of Chicago and Detroit, although listening to those vinyl 12” (often wrapped in generic white covers, and with little indication in the label) you could not easily guess whether behind them there was a black boy from somewhere in the Usa, or a girl from Berlin, or a pale kid from a Cornish coastal town.

Quickly, similar sounds began to show up from all corners of Europe. A thousand variations of the same intuition: leaner, less lean, happier, slightly less intoxicated, more broken, slower, faster, much faster... Boom! From the dancefloors – the London ones at least, whose chronicles we eagerly read every month in the pages of The Face and i-D – came tales of a new generation of clubbers who had completely stopped “dressing up” to go dancing; of hot tempered hooligans bursting into tears and hugging everyone under the strobe lights as the notes of Strings of Life rose up through the fumes of dry ice (certain “smiling” pills were also involved, sure). At this point, however, we must move on to Switzerland.

In Switzerland, in the quiet and diligent town of Lugano, between the 1980s and 1990s there was a club called “Morandi”. Its hot night was on Wednesdays, when the audience also came from Milan, Como, Varese and Zurich. Legend goes that, one night, none less than Prince and Sheila E were spotted hiding among the sofas, on a day-off of the Italian dates of the Nude Tour… The Wednesday resident and superstar was an Italian dj with an exotic name: Don Carlos. The soundtrack he devised was a mixture of Chicago, Detroit, the most progressive R&B and certain forgotten classics of old disco music: practically, what the Paradise Garage in New York might have sounded like had it not closed in 1987. In between, Don Carlos also managed to squeeze in some tracks he had worked on in his studio on Lago Maggiore. One in particular: a track that was rather slow compared to the BPM in fashion at the time, but which was a perfect bridge between house and R&B. The title was Alone: Don Carlos would explain years later that it had to be intended both in the English meaning of “by itself” and like the Italian word meaning “halo”. That wasn’t the only double entendre about the song, anyway. Its own very deep nature was, indeed, double. On the one hand, Alone was built around an angelic keyboard pattern and a romantic piano riff that took you straight to heaven; on the other, it showcased enough electronic squelches (plus a sax part that sounded like it had been dissolved by acid rain) to pigeonhole the tune into the “junk modernity” section, aka the hallmark of all the most innovative sounds of the time: music that sounded like it was hand-crafted from the scraps of glittering overground pop.

No one knows who was the first to call it “paradise house”, nor when it happened. Alternative definitions on the same topic one happened to hear included “ambient house”, “dream house”, “Mediterranean progressive”… but of course none were as good (and alluring) as “paradise house”. What is certain is that such inclination for sounds that were in equal measure angelic and neurotic, romantic and unaffective, quickly became the trademark of the second generation of Italian house. Music that seemed shyly equidistant from all the rhythmic and electronic revolutions that had happened up to that moment (“Music perfectly adept at going nowhere slowly” as noted by English journalist Craig McLean in a legendary field report for Blah Blah Blah magazine). Music that to a inattentive ear might have sounded as anonymous as a snapshot of a random group of passers-by at 10AM in the centre of any major city, but perfectly described the (slow) awakening in the real world after the universal love binge of the so-called Second Summer of Love.

For a brief but unforgettable season, in Italy “paradise house” was the official soundtrack of interminable weekends spent inside the car, darting from one club to another, cutting the peninsula from North to centre, from East to West coast in pursuit of the latest after-hours disco, trading kilometres per hour with beats per minute: practically, a new New Year’s Eve every Friday and Saturday night. This too was no small transformation, as well as a shock for an adult Italy that was encountering for the first time – thanks to its sons and daughters – the wild side of industrial modernity. The clubbers of the so-called “fuoriorario” scene were the balls gone mad in the pinball machine most feared by newspapers, magazines and TV pundits. What they did each and every weekend, apart from going crazy to the sound of the current white labels, was linking distant geographical points and non-places (thank you Marc Augé!) – old dance halls, farmhouses and business centres – transformed for one night into house music heaven. As Marco D’Eramo wrote in his 1995 essay on Chicago, Il maiale e il grattacielo: “Four-wheeled capitalism distorts our age-old image of the city, it allows the suburbs to be connected to each other, whereas before they were connected only by the centre (…) It makes possible a metropolitan area without a metropolis, without a city centre, without downtown. The periphery is no longer a periphery of any centre, but is self-centred”.

“Paradise house” perfectly understood all of this and turned it into a sort of cyber-blues that didn’t even need words, and unexpectedly brought back a drop of melancholic (post?)-humanity within a world that by then – as we would wholly realise in the decades to come – was fully inhuman and heartless. A world where we were all alone, and surrounded by a sinister yellowish halo, like a neon at the end of its life cycle. But, for one night at least, happy.

This compilation is more than a selection of songs from Willy Nfor’s solo career in Nigeria—it’s the story of a man’s determination to live his dreams. Known as Willy Ngeh Nfor, he was a founding member of the Mighty Flames. One morning, Willy and his bandmates packed their instruments, grabbed a few clothes, and headed from Cameroon to Nigeria. Crossing the border on foot, they made their way to Onitsha.

“We left Cameroon with no contacts in Nigeria—it was an adventure. We’d heard about the FESTAC Arts Festival and felt we had to be part of it. Our first band in Nigeria was Pentagon Funk Band, sponsored by the 5th Brigade in Port Harcourt. Later, we moved to Onitsha and signed with Right Time Stores, recording Sweet Love (RTLPS 011) as The Mighty Flames. The sessions were at Decca Studios in Lagos, with a 16-track analog system. It was intense—no room for mistakes. We rehearsed endlessly before recording each take.” (Vincent Ekedi, Drummer, Mighty Flames)

Willy’s journey was shaped by his resilience and talent. Losing his mother early and facing family struggles, music became his escape. Inspired by funk and jazz-rock greats like Bootsy Collins, Jaco Pastorius, and Stanley Clarke, he honed his skills on bass and composition, playing with local bands alongside musicians like Vincent Ekedi. Together, they refined their grooves, dreaming of brighter futures.

After his time in Nigeria, Willy moved to Paris, becoming a session bassist for legends such as Manu Dibango, Mory Kanté, Tony Allen, Akendengue, Ray Lema, Jean-Luc Ponty, and Kanté Manfila. Touring extensively, he lived the “Star Life” (Star Life, Cornerstone Records, Feel So Fine, 1981), playing funk grooves with giants in grand venues, fulfilling his dream of the spotlight.

"Chewing The Fat" marks a new chapter for Franc Moody.

This album delves into the duo's creative depths, breaking away from traditional norms and

showcasing a more refined sound than their earlier work.

Partially recorded at LA 64 Sounds Studio and Damon Albarn’s Studio 13 in West London,

the album’s sonic landscape is significantly shaped by Albarn’s collection of synthesizers,

especially some Russian models.

Drawing inspiration from live performances by Massive Attack and LCD Soundsystem,

the result is a sound that leans less toward disco,

embracing a grungier, more gritty attitude.

Taylor Freels aka Liquid Earth, brings his uniquely transatlantic techy-wiggles to Secretsundaze’s new imprint for 9FINITY002.

Following the globally supported 9FINITY001, Freels dishes up a naughty cocktail of signature sounds on ‘Adventures Of Handy Boy EP’. Driving house cuts laced with wandering acid lines, through to percussive, techy grooves and quirky vocal snippets – synonymous with the sounds we all know and love as Liquid Earth.

Another sure fire heater from the newly minted 9FINITY camp.

The Pains of Being Pure At Heart exploded out of the late 00s Brooklyn indie scene with a bright, distinctive sound that paid tribute to everything from C86 to early Slumberland, Sarah and Creation label pop, but with a distinct American flavor drawn from groups like Smashing Pumpkins and The Exploding Hearts. Their 2009 self-titled debut is rightly considered a classic, ins of Being Pure At Heart exploded out of the late 00s Brooklyn indie scene with a bright, and with Perfect Right Now we're thrilled to round out the story of The Pains' early years.

Pink Vinyl. Enter Now Brightness feels different for Nadia. It is an album, she says, of departure and questioning, that has reminded her how songwriting can be "the most useful thing to do with pain and joy and thoughts and feelings and anger." That through music we can find great change. "I'm so much better off now that it exists,"she says. "Now feels like a new time." On this record, Reid moves ever further from her earlier folk inclinations, establishing a sound that is distinctly her own. Enter Now Brightness is a record of poise and great beauty, the sound of a cellular shift, of pain giving way to tenderness and joy. It takes its title from a passage in a book Reid was reading from a line that seemed to call out to her from the page: `Brightness entered the study.' "It was the image of opening the curtain, or turning the light on, or of standing in the wings of a theatre and waiting to go on stage. It's the idea of life beginning now."

The duality of "man" is a subject that has been explored in art for centuries, from writings of the Bible to Descartes, all the way up to filmmakers like Lynch, Cronenberg, & Carpenter. Who is your "true self" & what do they want? With their sixth studio album "Wish Defense" (again for longtime home Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. The return of original member Jonathan Van Herik - who stepped away from the group just before their debut album "Negative Houses" was released in 2018 - replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba brings renewed vigor & a marked angularity from the band's more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways - the roles have changed since Van Herik's original tenure & his previous time with Case & powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group's guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band's dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio's long-going collaboration with some distance and time. Case notes that the lyrics on "Wish Defense" revolve around doppelgängers or "doubles", tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations. Look no further than the album's title track; "Enter the mirror / Double walker / An intimate / Wish defense / Is it real? / You beside me / The detail / Terrifying / Abject self / Your grief / A public / Performance". Case lays out the entire album's theme in one stanza; Are your actions & emotions your true self? Or are they a performative aspect of that "other" person you put forward? Case says that ultimately the sentiment is "_don't let the bastards get you down, there's something beyond this moment, like hope - but not in the naive belief that ultimately people are good". "Wish Defense"s artwork is also a subtle reference to "Negative Houses"' art, returning to that album's black & white starkness & minimalism. The album's checkerboards everywhere are offset reflections of themselves, mirrored with the album's lyrics printed front & center on the cover. Everything is out in the open. A final note; "Wish Defense" is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve's untimely passing, with renowned engineer & friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have; in Electrical Audio's A room, off the tape, using Albini's notes about the session.

The duality of "man" is a subject that has been explored in art for centuries, from writings of the Bible to Descartes, all the way up to filmmakers like Lynch, Cronenberg, & Carpenter. Who is your "true self" & what do they want? With their sixth studio album "Wish Defense" (again for longtime home Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. The return of original member Jonathan Van Herik - who stepped away from the group just before their debut album "Negative Houses" was released in 2018 - replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba brings renewed vigor & a marked angularity from the band's more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways - the roles have changed since Van Herik's original tenure & his previous time with Case & powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group's guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band's dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio's long-going collaboration with some distance and time. Case notes that the lyrics on "Wish Defense" revolve around doppelgängers or "doubles", tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations. Look no further than the album's title track; "Enter the mirror / Double walker / An intimate / Wish defense / Is it real? / You beside me / The detail / Terrifying / Abject self / Your grief / A public / Performance". Case lays out the entire album's theme in one stanza; Are your actions & emotions your true self? Or are they a performative aspect of that "other" person you put forward? Case says that ultimately the sentiment is "_don't let the bastards get you down, there's something beyond this moment, like hope - but not in the naive belief that ultimately people are good". "Wish Defense"s artwork is also a subtle reference to "Negative Houses"' art, returning to that album's black & white starkness & minimalism. The album's checkerboards everywhere are offset reflections of themselves, mirrored with the album's lyrics printed front & center on the cover. Everything is out in the open. A final note; "Wish Defense" is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve's untimely passing, with renowned engineer & friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have; in Electrical Audio's A room, off the tape, using Albini's notes about the session.

The duality of "man" is a subject that has been explored in art for centuries, from writings of the Bible to Descartes, all the way up to filmmakers like Lynch, Cronenberg, & Carpenter. Who is your "true self" & what do they want? With their sixth studio album "Wish Defense" (again for longtime home Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. The return of original member Jonathan Van Herik - who stepped away from the group just before their debut album "Negative Houses" was released in 2018 - replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba brings renewed vigor & a marked angularity from the band's more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways - the roles have changed since Van Herik's original tenure & his previous time with Case & powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group's guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band's dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio's long-going collaboration with some distance and time. Case notes that the lyrics on "Wish Defense" revolve around doppelgängers or "doubles", tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations. Look no further than the album's title track; "Enter the mirror / Double walker / An intimate / Wish defense / Is it real? / You beside me / The detail / Terrifying / Abject self / Your grief / A public / Performance". Case lays out the entire album's theme in one stanza; Are your actions & emotions your true self? Or are they a performative aspect of that "other" person you put forward? Case says that ultimately the sentiment is "_don't let the bastards get you down, there's something beyond this moment, like hope - but not in the naive belief that ultimately people are good". "Wish Defense"s artwork is also a subtle reference to "Negative Houses"' art, returning to that album's black & white starkness & minimalism. The album's checkerboards everywhere are offset reflections of themselves, mirrored with the album's lyrics printed front & center on the cover. Everything is out in the open. A final note; "Wish Defense" is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve's untimely passing, with renowned engineer & friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have; in Electrical Audio's A room, off the tape, using Albini's notes about the session.

Living at the end of the earths, driving through the sky in a chariot pulled by a divine force distributing fortune, purity, precision and protection from the moon

Retrofuturism, outer space and limitless exploration are the central themes of Cesar Quinn's second album, "HELO".They incorporate influences from contemporary hip-hop experimentalists like The Alchemist and Armand Hammer, while also revisiting the space jazz of Sun Ra and the ambient probings of Terry Riley.



"HELO" was self-produced by Frederik Daelemans, with co-production contributions from Aram Santy and Youniss. LA-based mixing and mastering engineer Zeroh (associated with Injury Reserve, Liv.e, Pink Siifu) added his hip-hop flair, enhancing the band's sound into a cohesive, sample-inspired experience.

Features play a significant role in "HELO". The first vocal feature is Antwerp artist Youniss on "SMOKE," followed by New York vocalist Semiratruth, who energises "QUASAR." The collaboration with Belgian jazz saxophonist Mattias De Craene, long discussed but never realised on the debut album, finally materialises on "MARS," where he explores a range of saxophones, creating a rich tapestry of sound. The standout feature is undoubtedly Detroit rapper Zelooperz, whose verse and chorus on the title track "HELO" fulfilled a long-held aspiration for the band, given their admiration for his work with The Alchemist and Earl Sweatshirt. Finally, Zeroh lent his deep vocals to the ambient track "BOOTES," further uniting the album.

Imaginary friends Akka & BeepBeep share the third release on their label: Floral Ancestors by Raduns. The 12” offers blooming ambient rooted in dub, lush drone and hand-picked cosmic that’s all grown deep in Detroit.

Spacious sonic arrangements vividly swell yet keep grounded within a sculptural rhythmic core. Raduns sows synth basslines and wispy pads next to harmonious guitars and muted field recordings. Grooving propulsion drives throughout. Rhythms appear, in negative space, like outlines between leaves. Recorded with machines direct to SD card, the compositions represent ephemeral blessings of experience. As if strolling into a verdant conservatory, the layered and diverse sensations blend into one cohesive revelatory experience.

On their first record, Raduns draws an ancestral line in Detroit as inspiration. A time when you could ride a streetcar from Dexter-Linwood to Belle Isle. A time before freeway expansion demolished vibrant Black neighborhoods. A time before the rebellion, motown and white flight. A time when Raduns’ great-grandparents were florists in the city, serving the community in times of celebration and times of grief. This melancholic circle shapes the project in which Raduns summons these Floral Ancestors, stretching upward from the darkness of the earth into the light of the world back down once more.

AKKA’s Side: “Grass Boulevard” exhales a luscious soundscape that develops through wave-crashing synths and circulated guitars to a transplanted acid lead. “Spread” lays out a decoration of blended sample and hold synth with kosmische styled guitar licks. Tracked as a single take in a Detroit community studio, the tune intuitively reseeds the symbiotic sprout between krautrock and Detroit techno.

BEEP’s Side: “Metrograde Bouquet” submerges you into the bulb of a handcrafted vase. Dub techno roots grow out into murky water with energy that is subtle yet profound. “Oldest of Arrangements” textures breaths of misty air cascading ventilating in on itself. The track’s time seems to stretch and disappear within a dark and deep undercurrent. A harmonic and reverberant resonance closes the record in a flowering of beauty and peace.

“You’re a flower child. Put this music out.” - Someone Important in Detroit

Beaten To Death’s brutal and innovative sound is somewhat melodic, in a strange way, and that’s why their sound is often called ‘melodic grindcore’; an oxymoronic definition, some might even say a moronic definition, but still the definition that best applies to this Norwegian quintet’s music. Beaten To Death consists of members from Insense, Tsjuder, The Cumshots, Gothminister and She Said Destroy and have won fans over globally for their energetic, strangely melodic and innovative approach to grindcore. With their combination of hysterical blast beats, meaty grooves, double guitar twang attack, asshole-of-god-earthquake bass and tongue in cheek lyrical approach to the shittiness of life, Beaten To Death have dug out their very own little niche in the music world. Their new sixth album “Sunrise Over Rigor Mortis” was recorded and mixed by Tommy Hjelm, and the amazing artwork is once again by William Hay. Since their last album from 2021, all the band members have aged horribly, and this is also the theme of the album. The positive thing about getting closer to the grave, is that profound grindcore poetry comes much easier than when the member were still carefree youngster, frolicking in the Norwegian forests…

Nara Leão’s Dez Anos Depois, released in 1971, is a stunning double album that revisits her musical journey and celebrates her contributions to Brazilian music.

Known as the “Muse of Bossa Nova,” Leão recorded this reflective and intimate collection of reinterpreted classics in both Paris and Rio de Janeiro.

The recordings also include the involvement of Tuca, renowned for her work on Françoise Hardy’s La Question, whose contributions enrich the album with her distinctive guitar playing and musical sensitivity.

Dez Anos Depois captures the essence of Brazil’s rich musical heritage while highlighting Leão’s versatility and artistry.

This album serves as both a tribute to her earlier works and a timeless introduction to her legacy, making it essential listening for fans of bossa nova and Brazilian music. Dez Anos Depois is available on black vinyl

Like so many bands that cut their teeth playing basements, rental halls, and teen centers around the Puget Sound in the early '90s, the Olympia trio Lync may have had similar roots to the local rock heroes of the era but were conscientiously averse to the trappings of mainstream success. Lync kept the grit, the shouted vocals, and the rough-hewn choruses, but eschewed the machismo and metal swagger. Their song 'Cue Cards' is a perfect encapsulation of their overall approach-heartfelt melodies, bashed drums, hoarse throats, gritty bass lines, and fractured guitars. Lync's legacy was interwoven with fellow PNW artists like Modest Mouse, 764-Hero, and Red Stars Theory-bands that were crucial to the foundation of Suicide Squeeze Records. It only made sense for Suicide Squeeze to reissue Lync's lone LP, These Are Not Fall Colors back in 2023. And in conjunction with the reissue, Suicide Squeeze is proud to announce the second single featuring a choice cut from Fall Colors paired with a current artist's reinterpretation of the song. On their latest 7", Lync's original version of 'Cue Cards' is paired with a cover by Julia & The Squeezettes-a Suicide Squeeze-centric all-star line-up featuring Julia Kugel of The Coathangers and Julia, Julia, Staz Lindes of The Paranoyds, Bonnie Bloomgarden and Rikki Styxx of Death Valley Girls. On their rendition, Julia & The Squeezettes excise the half-time distorted bombast of the original in favor of up-tempo minimalist pop. Guitars are reduced to a few choice phrases, putting the song's luring vocals and lyrical charms at the forefront. Paired with the tasteful yet propulsive rhythm section, this new approach to 'Cue Cards' demonstrates the timeless songwriting of Lync while simultaneously showcasing the creative vision, timbral aptitude, and resourceful production savvy of four contemporary artists in the ongoing lineage of American indie rock. Suicide Squeeze is proud to release these two versions of 'Cue Cards' to the world on a pressing of 500 Ocean Blue-colored vinyl 7" singles.

Limited Indies “white split vinyl variant while supplies last. RIYL: Unwound, MBV, The Jesus Lizard, SUUNS, Preoccupations, METZ, Les Rallizes Denudes, The Dead C, Echo & The Bunnymen, Liars, This Heat, PIL. Sixth studio album from the Chicago trio. Features newly-rejoined original member Jonathan Van Herik. Recorded at Electrical Audio May 6 & 7, 2024 - final album recorded by Steve Albini. The duality of “man” is a subject that has been explored in art for centuries, from writings of the Bible to Descartes, all the way up to filmmakers like Lynch, Cronenberg, & Carpenter. Who is your “true self” & what do they want? With their sixth studio album “Wish Defense” (again for longtime home Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. The return of original member Jonathan Van Herik - who stepped away from the group just before their debut album “Negative Houses” was released in 2018 - replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba brings renewed vigor & a marked angularity from the band’s more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways - the roles have changed since Van Herik’s original tenure & his previous time with Case & powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group’s guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band’s dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio’s long-going collaboration with some distance and time. Case notes that the lyrics on “Wish Defense” revolve around doppelgängers or "doubles”, tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations. Look no further than the album’s title track; “Enter the mirror / Double walker / An intimate / Wish defense / Is it real? / You beside me / The detail / Terrifying / Abject self / Your grief / A public / Performance”. Case lays out the entire album’s theme in one stanza; Are your actions & emotions your true self? Or are they a performative aspect of that “other” person you put forward? Case says that ultimately the sentiment is “...don’t let the bastards get you down, there’s something beyond this moment, like hope - but not in the naive belief that ultimately people are good”. “Wish Defense”s artwork is also a subtle reference to “Negative Houses”’ art, returning to that album’s black & white starkness & minimalism. The album’s checkerboards everywhere are offset reflections of themselves, mirrored with the album’s lyrics printed front & center on the cover. Everything is out in the open. A final note; “Wish Defense” is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve’s untimely passing, with renowned engineer & friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have; in Electrical Audio’s A room, off the tape, using Albini’s notes about the session.

Limited Indies “white split vinyl variant while supplies last. RIYL: Unwound, MBV, The Jesus Lizard, SUUNS, Preoccupations, METZ, Les Rallizes Denudes, The Dead C, Echo & The Bunnymen, Liars, This Heat, PIL. Sixth studio album from the Chicago trio. Features newly-rejoined original member Jonathan Van Herik. Recorded at Electrical Audio May 6 & 7, 2024 - final album recorded by Steve Albini. The duality of “man” is a subject that has been explored in art for centuries, from writings of the Bible to Descartes, all the way up to filmmakers like Lynch, Cronenberg, & Carpenter. Who is your “true self” & what do they want? With their sixth studio album “Wish Defense” (again for longtime home Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. The return of original member Jonathan Van Herik - who stepped away from the group just before their debut album “Negative Houses” was released in 2018 - replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba brings renewed vigor & a marked angularity from the band’s more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways - the roles have changed since Van Herik’s original tenure & his previous time with Case & powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group’s guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band’s dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio’s long-going collaboration with some distance and time. Case notes that the lyrics on “Wish Defense” revolve around doppelgängers or "doubles”, tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations. Look no further than the album’s title track; “Enter the mirror / Double walker / An intimate / Wish defense / Is it real? / You beside me / The detail / Terrifying / Abject self / Your grief / A public / Performance”. Case lays out the entire album’s theme in one stanza; Are your actions & emotions your true self? Or are they a performative aspect of that “other” person you put forward? Case says that ultimately the sentiment is “...don’t let the bastards get you down, there’s something beyond this moment, like hope - but not in the naive belief that ultimately people are good”. “Wish Defense”s artwork is also a subtle reference to “Negative Houses”’ art, returning to that album’s black & white starkness & minimalism. The album’s checkerboards everywhere are offset reflections of themselves, mirrored with the album’s lyrics printed front & center on the cover. Everything is out in the open. A final note; “Wish Defense” is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve’s untimely passing, with renowned engineer & friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have; in Electrical Audio’s A room, off the tape, using Albini’s notes about the session.

Limited Indies “white split vinyl variant while supplies last. RIYL: Unwound, MBV, The Jesus Lizard, SUUNS, Preoccupations, METZ, Les Rallizes Denudes, The Dead C, Echo & The Bunnymen, Liars, This Heat, PIL. Sixth studio album from the Chicago trio. Features newly-rejoined original member Jonathan Van Herik. Recorded at Electrical Audio May 6 & 7, 2024 - final album recorded by Steve Albini. The duality of “man” is a subject that has been explored in art for centuries, from writings of the Bible to Descartes, all the way up to filmmakers like Lynch, Cronenberg, & Carpenter. Who is your “true self” & what do they want? With their sixth studio album “Wish Defense” (again for longtime home Trouble In Mind Records), Chicago trio FACS take a good, long look in the mirror to face themselves. The return of original member Jonathan Van Herik - who stepped away from the group just before their debut album “Negative Houses” was released in 2018 - replacing longtime bassist Alianna Kalaba brings renewed vigor & a marked angularity from the band’s more recent output. The songs still hit hard, but the approach is sideways - the roles have changed since Van Herik’s original tenure & his previous time with Case & powerhouse drummer Noah Leger in Disappears; now on bass, Van Herik was originally the group’s guitar player and features on the debut, while current guitarist Brian Case played bass. This role reversal has helped the band’s dynamic, offering up a different musical perspective than before, now revisiting the trio’s long-going collaboration with some distance and time. Case notes that the lyrics on “Wish Defense” revolve around doppelgängers or "doubles”, tackling the idea of facing yourself and observing your ideas and motivations. Look no further than the album’s title track; “Enter the mirror / Double walker / An intimate / Wish defense / Is it real? / You beside me / The detail / Terrifying / Abject self / Your grief / A public / Performance”. Case lays out the entire album’s theme in one stanza; Are your actions & emotions your true self? Or are they a performative aspect of that “other” person you put forward? Case says that ultimately the sentiment is “...don’t let the bastards get you down, there’s something beyond this moment, like hope - but not in the naive belief that ultimately people are good”. “Wish Defense”s artwork is also a subtle reference to “Negative Houses”’ art, returning to that album’s black & white starkness & minimalism. The album’s checkerboards everywhere are offset reflections of themselves, mirrored with the album’s lyrics printed front & center on the cover. Everything is out in the open. A final note; “Wish Defense” is the last album engineered by Steve Albini. Two days were recorded at Electrical Audio in early May of 2024 before Steve’s untimely passing, with renowned engineer & friend Sanford Parker stepping in to finish the session 24 hours later, tracking the last bits of vocals and overdubs. Longtime collaborator John Congleton mixed the album as Albini would have; in Electrical Audio’s A room, off the tape, using Albini’s notes about the session.

Enter Now Brightness feels different for Nadia. It is an album, she says, of departure and questioning, that has reminded her how songwriting can be “the most useful thing to do with pain and joy and thoughts and feelings and anger.” That through music we can find great change. “I’m so much better off now that it exists,” she says. “Now feels like a new time.” On this record, Reid moves ever further from her earlier folk inclinations, establishing a sound that is distinctly her own. Enter Now Brightness is a record of poise and great beauty, the sound of a cellular shift, of pain giving way to tenderness and joy. It takes its title from a passage in a book Reid was reading from a line that seemed to call out to her from the page: ‘Brightness entered the study.’ “It was the image of opening the curtain, or turning the light on, or of standing in the wings of a theatre and waiting to go on stage. It’s the idea of life beginning now.” "Nadia embraces a full-bodied sound halfway between Haim’s sophisticated pop sparkle and Sharon Van Etten’s full-throated songcraft" - The Guardian

Groovin Recordings move forward with the unreleased series focusing on rising Italian producers. It is now the moment for Peter LC, one of the most interesting young artists in the new italo-house scene.
Born with a distinctive passion for Disco and House music, Peter loves to experiment with all the shapes of house from Italo, Deep Tech, and Classic House genres, continually evolving his unique sound.
This new EP called "Il Letto. La Porta. La Musica." starts with a journey into early 90’s Italian Riviera, also featuring a remix by legendary Italian producer Don Carlos. On the flip we find "Losing my Feelings", which meets Deep house at its finest, echoing the timeless grooves of Chicago and Detroit, and "Love Calling", a classic piano house anthem, driven by soulful female vocals and pure 90’s vibes.