Suche:el sam

Originally released in 2009, Céu"s Vagarosa is a landmark of 21st-century Brazilian musicc- a lush, genre-blurring journey that weaves samba, dub, psychedelic soul, and electronic textures into a sound cboth timeless and futuristic. Now reissued on vinyl, this essential album invites listeners to rediscover its warm, analog charm. From the opening track "Sobre o Amor e Seu Trabalho Silencioso," with its cavaquinho and vinyl crackle, to the dub-infused "Cangote," where organ swells and basslines intertwine, Vagarosa showcases Céu"s ability to blend traditional Brazilian rhythms with global influences. Her reinterpretation of Jorge Ben"s "Rosa Menina Rosa" transforms into a psychedelic swirl of reverb and phasing effects, maintaining its breezy essence. The album"s closing track,"Espaçonave," features rainforest sounds and multi-tracked vocals layered over fuzzed-out guitar, reminiscent of the art-pop sensibilities of artists like Natalia Lafourcade. Critically acclaimed upon release, Vagarosa reached No. 2 on the US Billboard World Music chart and was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album in 2010. Its innovative production and Céu"s ethereal vocals have cemented its status as a modern classic in Brazilian music. This vinyl reissue captures the album"s rich textures and sonic depth, offering both longtime fans and new listeners an opportunity to experience Vagarosa in its full analog glory. Remastered by Colorsounds Paris.

A record born of insurmountable joy and simultaneous profound loss; World Maker marks a time of great change for Psychonaut, both personally and musically, as the band burn away the philosophical narrative complexities of previous offerings with a searing, panoramic clarity that implores us to savour the beauty of the now as a means of leaving a legacy for the future. The traditional, three-piece line up of Belgian, psychedelic post-metal collective Psychonaut has long belied the compositional prowess, captivating narrative depth and crushing live presence of a band now operating at the forefront of forward-thinking, contemporary heavy music. Having sent a shockwave through the post-metal and prog scenes with their three times repressed Pelagic Records debut Unfold The God Man in 2020 before following it up with the transformative metaphysical complexities of 2022's Violate Consensus Reality, Psychonaut have played prestigious Belgian open-air festivals like Alcatraz, Rock Herk and Boomtown Festival as well as boutique events such as Soulcrusher, Roadburn Redux and A Colossal Weekend whilst sharing stages across Europe with the likes of Amenra, Brutus and Pelagic labelmates The Ocean and PG.Lost. The seed of World Maker took shape just as the campaign for Violate Consensus Reality came to a close, with the news that guitarist/vocalist Stefan De Graef was to become a father. This tilting of life's axis led De Graef, like most fathers-to-be, to re-assess what was really important. As such, the music he was inspired to write felt free of the band's previous philosophical and spiritual foundations and instead took the form of life lessons for his unborn son, a legacy of love in case something were ever to happen. This hopeful euphoria shines keenly throughout World Maker as an uncharacteristically optimistic warmth; from the reverberating Rhodes organ on the titular opening track and the meandering, free-jazz inspired guitar solo that introduces `Everything Else is Just The Weather' to elements of world music, electronica and the otherworldly voice of Dutch multi-instrumentalist and old friend Anthe Huybrechts (Anthe/Helion Creek) most notably on tracks like `Origins' which also features tabla, a pair of indian hand drums, as its propulsive heartbeat. Whilst Psychonaut's giant riffs, punishing polyrhythms and guttural vocal rage are more resplendent than ever, there is a wider dynamic spectrum to World Maker that sees the band proudly exploring their more delicate, intimate extremes as well as their most aggressive and abrasive. Not long after the birth of De Graef's son came the devastating news that both his own father and Psychonaut bassist/vocalist Thomas Michiels' father had been diagnosed with advanced cancers. Living day-to-day and torn between joy and grief, the band found themselves shedding the grand scope and world-shattering agenda of Violate Consensus Reality to focus on the here and now. Lead single `Endless Currents', the first full track on the album, explodes in a barrage of staccato guitar tapping but mellows to let the powerful, newly pared back lyrics ring out as a call to embrace the flow and follow joy. The song's final few words `Lead the way. / Soar. / Everlong.' double as both a greeting and a goodbye as the trio build their formidable post-metal might to a thunderous breaking point. Similarly, the pulsing, propellant `Stargazer', named so for De Graef's son being born in stargazer position, pairs delicate guitar motifs and folk-inflected optimism with huge and sprawling breakdowns as some of the band's most genre-pushing work to date; asking difficult but important questions of what happens next. It is `And You Came With Searing Light' though that most immediately exemplifies Psychonaut's redirected ambition on World Maker, as euphoria collides with blinding fury. The first track written for the album, `_Searing Light' is easily the most complex and initially wouldn't sound out of place on Violate Consensus Reality. Originally meant to be the new album's opening track; the decision to defer its impact, not to mention its compositional and dynamic gravity, speaks of a fundamental change to the band's very core. The words "Discover the world with wide eyes" recurring throughout speak as much to those having lost a part of their world as they do to those seeing it for the first time. Amidst such turbulent times, the band found strength and support within their Post-Metal community. The album was recorded and produced by the band alongside their longtime collaborator and close friend Chiaran Verheyden (Hippotraktor) with help and advice from Psychonaut's live engineer Victor, who will no doubt make this album sound just as awesome on stage. Even the artwork for World Maker was a family affair, being designed by close friend Sam Coussens of Belgian cosmic sludge metallers Pothamus. In the face of life's soaring highs and desolate lows, World Maker is direct and brave without sacrificing any of Psychonaut's raw power, creative innovation or inimitable musical depth. Where their previous full-length offerings have charted grand introspective courses through time and space, World Maker is breathtaking in its uncompromising clarity: a father singing to his newborn son as a son bids his own father farewell. FOR FANS OF Mastodon, Russian Circles, Tool, Gojira, The Ocean, Pelican, Hypno5e, Cult Of Luna, Amenra

Originally released on Mon 22 August 2005, the Furries’ third and final album to be recorded by Epic Records, Love Kraft is to be reissued on double vinyl, 2CDs, including the 22-track bonus CD, Kiss Me With Apocalypse and digital formats on Fri 24 October 2025 via the Cardiff-based independent label, Strangetown Records. Four previously unheard tracks are drawn from the vaults, including the squidgy ELO-stomp of drummer, Daf Ieuan-led Rock ‘N’ Roll Flu, plus the distorted space-jam of Cae Marw, the band’s deep-bass sketch of Palo Alto and ghostly, percussive morsel of Bedw Arian.

The album followed six previous albums by the band, including their statement debut album, Fuzzy Logic in 1996, melding an attention-demanding mix of literary, narcotic and musical influences. Maintaining a shape that was ill-fitting in the jigsaw of other 90’s guitar bands, their follow-up, UK Top Ten album, Radiator brought the hooky squelch of the bona fide indie dancefloor classic, The International Language of Screaming. The next decade saw the release of the first Top 20-charting, Welsh language album, Mwng (2000), followed by further experimentation and commercial success with Rings Around The World (2001) and Phantom Power (2003).

Love Kraft’s sense of cohesion, collaboration and free-flow of rich harmony has been credited to the five-piece escaping Wales to record in the shimmering heat of Figueres, Catalunya. Bringing famed Beastie Boys producer, Mario Caldato Jr along with them for the ride, the travelling band’s stay in the Catalonian hometown of Salvador Dali included found sounds, boozy petrol stations, gastronomic revelations and, finally, a rich album of strings, synths and opulent vocal harmonies.

While eventually finding their way to Baha, near to Rio di Janeiro to mix the album Love Kraft’s story began in Wales and Pleasure Foxxx Studios, where the band began to craft the album’s songs. Embracing the landmark of a seventh album, notably coming after the 2004 release of their first ‘best of…’ package, Songbook: The Singles, Vol. 1, Super Furry Animals pooled ideas and affected further democracy in their songwriting, taking a load off traditional lead-writer and front man, Gruff Rhys, and sharing in lead vocal duties (aside from the microphone-averse bassist, Guto Pryce).

Love Kraft was the first Super Furry Animals album recorded to hard disc instead of multi-track tape, and found the band typically explorative and open to happenstance. Zoom’s opening splash into the recording studio’s swimming pool is accompanied by the on-location, pool table samples found elsewhere on the album.

Updated packaging features the original, meticulously built diorama design by long-time collaborator Pete Fowler. Constructed by hand in his studio, complete with bulb-lit illumination, then photographed, the sleeve’s depiction of a monolith-rich desert landscape reflects the sense of other space and time depicted by Love Kraft’s woozy songs. The final sleeve design again comes courtesy of Mark James.

Brandi Carlile ist zurück mit ihrem achten Studioalbum und ihrem ersten Solo-Projekt seit vier Jahren. Die
amerikanische Singer-Songwriterin gilt als eine der authentischsten Stimmen der modernen Folk, Rock und
Americana-Musik und inspirierte eine ganze Generation an Künstler*innen.
In den letzten Jahren fokussierte sie sich auf verschiedenste Kollaborationen mit u.a. Joni Mitchell, Hozier,
Sam Smith und Alicia Keys. Ihr letztes Album „Who Believes in Angels?“ war ein Kollaborationsprojekt
mit Elton John, das in Deutschland auf Platz #2 der Charts debütierte, in Großbritannien auf Platz#1
und in US die Top 10 erreichte.
Nun blickt die 11-fache GRAMMY-Gewinnerin nach innen, reflektiert die Vergangenheit und kehrt schließlich
auf ihrem brandneuen Album „Returning To Myself“ – das am 24. Oktober erscheint – zu sich selbst zurück.

- 29 Tracks aus dem Open-World-RPG-Actionspiel von 2025
- Artwork von Ubisoft

Ubisoft und Laced Records haben ihre Zusammenarbeit erneuert, um die Musik von Assassin's Creed Shadows auf Vinyl zu veröffentlichen.

"Assassin's Creed Shadows" entführt die Spieler:innen in die reiche Kulisse des feudalen Japans und wird von einem Soundtrack untermalt, der traditionelle Instrumente mit verspielten, modernen Techniken verbindet.

Das Komponistenduo The Flight (Joe Henson und Alexis Smith) kehrt zur Assassin's-Creed-Reihe zurück und liefert einen Soundtrack, der traditionelle Instrumente mit zeitgenössischen orchestralen und elektronischen Elementen verbindet. So entsteht ein unverwechselbares Gefühl für Zeit und Ort, während spielerisch auf die Science-Fiction-Themen der Serie angespielt wird.

Die beiden Protagonisten von "Assassin's Creed Shadows" werden mit unterschiedlichen Instrumenten und musikalischen Ansätzen dargestellt: Die verstohlene Shinobi-Adeptin Naoe wird mit dem Instrument ihrer Wahl, der Tonflöte (Tsuchibue), und dem körperlosen Flüstern während der Stealth-Momente dargestellt. Der legendäre Samurai Yasuke wird mit den schärferen Klängen der Shamisen und rhythmischer Intensität dargestellt.

Für die Darbietung der japanischen Instrumente hat The Flight auf Meisterspieler wie Keiko Kitamura (Koto) und Hibiki Ichikawa (Shamisen) zurückgegriffen. Weitere Interpreten sind die Sängerin Akari Mochizuki, die Flötisten Kristin Naigus, Oriol Singh und Andy Findon sowie Michael Georgiades, der musikalische Mitarbeiter von The Flight bei Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

Seefeel - eine der visionärsten und experimentierfreudigsten Elektronik-Bands der frühen 1990er - formte in London einen Klang, der Brücken schlug zwischen Shoegaze und elektronischer Musik. Mit ihren schimmernden Soundlandschaften, hypnotischen Minimal-Rhythmen und einer einzigartigen Ambient-Sensibilität schufen sie einen völlig neuen Kosmos. Die neu erweiterte Ausgabe von Pure, Impure vereint drei ikonische EPs der Band zu einem faszinierenden Gesamtwerk. In den legendären Abbey Road Studios von Geoff Pesche neu gemastert, umfasst die 11 Tracks starke Sammlung zudem ein frisch interpretiertes Artwork. Erhältlich als Doppel-LP oder CD, erscheint diese Edition als wahres Sammlerstück. Die enthaltenen EPs - More Like Space, Plainsong und Time to Find Me - präsentieren nicht nur Mixe von Aphex Twin, sondern auch ein bislang unveröffentlichtes Demo des Stücks "Moodswing". Bereits 1993 markierte Pure, Impure, erschienen auf Too Pure, einen Wendepunkt in der Entwicklung von Seefeel: reduzierter, intensiver, hypnotischer als das Debüt Quique. Die Tracks entfalten sich in endlos kreisenden Loops, sanften melodischen Verschiebungen und einem atemberaubenden Zusammenspiel von organischen Gitarrentexturen und maschineller Präzision. Sie spiegeln die wachsende Faszination der Band für Dub, Ambient Techno und Post-Rock wider. Mit Pure, Impure legten Seefeel den Grundstein für ihre weitere Reise - ein Werk von zeitloser Schönheit, das sich jeder Genregrenze entzieht und bis heute als Schlüsselstück ihres Ouvres erstrahlt.

Drawing from over three decades in electronic music, DJ Rame (one third of the acclaimed Italian Pastaboys team) showcases his House Music expertise with this genre-blending original EP on Memento Records, going right back to the roots of club culture.

Title track Life 3 starts off with a dreamy pad intro and New York-house inspired piano chords, setting the mood for the dance floor and suddenly exploding into a bouncy, tension-and-release energetic swing, trippy percussions and rubberized synth rhythms.

Toyholic’s infectious bassline and syncopated beats match retro-futuristic synths and acid melodies, while Niwa’s faster pace and robotic vocal samples are drenched in 80s Electro Disco moods.

Stone Garden rounds off the release with a breakbeat groove, vintage analog sounds and mesmerizing stop-and-gos.

A visceral ode to the free spirit of the early warehouse parties that came to define an era of revolutionary music, these 4 tracks are one part raw emotion, one part contemporary sonic innovation.

Mister Water Wet returns to Soda Gong with "Things Gone and Things Here Still," an album that radically expands the project’s purview while preserving the homespun warmth and oblique tactility that have long defined Iggy Romeu’s work. Where earlier records tilted toward the dusty swing of sample-based beatcraft or spectral minimalist jazz, here Romeu opens the frame to a more ensemble-minded approach, inviting a stellar cast of supporting musicians, including SG alumni Memotone and K. Freund, into the fold.

The result is an album that feels both broader and more intimate, with live instrumentation such as piano, strings, and reeds woven into MWW’s signature lattice of hand percussion, production sleights, and slippery time signatures. Acoustic and electronic textures bend toward each other like plants angling for the same light: bowed strings blur into vaporous pads, brushed drums scatter under riffing guitars, a horn phrase lingers in the same space as a cracked cassette loop.

A tension between decay and presence - the “things gone” and the “things here still” - runs throughout the record. At times, the music evokes a chamber session refracted through waterlogged tape; at others, it recalls the afterimage of a hip-hop instrumental slowed into an oneiric haze. In the world of MWW, memory functions less as nostalgia and more as a living fabric - mutable and resonant. "Things Gone and Things Here Still" finds Iggy Romeu at his most expansive, offering up a generous record of open spaces and porous boundaries.

A decade after its release, A Fragile Geography returns transformed. This limited edition cassette accompanies the AFG10 anniversary reissue, offering an inspired re-envisioning of Rafael Anton Irisarri’s landmark compositions. Reworks presents distinctive readings of these pieces, with each artist leaving their personal mark on the material. The titles remain unchanged, with the sole exception of “Hiatus,” reborn here as “Ausencia.” Together, these reimaginings extend the emotional cartography of the album into new terrains.

KMRU reframes “Displacement” with expansive, glimmering layers that open into meditative ambient landscapes. Nairobi born and Berlin based, he is known for morphing field recordings into vivid aural experiences, often capturing the texture of footsteps, foliage, and distant city life and weaving them into contemplative soundscapes. In this version he introduces subtle new sounds, including stringlike synths that trace and heighten the piece’s emotional arc. The result invites close listening, offering enveloping tones where the organic and the synthetic gently collide and flow.

Penelope Trappes renders “Reprisal” as a voice-led invocation of the delicate and the intimate. Her wistful vocals bloom with fragile sorrow, rising over shimmering strands of strings to create a sound world at once sacred and shadowed. She is adept at channeling inherited grief into music that is transcendent and otherworldly. The interplay of her voice, the strings, and her use of space and depth draws those qualities into Irisarri’s orbit, imbuing “Reprisal” with the same spiritual weight and clarity that define her most powerful work.

Kevin Richard Martin (a.k.a. The Bug) transforms “Empire Systems” into a cavernous “Iced Mix,” driven by polyrhythmic double bass motifs and sculpted from subterranean pressure and negative space. Known for pushing sound to its physical limits, Martin brings the stark intensity of his dub and noise infused practice into Irisarri’s architecture. The track seethes with harmonic distortion and erupts in white noise rhythms, its brooding low end depth and icy reverberant textures amplifying the tension. Vulnerability and force are set in stark relief, as silences feel as heavy as the bursts of sound themselves. The result is a stark study in atmosphere, restraint and impact, reframed through Martin’s singular lens of sonic mass and low end intensity.

On Side B, Mabe Fratti opens with a cinematic, dreamlike, Lynchian reimagining of “Hiatus” in her native Spanish (“Ausencia”). She threads cello and voice so wondrously that her rendering feels at once hauntingly beautiful and disquieting. Emotionally charged melodies shift in unexpected directions, while her soft, intimate vocals hover above Irisarri’s brooding synth textures. Fratti’s gift for blending experimental and avant pop sensibilities with visceral, emotionally powerful expression shines resplendently here. She gives voice to Irisarri’s reflections on the passage of time and his growing desire to reconnect with his familial roots.

Abul Mogard stretches “Persistence” into a vast drone elegy. A master of patient sound sculpting, Mogard layers evolving waves of analog synths into a dense shroud that radiates its own internal light. Gradual surges of tone and subtle harmonic shifts emphasize the piece’s endurance and inevitability. Irisarri’s original composition, in Mogard's hands, becomes a rumination on time’s unrelenting flow. Melancholy and transcendence coexist in equal measure in this engulfing, cathartic rework.

William Basinski and Gary Thomas Wright close the cycle with a spectral version of “Secretly Wishing for Rain.” Basinski’s field recordings of Reseda rainfall and birdsong, which open and close the rework, add a personal touch and evoke the imagined sound of a grainy film reel flickering to life. The piece suspends Irisarri’s yearning for the Pacific Northwest, lodging it hazily between memory, place and an unreachable dream. It feels like a fading recollection, half forgotten and half felt. A final gesture that dissolves the album into vapor, leaving the listener adrift in its lingering afterglow.

Mastered with great care by Stephan Mathieu and featuring a remixed version of the original artwork by Daniel Castrejón, this edition refracts the language of the original through new prisms. Less a return than a passage, across time, across interpretation, into uncharted emotional realms.

An’archives presents Kagome Kagome, the first collaboration between France’s Delphine Dora and Japan’s Ayami Suzuki. Curious listeners might know Dora from the string of lovely, idiosyncratic albums she’s released over the past two decades, most recently for labels like Modern Love, Morc and Recital; she’s also worked with the likes of Michel Henritzi and Sophie Cooper. Suzuki’s performances, predominantly for voice, place her within a tradition of Japanese improvised music – see the music she’s made with artists such as Takashi Masubuchi, TOMO and Leo Okagawa – but her approach also takes in folk song, ambience and claustrophobic drone.

On Kagome Kagome, Dora and Suzuki play to their many strengths: a gentle, free-willed folksiness; long, aerated drone constructs; ghostly, time-warping explorations for voice. They met on Dora’s May 2024 tour of Japan, though they’d been in touch beforehand, with Dora proposing the collaboration to Suzuki, developed around “concepts of ‘otherworldliness’ and ‘impermanence’,” the latter says, “and explored the relationship between ‘the invisible’ and sound in Japanese culture – a common interest we share.”

They recorded across several days that month, with the sessions for Kagome Kagome taking place in Kanumi, in Tochigi prefecture, at a space named Center. “I was particularly looking forward to seeing Delphine encounter the vintage 104-year-old harmonium from Nippon Gakki Seizo Co. that had just been repaired at Center,” Suzuki recalls. “It was as if the harmonium had been waiting for Delphine to draw sound from it. I felt it was a beautiful relationship where they could guide each other.”

Indeed, there’s something channelled about the music that Dora and Suzuki made together in the session that constitutes Kagome Kagome. Dora’s harmonium might be the spine of the album, but Suzuki’s free- floating voice, and gaseous, muddied banks of electronics, wrap around the wheezing, ancient tonality of the harmonium beautifully – they, too, sound as though they were just waiting to be willed out of the daytime air. Their voices nestle together beautifully – “when we sang together in a tunnel,” Suzuki says, “there were times when we sang the exact same melody without planning. It happened so naturally that the boundaries between us became blurred.”

And that title? It’s drawn from a Japanese children’s song, and the song titles themselves constitute the song’s lyrics, in alternating Japanese (Romanized) and French language. Urban legend connects the song “Kagome Kagome” to the Nikko Toshogu Shrine, nearby Center, that Suzuki and Dora visited while they were in Kanumi. “The mysterious lyrics of ‘Kagome Kagome’ and its puzzle-like connection to Nikko Toshogu were a perfect fit for this mysterious album,” Suzuki reflects, “which I think has its own kind of puzzle-like elements.”

A deep album of prayer and magic, of divination and ritual, Kagome Kagome’s sense of serious play, its rich beauty, feels somehow dislocated from our time. If you’ve ever enjoyed the music of Nico, Kendra Smith, Charalambides, or other channelers of ghostly mystery, its eerie otherness will, somehow, feel oddly familiar.

Feel Fly, the alias of Perugia-based producer Daniele Tomassini — a visionary force in Italy’s electronic music scene and co-founder of Afro Templum — debuts on Taste Rec with his new EP.
Titled Festina Lente — an old Latin saying that means "make haste slowly" — this release invites listeners to surrender to dance, movement, and the flow of energy in a timeless space, untouched by the idea of an ending. A space that feels magical.
The EP is sincere and atmospheric, moving through the artist’s deep musical roots: progressive rhythms, cosmic moods, and a touch of lightness drawn from Italian dance culture.

The A-side opens with the title track: spacious arpeggios and dreamy textures create a soundscape that invites you to get lost in the music — a tribute to the carefree spirit of the ’90s.Techla follows with a more minimal, introspective vibe. Its hypnotic bassline feels like a journey into the unknown.
The B-side starts with Somo, a bright and catchy track full of sunny melodies and feel-good energy, evoking Italo disco moods. Finally, Flusso Libero closes the EP with elegance and depth. It features a unique vocal sample that stands out in Feel Fly’s style, tying everything together with a nod to ’90s nostalgia.
This is a musical story that blends sacred, dreamy visions with raw rhythmic sequences and warm, synthesized basslines.
A futuristic soundtrack for an ancient ritual.

Es sind acht Jahre vergangen, seit Montreals The Barr Brothers ein Album veröffentlicht haben. In dieser Zeit hat das Leben sie - persönlich wie beruflich - in neue Richtungen geführt und ihre Art, gemeinsam Musik zu machen, verändert. Ihr viertes Studioalbum Let it Hiss ist nicht einfach nur eine neue Sammlung von Songs. Es ist ein Dokument der Transformation. Die Entstehung dieses Albums markierte einen Wendepunkt: eine Phase der Reflexion, eine Auseinandersetzung mit Verletzlichkeit und eine Wiederverbindung zwischen den beiden Brüdern, die seit über drei Jahrzehnten Seite an Seite Musik machen.,Im Jahr 2022 standen wir an einem Wendepunkt", sagt Brad Barr, Gitarrist, Sänger und Haupt-Songwriter der Band. ,Es war klar, dass sich etwas ändern musste. Die wahre Geschichte dieses Albums ist die Geschichte dieser Veränderung - und von allem, was danach kam.",Let it Hiss ist das, was passiert, wenn man aufhört, so zu tun, als wäre alles in Ordnung - und endlich wirklich hinhört", sagt Andrew.Das Album beginnt im Kleinen: eine winzige mexikanische Gitarre, der sanfte Puls eines Klaviers, ein minimalistischer Rhythmus - und eine Stimme, die sowohl Hingabe als auch Stärke vermittelt. ,Take it from me", singt Brad - nicht als Befehl, sondern als Geständnis. Schon ab diesem ersten Moment lädt das Album in einen Raum ein, in dem Makel nicht herausgeschnitten, sondern verstärkt und gefeiert werden. Es ist ein kraftvoller Einstieg in ein Album, das auf Ehrlichkeit, Wiederentdeckung und Vertrauen beruht.Für die Brüder wurde das Aufnehmen zu einem Spiegel. Der Prozess begann nicht mit Klang - er begann mit Wahrheit. Sie setzten sich nicht nur mit kreativen Blockaden auseinander, sondern auch mit persönlichen: alten Mustern, unausgesprochenen Spannungen, Trauer, Wachstum. Durch all das fanden sie wieder zu einem Rhythmus - nicht durch Perfektion, sondern durch Erlaubnis.Brad und Andrew machen schon Musik zusammen, seit sie Kinder sind - zuerst in der sich ständig wandelnden Rockband The Slip, später als The Barr Brothers, wo sie amerikanische Roots-Musik mit experimentellen Klangtexturen zu etwas ganz Eigenem verbanden. Ihr Ruf für musikalische Raffinesse und emotionale Tiefe brachte ihnen weltweit Fans - und Anerkennung von musikalischen Größen.Der Titel des Albums ist zugleich ein Leitbild. ,Es fühlte sich einfach richtig an", sagt Andrew. ,Das Rauschen drin zu lassen. Das Unbehagen, die Unvollkommenheit, den Kampf. Wir haben aufgehört, alles sauber machen zu wollen. Und genau da fing die Musik wieder an zu atmen. Und Spaß zu machen."Tatsächlich steht Let it Hiss stärker als frühere Alben der Barr Brothers für eine freudvolle Ungezwungenheit - hörbar etwa im Roadtrip-Hymnus "Run Right Into It" (mit Elizabeth Powell von Land of Talk) oder im verspielten Garagenband-Reggae von "She Doesn't Sleep With the Covers On". Doch das Album lässt die intime Erzählweise, die das Markenzeichen der Barr Brothers ist, keineswegs hinter sich: "English Harbour" ist eine wunderschöne Folk-Hymne, bereichert durch die Harmonien von Jim James (My Morning Jacket), während "Moonbeam" eine opulente Soul-Serenade mit Streichern ist - veredelt durch den frankophonen Gastgesang der quebecischen Artpop-Künstlerin Klô Pelgag.Die Songs auf Let it Hiss besitzen eine zeitlose Qualität - besonders spürbar in Stücken wie "Naturally", das leise an die Ära klassischer Songschreiber erinnert, in der Melodie und Botschaft untrennbar miteinander verbunden waren. Es ist Musik, die dem Hörer vertraut und sich nach und nach entfaltet - mit Arrangements, die Zurückhaltung und Ambition in Einklang bringen. Im Zentrum steht vielleicht der Song "Owning Up to Everyone", der den Geist des Albums im Kleinen einfängt. ,Dieser Song hat etwas in uns aufgebrochen", sagt Andrew. ,Er fühlte sich wie ein Durchbruch an."Doch all die musikalische Freiheit und emotionale Aufwühlung, die sich durch Let it Hiss zieht, bereitet nicht auf den letzten Song vor: "Upsetter", ein schweißgetränkter, punkgetriebener Rock'n'Soul-Explosion, gekrönt von einem absolut wahnsinnigen Gitarrensolo. Es ist schlicht der wildeste Song, den die Barrs je aufgenommen haben - ein Song, der die Let it Hiss-Philosophie so weit ins Rote treibt, dass er den VU-Meter fast sprengt. ,Ich dachte mir: ,Na ja, der wird es eh nicht aufs Album schaffen`, weil er vielleicht für viele unserer Hörer unerwartet kommt", gibt Brad zu. ,Aber ich glaube, unsere Hörer schätzen es, wenn wir einfach wir selbst sind - und dazu gehört eben auch sowas."Brad und Andrew produzierten Let it Hiss selbst, hauptsächlich zu zweit in ihrem Studio in Montreal. Um die rohe Direktheit und Komplexität des Albums einzufangen, arbeiteten sie mit Mix-Ingenieur Jon Low (The National, Taylor Swift, Bon Iver). Sie luden enge Freunde aus ihrer musikalischen Community ein, ihre Stimmen, Instrumente und Texturen beizusteuern, wenn es die Songs verlangten - Kollaborationen, die sich weniger wie Features, sondern mehr wie natürliche Erweiterungen der Musik anfühlen. Viele dieser Beziehungen entstanden über Jahre gemeinsamer Bühnen, langer Nächte im Studio und einer gemeinsamen Hingabe an das Handwerk. So ist Let it Hiss zugleich das persönlichste und das kollaborativste Album, das sie je gemacht haben.Let it Hiss will nichts auflösen - es will offenlegen. Es lädt die Hörer ein, genau hinzuhören - auf das Rauschen, das Gewicht, das Staunen. Während die Barr Brothers ihren Weg fortsetzen, ist eines klar: Sie haben einander wiedergefunden - und darüber auch ihre Musik.And the rest is hiss-tory

Returning to Curvature for his eagerly awaited second EP, Senses brings an impressively varied array of atmospheric jungle to the table, drawing from a multitude of influences across the musical spectrum with Convex Reflex.

A1 - Ratio
A break-laden intro lays the groundwork for a considered foray into the old-school - Senses flecking the mix liberally with synths and female vocal hits of yesteryear, before the welcome crunch of thunderous amens takes over. A cascade of rip-roaring edits
floods the track taking you on an epic ride through the ages, breaks chopped with riotous energy confirming this track as a perfect DJ tool for the dancefloor.

A2 - Sun Runner
Beautifully crisp drums open a DJ-friendly intro to Sun Runner, delightfully clear sounding with distinctive cymbals, a thick snare and subtle bongos. An airy soundscape soon washes into the mix with calming synths and flutes, creating a delicately jazzy blend of styles with soothing melodies contrasting perfectly with the breaks. More pronounced synthwork follows to spice things up as the bassline rumbles along below.

B1 - Spirit Vector
Dense atmospherics are the order of the day as Senses deploys Spirit Vector, opening with an array of synths and strings to create an intro reminiscent of Intense's work in the late 90's. Soon we are treated to a paradoxical assortment of heavy amens that work impeccably in the mix - thundering forth with pads soaring high and a heavy sub bass below. Various instrument samples litter the breakdown before a vocal sample declares "Yes". Yes indeed.

B2 - Still
Closing the EP in style, Still opens with sparse breaks, lightly building with extremely subtle apache breaks in the backdrop with sporadic keys and smooth pads. The drop arrives with warm, room-filling basslines and synths to elevate the atmosphere alongside luscious flute samples.Layers are added to the excellent breaks as Senses sprinkles instrument samples, keys and a classic female vocal, completing a joyous composition for Curvature.

Words by Chris Hayes (Spatial / Red Mist)

Debuting on Curvature with an impressively deep EP, Reviver delivers a sound that aligns perfectly with the core ethos of the Spatial family - incredible atmospherics and classic breakbeats.

A1 - Call From Space
Opening the EP we are treated to a DJ-friendly intro with thick breaks and crackly backdrops reminiscent of classic sci-fi movies with a slightly oppressive aura. A tapestry of melodies created from intertwining synths and samples follows, as Reviver tells a story of intrigue and redemption through this wonderful medium - a
stunning, rousing melody soon develops and elevates things to otherworldly levels for the latter stages. Quite simply, you've got to hear this.

A2 - Way Of Paradox
Old-school, finely edited breaks open a DJ-friendly intro to Way Of Paradox, a track which quickly builds a darkly suspenseful vibe through synths and pads, rising and swirling across the soundscape with mystique and a sullen vigor, before a mournfully intense earworm melody joins the proceedings. The atmosphere builds and envelops the listener like gathering storm clouds leaving this one etched firmly in the memory.

B1 - Define Or Destroy
Strap in as there is no let up with the intensity - Reviver unleashes Define or Destroy which sees that classic amen break deftly programmed with a variety of filtering and editing techniques on show, while sumptuous operatic female vocals add further depth along with melodic keys. This track rolls and rolls with the best of
them as you appreciate the subtleties of Reviver's varied edits with each listen.

B2 - Journey Alone
Generating an immediate sense of unease straight out of The X Files with delicate pads and synths, Reviver closes the EP in style, serving up a track dripping with atmosphere and intrigue. A wonderfully old-school breakbeat drives proceedings along with sparse kicks and excitable snares, patterns filtered to perfection with swirling micro melodies adding layer upon layer to an already impressive piece. A fitting end to an incredibly intense EP.

We're proud to present our third vinyl release, showcasing one of the rising talents in the contemporary electronic music scene.
M.I.T.A. lands on Chapeau Music with a 4-track EP that moves between straight grooves and refined sampling work.

The title track, 'Money Driven', goes straight to the point: groove, cadence, and a punchy vocal, essential elements finely designed to lock the dancefloor into motion. The A-side is completed by a sharp and highly functional remix by Elisa Bee.

Flipping the record, 'My Love' delivers a filtered, groove-heavy anthem, radiating a rush of joy while maintaining a tight, practical structure.
Closing the record, 'Movie Scene' finds M.I.T.A. at his creative freedom peak, where delicate melodic fragments and high-pitched vocals float above the groove, perfectly balancing the rhythm.

For over 11 years, Nowadays Records has been shaping the French electronic music scene with boundless energy and total artistic freedom. Much more than a label, Nowadays is a big musical family where every release, meeting and event becomes a real celebration. With over a hundred albums and nearly a thousand titles to its credit, Nowadays Records embodies musical diversity across a variety of genres: abstract hip-hop, house, electronica and alternative pop.



It's in this festive spirit that the Club Nowadays project is born, a true embodiment of the collective's vision. Through its club compilations and evenings featuring label artists and outside guests.



Today, the label continues to chart its course with the release of Club Nowadays Vol. 6, a new opus in its series of compilations, which fully embodies its vision of club music. This sixth volume brings together emblematic figures of the label and emerging artists around the following dance tracks.



Don't Lie, the first single from the compilation, is a heartfelt track born of a broken heart, but turned towards the light. Mira Ló composed this track as an act of resilience, following a break-up in love. She transforms her pain into positive energy, hoping that everyone can recognize themselves in it and find a little sweetness to soothe their own grief.



R1D1 brings together his groovy house and garage influences to create the track Marsupilami around a hand-crafted synth, sharp drums and deep bass. Influenced by hip-hop beatmaking, he incorporates vocals from radio and interviews, transformed into rhythmic elements. The name, a nod to the famous character, comes naturally through the sampled “houba houba”. Between offbeat textures and assertive groove, the track embodies R1D1's singular, hybrid universe.



OOGO & Blanka, two pioneers of the label, offer us Phô Real, a hybrid track between soulful deep house and hip-hop groove, mixing organic and digital textures. A track to get the dancefloor moving, with a delicious nod to La Fine Équipe's culinary universe.



With Tracksuit & Loafers, Yambow creates a bridge between groovy French Touch elegance and the effervescent energy of UK house, in the tradition of producers like Salute and Oppidan. The track is conceived like an acid cocktail: funky, euphoric and dancefloor-friendly. The title is a nod to cultural contrasts - between English tracksuits and French loafers - which translate into a musical interplay between sophistication and fervor.



Finally, Laaanky, the Parisian producer, breaks codes and gives free rein to his passion for raw sound, efficiency and groove on the track Bloom. Between textured house, dub echoes and Afro-tinged post-dubstep rhythms, he explores a danceable, minimalist and percussive electronica. Less is more.

Im Sommer 1968 traf sich der 18-jährige Genesis P-Orridge (damals Neil Andrew Megson) mit Freunden in einem bescheidenen Dachgeschoss, um mit Klängen zu experimentieren. Das Ergebnis war "Early Worm", eine Sammlung von Aufnahmen, die die aufkeimende Kreativität eines Künstlers einfing, der später eine Schlüsselfigur der Avantgarde-Musik werden sollte. Diese Sessions, die 1969 auf ein einziges Acetat gepresst wurden, zeigen eine furchtlose Erforschung von Geräuschen, Improvisationen und Tonbandexperimenten, die Einflüsse von Psychedelia, Fluxus, John Cage und Beatnik Bohemia widerspiegeln. "Early Worm" ist ein Zeugnis für P-Orridges frühes Engagement, musikalische Grenzen zu überschreiten. Die rohen und ungefilterten Klanglandschaften des Albums bieten dem Hörer einen seltenen Einblick in die Gründungsmomente, die schließlich zur Gründung von COUM Transmissions, Throbbing Gristle und Psychic TV führen sollten. Remastered und in einer limitierten Vinyl-Pressung, mit Linernotes geschrieben von Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, die den Zeitgeist des UK Undergrounds der späten 60er Jahre in Erinnerung rufen. "If nothing else, (Early Worm) revealed that P-Orridge's approach to music was defiantly left-field from the start: noise, improvisations and tape experiments that sounded a little like a more chaotic version psychedelic folkies the Incredible String Band." . The Guardian

Thierry Wolf und Frédéric Lai (Sohn des Komponisten) wählten rund zehn DJs aus, darunter bekannte Vertreter der French Touch-Szene, die für Sammlungen wie Hôtel Costes bekannt sind. Diese Künstler wurden mit der Aufgabe betraut, die Werke von Francis Lai neu zu interpretieren. Die DJs, die oft weniger bekannte Stücke auswählten, überraschen mit persönlichen Entscheidungen. So wählte Play Paul (Bruder von Guy-Manuel von Daft Punk) „Robert & Robert“, da es das letzte Stück war, das er mit seinem Vater hörte. Auch Philippe Cohen Solal von Gotan Project wählte „L’Amour est bien plus fort que nous“ als Epigraph auf dem Grabstein seiner Eltern.

Dieses Projekt verbindet musikalisches Erbe, Emotion und Innovation. Durch die Remixe erhält die Musik von Francis Lai eine frische Perspektive, während gleichzeitig seinem Pioniergeist gehuldigt wird.

Young Gun Silver Fox are the captains of AM Waves, setting sail towards an isle where melodies soak the shoreline and grooves sway like palm trees. Their route traces a natural progression fromWest End Coast, an album that cast Andy Platts (Young Gun) and Shawn Lee (Silver Fox) as musical virtuosos of SoCal-infused pop. AM Waves does more than duplicate the perfection of West End Coast. It improves it.

Recorded at The Shop in London and Roffey Hall in the English countryside, AM Waves burnishes the blend between the duo's modern aesthetic and their sumptuously crafted homage to '70s-styled pop, rock, and soul. "This music hits a certain spot for me personally that nothing else quite does," says Shawn, who produced the album amidst his projects for Saint Etienne, Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra, and several other acts. "It's real high-caliber music. It's easy and breezy to listen to but it's really hard to make. Every aspect is A game."

The A game behind AM Waves fuels 43 minutes of Young Gun Silver Fox in peak form. "AM Waves is much more instinctive," says Andy, whose penchant for writing irresistible hooks and melodies also shapes his role as lead singer and lyricist/composer for the band Mamas Gun. "It's more vivid. You can see the clarity to the colors of AM Waves whereas West End Coast is slightly more impressionist, as it were."

Originally issued as a single in September 2017, "Midnight in Richmond" is the anchor of AM Waves. "I hit one chord, which I'd never played before, and the song sort of wrote itself," notes Shawn. "It was intuitive. In many ways, the primary function of what I'm doing is trying to find that chord that opens a door and takes you someplace else. Those chords have magic." Andy embellishes the song's appeal by nimbly juxtaposing wistful emotions with a sun-kissed melody, his voice evoking richly drawn memories. The qualities that make "Midnight in Richmond" an instant classic abound throughout the album.

"Lenny" and "Take It or Leave It" spotlight Andy's versatility as a songwriter. The former was inspired by a dream he had where Lenny Kravitz owned a bar. "It was surreal," he says. "He was polishing the glasses and just serving me hit after hit." Like swimming through moonshine, Andy languorously savors every syllable in the song. "Take It or Leave It" is pure pop bliss. "That was one of those songs that fell out in half an hour," he says. "I had everything and it was done." Shawn adds, "It's such a perfect song in itself. When I listen to it, it's like you've created a record that already existed."

Young Gun Silver Fox introduce a five-piece horn section on "Underdog" that literally trumpets the song's protagonist. Shawn affectionately dubbed them the "Seaweed Horns" in honor of the Seawind Horns, an LA-based unit that recorded with powerhouses like Michael Jackson,Rufus & Chaka Khan,and Earth, Wind & Fire during the late-'70s. Andy explains, "The horns grab another hue of the west coast sound, which is the starting point, but it's also maybe the point where we're injecting a little bit more of ourselves and some outside colors into the familiar west coast palette."

A bounty of treasures course through AM Waves' ebb and flow. "Mojo Rising," which the duo penned with Rob Johnson, is a veritable retreat to paradise. "Sky-bound, heaven sent / Way above the clouds watching shootingstars descend," Andy sings, mirroring the music's celestial undertones. Sensuality contours the notes on "Just a Man," a song that basks in the allure of a woman who leaves "footprints on the water" while "Love Guarantee" is festooned with the Seaweed Horns. "I wanted to bring more of that R&B slickness into the mix," Shawn notes about the latter track. "We hadn't done a tune with that sort of groove." Similar to his work on "Underdog," Nichol Thomson's intricate horn arrangement on "LoveGuarantee"exemplifies another distinction between AM Waves and its predecessor.

"Caroline" occupies a special place on AM Waves, beyond spawning the album title. It tells the story of Radio Caroline, a pirate radio station that broadcast from an offshore vessel during the '60s and '70s. "They played the music that kids wanted to hear, whether it was the old stuff or cutting edge stuff," says Andy. "'Caroline' is about Radio Caroline's eventual capture." Complementing Andy Platts' deft wordplay, which draws parallels between radio airwaves and the station's literal home on the ocean, Shawn Lee layers nearly a dozen different parts on "Caroline," showcasing the vastness of his musicality. "I loved that track as soon as I heard it," Andy continues. "It's a beautiful fusion of me and Shawn."

The Seaweed Horns joinYoung Gun Silver Foxas they detour to the dance floor on "Kingston Boogie." Shawn explains the track's genesis, "I was thinking, what have we not done yet We definitely should get an AOR disco thing happening. I quite like disco. The beat is so metronomic that it allows you to be really sophisticated on top. 'Kingston Boogie' just laid itself out. I call it 'midnight disco.'" With a nod to "Lenny," Andy Platts sets "Kingston Boogie" back at Lenny's Bar, this time revealing a detail or two about its mysterious proprietor as he pours sweet wine and moonshine.

In a sense, AM Waves ends with the beginning. Even before there was Young Gun Silver Fox, there was "Lolita," the first song Andy Platts and Shawn Lee wrote together and a crowd-pleasing staple of the duo's live sets. The tale of a femme fatale who harbors a secret was recorded for West End Coast but instead furnished the B-side to "Long Way Back" as well as a bonus track on the North American edition of the album. Despite the song's checkered trajectory, its infectious chorus sparked the brighter, more buoyant orientation of AM Waves.

Like the moon pulling the tide, Young Gun Silver Fox are a magnet for good songs. "We're both so obsessed and constantly interested in music-making," says Andy. "We're both thinking about it all the time. When you know you have an accomplice with you that's the same as you, it's very liberating. Suddenly, worlds of color start to appear." Indeed, AM Waves is elemental in its power to induce pleasure. Dive right in.

Christian John Wikane

(New York City / February 2018)

"The twentieth Altered Circuits entry comes courtesy of Attack & Disperse, the moniker Cooper runs in parallel with his Reflex Blue project. It focuses on darker, deeper moods, with a hardware-based, imperfection-embracing approach--and sits on the axis of electro, Detroit techno, and progressive. DiscoNnect revolves around a murky, slightly unstable bass with strong sub presence and a thickly accented vocal sample. Distorted synth brass interludes enable the bare-bones sections to punch as hard as they do. Higher Places works with the same energy, but channels it in a bolder way thanks to its snappy palette. The tune is indebted to the after hours, yet carries enough crossover appeal to set off any club setting. On Power Of Overthink the current shifts somewhat toward the effervescent. Its flanged square lead is surrounded by fidgetty arps and acid squelches, and feels sturdy enough to carry a dozen tracks' weight. Closer Beat from E is a composition of IDM-inspired drum patterns laced with a brash mixture of samples - pitched-down vocals, vocoders, and scratch salvos all make their way in - and propelled by a fat MS20-type bass. Cooper has been on a steady tear with his sleekly balanced, club-oriented releases, and we are delighted he's now joined our catalog with The Second Contact EP."

Two of Lamp's masterpieces will be released on vinyl at the same time! Two of Lamp's masterpieces from the 2010s, "Tokyo Utopia Tsuushin" and "Yume",
will be reissued on vinyl! After becoming a viral hit on TikTok in the 2020s, Lamp now has over 2.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
In addition to his deep-rooted popularity in Asia (China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Korea, Indonesia, etc.), he was selected as a support act for Mitski last year
and accompanied them on their North American tour. At the same time, his solo tour "FUTURE BEHIND ME" North America 2024, which visited 17 locations
in North America, was all sold out. This summer's solo show at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA was also sold out immediately, and Lamp's two masterpieces,
which are currently gaining worldwide acclaim, will be released on vinyl at the same time!

This is the sixth album by Lamp, a mixed-gender trio that has inherited the Japanese pop music of each era and sublimated it into new pop music by sprinkling
elements of 70's pop and Brazilian music throughout.
This album depicts the mental landscape of a man and woman passing each other in a certain place in a city.
It suddenly reminds us of the cold and warmth of winter, a nostalgic feeling that everyone has experienced at least once.
The jacket features many illustrations by Suzuki Oji, who was active in the manga magazine "Garo," which had a great influence on young artists in the 70s and
produced many geniuses in the manga world, and is known for his representative work "Motorcycle Girl."
The unique, fantastical illustrations resonate with Lamp's music to create a fantastical world.

Following their eponymous debut album and the vertiginous Everest, Rue des Garderies continue their semi-narcotic explorations with Jiddu.


Around a stretched, distorted sample, a 16-minute improvisation recorded on a summer's night, interacting with their immediate environment: truncated discussions, laughter, noises of joy, silences, love...


The whole piece seems to exist in an unknown zone of our psyche - unknown until then, but which was obvious at the time: an automatic writing done in total freedom, reminiscent of trip-hop and abstract electronic from the 90s.
Was it a dream?


On the b-side; a drawing by French artist Rebecca Bournigault is etched.

INTEMPORARY AND INDETRONABLE FRENCH COLD WAVE CLASSIC in a SPECIAL EDITION to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this mythical album.



This edition includes a 45T with 2 previously unreleased tracks, available nowhere else.



Thierry Müller, who initiated the RUTH project, is not at his first try when the album POLAROÏD/ROMAN/PHOTO including the eponymous track is released in 1985. His older brother Patrick along with one of their cousins make his musical education and he quickly becomes familiar with contemporary and experimental music. He starts quite early to tinker sounds on old tape recorders by himself but it is in 1977 that Thierry launches with some friends his first group, ARCANE, while studying at the School of Applied Arts. Their sound is weird, a mixture of saturated scratches and feedback tapes: there is no discographic or scenic testimony of this experience.



Alongside ARCANE, Thierry is already working solo on his ILITCH project / concept, an experimental and innovative work, whose first album Periodmindtrouble is released in 1978 on the Oxigène label. Despite insubstantial sales, this album brings Thierry recognition and success in the very elitist circles of experimental and underground music.



ILITCH’s musical bias was too narrow for Thierry’s ceaseless experimental curiosity, parallel to these activities, he therefore develops a Punk project called RUTH ELLYERI with the author, actress and photographer Murielle Huster. The title is an anagram of Thierry Müller (the complete name is Ruth M. Ellyeri). The character is meant to impersonate one of his schizophrenic facets and allows him to extend his field of expressions to musical styles differing from those in ILITCH.

From this work, the very cult punk piece Mescalito emerges, song that can be found on the mythical but unfortunately very rare compilation 125g de 33 1/3 tours (1979) of the Oxigène label (first “french punk” sampler). At the end of 1978, he meets Philippe Doray at the Oxigene office. Doray is another big name of French experimental music. Thierry moves to his home near Rouen, a remote farmhouse with a music studio made of odds and ends.



They work on their respective creations but meet from time to time on experimentations in common, including CRASH (a tribute to JG Ballard) As early as 1982, a first version of the track Polaroïd/Roman/Photo is out under the name of the project RUTH. “I wanted to write a piece to make the girls dance and make fun of the boys. I plugged a small handmade clock on my Farfisa organ as a sequencer. I had a small Roland synth-guitar, I put the organ in it and that’s how it started.” Philippe is quite amused by the idea of working on a more Pop project and offers to write the text. Thierry works on other tracks for the future LP and asks some friends to write other texts : Edouard Nono, visual artist, writes the lyrics of Mots, Frédérique Lapierre those of Misty Mouse and Tu m’ennuies . It is her voice you hear on these 2 tracks and on the first version of Polaroïd/Roman/Photo. Later, Thierry settles down in the Anagramme recording studio to carry out acoustic sound recordings. But when the sessions are over, the 2 musicians are not too happy with the results of Polaroïd/Roman/Photo: according to them, they lack “flamboyance”. They decide then to record a new female voice with a professional singer and the sound engeneer Patrick Chevalot offers to mix the track in the Synthesis studio “so that it blows out”.



With his tape ready and the help of Jacques Pasquier (S.C.O.P.A. / Invisible records where Ilitch’s second album, 10 Suicides, is released) he starts to contact record companies. “I visited almost all the major record companies and was thrown out every time. Only at RCA’s I found someone interested in my music. It was Francis Fottorino who had signed Kas Product but when it reached the the big boss, no way! Philippe Constantin from Virgin records raised some hope but in vain.



The album was finally released in 1985 with Paris Album, a small independant label.” The album barely sells 50 copies in 1985, despite the eponymous title as a potential success. « In 2004, 2 DJs Marc Colin and Ivan Smagghe discover the track Polaroïd/Roman/Photo and decide to exhume it from oblvion. They release it on a compilation called So Young but so cold (Tigersushi) and then with Born Bad records on the BIPPP compilation in 2008. Thanks to them, the track and the album start a new life.



Alongside his activity as graphic designer, Thierry Müller carries on producing music under his name, those of ILITCH and RUTH for his own creations and various collaborations.

Das selbstbetitelte Album von Ava Luna markiert eine fundierte und introspektive Entwicklung für das Quartett aus Brooklyn. Die Band, die nun aus Carlos Hernandez, Julian Fader, Ethan Bassford und Felicia Douglass besteht, kehrt nach einer längeren Pause mit einem reduzierten Sound zurück, der sich auf Schlagzeug, Bass und zwei Gesangsstimmen konzentriert. Dieser Back-to-Basics-Ansatz, eine Abkehr vom ,kosmischen" Gefühl ihres Vorgängeralbums ,Moon 2", hat seine Wurzeln in gemeinsamen Erfahrungen in NYC und den Rhythmen des Alltags. Themen wie Erschöpfung, Gemeinschaft und fragile Freude tauchen in Songs wie ,Lasting Impression" über die Arbeitsmüdigkeit und ,Math Money Job", einem spielerischen Gesang über Wiedersehen und Verkörperung, auf. Julians Schlagzeug und Ethans Bass Themen wie Erschöpfung, Gemeinschaft und prekäre Freude tauchen in Tracks wie ,Lasting Impression" über Arbeitsmüdigkeit und ,Math Money Job", einem verspielten Gesang über Wiedersehen und Verkörperung, auf. Julians Schlagzeug und Ethans Bass treiben das Album an, das teilweise vom rohen Sampling-Stil von Soul Coughing inspiriert ist, der in Tracks wie ,Frame of Us" zu hören ist. Gesanglich bewegen sich Carlos und Felicia wie eine Einheit - sie verschmelzen, harmonieren und fragmentieren mit Absicht, besonders in ,Archive". Obwohl im Kern minimalistisch, ist der Sound des Albums üppig und strukturiert, angereichert durch Congas von Reggae-Legende Larry McDonald, Klavier, Samples und Gitarren-Noise. Songs wie ,Social Diving" und ,My Walk" spiegeln persönliche und urbane Geschichten wider, während ,Your Man" und ,Fancy" von Widerstandsfähigkeit und Würde erzählen. Das Ergebnis ist Ava Luna in ihrer ehrlichsten und raffiniertesten Form - ein Porträt von NYC und einer Band, die sich noch immer weiterentwickelt und nichts von ihrer Dringlichkeit eingebüßt hat.

Repress!

Biosphere is the main recording name of Geir Jenssen (born 30 May 1962), a Norwegian musician who has released a notable catalogue of ambient electronic music. He is well known for his works on ambient techno and arctic themed pieces, his use of music loops, and peculiar samples from sci-fi sources. His 1997 album Substrata was voted by the users of the Hyperreal website in 2001 as the best all-time classic ambient album.



Cirque - originally released in 2000 - was Biosphere's first album for the UK label Touch. This new re-issue comes with a 6-track bonus album and new artwork.



Mojo (UK): Fourth full album from ambient pioneer. Coming to prominence with 1992's Microgravity - which along with the first couple of Aphex/Polygon Window CDs, defined the genre ambient - Geir Jenssen as Biosphere has made three of the '90s' best albums, culminating with last year's near beatless Substrata. The idea - as it always was thanks to Eno's On Land - is music as environment (reflecting, creating): working from his base in Tromso, Arctic Norway, Jenssen offers a polar, Apollonian exploration of the human psyche. Cirque is a perfectly constructed 47-minute sequence: cold clarity up against real depth of field, synth cycles dissolving into sudden moments of sonic revelation that sound like a waking dream - try the first 20 seconds of Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. (And if you think that's pretentious - your loss). Inspired by the story of a young American, Chris McCandless, who walked alone into the Alaskan wilderness and perished, Cirque balances the tightrope between warmth and unease, resolving into a moon melody that leaves you a peace. What a good record! Jon Savage.

Amonita, the ethereal musician known for her enchanting compositions and captivating live performances, is set to release her latest body of work, the Rainbow EP, under Lee Burridge’s esteemed record label All Day I Dream.

Since her debut in 2017, Amonita has been on a steadfast mission to craft iconic melodies that resonate deeply with listeners, evoking emotions that linger long after the music fades. She seamlessly blends live instrumentation with electronic elements, creating an immersive sonic experience that transports audiences to a world of serenity and wonder. Amonita is no stranger to All Day I Dream; In addition to her Secret of Happiness EP in 2019 and Aura EP in 2021, Amonita has contributed tracks on two A Winter Samplercompilations, and was featured on Gorje Hewek’s 2021 Collages album released on the label.

Drawing inspiration from her time spent in Turkey surrounded by nature, Amonita infuses the Rainbow EP with the essence of the awe-inspiring beauty she experienced: sun-kissed landscapes, tranquil seas, and the vibrant hues of a majestic rainbow. Her music speaks to the hearts of true dreamers – those who believe in love, walk barefoot in the rain, watch sunsets, admire the stars, and are impressed by the mystery and beauty of the moon.

In her own words, Amonita shares, "No matter how difficult your path through storms and thunder is, after that you will see a rainbow!"
This sentiment encapsulates the overarching theme of resilience and hope that resonates throughout the EP, serving as a beacon of light in challenging times. The Rainbow EP is a testament to Amonita's boundless creativity and passion for storytelling through music. From the shimmering melodies of title track ‘Rainbow’ to the hypnotic rhythms of ‘Amulet’ to the dark and mysterious ‘Moon Dust’, each track invites listeners on a transcendent voyage of discovery.

Prepare to be spellbound as Amonita unveils the Rainbow EP on March 29th. Experience the magic for yourself and let the music transport you to a world where you can dream while awake and rainbows reign supreme.

Lilya Mandre makes her Crosstown Rebels debut with her emotive three-tracker, ‘Exi(s)t’. Out on 10th October 2025, the Casablancan artist unveils two originals, including a collaboration with Zac Martel and Jono McCleery, backed by a remix from Haitian star Francis Mercier. Marking her first appearance on Damian Lazarus’ iconic Crosstown Rebels imprint, Moroccan-born artist Lilya Mandre steps into the spotlight with ‘Exi(s)t’. Landing on 10th October, the EP pairs her expressive, melodic style with a striking vocal feature from UK-based singer-songwriter Jono McCleery and a collaboration with Montreal’s Zac Martel, completed by a stellar remix from Haitian heavyweight Francis Mercier.An ascending name in the global electronic sphere, Lilya Mandre channels her Casablanca roots into a sound that balances deep, minimal-leaning grooves with raw emotional weight. Her magnetic presence has already taken her to stages such as Hï Ibiza, where she joined Crosstown head honcho Lazarus for his summer residency, plus the likes of Moga Festival, La Clairière Paris, and Picnik Electronik, while recent releases on Mind of A Genius, IN/ROTATION and Madorasindahouse continue to position her as one of the scene’s most exciting breakthrough candidates. With ‘Exi(s)t’, she brings this same captivating energy into the studio, weaving powerful collaborations and evocative solo work into a release that captures her artistry in full.

Opening track ‘A Part Of Your Soul’, crafted alongside. Canadian producer Zac Martel (Madorasindahouse), sees Lilya also link up with acclaimed English singer-songwriter Jono McCleery (Ninja Tune), whose delicate and soulful vocals glide over rich synth work and fluid percussion to deliver a stirring and cinematic cut. Deep Roots founder Francis Mercier then steps in on remix duties, injecting his signature blend of worldly percussion and driving energy to transform the original into a hypnotic, club-ready anthem. Closing the package, ‘Malou’ takes things deeper as Lilya steps out solo, layering subtle melodies and textural flourishes for a track that’s both restrained and emotionally resonant. With its balance of expressive collaborations and immersive solo work, ‘Exi(s)t’ sets a compelling tone and brings an impressive debut to Crosstown Rebels, showcasing her ability to craft moments that resonate both on the dance floor and beyond.

Having worked together on his 2024 album Colours & Light, Project Gemini aka Paul Osborne joins forces once again with Wendy Martinez, French singer and composer, and also part of renowned psych-girl group Gloria on a new collaborative EP. Landing on Mr Bongo, ‘Time Stands Still / Le temps s'arrête’ is a sonic exploration that shows a shared love of the progressive music emanating out of France in the ‘60s and ‘70s and the celebrated film soundtrack composers of the time. A more melodic and romantic excursion than Paul’s previous recordings, this EP marries his richly textured, cinematic psych rock with Martinez’s captivating vocal presence.

A body of work born during the period Paul was finishing up his last LP Colours & Light, he penned an album’s worth of instrumental library-style music and had the idea of having Wendy add vocals and lyrics to a selection of them. The instrumental record got scrapped, but thankfully ‘Time Stands Still’ grew out of it.

Paul was a fan of Wendy’s work as both a solo artist and in the band Gloria, and her inclusion on the Project Gemini tracks ‘Entre chien et loup’ & ‘Extra Nuit’ showed a clear synergy to their musical approaches and sounds. For ‘Time Stands Still’ he sent over instrumental tracks one by one, with Wendy taking time to find melodies and French poetry she was happy with and returning her ideas from her home just outside of Lyon.

Drawing inspiration from French soundtrack composers such as François de Roubaix, Frances Lai and Michel Colombier, as well as French female artists including Léonie and Laurence Vanay, these productions are a contemporary love letter to this sound, not a homage. Mixing psych, folk, chanson, and French new wave, it’s music that pulls you in deeper, with groove, grit and passion at its core.

'Je n'ai plus peur' kicks things off with a sultry energy. It’s a psych-funk production drenched in attitude, swagger, and edge, which nods to the left-field side of Serge Gainsbourg’s music. Elsewhere, 'Âme contre âme' feels like the opener from a forgotten new-wave film, managing to be at both beautiful yet sinister and longing. 'The Crawler' could be incidental music from the same film, with Wendy using her voice as an instrument layering the backing track as Paul's bass takes centre stage. The ghostly spoken word of 'Ce qui est intact' echoes a funky version of what the Théâtre du Chêne Noir d'Avignon may have recorded.

A transportive journey ‘Time Stands Still’ is nostalgic yet new in the same smoke-filled breath. Fuzzed-up guitars and driving basslines meld with folk-leaning organs and mellotron vibrations to give that eerie, otherworldly edge. All of which are seasoned by the sensuous, layered vocal tones of Wendy Martinez, alongside crisp drums from Tony Coote and considered percussive touches by Paul Elliot.

Domino Records celebrate the 20th anniversary ofFranz Ferdinand’s seminal sophomore album ‘YouCould Have It So Much Better’ with a specialedition coloured vinyl 2025 remaster.
Undeterred by any notion of a second albumslump, the record picked up where their debut leftoff and featured now classic tracks like ‘Do YouWant To’, ‘Eleanor Put Your Boots On’ and ‘WalkAway’.
This is pop music at its finest, drawing you in, butchallenging you at the same time.
Orange vinyl LP with printed inners and digitaldownload code.

Italian producer, musician, DJ, and groove architect Sam Ruffillo drops his long-awaited debut album Tipo Così on Toy Tonics – a sun-drenched, genre-blurring statement that blends classic house with Mediterranean flair, romantic funk, and tongue-in-cheek Italo vibes. Over 11 expertly crafted tracks, Ruffillo delivers a dancefloor-ready, emotionally rich LP that connects deep musicality with irresistible rhythm and light-hearted elegance.

After three acclaimed EPs and collaborations with revered artists such as Barbara Boeing, Kapote, and Fimiani, Ruffillo has firmly cemented himself as a core artist on the Berlin-based label. Known for his unmistakable signature sound — a warm mix of vintage disco, 90s house, and Italian vocals — Sam’s music has garnered widespread DJ support from tastemakers like Gerd Janson, Palms Trax, Seth Troxler, and DJ Tennis, while becoming a staple on Italian airwaves. His infectious summer anthems like Danza Organica and Perfetta Così have soundtracked countless club nights and festivals, creating a loyal following that eagerly awaited this full-length debut.

Tipo Così is the natural culmination of a musical journey that’s both playful and profound — a travel diary written in grooves, synth stabs, and melodies that feel like postcards from a parallel Mediterranean universe. The album expands and deepens Ruffillo’s world into a fully immersive experience: lush emotional chords meet tight syncopated grooves, vintage synth textures collide with irresistibly catchy pop refrains, and the boundary between sincerity and playful irony is exquisitely blurred.

Entirely written, produced, and recorded in Italy, in his beloved hometown of Bologna, the album finds Ruffillo at the helm on keys, drum machines, and production, supported by a talented cast of musicians contributing live bass, guitar, and other organic elements — further enriching his trademark fusion of electronic grooves and natural instrumentation. There’s a tactile warmth in these tracks, a hands-on feel that adds soul and depth to every beat.

This album also marks Ruffillo’s heartfelt return to singing in Italian, with standout tracks like House Tipo Così, Mi Fa Volare, Ancora, and Dentro Di Me, where romantic naïveté meets pulsing club energy in a way that feels both timeless and refreshingly new. The vocal performances add an intimate, human touch to the music, reinforcing the personal stories woven into each song. There’s poetry in the casual, a bittersweet elegance in the way the lyrics float over groove-heavy production.

Having toured extensively across Europe, Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Mexico — with sets at iconic venues like Panorama Bar and festivals such as Sónar Barcelona — Ruffillo has fine-tuned much of this album in front of live audiences. The real-world testing ground infused the record with a dynamic energy and immediacy that only comes from genuine crowd interaction. These songs weren’t just made in the studio — they were lived on dancefloors around the world.

Tipo Così is not just a collection of tracks. It’s a philosophy — playful, stylish and unmistakably personal. A modern club album bursting with heartfelt emotion and sophistication. Music for dancers with taste; for lovers of beauty, rhythm, and the little imperfections that make things feel real.

But what exactly is Tipo Così? More than just a phrase, it’s a way of being. It’s about embracing elegance without effort, mixing irony with sincerity, and letting nostalgia slip into the room without taking over the party. It’s Sam Ruffillo’s signature language: relaxed, confident, meticulous yet never rigid — where a chord progression can say as much as a lyric, and every beat carries intention.

The album’s visual identity complements this vision perfectly. The artwork and promotional materials lovingly reference Italian design from the ’80s and ’90s, combining bold graphic elements with playful pop culture nods. This aesthetic mirrors Ruffillo’s music — a fusion of vintage warmth and contemporary freshness, delivered with authenticity and charm.

Sam Ruffillo belongs to a new generation of European artists who are reshaping electronic music by blending past and present, analog and digital, groove and emotion — without nostalgia or pose. His artistic universe is coherent, vibrant, and alive; a rich tapestry of sound, images, and stories that coexist with lightness, precision, and a distinctive voice.

Reflecting on his artistic journey, Sam describes music as a vital, deeply human impulse — a tribal connection to rhythm and body that has driven him since he was a teenager. His creative process balances meticulous planning with room for spontaneity, usually sparked by clear melodic ideas that evolve naturally. Collaborations with close friends, especially vocalists like Ninfa, add warmth and authenticity, exemplified in tracks like “House Tipo Così.” For Sam, music is honest self-expression — crafted for listeners who crave memorable melodies and rhythms imbued with genuine feeling.

While technical perfection is tempting, Sam prioritizes emotion, knowing that what truly resonates is the soul behind the sounds. His long-standing partnership with Toy Tonics has been key in nurturing his vision, offering a blend of creative freedom and professional support. Looking ahead, Sam Ruffillo is excited to broaden his live performances, and release new projects that continue to blend electronic grooves with organic, heartfelt sounds — maintaining the delicate balance between playful irony and sincere emotion that defines Tipo Così.




Kurzversion:
Italian DJ, producer and musician Sam Ruffillo drops his debut album Tipo Così on Toy Tonics - a sunny blend of house, funk, Italo and pop, full of groove and emotion. Written and recorded in Bologna with live instruments and Italian vocals, it’s a playful, elegant journey shaped on dancefloors worldwide. A stylish, sincere club album where nostalgia, irony and rhythm meet in perfect harmony.

- Mi Fa Volare
Road-tested across continents and now finally released, “Mi Fa Volare” channels 90s uplifting euphoria with big breakbeats, lush chords, and Italian vocals built to stick. Somewhere between balearic bliss and piano house nostalgia, it’s a feel-good club weapon made for peak-time moments - already sung back by crowds after just one listen.


- Ancora
“Ancora” is a vibrant hi-NRG track inspired by 80s Italo disco, sung entirely in Italian. It blends driving rhythms with dreamy melodies, capturing the radiant spirit of the decade. This fresh yet nostalgic song delivers euphoric vibes and timeless energy, making it a perfect fit for both dancefloors and reflective listening moments worldwide.


- Dentro Di Me
“Dentro Di Me” channels ‘90s sensuality through a fast-paced, UK house-inspired lens. Entirely in Italian, it’s a bold and contemporary dance track where hypnotic vocals meet high-energy grooves. Blending nostalgic textures with forward-thinking production, the result is a seductive and euphoric trip - equal parts emotional and club-ready.


- Amigo
“Amigo” blends Latin groove, acoustic guitar-driven rhythm, and Mediterranean flair into a warm, magnetic, cross-cultural dance anthem. Sung in Spanish and Italian, it celebrates connection, inclusivity, and the joy of moving together - whether stranger or friend. With its unstoppable rhythm and vibrant energy, it’s a feel-good track with a unifying spirit.


- Ma Sei Fuori
“Ma Sei Fuori” is a tongue-in-cheek dancefloor bomb blending raw house energy with catchy vocal phrases and a nod to classic French touch. Driven by hypnotic vocal lines and a playful attitude, it doesn’t take itself too seriously - while still proving serious club impact. Built for late-night moments, it’s bold, bouncy, and impossible to ignore.

Veronica Electronica, eine acht Tracks umfassende Begleitung zu Ray of Light, wurde ursprünglich 1998 von Madonna als Remix-Album konzipiert. Das Projekt wurde jedoch durch den überwältigenden Erfolg des Original-Albums und die zahlreichen Hit-Singles, die über ein Jahr lang im Fokus des Interesses standen, zurückgestellt. Ray of Light verkaufte sich weltweit über 16 Millionen Mal und brachte Madonna vier GRAMMY® Awards ein, darunter den für das beste Pop-Album. Mehr als 25 Jahre später wird dieses lange kolportierte Konzept nun endlich Wirklichkeit. Die Sammlung enthält neu bearbeitete Versionen von Club-Remixen von Sasha, BT und Victor Calderone, zusammen mit dem Original-Demo von „Gone, Gone, Gone“ – einer bisher unveröffentlichten Aufnahme, produziert von Madonna und Rick Nowels. Veronica Electronica erscheint am 25. Juli als limitiertes Silver Vinyl und digital, und ist eine weitere hochwertige Ergänzung zu Madonnas Silver Collection.

After bending boundaries on the acclaimed labels Optimo Music and Höga Nord, Rudolf Abramov resurfaces with a fierce new statement – inaugurating Aquasonic Records, the freshly minted label founded by one half of the duo.

They unveil a sweeping collection of rare recordings, drawn from the shadows of their enigmatic Berlin studio.

This debut full-length album unfolds like a sonic tapestry, threading krautrock, new wave, dub, psychedelia, experimental electronics, ambient, and jazz into a singular, genre-bending experience.

True to form, the duo assembles a diverse ensemble of guest collaborators, fusing layered musical worlds into a cohesive, concept-driven whole.

At its core, the album captures a dynamic interplay: acoustic instruments recorded with raw intimacy and spatial breath meet the hypnotic churn of modular synths, samplers, and analog machines. A vivid document of process, presence, and unfiltered sound, resisting definition, yet wholly their own.

The instrumentation returns to Cough’s two drums, bass, guitar and sax lineup, but adds some fresh elements. Live multichannel dubbing, now a standard of their shows, has been integrated into the performances, as have electronic drum triggers and samples as well as the occasional bass clarinet passage.

In the years since their initial dissolution, each member has pursued their own creative paths, including drone rock, avant techno, ambient, sonic collage, visual art, video work and more. In coming back together, the breadth of their collective practices are all integrated into the music.

“Warning! Night Time Listening Advised!”

In early spring 2023, with the end of COVID-19 in China, MK helped produce this album for Rubey. Focusing on the piano atmosphere and framework of the Night Piano Project, MK added some flowing sounds and textures to Rubey’s original tracks using a guitar, delay effects, and a synthesizer. At the same time, Ding Mao, another member of the band Hualun, contributed on two tracks. Of course, all production processes were completed at night; capturing the quiet atmosphere of traditional Eastern natural landscapes and transforming them with indoor amorous feelings. These melodies and notes wander and travel through different times and spaces, and ultimately converge in different rooms.

“In Different Rooms” is the second solo album by Rubey, a keyboardist from the band Hualun. It is also Rubey’s second album release since producing the soundtrack for the movie “Virgin Blue” in 2022. It includes 8 works created between 2020 and 2023. Rubey and MK are located in Beijing and Shenzhen respectively. Just like many of Hualun’s works, the original idea for “In Different Rooms” came from Rubey’s daily piano improvisation practice. Named the “Night Piano Project”, Rubey would spend his nights playing his YAMAHA electric piano.

Erstmals international auf Vinyl – zum 50. Jubiläum neu aufgelegt

Stones Throw Records präsentiert die erste internationale Wiederveröffentlichung von Haruomi Hosonos Kultalbum Tropical Dandy – fast genau 50 Jahre nach der japanischen Originalveröffentlichung von 1975.

Erhältlich als Standard Black Vinyl und limitierte Ocean Blue Edition, jeweils auf 180g-Vinyl mit OBI-Strip und einer neu übersetzten Version der originalen Liner Notes von 1975.

Tropical Dandy markierte Hosonos musikalischen Wendepunkt – ein wagemutiges, genreübergreifendes Werk zwischen Exotica, Jazz und Pop, das als stilprägende Grundlage für das spätere Japanese City Pop gilt.

Haruomi Hosono ist Gründungsmitglied der Folk-Rock-Band Happy End sowie der legendären elektronischen Formation Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) und gilt als einer der einflussreichsten Künstler Japans. Sein Werk überschreitet seit fünf Jahrzehnten spielerisch Genregrenzen und Kulturräume.

Diese Veröffentlichung ist die zweite Zusammenarbeit zwischen Stones Throw und Hosono, nach dem Compilation-Album Hosono House Revisited, das u. a. Beiträge von Mac DeMarco, Sam Gendel und John Carroll Kirby enthielt.

Erstmals international auf Vinyl – zum 50. Jubiläum neu aufgelegt

Stones Throw Records präsentiert die erste internationale Wiederveröffentlichung von Haruomi Hosonos Kultalbum Tropical Dandy – fast genau 50 Jahre nach der japanischen Originalveröffentlichung von 1975.

Erhältlich als Standard Black Vinyl und limitierte Ocean Blue Edition, jeweils auf 180g-Vinyl mit OBI-Strip und einer neu übersetzten Version der originalen Liner Notes von 1975.

Tropical Dandy markierte Hosonos musikalischen Wendepunkt – ein wagemutiges, genreübergreifendes Werk zwischen Exotica, Jazz und Pop, das als stilprägende Grundlage für das spätere Japanese City Pop gilt.

Haruomi Hosono ist Gründungsmitglied der Folk-Rock-Band Happy End sowie der legendären elektronischen Formation Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO) und gilt als einer der einflussreichsten Künstler Japans. Sein Werk überschreitet seit fünf Jahrzehnten spielerisch Genregrenzen und Kulturräume.

Diese Veröffentlichung ist die zweite Zusammenarbeit zwischen Stones Throw und Hosono, nach dem Compilation-Album Hosono House Revisited, das u. a. Beiträge von Mac DeMarco, Sam Gendel und John Carroll Kirby enthielt.

In syrupy slow pursuit of a strong 2023 debut, Yungwebster's somnolent sequel is bolstered by pitch-perfect production from Space Afrika and Nathan Melja, who vaporise the rapper's auto-tuned post-Future drawl with euphoric orchestral drones, brittle micro-trap beats and weightless pads.

Over a decade ago at this point, Future released 'Codeine Crazy', the decelerated finale of 'Monster', one of his best-loved mixtapes. The track neatly summarised themes the Atlanta rapper had been circling for years at that point, layering his slurred, lean-dizzy rhymes over producer TM88's rubbery, melancholy synths. "Take all my problems and drink out the bottle," he moaned robotically, using the track's minor key bounce to represent the crushing delirium that followed fame and its tasting menu of intoxicants. It's still Future's high water mark creatively, and its traces can be observed in a full spectrum of contemporary sounds, from 6LACK's downtrodden, self-aware R&B to Lil Uzi Vert's feverish trap. But it's Yungwebster who's taken the haze to its logical conclusion, reimagining the Magic City-sculpted bumps as hypnagogic Actavis- 'n Xanax-hued ambient music. You could argue it was bound to happen - the more you sip, the slower it gets - and plays as a cracked mirror to cloud rap's long-smoked hybrid of Southern psychedelia and post-OutKast eccentricity.

Webster's opiated POV is clearer than ever before on 'II'. Just peep the cracks in his voice on the Space Afrika-produced opener 'Skyfall' as he coughs and splutters over watery samples, booming subs and SA's patented collage of soundtrack-ready strings and sirens. Presented at regular speed and in chipmunked form, it sets the pace for an album that, like its predecessor, constantly fucks with the timeline, pitching the whole master into doubletime or slowing it down to a crawl to present a curved, inebriated narrative rather than a straight line. Even without the tempo switches, Webster singles out beats that accent his warbled rhymes that sound as if they'll fall apart at any moment. French DJ and producer Nathan Melja backs 'Disheveled' with Black Ark-styled oscillations and airlock'd echoes, filtering the bassline until it almost disappears entirely; with room to breathe, Webster's able to take the lead - you might not be able to pick out the words, not entirely at least, but you get the message.

In fact it's Webster's voice that's the revelation on 'II' - with a coherent mix from producer tnotsobad, the nuances and fluttering tonalities emerge more vividly than they have before. It makes the flip between the regular speed and fast on 'Txts Red on iMessage' a textural decision, the different pace shifting the warbled cadences so Webster's voice becomes far more important than the additional elements. And on the album's Space Afrika-produced eight-minute centerpiece 'Crochet / I Swear', Webster's mumbled bio-mechanical whines create a much-needed foil for the decelerated boom-clack and suspended save room ambience. We get to encounter a personality here, not just an aesthetic, so as the album moves into its twilit fourth side, the beatless, voice-led somniferousness of 'YA SA' and ululating 'Phone' come off like a descent into tranquillised sedation. Rap has rarely sounded so chimeric.

Mr Sam - HERITAGE (1995-2025)

HERITAGE celebrates 30 years of Mr Sam's career in a world-first collector's edition: a monumental best-of gathering 40 tracks across 10 vinyls. Never before has an electronic DJ and producer released such a project - an unprecedented box set that stands as a unique, sincere and intimate journey, blending emotion, innovation and musical memory.

Each track has been carefully selected, remastered, and placed as part of a personal narrative. More than just a compilation, HERITAGE is a musical journey - the story of an artist who has shaped the trance and progressive scene worldwide since 1995, and who continues to write history, with this release sealing his legacy forever.

The album features his most iconic productions (Lotus, the Screen series, Forever Waiting, Lyteo...) alongside timeless contributions from artists who influenced a generation, including D*Note, Timo Maas, Jam & Spoon...

This is more than a retrospective - with HERITAGE, Mr Sam permanently engraves his legacy in the history of electronic music.

Unknown Waveforms is the forthcoming album from Belgian trio KAU, set for release on October 10, 2025. Marking an evolution since their 2023 release The Cycle Repeats, this new record captures a more personal, immediate, and unfiltered version of the band's sound. In an increasingly digital world, KAU takes a different route, with an album rooted in human connection, live energy, and creative spontaneity. Here, the trio reflect their take on instrumental music, drawing heavily fromjazz, hip hop, and electronic influences.

At the heart of Unknown Waveforms lies the starting point of three musicians in a room, writing and composing music on the spot. For KAU, this idea mirrors their working method: long jam sessions, free-flowing experimentation, and shared moments of inspiration. Songs often take shape slowly, unfolding over hours or days, but always built collaboratively as a trio.

The album's title reflects the mystery behind how music comes together, but is also both literal and symbolic. Unknown waveforms are the sounds that arise when machines and people interact in unpredictable ways. Whether you're an experienced musician or just starting out, the creative process often feels elusive and hard to fully understand. But there are also certain moments: creative sparks that can't be planned or programmed. It ends up being more than notes, gear, or structure, it's about the process, the tension and energy that builds when people connect and create in the same room.

The title track, Unknown Waveforms, captures that exact process. It opens with a quote from synth pioneer Wendy Carlos: "I'm just trying to show you how we get some of these sounds", inviting listeners directly into the creative space. The track focuses less on a polished outcome and more on the moment before a song is "finished": it's a portrait of experimentation, feeling, and raw expression.

This commitment to honesty permeates the entire album. KAU kept overdubs to a minimum, avoided excessive editing, and prioritized spontaneous choices over calculated ones. In a time when the future of live, improvised music feels uncertain, they double down on the physical, the real, and the immediate. The album resists the pristine polish of modern production, favoring the warmth and imperfection of analog synthesis. The band embraces the character of their instruments, particularly vintage gear, where subtle flaws add beauty, depth, and personality.

One standout track, cr_eye, is driven by the Moog Subphatty-a key instrument in the band's toolkit for its analog warmth and powerful sub-bass. The track centers around the conversation between bass and drums, allowing the keyboards to recede and create space. It draws emotional threads from earlier KAU tracks like Kampala and Kautokeino, bridging past and present with a shared atmosphere and rhythmic interplay.

Another highlight, Stratford, finds inspiration in London's transport system and the UK jazz scene that has long influenced KAU. A field recording snippet of the London Underground kicks off the track, connecting it to the rhythm of everyday commutes. Built around a hypnotic sequencer line from the Roland JX-3P, the track evokes the motion of a metro journey. Artists like Nubya Garcia, Yussef Dayes, and Alfa Mist, giants of the scenethat the band has admired for years, resonate subtly throughout.

Above all, Unknown Waveforms is a statement of intent from KAU: a celebration of imperfection, creative honesty and an insight in the process.

Jackie Mittoo’s ‘Reggae Magic’ is a new collection from the great Jackie Mittoo. The album features a mixture of classic tunes and rarities from the period 1967-74, when Mittoo was at the height of his musical powers. Mittoo’s solo career began after the end of The Skatalites in 1965. He began pushing new musical boundaries, creating a uniquely identifiable organ-led funky reggae sound that owed as much to Booker T and The MGs, Jimmy Smith, Stax and Motown as to the post-ska and emergent rocksteady island rhythms of Kingston, Jamaica. His solo work at the legendary Studio One spanned seven albums and hundreds of singles.

Aside from producer and founder Clement ‘Sir Coxsone’ Dodd, it’s hard to think of anyone more central to the sound and success of Studio One than Mittoo; keyboard player extraordinaire, songwriter, arranger, musician, truly the Keyboard King at Studio One. Jackie Mittoo had been the youngest founding member of The Skatalites (at age 16), probably the most important group in Jamaican music. After they split, he became leader of the three pivotal groups at Studio One – The Soul Brothers, The Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension. He also became musical director for Studio One, helping create countless hits for singers Ken Boothe, Bob Andy, The Wailers, John Holt, Delroy Wilson and more – unforgettable tunes like Alton Ellis’ ‘I’m Still in Love with You’, Marcia Griffiths’ ‘Feel Like Jumping’, The Heptones’ ‘Baby Why’ and others. Between 1965 and 1968, many of the tunes created at Studio One can be attributed to Mittoo – timeless instrumental tracks, recorded either under his own name or those of The Soul Brothers, Soul Vendors and Sound Dimension, that have become the basis for literally 1000s and 1000s of Jamaican songs over many decades, giving the music an unsurpassed longevity.

The endurance of his music was as a direct result of significant developments in Jamaican music in the 1970s, namely the creation of three important new styles: Dub, Deejay and Dancehall. In the early 1970s Mittoo’s instrumental tracks were used as the musical source for a series of classic Studio One dub albums. At the same time Deejays at Studio One, including Dillinger, Prince Jazzbo and Dennis Alcapone, began toasting over these same popular rhythms to create their own new songs. In the mid-70s, a new generation of Studio One singers and deejays, including Sugar Minott, Freddie McGregor, Johnny Osbourne, Michigan & Smiley and others, began once again creating new melodies over these original instrumentals, signalling the birth of a new Jamaican style that became known as ‘dancehall’.

As dancehall swept across the island, rival producers copied these now classic rhythms. These original Jackie Mittoo-driven tunes spread like a virus throughout Jamaican music; be they the instrumental cuts to tunes such as Alton Ellis’ ‘Mad Mad’ , ‘I’m Just A Guy’, Larry Marshall’s ‘Mean Girl’, Slim Smith’s ‘Rougher Yet’, and instrumentals such as Mittoo’s classic ‘Hot Milk’ or ‘One Step Beyond’, The Sound Dimension’s ‘Real Rock’, ‘Heavy Rock’, ‘Full Up’, ‘Drum Song’, ‘Rockfort Rock’ … and the list goes on. These tracks became a constant soundtrack to the island, emitting from the ever-present sound of speaker boxes strung up around dancehalls. This recycling travelled even farther afield; The Sound Dimension’s instrumental ‘Real Rock’, updated by Willie Williams on his classic ‘Armageddon Time’ was in turn covered by The Clash. Lily Allen sampled Mittoo’s debut solo single ‘Free Soul’ for number one hit ‘Smile’; Dawn Penn’s ‘You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No)’, accompanied by The Soul Vendors, was revived by Penn and producers Steely & Cleevie in 1994, since covered by Rihanna, Ghostface Killah, Stephen Marley, Damian Marley and Beyonce. And so it goes; an endless time-leaping, continent-hopping diasporic musical map of the world with all roads essentially leading back to one man – Jackie Mittoo.