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15th Anniversary Deluxe Edition des vierten Studioalbums von Mastodon, »Crack the Skye«, auf 2LP Sky Blue Vinyl.

LP 1 ist das Originalalbum, das neu gemastert wurde, während LP 2, »Crack the Skye: The Score«, Instrumentalversionen der einzelnen Titel enthält. Ursprünglich im März 2009 veröffentlicht, enthält das Album »Oblivion«, »Divinations«, »The Last Baron« und mehr.

15th Anniversary Deluxe Edition des vierten Studioalbums von Mastodon, Crack the Skye, auf 2LP Sky Blue Vinyl. Disc 1 ist das Originalalbum, das neu gemastert wurde, während Disc 2, Crack the Skye: The Score, Instrumentalversionen der einzelnen Titel enthält. Ursprünglich im März 2009 veröffentlicht, enthält das Album „Oblivion“, „Divinations“, „The Last Baron“ und mehr.

Kindred spirits Passepartout Duo and Inoyama Land embody the essence of play - charting a new chapter and reinvigorating the environmental music and electronic landscape.

Passepartout Duo is formed of Nicoletta Favari (IT) and Christopher Salvito (IT/US), who since 2015 have been on a continuous journey travelling the world's corners, engaged in a creative process they term "slow music". Having been guests of many notable artist residencies and with live performances in cultural spaces and institutions, their evocative music escapes categorisation. With no fixed abode their musical pilgrimage brought them to Japan first in 2019, which prompted a deep connection to Kanky? Ongaku 'environmental music', a genre in which Inoyama Land is often associated with, soundtracking the duo's first immersive experience. In 2023 the duo revisited Japan and set out to reconnect in particular with the music of Inoyama Land, performed by Makoto Inoue and Yasushi Yamashita. The highly revered album 'Danzindan-Pojidon' (1983) produced by Haruomi Hosono amongst other well publicized and acclaimed reissues (Light in The Attic Records' Grammy-nominated compilation 'Kanky? Ongaku'), produced a global resurgence and admiration of the environmental music movement. Nicoletta took the lead to seek out Inoyama Land and in making contact successfully their intrigue and eagerness to meet was warmly reciprocated, and the group scheduled to meet in the form of a spontaneous improvisation session. "We're deeply concerned with what it means to be a duo, and what it means for people to connect through music."

Radio Yugawara is a unique one-off transmission from a specific place and point in time, unlikely to ever occur again. The respective duo's approach can really be described as "tuning in", a tuning into each other, to themselves, and to the surrounding nature of Yugawara. Like waves that travel off-world, sounds travel through the universe and can be lost forever if we don't seek them out. In finding a harmonic affinity within their instruments and a spiritual kinship in their interwoven performance, Radio Yugawara at its core is an interpretation of feeling, of close human interaction and the true essence of discovery.

"The album is both a transmission from a location, but also a tuning into the surroundings and to each other. Music in this kind of ephemeral moment is much less about active creation and more about discovering something which is already there in the air."

Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn share a common collaborative ethos, a genuine sense of musical curiosity, and a cosmopolitan eagerness to escape the conventions of genre. That shared vision first brought them together on 2022's Pigments_icy and warm, stripped-down and grand, familiar and otherworldly_and now it has reunited them for Quiet in a World Full of Noise. By turns intimate, soul-baring, spectral, and startling, Quiet in a World Full of Noise blends atmospheric and orchestral soundscapes with mellifluous soul, jazz, and journalistic vocalizing_driving it all home with stark, confessional lyricism. The new album finds Richard at her most raw and exposed. This year, Richard's musician father experienced mini strokes while being diagnosed with cancer; and last year, her cousin Cisco was fatally shot seven times in New Orleans. Richard channels the emotional impact of these traumatic experiences of loss into her lyrics and vocal performances, which are left bare and human here, raw and unprocessed across the album. Quiet expands the definitions of what constitutes progressive, avant-garde R&B by rewriting them altogether. On paper, Richard and Zahn's audacious, impressionistic musical collaborations feel like a surprising match. Richard, a New Orleans-reared visionary, has had an improbable journey from late 2000s reality television and mainstream pop with girl group Danity Kane to become one of the most prolific, experimental, and visible indie R&B singer-songwriters of the last decade and a half, with seven solo albums under her belt. Zahn is an East Coast-raised multi-instrumentalist and composer working at the intersections of jazz, Americana, classical, and ambient pop. His growing solo discography includes People of the Dawn, Sunday Painter, Pale Horizon, and Statues I & II, as well as the duo's first release, Pigments. "Pigments was one of the best projects I've ever made," Richard says, "and the furthest I've ever been pushed as an artist." The album was a critical hit, hailed as Best New Music by Pitchfork and receiving praise from Stereogum as Album of the Week, NPR Music, Bandcamp Daily, The Fader, Bitter Southerner, and Edition, among many other publications. The making of its follow-up, Quiet in a World Full of Noise, began in 2023 in upstate New York. Fresh from a break-up, Zahn sat at his piano and poured himself into writing and recording instrumental compositions. "I wrote all these stream-of-consciousness pieces on piano, and they were eerie, spacious piano tracks," he said. He used a piano that had been unconventionally tuned to the room rather than to standard pitch. These oddly-tuned, eerie instrumental recordings were never intended to be an album. Six months later, he listened to the recordings again and sent them to Richard who immediately recognized their potential and said, "Oh, this is the next album." Richard went into the studio the next day and wrote and recorded melodies and lyrics to Zahn's piano recordings. Zahn brought in gifted musicians like Bryan Senti on strings (violin, viola, and violoncello da spalla) and CJ Camerieri on brass (French horn, flugelhorn, and trumpet). In some cases, like on the track "Life in Numbers," Zahn used only the original first-take piano recording and scratch vocal, resulting in an intimate close-up of both Richard and Zahn.

The London-based electronic musician Luke J Murray aka Stonecirclesampler and the award-winning writer Travis Elborough have combined forces on a new collaboration to be released on The Tapeworm label under the title 'Memorex'.


Luke J Murray is a man of many musical aliases, releasing and performing variously as: Superior Grime London Blue DNB-like South Sand Dynamics Luke Marblex The In 2.5G Label White Dark Rainfall J Escape NCR London The From Cracks In Concrete 900Cold Liquid DJ Pulp Grime Murray The endorphin Old 0161 Conflicting 2 Solo Widens Damage Ambient Glow Electronics and Stonecirclesampler.


Described by The Guardian as 'one of the country's finest pop culture historians', Travis Elborough's books include 'Wish You Were Here: England on Sea', 'The Long-Player Goodbye', a hymn to vinyl records that inspired the BBC4 documentary 'When Albums Ruled the World', in which he also appeared, 'Through the Looking Glasses: The Spectacular Life of Spectacles' and 'Atlas of Vanishing Places', winner of Edward Stanford Travel Book Award in 2020.

"OneDa's story is so clearly mirrored in her music: a sprightly flow preaching a message of empowerment, enveloped in a dark, raucous soundscape…interlacing vibrant, punchy lyrics with that classic drum & bass sound has given OneDa a new lease of life." – DJ MAG

“OneDa is solidifying her position as one of the UK’s most thrilling hip-hop artists. With poignant lyrics and charisma that is off the charts, she dives deep into the complexities of life, love, and liberation.” – DIVA

Manchester rapper and poet OneDa is set to soar with the release of her debut album, 'Formula OneDa', on October 4th via Heavenly Recordings. Featuring the singles 'Major Pay' and 'Set It Off.'

On the ethos behind the album, OneDa says:

“In early 2023, while listening to my mixtape demos, the line ‘had to step away, get the levels up fast, Formula OneDa never come last' from my song ‘Off My Light’ stood out. We decided to name my album 'Formula Oneda'. Coincidentally, I discovered that the F1 Academy had just started, aligning perfectly with my album’s vision. For the first time in over 30 years, Formula 1 has created a platform to inspire and support young girls and women. Previously indifferent to Formula 1, I am now excited by the progress these women are making in the male-dominated racing circuit. While becoming a racing driver was never my goal, the F1 Academy metaphor fits my journey from a backmarker to a leader. This year, I plan to support these inspiring women as they drive with Pussy Power to take pole position in motorsports.”

Having supported Kneecap and Baxter Dury, and with standout performances at The Great Escape, OneDa is establishing herself as one of the UK’s most dynamic hip-hop artists. Her music transcends genres, blending hip-hop, drum and bass, afro-trap, and afrobeats, reflecting her Nigerian heritage and Manchester roots. Known for her dexterous wordplay and poetic verses, OneDa's voice is a unique force in the evolving drum and bass scene. Her boundless linguistic talent and poetic verses set her apart. Named by The Face as a key MC in the drum ‘n’ bass renaissance, OneDa is dedicated to empowering others.
Her live performance credits include headlining with Angélique Kidjo at Aviva Studios' launch in Manchester and leading performances at Manchester Pride 2023. She continues to gain acclaim from BBC Radio 6, DJ Mag, The Face, NTS, Wonderland, UKF, and The Line of Best Fit.

Beyond her music, OneDa is dedicated to community initiatives, leading hip-hop therapy for Manchester youth and championing projects like Herchester, which amplifies marginalized voices in music. Her vision extends beyond chart success; she aims to establish a hip-hop therapy school for all ages, showcasing music's potential for positive change. Her drive and authenticity inspire others to embrace their true selves.

Citing 'empowerment' as her greatest inspiration, OneDa channels her struggle with acceptance of her queerness into her music, promoting a message of self-love and freedom: “When you truly love yourself, that overpowers anyone else’s opinion.” Although she only began producing music two years ago, OneDa’s debut LP showcases her mastery across multiple genres. Collaborations with artists like Sam Binga, Songer, Devilman, and Mr. Scruff highlight her versatility. Her standout verse on Vibe Chemistry’s 'Ballin’', with over 35 million streams, further cemented her reputation. Her first fully produced track, 'Rude Girl Flex', earned her a spot on the BBC 6 Music playlist and an appearance at the BBC 6 Music Festival.

METAL HAMMER - 8/10 review “Mangled post-Bathory riffs and Marzia’s blasphemous bark collide with the darkly serene shimmer of wilfully corrupted shoegaze and nobody escapes with their San(ci)ity intact. This is a profoundly heavy work, yet laced with elegant moments of restraint…A dark star is born.”

Debut full length for one woman band Marthe on Southern Lord.

True Valkyrian metal inspired heavy riffing in a dark atmosphere of feasting ravens over a thunderous battleground.

The war cry belongs to a distorted horde of crust punk and black metal venture.

The dust settles over the power of Bathory, the melancholy of Tiamat and the stench of Amebix.

Antifascist. Feminist. Misanthropic.

Includes cover of Siouxsie and the Banshees ‘Sin In my Heart’

Dawn Richard and Spencer Zahn share a common collaborative ethos, a genuine sense of musical curiosity, and a cosmopolitan eagerness to escape the conventions of genre. That shared vision first brought them together on 2022’s Pigments icy and warm, stripped-down and grand, familiar and otherworldly and now it has reunited them for Quiet in a World Full of Noise. By turns intimate, soul-baring, spectral, and startling, Quiet in a World Full of Noise blends atmospheric and orchestral soundscapes with mellifluous soul, jazz, and journalistic vocalizing driving it all home with stark, confessional lyricism. The new album finds Richard at her most raw and exposed. This year, Richard’s musician father experienced mini strokes while being diagnosed with cancer; and last year, her cousin Cisco was fatally shot seven times in New Orleans. Richard channels the emotional impact of these traumatic experiences of loss into her lyrics and vocal performances, which are left bare and human here, raw and unprocessed across the album. Quiet expands the definitions of what constitutes progressive, avant-garde R&B by rewriting them altogether. On paper, Richard and Zahn’s audacious, impressionistic musical collaborations feel like a surprising match. Richard, a New Orleans–reared visionary, has had an improbable journey from late 2000s reality television and mainstream pop with girl group Danity Kane to become one of the most prolific, experimental, and visible indie R&B singer-songwriters of the last decade and a half, with seven solo albums under her belt. Zahn is an East Coast–raised multi-instrumentalist and composer working at the intersections of jazz, Americana, classical, and ambient pop. His growing solo discography includes People of the Dawn, Sunday Painter, Pale Horizon, and Statues I & II, as well as the duo’s first release, Pigments. “Pigments was one of the best projects I’ve ever made,” Richard says, “and the furthest I’ve ever been pushed as an artist.” The album was a critical hit, hailed as Best New Music by Pitchfork and receiving praise from Stereogum as Album of the Week, NPR Music, Bandcamp Daily, The Fader, Bitter Southerner, and Edition, among many other publications. The making of its follow-up, Quiet in a World Full of Noise, began in 2023 in upstate New York. Fresh from a break-up, Zahn sat at his piano and poured himself into writing and recording instrumental compositions. “I wrote all these stream-of-consciousness pieces on piano, and they were eerie, spacious piano tracks,” he said. He used a piano that had been unconventionally tuned to the room rather than to standard pitch. These oddly-tuned, eerie instrumental recordings were never intended to be an album. Six months later, he listened to the recordings again and sent them to Richard who immediately recognized their potential and said, “Oh, this is the next album.” Richard went into the studio the next day and wrote and recorded melodies and lyrics to Zahn’s piano recordings. Zahn brought in gifted musicians like Bryan Senti on strings (violin, viola, and violoncello da spalla) and CJ Camerieri on brass (French horn, flugelhorn, and trumpet). In some cases, like on the track “Life in Numbers,” Zahn used only the original first-take piano recording and scratch vocal, resulting in an intimate close-up of both Richard and Zahn.

"A group of tried-and-true musicians got together and found the sort of camaraderie and kinship you typically only find once in a lifetime. They didn’t overthink it. They didn’t waste a second. They simply left their blood, sweat, and tears on tape—like they’ve always done. For as much as Better Lovers represents the union of former Every Time I Die members Jordan Buckley guitar,Steve Micciche [bass], and Clayton “Goose” Holyoak [drums] with The Dillinger Escape Plan and Killer Be Killed frontman Greg Puciato [vocals],and musician (Fit For An Autopsy/END) and GRAMMY® Award-winning producer, Will Putney [guitar], it really cements the bond of five friends around a shared vision. That vision is as uncompromising, unapologetic, and undeniable as anything they’ve individually done, yet it’s refined by experience and a commitment to a future together. They’re in it for the long haul... “To me, this band is refreshing,” exclaims Jordan. “Looking back, I’m so happy everything got me to where I am. The pandemic and the last few years made me hungrier and more grateful. This isn’t a hobby. This isn’t temporary. This is the next evolution for each of us. Greg and Will rejuvenated me and made me even more confident.



Now, everybody needs to know we’re a wild animal that just broke out of the zoo—there’s no trying to put it back in the cage.” “Better Lovers definitely feels like its own thing,” states Greg. “I’m in so many lanes right now, so it was important that one lane didn’t step on another. However, nothing I’m doing is this vicious. This is full-on scathing. It’s been really fun. I forgot how much I liked that.” As the story goes, Jordan ended up back in Buffalo, NY, jamming in a basement rehearsal spot with Steve and Goose during the winter of 2022. After working with Will on the last two Every Time I Die records, they shared a handful of early demos with him to produce. As the year progressed, Jordan caught Greg on the road with Jerry Cantrell in Las Vegas, mentioning the new music. Once ideas solidified, he shared them with the vocalist who replied at 3am one night in December. “The text said, ‘Let’s give these motherfuckers what they want’,”chuckles Jordan. “I went to bed smiling and laughing. There is no one like Greg on stage, off stage, or over text. Once I told Will, he was like, ‘Can I play?’ We said, ‘Of course!’ That’s how it was born.” “Once I pick up the scent, I’ll go for the kill,” smiles Greg. “We’ve all hung out, gotten to know each other, and it’s all fire now. Everyone has already been through shit. You know yourself better. Your ego isn’t as big as it used to be. You can share your opinions. It’s a cool dynamic.” Fittingly, they introduce this era with the single “30 Under 13.” A seasick guitar groove bleeds into an incisive riff punctuated by Greg’s vitriolic and venomous screams, “Hold onto me, try to let go of me, let go of what you’ll never be. ”This barrage unpredictably subsides on a haunting clean vocal, only to ramp back up into a pit-splitting thrash crescendo and rapid-fire solo played at warp speed. “We always try to up our game,” notes Jordan. “This is the next step for all of us. There’s just constant forward motion, and we don’t want to compromise that. We want to keep going. We’re doing a lot of shit we haven’t done before in Better Lovers. I’m not going to spoil it for you, but get ready.” “For some reason, this song got me,” recalls Greg. “Once that happens, you have the toe of the dinosaur skeleton in the dirt. You start brushing it away, and soon you have a fucking T-Rex.” The name might give you a hint of what’s coming—or it might not. So, what does the future hold for Better Lovers? Well, it’s entirely in their control. Expect a lot of touring. Expect more music. Expect these five guys to leave a trail of destruction in their wake—really would you want anything less? “We feel like we’re going to explode if we sit around any longer,” Jordan leaves off. “This is my life’s work. I learned all of my lessons, passed all of the tests, and took all of the right turns and the wrong turns. It turns out what I thought were wrong turns got me here, and that’s all that matters. I have no regrets. I know this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” “I just want you to view this on its own merits,” Greg concludes. “I hope it reaches some new people. For me, the enjoyment is making the music and putting it out. The second it’s released, I don’t look back. You drop the bomb and keep flying the plane. You don’t circle back to see how much destruction you cause. You keep moving, which is what we’re going to do.” "

“Loves Love” jettisoned STÜM into 2024 and now “Beautiful Dancers” is here to take him ever higher.

As the second single off his forthcoming Essence Of Time EP, “Beautiful Dancers” is a blissful yet haunting take on techno. This track is total club rapture made up of ghostly vocal calls, static-like percussion and howling wind effects. A record of mixed emotions, pleasure and pain all blended up into 6 plus minutes.

Speaking on the tune, STÜM says “The songwriting process involved juxtaposing the organic with the synthetic weaving together contrasting sounds to mirror the duality of human emotion.”

Third in line is “Limbo”, a heaving acid hit full of hypnotic foreign instruments and vocals. This one gives off a massive street party feeling. From there we head to “Escape” a more dreamy and introspective bell-tone tune. A deliberate breather from STÜM before storming into the title track of the EP.

“Essence Of Time” is a shimmering rave piece. Dulcet piano intertwines with airy effects and hammering synths – another excellent example of STÜM’s ability to blend light and shade all at once.

“I am OBSESSED with the 80s. I love the loud neon colours and fashion and the kinetic energy of the music. It’s uplifting and bittersweet with a ton of keyboards, what’s not to like?” reasons Morgane when asked what it is she likes about the decade. This exuberance is brightly reflected in the mirror ball synthpop of her third album released at the end of September. It is her second long player to appear on vinyl after the release of Between The Funk And The Fear debut on the Polytechnic Youth label.

Morgane was the keyboard player in Stereolab between 1995 and 2001 during which time they released Emperor Tomato Ketchup (her favourite) and Dots And Loops. As a teenager though she first played the drums, then guitar and bass. She only learnt the keyboards one month before joining the group. “They gave me 40 songs to learn, it was a baptism of fire”.

After leaving Stereolab, Morgane first moved to New York for nine years; she’d always planned to move to America having spent a lot of time there with her parents and of course those space-pop pioneers. The warmer weather of LA enticed her though and you can hear its pulse in Day-Glo Chaos. The album’s thumping heart is pumped by the city’s night sky and when asked she cites three particular albums as her favourites: the oddball analogue electro of Jacno’s 1979 debut; John Carpenter’s ‘Escape From New York’ and The B-52’s ‘Cosmic Thing’. There’s also a strong nod to the playful computerised harmonies of Yellow Magic Orchestra whilst she’s somewhat partial to the synth prog of Yes and Soft Machine. “I actually created a synth on Ableton Live named after Rick Wakeman’. I should create one after Mike Ratledge next!”

Throughout her work (but especially on this record) you can hear the influence of computer games. “I’m an avid gamer and have been one since I was a teenager and fell in love with my Commodore 64”. Though not a fan of Hotline Miami or the GTA series (“too violent”) she liked Hang On and loved Outrun which she used to play a lot on her Sega Master System. “I just got the soundtrack reissue from Data Disc and it is beautiful” she enthuses.

You’ll see and hear such influences on the lead single from the album ‘Midnite Rogue’ the video to which pays (im)perfect juddering homage to such arcade culture. Car tyres glued to sticky tarmac, French pop music lost in the air. The title was inspired by a Fighting Fantasy book which she adored as a kid. “I love the idea of this entity causing mischief during night time”, she beams. It’s not hard to see why.

For the past two decades, Dr Roman Belavkin (Solar X) has been deeply involved in AI research and mathematics at British universities. His albums from the 1990s are a testament to an era defined by the early internet-bulletin boards, FTP sites and mailing lists. In keeping with this, Solar X's music sounds surprisingly futuristic, a romantic artifact of a time eagerly anticipating tomorrow.

Following the re-issue of Solar-X's "Xrated" in 2019, GALAXIID is releasing his debut "Outre X Mer". All tracks are from the original DAT tapes and have been remastered for this release. "Pozdno Utrom", "Dileg" and "Solar X" were originally released on the "Outre X Mer EP" on Defective Records in 1995. Other tracks are out on vinyl and digital platforms for the first time.

"I was homebound for two years between 1992 and 1994, and the only way I could escape was through computer networks and writing," Belavkin recalls. Before the nasty car accident he was a member of the USSR/Russia national wushu team. Confined to his home, Belavkin started creating tracks based on ideas from his school days in the late 1980s, when he first recorded melodies on cassette tapes. This time, however, he fused those sounds with Soviet analogue synthesizers and PC sound cards. He shared these tracks via email with friends in different countries, becoming part of the "Analogue Heaven" mailing list, a community of enthusiasts united by their passion for analogue synthesis dating back to the 1960s.

During his initial pursuit of a PhD in Computer Science, Roman wanted to explore the intersection of what electronic music could offer humanity, the potential for AI to experience emotions, and whether emotions enhance or hinder intellect. These themes resonate in the music of Solar X. The album embodies ambient techno with intricate rhythms and ear caressing melodies, choppy percussion and blissful synths, making it both tranquil and danceable. Like a shimmering spaceship navigating between anxious dreams and visions, it transports the listener to a naively hopeful era yet to come.

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield (Captain Fantastic’s George MacKay) and Blake (Game of Thrones’ Dean-Charles Chapman) are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers—Blake’s own brother among them. 1917 is directed by Sam Mendes, who wrote the screenplay with Krysty Wilson-Cairns (Showtime’s Penny Dreadful). Rotten Tomatoes critical consensus reads: ""Hard-hitting, immersive, and an impressive technical achievement, 1917 captures the trench warfare of World War I with raw, startling immediacy."" The music to the movie is composed by Thomas Newman (The Shawshank Redemption, American Beauty, Road to Perdition). Newman has received a whopping 15 Oscar bids throughout his career, including one for this epic score. Since the film is designed to be told in one continuous shot from cinematographer Roger Deakins, Newman’s pulse-pounding score often serves as a unique form of editing. The music cuts off during dramatic cues, ramps up in battle scenes and, in one breathtaking moment, becomes almost operatic as MacKay runs through war ruins to escape being seen from enemy flares. 1917 is available as a limited edition of 500 individually numbered copies on translucent blue coloured vinyl. The package includes an 8-page booklet with movie stills and liner notes by Sam Mendes.

Secrets Of Sound sold out their first release in quick fashion and now they return with a second instalment in the Exotic Origins series, designed to take you a million light years away from your current reality and deep into the far depths of space with eight superbly cosmic explorations of ambient and downtempo magic. Italians Do It Better man Johnny Jewel kicks off with some sultry sax-laced sounds, David Lynch's musical partner Dean Hurley crushes on shimmering pads and Pye Corner Audio bring a little intergalactic tension. Elsewhere there are sugary synths from Legowelt, suspensory pads from TM Solver and plenty more to help you escape to another dimension. Add to that the fact it arrives on a random variety of different vinyl colours and comes with a download code, and you've got rather a nice package.

In this electrifying 2024, we're buzzing with excitement as we celebrate 40 years of Flexi, the record emporium that's weathered countless storms amidst the ever-shifting tides of the music industry, catering to vinyl aficionados across the ages. Alongside the raves and swag, no doubt, there's a killer compilation dropping on the indie label "Flexi Cuts," dubbed evocatively as "Musica Solida" spread across 3 or perhaps 4 12-inch samplers, boasting a carefully curated selection of singles from cherished Flexi-affiliated artists and producers. The vision? To cultivate a virtuous movement of sublime tunes, echoing the fervor and zeal to persist within the realm of quality that Flexi embodies within the Italian scene, alongside kindred spirits... despite the daunting challenges of the market in recent years.



Musica Solida # 1 showcases

DJ Rocca: One of the most solid producers on the panorama, a respected maestro of the clubbing scene in Italy and worldwide.

Club Soda: Live electronic ensemble, still dreamin' from their latest EP 'Basso e Batteria', which packs an unreleased track recorded directly from their house-flavoured jam sessions.

Lex (Athens) & Locke : A Greek producer who is well established in today's dance house scene, with quality-vibey releases and a very nice and classy and groovy sound. We will definitely hear from him in the future!

Hiroyuki Kato: Emerging Osaka-based multi-instrumentalist makes his debut with a very punchy and catchy track!

The Mechanical Man (feat. Bob Vito) : Neapolitan super producer. Raw-sounding, gritty, powerful and never dull, a pleasure to have him with us.



The record will be released in about 200 vinyl copies no more.

Packaged in the classic discobag 2- holes, with a distinctive letterpress print in a beautiful silver cover.



Compiled by Simone Guerra aka Relative

Mastered by Francesco Brini (except track B1, Mastered by Marco Spaventi)

Distributed by Rubadub, Glasgow

Pressed by Desslab

Design by GLZ

Aesthetically, Ed Schrader’s Music Beat hates to tread water. At the same time, the Baltimore-based two-piece of vocalist Ed Schrader and bassist Devlin Rice won’t force their songs to fit a preconceived style. “The next album’s always gotta be different from the last one. We’re different people from record to record. So, writing authentically to ourselves will always bring our work to a place that we haven’t been to yet,” Rice said. Schrader added, “We’re terrified of turning into AC/DC. We never want to be married to one scene or time or sound. We want to be the Boba Fett of bands! Constantly altering the way in which we make records has been pretty key in that process.”
For Orchestra Hits, the band’s latest, that alteration was welcoming longtime musical comrade Dylan Going into the fold as a co-writer and co-producer. A songwriter in his own right, a guitar sideman for ESMB on their last two tours, and a collaborator with Rice in the noise riffage band Mandate, Going had both a unique vision and an intimate familiarity with the ESMB vibe.
“Dylan came to every show we’ve ever played in New York—no matter how weird it was,” Schrader said. “He’d be standing there ready to move an amp or feed us barbecued cactus after the gig and toss on some Golden Girls so we could decompress. It felt like family as soon as we began working, but I honestly had no idea how damn good he was at tossing out these hooks.”
According to Schrader, the songs “just poured out of us” over the course of a highly caffeinated three-day weekend in a tiny room in Devlin’s house while his cat, Sandy Goose, screamed continually. “It was like three kids hiding from the world to get into some lovely mischief,” they said. The lack of external pressure in the process gives Orchestra Hits an almost paradoxical vibe. For all of the album’s layers, that mix live and sequenced instruments, it never loses the raw energy of a small handful of friends in the same room plugging in, cranking up, and playing until they pass out.
Lyrically, the album finds Schrader, now 45, meditating on experiences in their youth to make sense of the present moment. “We are not into the garden,” Schrader wails on the relentless “Roman Candle,” a song about the sad debacle of Woodstock ’99, and a direct response to Joni Mitchell’s “Woodstock,” a utopian ode to hippie idealism. A 19-year-old Schrader, having snuck into Woodstock ’99 through a hole in the fence, was there the night members of the crowd used candles intended for a vigil for victims of the Columbine High School massacre to set fires all over the grounds. Even before the fires, Schrader remembered feeling disconnected from the music, the nostalgic cash grab, and the meatheads in the crowd. After watching a press tower collapse, they boarded a random shuttle bus and were dropped off near a Denny’s. “It was a far cry from the Garden of Eden,” Schrader said. “That experience defined what I didn’t want to be a part of, and yet America is more like Woodstock ’99 than ever.”
With percolating synthesizer arpeggios, and climbing bass grooves, “IDKS” is the album’s dance-floor slapper. “’IDKS’ is a funny one,” Schrader said. “We already had a pretty satisfying suite of songs when Dylan was packing up to head back to New York, but he missed the train because of a freak snowstorm. Realizing he’d be stuck in town another day, he says to me, ‘Here’s this other weird thing I have.’ It was ‘IDKS.’ The hooks were so good I felt like Homer Simpson at a free donut convention. I just dove right in, and we cranked that baby out in like 20 minutes.”
Lyrically, “IDKS” is a letter from the true self to public-facing self. “It’s an angry song,” Schrader said. “Because the public-facing self is always looking for an easy escape, but it forces the true self into a cage. I honestly thought my lyrics were corny and was about to change them, but Dylan was digging it just the way it was. So that’s what you hear.”
With the soaring “Daylight Commander,” the band went against all of their musty-basement-bred instincts. “I went full High School Musical with the vocals,” Schrader said. “At first it felt almost embarrassing, but I remember reading somewhere that Bowie recommended always floating a little bit above your comfort zone, and that’s what we did here.” The song is part exercise in absurdity and part pop Trojan horse. “If ever we had a ‘Shiny Happy People’ moment, I guess this is it,” Schrader said.

"There was a bird Matthew Ehler had seen in his backyard before, but he’d never really stopped to look at it.

A red-headed woodpecker, a strange-looking bird. After years of more self-destructive escapes from everyone’s respective demons and traumas, Ehler started to embrace the stillness of birdwatching. “It was something to occupy my mind,” he explains. His new hobby wouldn’t just lend Cliffdiver’s sophomore album its title, but signal a spiritual overhaul rippling through the band.

The origins of Cliffdiver go all the way back to 2017. By 2021, the line-up had settled into Ehler on guitar, Joey Duffy and Briana Wright on vocals, Gilbert Erickson on guitar, Tyler Rogers on bass, Eliot Cooper on drums, and Dony Nickels on sax. All of them veterans of Tulsa’s vibrant and interconnected music scene, they kicked up steam fast — over a host of EPs, singles, and their debut album, Exercise Your Demons , they went from DIY shows to selling out Tulsa’s famed Cain’s Ballroom.

Still, Birdwatching feels like the work of a whole different band: an album specifically grappling with abandoning cyclical behaviors and addictions that no longer serve you. It’s pop-punk maturing into grown-ass adult travails. Birdwatching is a very real take on life: Things get better, but they also get worse again, and better again, and worse again, and nobody will ever have it all figured out. In each snapshot, Cliffdiver offers a companion for those ups and downs.

Produced by Brett Romnes (Hot Mulligan, Mom Jeans, Dogleg)

“Cliffdiver is a set of splayed ribs, a whole lot of heart, and someone you can turn to when the lights refuse to turn on” —NPR Music"

Suicide Squeeze is thrilled to deliver a reissue of Interloper, the 2020 album from Holy Wave. Interloper sees Holy Wave adding new layers to their lush and mesmerizing songwriting style. Written about the duality between life at home and life on the road, it sees the band expanding on its most esoteric and thought-provoking themes. "I'm Not Living in the Past Anymore" is a mantra about breaking the cycle of the mundane, and "Escapism" is a dream-like meditation. "Interloper" serves as the centerpiece for this self-expanding record, asking, what happens when the world beneath your feet changes so much that you feel like a stranger in your own shoes? The band turns inward to blissed-out moments on album opener "Schmetterling," the saccharine haze of "R&B," and the freak-out catharsis of live favorite "Buddhist Pete." With Interloper Holy Wave weaves together a contemplative tapestry that can serve as a road map for the diffident, a soundtrack to self-realization, or simply an invitation to escape.

'Good Time' is the debut album from Austin, TX noise-pop band DAIISTAR, due out September 8th via Fuzz Club. Creating a narcotic blend of noise and melody, the band takes their inspiration from the neo-psychedelic era of the 80s and 90s and pull it into the future with modulating synthesisers, heavy guitars, bouncing bass lines, and spiralling hooks. 'Good Time' was produced by The Black Angels' Alex Maas and engineered by James Petralli of White Denim. Made up of Alex Capistran (guitar/vocals), Nick Cornetti (drums), Misti Hamrick (bass) and Derek Strahan (keys), DAIISTAR formed in the spring of 2020, just weeks before the pandemic started. "To us, these songs were a glimmer of light", Capistran says: "Starting a band at the peak of the pandemic to some might seem ill-timed, but to us it was a way to escape for a moment. There was something to look forward to and we kept our heads in the future. These songs guided us through some dark times and hopefully they can do the same for you. GOOD TIME is here." Pressing info for LP: 180g neon orange vinyl, printed inner-sleeve, download card included

Extremely limited-edition collectible singles with striking cover art - Available in transparent blue vinyl.

Emmy-winning composers Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein, best known as the duo behind the score for Netflix’s 'Stranger Thing', have composed the original score for 'The Retaliators' (made by Better Noise Films). The revenge-driven horror thriller is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an audience score of 89% and stars Michael Lombardi (FX’s Rescue Me, the Deuce) and Marc Menchaca (Ozark, Black Mirror), alongside featured appearances from a who’s who of modern active rock chart-leading musicians including Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Ivan Moody and Zoltan Bathory (Five Finger Death Punch, plus Jacoby Shaddix (Papa Roach).

Through deep rhythmical mediations, Midge Thompson's first EP emerges on his own imprint Dance Protocol, crafted with the intent to enthrall the dance floor. The A-side unveils a relentless intensity, with sub-bass lines echoing the lost era of raves, each beat a testament to a harsher reality. Conversely, the B-side invites a party atmosphere, its bubbling bassline and dynamic drums offering an escape from the mundane. First you must open your mind then your body.

Right for the 30th anniversary of his Electro project Electro Nation, Thomas P. Heckmann returns with a brand new album on his mates label Activities Records from Brussels with a stunning album artwork by Elzo Durt ! Slave To The Machine is a full story throughout the album about an ordinary life that is down to all things being controlled by machines, internet and digits, just to escape and meet the machine at he end... And the end is obviously open."

Mutant is proud to present Academy Award-winning composer Michael Giacchino's latest album, Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1, featuring iconic scores from Giacchino's extensive portfolio rendered in the retro lounge style of Exotica from the 1950s.



“It's no secret that we at Mutant are huge fans of Michael Giacchino,” says Spencer Hickman, Co-Founder of Mutant. “We're excited to release a retrospective of his astonishing three decades as a composer. Rather than just curating a simple compilation of his previous works, Michael went back into the studio, rearranged and re-recorded every major theme from his career. These tracks have been recorded in an Easy Listening style inspired by such greats as Martin Denny and Les Baxter, creating not just a unique and incredible look back at some of the most beloved movie and television themes of the modern age, but also bringing a fresh, exciting take to the beautiful journey he has taken us all on with him. It feels like you are discovering these songs for the very first time: timeless, beautiful, and a joy to listen to. These newly recorded themes transport you to a far-off sunset, looking out at the ocean, complete with a cocktail in hand, providing a much-needed escape from the stress of modern times, and we can all agree that is something we all crave right now.”



Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 spans nearly two decades of Michael Giacchino’s music, from his early video game scores to his television hits and blockbuster films. The album transforms these works through the lens of Exotica, replacing epic strings and thundering drums with vibraphones and marimbas.



“This album was inspired by the work of Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny,” says Giacchino. “What would they do with the Star Trek theme? Or video games like Medal of Honor? It was a way for me to play in that world I loved so much growing up. I thought it would be fun to create a fantasy world, where this album was recorded back in 1967 and then lost, only to resurface today.”

The album showcases Giacchino’s unerring talent for melody, stripping down grand symphonies to their essential elements while retaining their aesthetic and emotional core.



“So much was rooted in the big orchestral sound, so it was really about scaling it back. The real trick is figuring out the little fun hooks and things you can add along the way. There were no rules; I was up for anything. It was a way to re-engage with the material and be creative in a new way.”



Exotic Themes for the Silver Screen – Volume 1 includes an array of reinterpreted pieces from Michael Giacchino’s career. Highlights include ‘Primordial Forest’ from the 1997 video game The Lost World: Jurassic Park, ‘Life and Death’ from Lost, the theme from Ratatouille, ‘Roar!’ from Cloverfield, ‘Enterprising Young Men’ from Star Trek (2009), ‘A Man, A Plan, A Code, Dubai’ from Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, and a Super 8 suite.



Featuring package design by Luke Insect, and liner notes by Charlie Brigden.

Hyoga responds to Saori's call, alerted by an imminent danger. But before he can act, Saori is attacked by a divine warrior of Asgard, under the orders of Hilda of Polaris. Athena then goes to Asgard, initiating a confrontation. To save humanity, she halts the melting of the ice, but only for half a day. During this time, Seiya and his companions face the seven divine warriors of Asgard to retrieve the sapphires of Odin and free Hilda from the Nibelungen ring.

Seiji Yokoyama, the legendary composer of the entire Saint Seiya series, takes a turn towards Nordic themes and leads us straight into Scandinavian myths. The melancholy, fear, and epic nature of these background music pieces are palpable, supported by the "Andromeda Harmonic Orchestra" and the Colombia Male Choir on vocals, both of which have contributed to most of the series' iconic music.

Over a catalog of six albums, Native Harrow have produced a discography of “rich, engrossing records” and “instant classics” while single-mindedly following their own artistic code, acquiescing only to the exigence of the song: each song its own world with its own rules.

Formed a decade ago, Native Harrow spent their first five or six years crisscrossing the United States and Canada on numerous tours, averaging more than 150 concerts per year in 47 states and 4 provinces, on the back of two self-released albums, Ghost (2015) and Sorores (2017). In 2019, they released Happier Now, partnering with London alt-country stalwarts Loose Records. The record garnered glowing reviews, with Rough Trade selecting it for its album of the month, writing “Beautifully soaring... rolling grooves ground languid and dreamy clearwater shimmers of sound.” The critical acclaim and Americana chart success of the album prompted three back-to-back UK tours in 2019 and early 2020, ultimately leading to a three-year stint living and touring in the UK and Europe. In this time, Native Harrow released two more critically acclaimed records with Loose; Closeness (2020) and Old Kind of Magic (2022), playing for audiences ranging from rock clubs in Norway and Sweden to opera halls in Portugal, and every stop in-between, as well as performing at festivals such as BST Hyde Park (supporting the Eagles and Robert Plant & Alison Kraus), Greenman Festival, Black Deer Festival, The Great Escape, Celtic Connections, Moseley Folk Festival, SXSW, and many more.

Following the eruption of its title track, Side A of “Divided Kind” transitions nimbly through hazy tremolo-laden dusty canyons, past an intimate soulful love letter, and towards a moody anthem of devotion buoyed by propulsive grooves, before ultimately settling on a gentle bird’s-eye-view of love and transcendence. Side B opens with the debut single, “Goin’ Nowhere” a soul transmission over incendiary bass and undulating layers of guiro, congas, tambourines, shakers, and handclaps that sidesteps into moments of infinite dial-toned burnished, Rhodes-propelled soul-jazz and self-assured blues rock à gogo before ending in a spectral folk reading on celestial meditation.

“Divided Kind” was produced and recorded by the pair, in their home studio surrounded by the vintage acoustic and electric guitars, dusty semi-functional amplifiers, and out-of-date Rhodes, B3, piano, and assorted percussion they’ve grown accustomed to. Chicago-based Alex Hall was again drafted to add drums and to mix, and Philadelphia drummer and engineer Joshua Friedman mastered the record. London-based musician Joe Harvey-Whyte added the pedal steel to “Borrowing Time”, with all other voices and instruments being performed by Tuel and Harms.

Larry Mullins, langjähriger Mitarbeiter von Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Iggy Pop and The Stooges, Swans & The Residents, hat mit "Camissonia" ein einzigartiges und persönliches Soloalbum aus minimalen elektronischen Sci-Fi-Vignetten geschaffen, das lose auf den Schriften und dem Leben des deutschen Schriftstellers und Botanikers Adelbert von Chamisso basiert. Das Album ist nach der von Chamisso benannten Pflanzenart benannt, die von seinem Kollegen, dem Botaniker Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz, erstmals beschrieben wurde. Es ist größtenteils ein instrumentaler Soundtrack, der mehrere bemerkenswerte Ereignisse aus Chamissos Buch "Peter Schlemihls wundersame Geschichte (Der Mann, der seinen Schatten verkaufte, 1814)" sowie seine tatsächliche Überseereise an Bord von Otto von Kotzebues Schiff, der "Rurik", während der Jahre 1815-1818, als Botaniker, musikalisch illustriert. Das Artwork zum Album besteht überwiegend aus drei Holzschnitten, die zwischen 1915 und 1919 von Ernst Ludwig Kirchner geschaffen wurden. Kirchner hegte Anfang des 20. Jahrhunderts, also ca. 100 Jahre nach der Veröffentlichung von Chamissos Buch, eine ähnliche Faszination für das Werk wie Larry Mullins weitere 100 Jahre nach Erstellung von Kirchners expressionistischem Meisterwerkes - dem "Peter Schlemihl-Zyklus". Diesmal erweitert "Camissonia" das Chamisso-Erbe als Interpretation in Musik. Camissonia wurde 2020 während der Lockdown-Periode in Wien, Österreich, aufgenommen, die das belebte Zentrum Wiens in einen Zustand einer evakuierten Sci-Fi-Dystopie versetzte. Während Mullins als Musiker im Burgtheater arbeitete, fand er seine Sammlung von Instrumenten plötzlich für die kommenden Monate im Orchestergraben eingeschlossen. Er hatte jedoch eine kleine Auswahl an Elektronik in seiner Wohnung und hatte auch die Möglichkeit, sie aufzunehmen. Außerdem hatte er einen Stapel Bücher zum Lesen, und ganz oben lag - "Der Mann, der seinen Schatten verkaufte". "Die Bilder dieser Geschichte verließen meinen Geist weder bei Tag noch bei Nacht. Ich begann, Chamissos echtes Leben zu erforschen und fand ein wildes Abenteuer rund um die Welt auf einem Schiff! Eine parallele nächtliche Obsession mit den Sci-Fi-Filmen von Rainer Werner Fassbinder verschmolz schließlich zu einem bizarren Moment der Klarheit. Ich richtete mein karges Equipment ein, um zu sehen, welche Klänge ich erzeugen konnte, um die Bilder in meinem Kopf zu interpretieren. Ich entdeckte, dass die mir auferlegten Einschränkungen eine eigene Atmosphäre schufen, und so entstand jeden Tag ein neues Musikstück. Nach meiner Rückkehr nach Berlin wollte ich das Projekt so schnell wie möglich abschließen und keine weiteren Instrumente hinzufügen, um die seltsame Qualität zu bewahren. Ich lud zwei Sängerinnen ein, die ich in Berlin kannte, um bei zwei Stücken einen Chor zu singen, und ich fügte bei einem weiteren Stück selber einen Chor hinzu. Dann schloss ich die Tür und warf den Schlüssel weg."

The debut album from Paris Paloma, 'Cacophony' follows (and includes) her breakthrough single 'labour'. Written around themes of feminine rage, societal expectations on women and deeply embedded misogyny, the album continues the deep consideration and dissection of Paris' own experiences and observations as a woman. 'labour', and subsequent singles including 'as good a reason', have seen her lyrics and music resonate deeply with an every growing fanbase. The 700+ fans at her sold out London show were termed a 'politely loving coven', capturing the sense of community and female energy which Paris inspires. Unheard tracks such as 'his land' are emotive and cinematic, while the gloriously climactic 'the last woman on earth' has become a fan favourite already via TikTok.

Wildly acclaimed Grammy-winning artist Flume returns with a
new album, ‘Palaces’, on Transgressive Records.

‘Palaces’ began to take shape when Flume returned to his
native Australia after struggling to write music in Los Angeles at
the beginning of the pandemic. Settling in a coastal town in the
Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Flume quickly
found the inspiration he needed through reconnecting with the
nature around him - the rolling hills, walking around barefoot,
the green colour the sky turns before a big storm, growing and
eating his own vegetables, the smell of rain.

He and his neighbour and long-time collaborator, the visual
artist Jonathan Zawada, became fascinated by the local wildlife,
in particular the birds, collecting field recordings that ultimately
worked their way in to the album. As Flume continued to forge a
strong connection to his surroundings, the album he wanted to
make started to form, eventually adopting a title to properly
highlight the luxury and magic of the natural world.

‘Palaces’ is his most confident, mature and uncompromising
work to date, a true testament to nurturing the relationships that
make us whole and bring us peace.

The album features a host of vocalists and collaborators, its
cast list spanning new and household names from around the
world - breakout US star Caroline Polachek, British polymath
icon Damon Albarn, Spain’s Vergen Maria, France’s Oklou and
fellow Australian Kučka, who returns following her standout turn
on ‘Skin’.

Deluxe CD including two exclusive bonus tracks in 6-panel
heavyweight board digipack with tube pocket and 8-page
booklet. Matte finish on digipak board with glossy spot UV
finish.

CD digipack with poster insert.

Black 180G double vinyl in widespine jacket with full colour
centre labels and digital download card.

Soul Jazz Records’ are releasing their classic release ‘Rastafari – The Dreads Enter Babylon 1955-83’ in a new one-off pressing limited edition blue coloured double vinyl edition. The album includes new tracks and is fully remastered from the original edition.

Spanning nearly 30 years of revolutionary music and featuring the music of Count Ossie, Johnny Clarke, The Mystic Revelation of Rastafari, Bongo Herman, Earth & Stone and many more, this is an in-depth look at some of the heaviest and righteous music ever made!
Soul Jazz Records' Rastafari: The Dreads Enter Babylon charts the many links between reggae music and Rastafarianism. The album comes complete with full gatefold and bespoke inner sleeves, containing stunning exclusive photography and extensive sleevenotes.

Rastafarianism had its roots at the start of the 20th century and became widespread in Jamaica following the visit of Haile Selassie, the King of Ethiopia, to Kingston in 1966. By the 1970s Rastafarianism become practically synonymous with reggae, as many roots reggae artists became known throughout the world, notably spearheaded by the success of Bob Marley and The Wailers.

As ‘roots reggae’ artists in the 1970s continued to spread the word of Jah (God) in their music, Rastafari reggae became the ultimate rebel sound throughout the world.

"One of the best bands to come out of NYC since who gives a shit." -CVLT Nation. When you enter White Hills' lair in Brooklyn, the duo's insatiable desire for music and art is immediately palpable. Crates of vinyl from floor to ceiling line the long hallway. Guitars appear at every angle, one lying across a sofa in obvious mid-play with others in cases tucked beside amplifiers into every conceivable corner. Synthesizers and cables cover the purple satin bed while gouache paintings in various stages of progress strewn the floor. Album covers, movie posters, books, paintings, prints and souvenirs of subversive culture occupy the remaining wall space. A sanctuary of adoration, creation and imagination, it's also the nerve center of their record label Heads on Fire Industries and the site where the final mixes of their latest album Beyond This Fiction took shape. For nearly two decades, White Hills have been blowing minds with their sonic alchemy: a unique mix of neo-psychedelia, art rock, and post-punk- at once original and recognizable. Their cult reputation emblazoned in celluloid following their performance in Jim Jarmusch's sultry vampire romance Only Lovers Left Alive, the duo has toured vigorously since their inception. With a vast catalogue that astounds and a relentless punk ethos, time seems to energize the duo, making them increasingly daring and prolific. "Music creates a bliss beyond sex and drugs," professes one-woman rhythm section Ego Sensation. "We'll never stop making music. It's the highest high to be had in life." Founding member Dave W, whose signature other-worldly guitar sorcery defines the White Hills sound, grabs his Les Paul to record a melody lingering in his head from last night's dream before it escapes. Outside, the sound of passing sirens, honking horns and bits of conversation remind you that you're in the middle of New York, a city so flush with rock legacy and artistic innovation it would take lifetimes to drink it all in. A voice from outside shouts, "This shit is going for 3! These people got to be out of their fucking minds!" Dave shakes his head and laughs, "There's no place I'd rather be." Committed to a vocation marked by extremes, doubt, struggle and moments of ecstasy, Dave and Ego continue this torrid affair with music bearing their latest fruit Beyond This Fiction. Inspired by the ideas of Joseph Campbell, the writer/philosopher known for the book The Power of Myth, the album explores the idea of "riding between opposites"- forging one's own path unrestrained by the dualistic constraints of society. It's a cry to all the seers among us- call us outsiders or rebels- who feel smothered by convention and see nonconformity as the gateway into divine mystery. Recorded with Martin Bisi, known for his iconic NYC sound developed through his work with no-wave titans Sonic Youth, Swans and Lydia Lunch, Beyond This Fiction sees Dave W (guitar/vocals/synths) and Ego Sensation (drums/bass/vocals) orchestrating their distinct guitar heavy meditations into songs with a stronger focus on vocals than previous albums. Opener "Throw It Up In The Air" and closer "Beyond This Fiction" both have a lush quality that flirts with shoegaze. "Killing Crimson", a song that takes inspiration from Killing Joke and King Crimson, has a driving beat and a catchy hook that begs for a sing-a-long. "The Awakening" plunges into the meditative ambient abyss the band is well known for, featuring the unique voice of frequent collaborator poet Dan McGuire to deliver the meaning behind Beyond This Fiction. The album harnesses the seductive accessibility of 2015's Walks For Motorists while evoking the tempestuous soul of the band's seminal 2011 H-p1. Notorious shapeshifters, White Hills make Beyond This Fiction a familiar surprise. Back in the lair, Dave draws eyes on his hands in preparation for the day's video shoot. Ego reaches in the closet pulling out the red velvet jacket she wears on the cover of Beyond This Fiction where she stands in a NYC alley holding a glowing orb. "That's the portal- the gateway into the mystery. The music will take you there.".

'Good Time' is the debut album from Austin, TX noise-pop band DAIISTAR, due out September 8th via Fuzz Club. Creating a narcotic blend of noise and melody, the band takes their inspiration from the neo-psychedelic era of the 80s and 90s and pull it into the future with modulating synthesisers, heavy guitars, bouncing bass lines, and spiralling hooks. 'Good Time' was produced by The Black Angels' Alex Maas and engineered by James Petralli of White Denim. Made up of Alex Capistran (guitar/vocals), Nick Cornetti (drums), Misti Hamrick (bass) and Derek Strahan (keys), DAIISTAR formed in the spring of 2020, just weeks before the pandemic started. "To us, these songs were a glimmer of light", Capistran says: "Starting a band at the peak of the pandemic to some might seem ill-timed, but to us it was a way to escape for a moment. There was something to look forward to and we kept our heads in the future. These songs guided us through some dark times and hopefully they can do the same for you. GOOD TIME is here." Pressing info for LP: 180g neon orange vinyl, printed inner-sleeve, download card included

New York’s Sarah Kinsley is fascinated by creating imaginary worlds and alternate realities. We all need an escape. To that end, Sarah’s first album is called Escaper, and to which world you choose to escape is ultimately your own decision. This is vibrant, bold, beautiful music that confronts death and loss, the decimation of old friendships, romantic love’s shortcomings compared to the love shared with close friends, and fraught relationships that flourished and then fizzled. It sounds hugely confident, a real body of work. “A huge way of how I get through life and pain and horrible experiences is through the creation of these spaces where you can become someone else as a distraction—as a means to solving grief,” Sarah says. She works through it all as if the centerpiece of an epic poem, with high drama melodies and huge sweeping choruses.

Limited

Unsere Resident Evil Vinyl-Serie wird mit dem actiongeladenen Remake von Resident Evil 3 fortgesetzt, in dem Jill Valentine in HD von der furchterregenden Nemesis gejagt wird.
24 Tracks wurden speziell für Vinyl gemastert und auf traditionelle schwarze Heavyweight-Platten gepresst. Diese befinden sich in einer Deluxe-Gatefold-Hülle mit einem Cover-Artwork von Capcom. Unter der Leitung des langjährigen Resident Evil-Mitarbeiters Masami Ueda gehören Kota Suzuki, Takayasu Sodeoka, Azusa Kato, Ryo Koike, Takumi Saito und Saori Maeda zum Kompositionsteam des Spiels. Der Score schwelgt in der unheimlichen, atmosphärischen Spannung, die nur Resident Evil-Titel erzeugen können. Dazu kommen pulsierende Actionszenen, die das Herz höher schlagen lassen, und einige nostalgische Themen aus dem Jahr 1999.

Thandii (aka Jessica Berry, Graham Godfrey) first made waves with their debut album A Beat To Make It Better in 2023. The album gained somewhat cult critical acclaim long after its release, with listeners luxuriating in the unusual sound collaged from offcuts of Soul, Lo-fi Hiphop & Psych. Thandii’s world comes bolstered by collaborations with esteemed artists such as Michael Kiwanuka, Inflo, SAULT, Joy Crookes, Jordan Rakei, and Little Simz. The duo’s sophomore offering comes in the form of two companion albums Dream With You & Come As You. The two albums make up a single conceptual statement celebrating dissonance, contradiction, polarity and opposition.

The pair believe that binary thinking has a lot to answer for in today’s world and is often used to divide us as a people. ‘We wanted to explore what it felt like to hold disparate notions in both hands whilst making the music. Starting with the title tracks, we explored the idea of unashamedly being your authentic self in every moment - this is admirable for those that can live their life in an uncompromising way. In contrast to that idea, we explored those moments where we perhaps wished we were more than our reality - a dreamed up, imagined self’. It’s no surprise that duality is central to what Thandii is all about with the pair co-writing, co-recording & co-producing from their seaside studio HaloHalo in Margate, Kent.

The albums each have a distinct flavour of their own. Dream With You is built on cassette-tape-driven lofi beats, art-pop melodies and soulful piano breaks. Whilst Come As You explores more experimental song-form that wouldn’t seem out of place on Tender Buttons - Broadcast or Dots And Loops - Stereolab. Jessica’s voice is the transcendent, ethereal form that shapeshifts between the realms of the two statements; dancing playfully through falsetto harmonies, confessional spoken word, detuned alter egos and haunting choirs. Key collaborators on the albums include bass player Jonathan Harvey and pianist Steve Pringle, both members of Margate’s burgeoning Arts scene. Thandii escaped London nearly a decade ago, their sights set on creating a means for prolific expression, without the distractions that the city can bring. The albums find them in an exploratory stage, throwing paint at the canvas with joyful abandon, gifting themselves permission for uncensored expression. The LPs muse on relationships - romantic, platonic & familial - community, self-worth, self love, healing and boundaries, at times from differing perspectives. This contrast of opinion makes for rich listening throughout a vast emotional landscape

Coming out on September 6th on Sharptone Records, Sundiver is Boston Manor’s fifth album and one that represents a glimmering dawn for the Blackpool five-piece. Grown from a seedbed of optimism and sobriety, the LP celebrates new beginnings, second chances and rebirth. With two members recently stepping into fatherhood, hope is baked into every note. “Datura came out of these really dark few years over the hangover of the pandemic,” Henry reflects. “I'd been struggling a lot with drinking and not taking care of myself and bad mental health and stuff. We wanted Sundiver to be the next morning of the following day.” He explains that it feels good this time round to write through the lens of positivity. “The themes began to emerge, of rebirth, spring, dawn, sunshine and then other elements just started to fit into that.” It was during the making of Sundiver that Henry found out he was going to be a dad. This album is a significant one for the band. Originally coming out of the emo and pop punk scene, they’ve explored sonics and genres throughout their career, taken risks and achieved more than they could ever had dreamed of. They’ve grown up as Boston Manor – their lives and the world changing around them. They’re now taking stock, at a crossroads of the band they were and the band they could be.
While writing the album, they revisited the bands that shaped them in the late 90s and early 00s. “I was listening to the music I loved when I was a teenager and I just thought, why don't we make music like our favourite bands?”, guitarist Mike Cuniff remembers with a smile. “So we brought our interests to the table that way. Y2K kind of vibe. There are elements of Deftones, there are elements of Portishead in there, some Garbage, The Cardigans.” He laughs and adds NSYNC to the list of inspirations. From this cocktail of classics comes a dynamic and ambitious record, rich with depth, groove and more hooks than Peter Pan’s nightmares. Lyrics that foxtrot from parallel universes to personal growth, vivid dreamscapes to raw grief. Individually they’re single strokes full of meaning and magic. Together they’re a landscape.
Container (out Feb 15th) is the first single and it’s them at their best – impassioned and infectious. “This song is about the stagnancy of life creeping up on you & how that can bring about change.,” Henry explains, citing Ocean Song by US band Daughters as an inspiration.

The concept of the butterfly effect is present on Sundiver – how small actions can lead to big changes. This is no clearer than on their second single, Sliding Doors (out April 5th). It has the golden sound of late 90s Lollapalooza rock – think Smashing Pumpkins - rebooted with crisp 2024 production and a potent heaviness. In the lyrics Henry wonders, what if?, pondering on what could be. The idea that there are infinite versions of you whose lives splinter off in different directions at every decision you make. That there’s another you out there somewhere right now reading this sentence, and another me writing it. “So much is down to chance and circumstance,” Henry says. “You might catch that train and your life totally changes. Or you might miss it and things stay the way they are.”
Heat Me Up (out May 30th) is defiant and victorious, the audio equivalent of quitting your shit job and driving into the hot summer sun with a head full of dreams. “The lyrics are about love and gratitude,” Henry shares. “Another theme on the record is just appreciating what you have. It’s about not taking for granted the things that you've been afforded.”
There was some natural magic in the creation of Sundiver. They worked with their usual producer, Larry Hibbitt, and engineer, Alex O’Donovan, but instead of recording in London again they ended up in the green pastures of Welwyn Garden City. “Because Larry lives out in the countryside now, it was a way different environment and way different experience recording this time,” Mike remembers. “That contributed a lot to the brighter sound of the record.” The daily barbecues they had during their recording sessions imbued the process with harmony – five old friends spending quality time together and making quality music.
However, the album is by no means one-note. Birthing this new world they’ve created wasn’t without it’s pain, and that can be heard in the heavier moments on Sundiver. What Is Taken Will Never Be Lost is the most-stripped back on the album, a slow rock number seasoned with the downtempo Portishead influence. The heartfelt lyrics are Henry’s way of processing the loss of his grandfather, who died in a hospice last year(?). “It was just fucking horrible. It was always cold when I went there and they were always trying to get rid of me. The song title, What Was Taken Can Ever Be Lost, is the idea of his memory fading at the time because of dementia.” Henry goes onto explain that shoeboxes of photographs, diaries and a legacy is what he’s left behind. “He lived a really rich life and it has really impacted me and my father. His legacy is etched into the fabric of history in a very small way.” This song continues the connection between his grandfather and the band, as his painted face is emblazoned on the cover of the very first Boston Manor EP, Driftwood. As well as emotionally heavy themes, there’s heaviness in the music of Sundiver too. The closing song, Oil In My Blood, descends into an intense shoegaze outro with Debbie Gough from Heriot screaming hellfire. It’s in moments like this that the band show us aggression and fury can be as much a part of positive change as quiet introspection. The last lyrics of the song, “It resets and starts again,” leaves us in contemplation as the final chord rings out.
Touring the US, Europe and Japan over the years makes for an impressive CV, but if you know anything about Boston Manor you’ll know that they’re all about their hometown. Their choice to work with Blackpool-based photographer Nick Barkworth is testament to that. They’ve been working with him since the pandemic. “He captures Blackpool in a light that really reflects the weirdness and quirkiness of the town,” Henry says.” He's got a really good way of presenting that.” For the Sundiver cover, Nick photographed a 30ft tall abstract glass sculpture made by the local artist John Ditchfield. A striking and bewitching monolith that’s familiar to them but unusual to most people. “It has such kind of a gravity and power to it,” Henry describes the sculpture which stands in a field just outside of the seaside town. “It reminds me of either an explosion or a star or a supernova. To me it represents new life, power and radiance.” Boston Manor have got a knack for that - connecting the otherworldly and the everyday, the stars and the streets.
They’re a band known for using their music to make bigger statements about society. This time round they’re harnessing the uplifting power of music, and the communion it creates, as an antidote to the daily doom and isolation. “It seems like absolute chaos out there at the moment,” Henry says. “You’ve got Gaza and Israel, you've got Russia, you've got the fact that 40% of the world is going to have an election this year and increasingly most governments are leaning very far to the Right. The internet is dividing everybody, people are getting poorer and more desperate. It's really, really scary.” They considered trying to tackle the weight of it all in their music. “We could’ve written Welcome to the Neighbourhood on steroids, where it's just absolute darkness and misery”. He’s referring to their 2018 concept album that deals with class, inequality and the bleaker side of Blackpool. “But I think it's really important to write something that people can be immersed in and find some sort of solace in. Somewhere they can escape to from the modern day pressures and everything that’s going on. We’re all in this together.”

‘Zerinjit’ invites us to the molecular world of sound, where every sonic entity is meticulously compounded to constitute the alchemic matter of the doomed reality and post-tribal escape, putting every cell into motion. Born out of debut collaboration between Den Haag’s JEANS and Florence’s TOMO from DE RIO, the EP is a massive merge of like-minded brains in a sonic dialogue, re-shaking the otherworld of techno music. An exhilarated heartbeat amidst industrial cries, shrieks, and squeals is levitated by fat hypnotic synth lines, while the rudimentary “chuckles” over the fate of the progressive, amplifying towards infinity in a symphonic and rhythmic celebration. The “Spectral Pattern” unveils the mystic force behind dragging and pulling the Hertz of the wavelength cycle, reflecting the emitted energy from the hardware core. We are turning around in vertigo, trying to capture “Gengar” bouncing across space, catching the liquid multiples of themselves. We are approaching the smoky clouds around “Acondrite-ung”, the unclimbable mountain that samarium creatures obsessively climb in hypnosis, never destined to reach the peak.

‘Zerinjit’ is a tale of the otherworld, its creatures, patterns, rhythms, saints, and martyrs, science and utopia, translated into a dance floor body language of the ordinary.

The impact, influence, and importance of Run-D.M.C.'s self-titled debut – the album that invented hardcore hip-hop and bridged rap, rock, and funk in then-unparalleled ways – cannot be measured. The first full-length record released by Profile Records, the 1984 set permanently changed the sound of music, broadcast streetwise wisdom to every corner of the country, and made the notion of a one-man band a distinct reality. Bolstered by an incendiary blend of staccato deliveries, stark beats, aggressive exchanges, evocative hooks, and socially conscious messages, Run-D.M.C. still hits listeners in the jaw with the same intensity it did nearly 40 years ago when it could be heard booming from ghetto blasters carried around city blocks nationwide.

Sourced from the original master tapes, pressed on MoFi SuperVinyl, and strictly limited to 3,000 numbered copies, Mobile Fidelity's 180g SuperVinyl 33RPM LP is the definitive-sounding version of the groundbreaking work cited by Rolling Stone as the 378th Greatest Album of All Time. This reissue also represents the first time this gold-certified effort has been presented in audiophile quality. Benefitting from the ultra-low noise floor, superb groove definition, and dead-quiet surfaces of SuperVinyl, Run-D.M.C. now plays with a clarity, immediacy, punchiness, and directness worthy of the artistry, urgency, and intellect of the trio's material.

The brilliance of Russell Simmons and Larry Smith's production comes into view as if the music is being broadcast on a giant system in a small club — only more focused, lively, and unlimited. Free of dynamic constraints and fatiguing harshness, this LP invites you to turn up the volume and experience the raw, rough, invigorating songs that changed the look, sound, and feel of hip-hop overnight. Think the trio’s sparse framework of drum machines, tag-team rhymes, keyboard accents, and turntable scratches is stuck in the mid-80s? Spin MoFi’s SuperVinyl LP and gain new appreciation for the music, messages, and production on display on Run-D.M.C.

Recorded in the wake of two successful and pioneering singles, both included on the album, Run-D.M.C. effectively took a sheet of coarse-grit sandpaper to the polish, sheen, and linear presentation of all the hip-hop that preceded it. Stripped to bare-bones foundations, the songs grab your attention and shake you by the collar with a combination of industrial-leaning rhythms, staggered deliveries, dance drama, and hard, minimalist percussion. Then there are the lyrics.

The LP broadcasts a smart mix of boots-on-the-ground reports, uplifting advice, and then-nascent b-boy culture. In one fell swoop, its narratives and music rendered the scene’s proclivity toward glamor and softness passé. Run-D.M.C.’s tough, cool-minded fashion sense showed the trio walked its talk and gave fans — particularly those living in long-ignored urban areas — heroes which with they could identify. Kangol hats, black jeans, leather jackets, Adidas sneaks, and gold chains were the new currency.

In every regard, Run-D.M.C. signifies the birth of modern hip-hop. Never more obviously than on the groundbreaking “Rock Box,” where rap and rock were first fused. As the first hip-hop video to receive regular rotation on MTV, the track eviscerated racial and social boundaries, awakened musicians and listeners to new possibilities, and redefined both popular music and, ultimately, popular culture. As the Roots’ Questlove has stated, it “ knocked down many obstacles, enabling hip-hop to become the new gospel."

Such teaching includes the real-world scripture of “Hard Times,” utopian hopefulness of “Wake Up,” and observational truths of “It’s Like That.” Released as the group’s debut single well before its eponymous album, the latter tune established themes and outlooks Run-D.M.C. would embrace during its career. Namely, the keen awareness of various prejudices, economic ills, and disruptive violence as well as the knowledge that education, self-motivation, and hard work were the ways to escape disadvantages and disillusionment.

Inspired and inspirational, the song reflects the spirit and shrewdness that courses throughout Run-D.M.C. That includes a detailed account of the trio’s not-so secret weapon (“Jam-Master Jay”), purpose statement (“Hollis Crew (Krush-Groove 2)”), and a revolutionary hybrid autobiographical narrative-dis track (“Sucker M.C.’s (Krush-Groove 1)”) widely regarded as one of the best hip-hop songs ever created. The same can be said for every moment on Run-D.M.C.

MoFi SuperVinyl
Developed by NEOTECH and RTI, MoFi SuperVinyl is the most exacting-to-specification vinyl compound ever devised. Analog lovers have never seen (or heard) anything like it. Extraordinarily expensive and extremely painstaking to produce, the special proprietary compound addresses two specific areas of improvement: noise floor reduction and enhanced groove definition. The vinyl composition features a new carbonless dye (hold the disc up to the light and see) and produces the world's quietest surfaces. This high-definition formula also allows for the creation of cleaner grooves that are virtually indistinguishable from the original lacquer. MoFi SuperVinyl provides the closest approximation of what the label's engineers hear in the mastering lab.