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Tarja Turunen is a Finnish singer-songwriter and one of the most iconic voices in symphonic metal. She blends her classically trained soprano with metal and rock influences, creating a unique style. Since launching her solo career, Tarja has released critically acclaimed albums spanning genres from symphonic metal to classical and Christmas music. Her powerful live performances, theatrical stage presence, and global fanbase solidify her as a pioneering artist in modern music.
THE PRODUCT
The “Circus Life” concert was an unforgettable live experience, recorded with 16 musicians in a unique “In the Round” format at the circus in Bucharest. Tarja was joined by talented vocalists, including her brother Toni, and a mix of musicians from various stages of her career.
The concert captured the joy and camaraderie among the performers, with Tarja opting for a minimalistic approach to her wardrobe to prioritize the music. The whole experience, marked by togetherness and spontaneity, became a cherished memory before the world shut down in 2020. The setlist spans her career, featuring greatest hits such as “I Walk Alone”, “Until My Last Breath” and “Innocence”, as well as fan favorites like “Victim Of Ritual” and “Demons In You”, showcasing her evolution as an artist.
The show was originally included as bonus content in the strictly limited and sold-out Mediabook and Box Set of Tarja’s 2022 “Best Of: Living The Dream” release. It is now made available stand-alone as “Ltd. 2CD+Blu-ray Digipak”, featuring the 2-hour live show as audio and video, “Ltd. Black 3LP Gatefold”, including a LP-sized booklet and Blu-ray softcase.

Für viele Fans auf der ganzen Welt gilt Paul Di’Anno bis zum heutigen Tag als der einzig wahre Maiden Frontmann. Während seiner langen Solokarriere veröffentlichte er auch zwei Alben auf Metalville Records. "In Memory Of" enthält, neben den Highlights aus diesen beiden Alben, zwei bisher nie in physischer Form veröffentlichte Songs. Dazu bietet das Booklet unveröffentlichtes Fotomaterial sowie exklusiv für dieses Album verfasste Liner Notes durch den bekannten Rock Hard Autor und Maiden-Biografen Matthias Mader.

Originally released in the summer of 1994 at the height of interest in the US underground rock scene, ‘Without A Sound’ was Dinosaur Jr’s sixth album, and their third major label offering. Recorded by the then two-piece band (Mike Johnson on bass and vocals, J Mascis performing everything else himself, including drums), the album saw Dinosaur Jr continue to deliver on their distinct formula, J’s soul-searching songs being performed with his trademark effortlessly cool heavy style. Including classics such as ‘Feel The Pain’ and ‘Grab It’, the album remains a firm fan favourite. Released on highly collectable splatter green vinyl to commemorate the band’s flurry of ‘Without A Sound’ themed live shows in May 2025, this is a chance for the uninitiated and younger fans to discover a classic, and for familiar fans to revisit an album which sounds as vibrant and essential today as it did thirty years ago.

Eleven is a magic number in many cultures, for us maybe it is… or not, anyway our eleventh release is going to be something special with vinyl again as the main format after some only digital releases.

The man in charge of production duties is well known for crafting merciless techno exercises all over the place, RNGD is not a newcomer at all, his roots come from the late nineties and you can somehow feel that into his modern tunes.

These four cuts have a strong link with the classic Birmingham school, Regis,
Downwards, Female, Surgeon… but with a personal and unique twist.

Direct Source is a clear example of what I mentioned before, a few elements are enough to make the funk happen: a solid sequence, proper drums and a hypnotic arrangement.

Same approach on 037, proper neural funk with basic elements administered properly. B side opens with Degradation, again with the same mantra, anabolic, gymnastic and physical.

To close the release Diabólica, providing the mental slice of the pie with the
occasional pad and vocal samples but yet energetic and direct to the floor.

This is the true spirit of techno, don’t be fooled for the new trends. Timeless is the word here.

Text by Luis Rozalén / Hd Substance

((( O ))) is unveiling her highly anticipated fifth studio album, ((( 5 ))), marking the latest milestone in her visionary series of releases. Continuing her tradition of fusing music with the rhythms of the universe, she has introduced the concept of 'MoondropDISABLEDs,' which are individual pieces of audio-visual art released every full moon. These 'MoondropDISABLEDs' are then compiled into an annual collection called 'Sundrops,' released on her birthday. ((( 5 ))) represents the fifth installment in this series, offering a mesmerizing blend of genres and sonic landscapes that reflect ((( O )))'s deep connection with nature and the cosmos. Each track is crafted to resonate with the energies of the lunar cycle during which it was created, offering listeners an otherworldly experience. Looking ahead, ((( O ))) aims to complete a full collection of 12 'Sundrops' by the year 2032, creating an unparalleled anthology of art that spans a decade and encapsulates the cycles of the moon. Her work continues to inspire a global audience with its innovative blend of music, visual art, and spiritual exploration.
In the words of ((( O ))): “Each 'Sundrop' is a reflection of my journey through life, intimately connected with the rhythms of nature. With ((( 5 ))) being my first fully-produced album, I invite listeners to join me in sitting with the moments in between, with the simplicity of instrumentals from sounds that I used from my journeys living in the Philippines, celebrating the beauty and power of our cosmic connection. I needed it to create space versus taking up more space in an already overwhelming world we live in now.

In celebration of their 35th anniversary, Leftover Salmon, the legendary
bluegrass-rooted jam band, will be releasing their new studio album, Let's
Party About It
Let's Party About It reaffirms their status as pioneers of blended bluegrass and
showcases their unmatched musical chemistry. For the first time ever, the band wrote
the album together in a single session as a group. Longtime friend of the band and
storied songwriter Aaron Raitiere (Lady Gaga, Lukas Nelson, Ella Langley, Lainey
Wilson, Anderson East, The Lone Bellow, Trace Adkins, and more) also joined the band
for the writing session. The resulting album captures the energy and camaraderie that
have defined Leftover Salmon's three-and-a-half-decade-long career.
The album was recorded at Compass Sound Studio (formerly Glaser Sound Studio,
aka "Hillbilly Central"), the iconic birthplace of Outlaw Country, with the band joined by
special guests such as Del McCoury (vocals), Sam Bush (fiddle, mandolin), Jason
Carter (fiddle), Jeff Coffin (saxophone), and more.

Outtakes is a retrospective album featuring nine previously unreleased tracks
from Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip - This unique collection contains songs,
recorded over the years but for various reasons, were left off past albums,
capture the band's evolving sound and dedication to blues-rock excellence
We usually had a few extra songs when we went into the studio to record the album in
case some of the songs didn't "take off" as expected. Sometimes the direction of
production can also change as the process progresses, which affects the album as a
whole. However, a lot of effort has been put into these songs and they have been
carefully prepared for the album and produced to completion. It is at least justified to
give them another chance to reach listeners, and we felt they deserved a platform of
their own. Although the songs are from different eras, I think they formed a very good
and balanced whole" says Micke Bjorklof.
Spanning from the early 2000s to the present, Outtakes showcases the shifting styles
and influences of one of Finland's most celebrated blues-rock bands. Outtakes is not
only a collection of rare tracks but also a kind of time travel through the arc of the
band's musical and sonic evolution from the early 2000s to the present day. Each
song reflects the shifting moods, styles, and influences the band has embraced over
the years, capturing the essence of one of Finland's most celebrated blues-rock bands
over 30-year journey in the blues-rock scene.

DOUBLE-DISC EDITION OF DARKTHRONE'S 1993 PURE NORWEGIAN BLACK
METAL MASTERPIECE, INCLUDING THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY MASTER, PLUS
ADDITIONAL DISC WITH COMMENTARY FROM FENRIZ
Darkthrone began life in the late 80's as a thrash/ death metal act & progressed
through technical death/doom metal experimentation to become legends of the black
metal world & one of the original leading bands of the Norwegian scene, as well as
inspiring a whole generation of metal bands, as they continue as strong as ever to this
day.
'Under A Funeral Moon', Darkthrone's third album, was originally released by Peaceville
in 1993. The album is a bleak reflection of contemporary times, featuring harsh guitar
riffage & hateful vocals in what was the band's first 100% pure black metal opus; a
work completely stripped of the death metal traces of former releases & in its place, a
stark & primitive execution. This was aided by an intentionally lo- fi sound that is
powerfully cold & entirely unconcerned with any modern- day aesthetics. 'Under A
Funeral Moon' is the album that many Darkthrone fans hail as the ultimate manifesto
for Black Metal.
This edition of 'Under A Funeral Moon' is presented on double- disc CD format &
includes an audio master created for the album's 30th anniversary in line with the
original 1993 version, plus the 2013 commentary disc from Fenriz with his
recollections on the tracks & the time period.

A fully licensed, analogue reissue -- sure, on cassette and not on vinyl, that's a
long story -- of the first Index LP, originally released in 1967
The "Black Album" is one of the all-time holy grails of psychedelia, with originals going
for more than $4,000. It is an album "with a really druggie sound, full of feedback and
fuzzy guitars. The vocals, when present, are not easily heard. The cover of 'Eight Miles
High' is very good, probably one of the best cover versions I have ever heard. The
original songs all follow a similar pattern as the covers, with hazy guitar riffs and loud
rhythms. The last track is particularly noisy and unstructured. Hidden in amongst the
echoing canyons of sound there's some really snotty punk attitude wrapped up in
trippy velvet fuzz."
This record is magnificent-- bizarre, atmospheric, amateurish (in the best of all
possible ways). It has a wonderful bleak sound, both droning and murky... the atonal
sound of 1960's rock that would leave the most lasting impression on what would
become future punk, post-punk and indie rock artists.
"Much has been written about this incredible band. Much of it isn't true. Index was
formed in the early spring of 1967 in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. I was 18 years old
when I met a chain-smoking 16-year-old named Gary Francis. Our conversation soon
got around to rock and roll. He told me that he and his friend, John Ford, were forming
a band. I told him that I played drums and we arranged a jam session at John's home
on Lakeshore Drive. Our first meeting was incredible. Our sound was full and
powerful. John's lead guitar techniques were fresh and innovative. After our first
sessions we knew we had something special. Index was born. Soon we hit the local
'sock hop' circuit, playing at high schools and teen clubs in the area. We poured our
unique sound out at The Hideout, Undercroft and G.P. War Memorial every weekend.
One afternoon John pulled out a new album he had been listening to. It was a new
band with a mind-shattering sound called 'The Jimi Hendrix Experience.' John played
some songs he had written inspired by this 'psychedelic' sound. Over the next few
days, 'Fire Eyes,' 'Shock Wave' and 'Feedback' were written. This album was recorded
in December of 1967 at the Ford estate. It is recorded in mono with literally one
microphone and with all instruments and vocals recorded at the same time. The cover
photo is of founders of a singing group John joined at Yale. The stiff, board- like
figures seem to characterize the exact opposite of this musical collection. This
reissue is taken from the original recordings. Nothing has been added and all songs
are in their original length. Over the years various bootleg copies of this album have
surfaced but this is the original work." --Jim Valice

'Better The Devil You Know' marks the long-awaited comeback of British band The Spitfires. Their first release with a refreshed line-up and also their debut on Bellevue Music, the track sees the band teaming up with producer Simon Dine (Paul Weller, Dexys Midnight Runners, Noonday Underground) to deliver a punchy, politically charged anthem.

On the B side, exclusive to the physical release only, is a remix of new track 'A Man Of Time' by french wizard and Paul Weller collaborator Le SuperHomard. Another new song to discover in its original form on the forthcoming album " MKII ". With musical hints of The Clash, The Specials and Hard-Fi at their most outspoken, 'Better The Devil You Know' is a sharp reflection on the ongoing turmoil in the Middle East. Frontman and songwriter Billy Sullivan explains "It relates to all war. A true protest song" The band is set to hit the road for a UK and European tour ( see below for details ), culminating in a headline show at London's KOKO on May 23rd.

Album was released in three versions: classic with black vinyl, limited edition with solid green vinyl (hand numbered 100 copies) and special Japan edition (with OBI and transparent green vinyl). All versions have 180g vinyl.

Ljóstillífun is the latest album by musician/sound artist Pan Thorarensen. The album is inspired by Iceland's flóra, its plant kingdom, and the country's mysterious natural landscapes. The title, Ljóstillífun, translates to Photosynthesis in English.

Pan extensively incorporated field recordings of nature using specialized microphones during the album's production. He combined these with various handcrafted electronic instruments, synthesizers, and sound design techniques to create a truly unique sonic environment.

"The music will guide the listener into a meditative state, immersing them in Iceland's flóra, stillness, and the breathtaking beauty of its nature."

For this project, Pan collaborated with several esteemed artists, including:
• Italian composer and guitarist Eraldo Bernocchi
• Venetian ambient producer and composer Gigi Masin
• Portland-based sound designer and field recordist Patricia Wolf
• Japanese ambient artist Moshimoss
• Berlin-based Japanese violinist Hoshiko Yamane (Tangerine Dream)

Beyond his solo work, Pan has composed music for short films and documentaries and has released numerous albums under various stage names. One of his projects is the ambient trio Stereo Hypnosis, in which he collaborates with his father, Óskar Thorarensen, and composer/guitarist Þorkell Atlason.

For the past 16 years, Pan has traveled the world exhibiting his art and performing at numerous music festivals. Throughout these journeys, he has formed deep connections with musicians, visual artists, agents, journalists, and event organizers.

A key figure in Iceland's electronic music scene, Pan is widely respected for his artistic contributions. Fifteen years ago, he founded and has since organized Extreme Chill, an annual electronic music festival that attracts both local and international electronic music enthusiasts, drawing them into the ethereal embrace of Iceland's natural beauty.


The album is released by the renowned Polish independent label U Know Me Records, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. After more than 125 releases this is the very first one without Polish artists involved in the recordings. UKM starts a new chapter...

Album was released in three versions: classic with black vinyl, limited edition with solid green vinyl (hand numbered 100 copies) and special Japan edition (with OBI and transparent green vinyl). All versions have 180g vinyl.

Ljóstillífun is the latest album by musician/sound artist Pan Thorarensen. The album is inspired by Iceland's flóra, its plant kingdom, and the country's mysterious natural landscapes. The title, Ljóstillífun, translates to Photosynthesis in English.

Pan extensively incorporated field recordings of nature using specialized microphones during the album's production. He combined these with various handcrafted electronic instruments, synthesizers, and sound design techniques to create a truly unique sonic environment.

"The music will guide the listener into a meditative state, immersing them in Iceland's flóra, stillness, and the breathtaking beauty of its nature."

For this project, Pan collaborated with several esteemed artists, including:
• Italian composer and guitarist Eraldo Bernocchi
• Venetian ambient producer and composer Gigi Masin
• Portland-based sound designer and field recordist Patricia Wolf
• Japanese ambient artist Moshimoss
• Berlin-based Japanese violinist Hoshiko Yamane (Tangerine Dream)

Beyond his solo work, Pan has composed music for short films and documentaries and has released numerous albums under various stage names. One of his projects is the ambient trio Stereo Hypnosis, in which he collaborates with his father, Óskar Thorarensen, and composer/guitarist Þorkell Atlason.

For the past 16 years, Pan has traveled the world exhibiting his art and performing at numerous music festivals. Throughout these journeys, he has formed deep connections with musicians, visual artists, agents, journalists, and event organizers.

A key figure in Iceland's electronic music scene, Pan is widely respected for his artistic contributions. Fifteen years ago, he founded and has since organized Extreme Chill, an annual electronic music festival that attracts both local and international electronic music enthusiasts, drawing them into the ethereal embrace of Iceland's natural beauty.


The album is released by the renowned Polish independent label U Know Me Records, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. After more than 125 releases this is the very first one without Polish artists involved in the recordings. UKM starts a new chapter...

Album was released in three versions: classic with black vinyl, limited edition with solid green vinyl (hand numbered 100 copies) and special Japan edition (with OBI and transparent green vinyl). All versions have 180g vinyl.

Ljóstillífun is the latest album by musician/sound artist Pan Thorarensen. The album is inspired by Iceland's flóra, its plant kingdom, and the country's mysterious natural landscapes. The title, Ljóstillífun, translates to Photosynthesis in English.

Pan extensively incorporated field recordings of nature using specialized microphones during the album's production. He combined these with various handcrafted electronic instruments, synthesizers, and sound design techniques to create a truly unique sonic environment.

"The music will guide the listener into a meditative state, immersing them in Iceland's flóra, stillness, and the breathtaking beauty of its nature."

For this project, Pan collaborated with several esteemed artists, including:
• Italian composer and guitarist Eraldo Bernocchi
• Venetian ambient producer and composer Gigi Masin
• Portland-based sound designer and field recordist Patricia Wolf
• Japanese ambient artist Moshimoss
• Berlin-based Japanese violinist Hoshiko Yamane (Tangerine Dream)

Beyond his solo work, Pan has composed music for short films and documentaries and has released numerous albums under various stage names. One of his projects is the ambient trio Stereo Hypnosis, in which he collaborates with his father, Óskar Thorarensen, and composer/guitarist Þorkell Atlason.

For the past 16 years, Pan has traveled the world exhibiting his art and performing at numerous music festivals. Throughout these journeys, he has formed deep connections with musicians, visual artists, agents, journalists, and event organizers.

A key figure in Iceland's electronic music scene, Pan is widely respected for his artistic contributions. Fifteen years ago, he founded and has since organized Extreme Chill, an annual electronic music festival that attracts both local and international electronic music enthusiasts, drawing them into the ethereal embrace of Iceland's natural beauty.


The album is released by the renowned Polish independent label U Know Me Records, which celebrates its 15th anniversary this year. After more than 125 releases this is the very first one without Polish artists involved in the recordings. UKM starts a new chapter...

Swell from San Francisco was formed in 1989 by David Freel & Sean Kirckpatrick First record in 1990. This a RSD exclusive Coloured LP reissue. First time released in 1997. It was the 4th Album of the Band.

For RSD 2025 the influential band will be releasing a new double LP edition of their Nine Sevens box set of 7" records first released in 2018. Combining the run of early singles with more obscure later period tracks underlines the strength in depth that Wire had. This is pop art as art/pop and an exploration of the blank canvas of pop culture and how far that canvas can be stretched going from three minute constructs to ambient washes. The 7" single was always the ultimate artefact and statement with the A side being the band momentarily paused in time and distilled and freeze-framed into the forever with less than three minutes of electric sound. These "sevens" released from 1977 to the end of that decade, signpost the band's remarkable development from their brilliantly monochromatic early phase to the textured complexity of the almost psychedelic unzipping of their sound and vision. In some ways the compilation of Nine Sevens onto a double album makes for quite a weird documentation of the band in this period. The first disc, to some extent, follows the script of a singles / greatest hits collection but the second one goes wildly off-piste and ends up somewhere quite far from where the collection started. A conventional Greatest Hits collection, besides being conceptually a bit naff would, if strictly based on charting singles, consist of only one song! A Best Of is subjective and somewhat pointless in the age of the Spotify playlist that anyone can make. The only thing really that these tracks have in common (besides being by Wire) is that they were released or destined to be released on 7" by Wire in the period 1977-1980. - Nine Sevens is both title & elevator pitch!' Wire always understood the language of pop and also the artfulness of playing with it, deconstructing it and reassembling it into new and thrilling shapes. Decades later, these adventures into sound are like slices of delicious, perfect pop/noise and hits from a parallel universe. Track list:Side A1 Mannequin 2 Feeling Called Love 3 12XU 4 I Am the Fly5 Ex-Lion Tamer 6 Dot Dash *7 Options R * Side B 8 Outdoor Miner (single version) * 9 Practice Makes Perfect 10 A Question Of Degree * 11 Former Airline *12 Map Ref. 41ºN 93ºW Side C 1 Go Ahead * 2 Our Swimmer * 3 Midnight Bahnhof Café * 4 Second Length (Our Swimmer) **5 Catapult 30 ** Side D (154 EP) 6 Song 1 * 7 Get Down 1 + 2 * 8 Let's Panic Later *9 Small Electric Piece * * previously unreleased on vinyl album ** recorded in 1980 but not released until 2014

"After a first appearance on the "Various 1" EP, Oshana now makes her full release debut on Altered Circuits. The "Origins EP" is, in the artist's words, a collection of old-meets-new four-to-the-floor club flavours. Originating from her live set practice, it's a proper representation of where she's currently at: making a push for the bigger and bolder. Her obvious talent for meticulously stacking textures doesn't stop her from shifting to the stripped-back and straightforward when needed. The constant throughout is a sensibility for the dancefloor, which never lets anything get in the way of groove and rhythm. "Above We Soar" drops right into the action with a menacing bassline and equally gloomy synthesizer layering. The cut's gothic-black palette works a charm merging palpable tension with restraint. It builds for 4 minutes towards a drop - and then a slamming acid line succeeds in cranking the energy even up another notch. "Space And Time Dimensions" is a loopy roller which, by the sound of its reverb levels and ambient noises, might have been recorded at a missile silo. The stretched vocal samples and ever-evolving drums propel it forward in a vintage, Chicago house type way. There's a moment of calm when those briefly fall away; one of its quirky basslines subsequently makes room for a slick little polyrhythm sine, and everything clicks even more. On the other side, "Girls In The Front" doesn't loosen the reins either, as hefty kicks and another sturdy bassline immediately set the tone. The air appears charged with static electricity, and Oshana's way of niftily adding and subtracting seamlessly draws the listener into a groovy trip. 5 minutes fly by, and then the lead still has to emerge. The one that eventually comes in is huge and hypnotic. Topped off with a selection of vocals that burst with impatience, the track hints at the anthemic. Closer "Origins" taps into a more progressive and trance side with its modulated formant bassline, jittery arpeggiator lead and heavily flanged flourishes. A gust of electronic flutes and sleek chords take a turn for the - almost - idyllic. Not for long: not uncharacteristically, it switches back to the main beat and back into more ambiguous yet familiar territory."

One of the world’s best-selling albums, Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms, celebrates its 40th anniversary with a 1LP pressing. Re-issued in this configuration for the first time since 1985, the single-sleeve 1LP mirrors the original pressing where tracks ‘So Far Away’,’Money For Nothing’, ‘Your Latest Trick’ and ‘Why Worry’ were abridged to fit the vinyl format. Brothers In Arms spent 14 non-consecutive weeks at Number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and is the 8th best-selling album in UK chart history.

One of the world’s best-selling albums, Dire Straits’ Brothers In Arms, celebrates its 40th anniversary with a 1LP pressing. Re-issued in this configuration for the first time since 1985, the single-sleeve 1LP mirrors the original pressing where tracks ‘So Far Away’,’Money For Nothing’, ‘Your Latest Trick’ and ‘Why Worry’ were abridged to fit the vinyl format. Brothers In Arms spent 14 non-consecutive weeks at Number 1 in the UK Albums Chart and is the 8th best-selling album in UK chart history.

"Sebastian Mullaert has always favoured the long arc: of tracks, of creative cycles, of artistic trust. His next chapter unfolds in the form of a new vinyl only label, born in close collaboration with Ulf Eriksson - his longtime friend, ally and the steady pulse behind Kontra Musik, a label that's been both home and launchpad for many of Mullaert's most vital releases. K-Files is built on two foundations: singularity and multiplicity. Every release will present a single track refracted through three or four different versions - each one approaching the core idea from a distinct creative angle. These are tools not just for DJs, but for listeners who hear dance music as more than just rhythm - as mood, as exploration, as transformation. The first release, K-FILES 01, sets the tone: deep, dubby, and spacious, it invites patience and immersion. But like all good rituals, the process will shift. Future releases are already poised to explore other territories: sharper energies, stranger grooves, unexpected colours. In a world increasingly defined by instant access and digital saturation, K-Files stands intentionally apart - a slower offering. A return to physicality, to process, to the tactile rituals of listening, selecting, and playing music with care. K-Files is a sublabel for those who play records not just to move bodies, but to open space. A platform for sonic evolution, variation, and perspective. A place where dance music is not pinned down - but opened up. Each record will be released exclusively on vinyl."

"Kindred spirits and loyal soldiers on the frontlines of the dub war Detroit's 2Lanes and Los Angeles' Cromie link up to present to the world, Destiny Cloud. With a project name inspired by a mystical vacant storefront in Cromie's neighborhood of Altadena (still standing after the fires, bless), the guys formed like a storm after being intro'd by a notorious LA promoter and hotboy producer matchmaker. Funnily enough, the first session was foiled by a missing cable, so it wasn't until the sexy summer of 2023 that the cloud seeds that went on to become Sun Phase/Moon Phase were planted. From the jump, their vision was lucid and their objective collective: lock in at the stu(s) to make the most jiggy, psychedelic, tripped out club shit they could muster. Fast forward to today, Destiny Cloud is proud to bring you the latest missive on 2Lanes' Auto Shop imprint.

On the A side, Sun Phase sets it off with searing stabs from the hands of session killer Ji Hoon on a heavenly Jupiter-8 (sorry not sorry, the real thing does sound better) before a bassline straight off the Adriatic's Argonaughty comes in to funk up the flow over a bed swung hi-hats and drum circle conga lines the Wickedest west coast house heads can appreciate (no hippy shit, but we ARE on Hipp-E's dick). A keep-it-simple-stupid *muah' organ line plays nice with a gang of embellishments to take this one through its duration (Joey pressed record and said "ooh-wah" into the vocoder; no lie, I was there). With his Toxic Love remix, NYC upstart DJ John Brooklyn injects the tune with the highest grade octane to up the revs. The aforementioned organ becomes a timeless trance lead, and new pipes are inserted reminding us all that house music is forever.

Day turns to night on the B Side with Moon Phase, where booming kicks let you know off the rip that this is some real deal late night trunk funk. We're talking dualities here y'all; Cromie's deep-as-the-Pacific bassline meets Joey's frozen-lake-cold Detroit stabs as the drums speak in tongues with those on the other side of the slab. Reverb ghosts and rhythmic acid have this one veering more psychedelic without losing the jiggy factor, while diving proggy synths will have the Global Underground saying, "yea this is our shit, for real." With a run time that allows for maximum fun time, the ambient outro gives you a kiss on the forehead to put that ass to sleep. The iconic DJ Miss Parker takes the wheel on the remix, taking this one straight down the Tunnel with new-school/true-school Tenaglia-isms that wouldn't sound out of place in 2000, 2005 or 2025.

Like all the work we do, this one's a team effort. Salar Ansari put's his deft touch on the mixdowns and Jack Anderson blesses the center of both sides of the disc. Out mid-May, just in time for when things start heating up

Die 1997 gegründeten Hard Oi!/Streetpunker Non Servium aus Madrid präsentieren eine komplett remasterte Best-Of in Form der neuen Vinyl-Compilation "Street Songs Since 1997", veröffentlicht auf Loikaemiess Fettfleck Records. Die aktuelle Besetzung der Band besteht aus Sänger Carlos und Gitarrist Snoker plus Ivi Bass, Gordo Gitarre und Niño Drums, wobei Carlos und Snoker während der gesamten Bandkarriere und auf allen Alben die Kernmitglieder waren. Der Sound von Non Servium ist Oi! oder "Brutal Oi!" mit Einflüssen aus Punk, Street Punk und deutlich Hardcore Punk. Ihre schnellen Schlagzeugrhythmen und starken Bass- und Gitarrenlinien sind ein charakteristisches Merkmal. Ihre Texte sind meist politisch verortet, obwohl auch Songs über Punk-, Skinhead- und Hooligan-Kultur dabei sind. Sie sind neben Bands wie Kaos Urbano und Núcleo Terco die größten Spanisch-singenden Vertreter von Oi! mit einem explizit antifaschistischen/antirassischtischen Haltung. Die Band hat bisher sieben richtige Studioalben veröffentlicht, wobei ein leichter Stilunterschied zwischen dem Debütalbum und den nachfolgenden Alben festzustellen ist, die sich durch einen kraftvolleren, dem Hardcore näheren Sound auszeichnen. Vor vier Jahren wurde eine ,Greatest Hits" auf CD veröffentlicht, aber diese neue Zusammenstellung ist nur auf Vinyl erhältlich, hat eine andere Tracklist und alle Titel wurden neu gemastert. LP klassisch schwarz!

This is a four-track sampler taken from parts one and two of the One Hundred and Fifty Steps VEP series which is all about exploring the rise of 150 bpm dubstep, a sound that is characterised by fast basslines, broken rhythms and heavy halftime pulses. From VEP pt. 1, L.A.'s Carre delivers pacey wobblers and then Berlin's Formella debuts with playful breaks and more wobbly bass on 'Dripstep'. VEP pt. 2 features Leipzig's Old Man Crane with their intricate, syncopated style shinning through on 'Grey' and Valencia's Andrae Durden then shows class with a Kryptic Minds-inspired low-end powerhouse.

TELEFAX PRODUCTIONS present a special, four-track wax release of one of 2024’s hottest club cuts - revivalist hip-house jam ‘Break This House Down’. Formed by two vastly experienced producers whose working partnership began way back in the late 1980s, TELEFAX PRODUCTIONS was born to provide a platform for established and unknown artists. One of 2024’s hottest club cuts supported by Honey Dijon, Luke Solomon and London’s Faith crew, ‘Break This House Down’ stars previously unheard mic man DeeVoeNay – a young rapper hailing from Buffalo, NY. Joining the original on this vinyl package is a live version with DeeVoeNay’s band HR Nightmare, alongside a bruk remix from London broken beat torchbearer EVM128, plus TELEFAX PRODUCTIONS’ vinyl-only Acid House Remix. ‘Break This House Down’ spotlights DeeVoeNay’s distinctive flow and party-starting lyrics front and centre, with the well-established, multi-faceted artist Jimmy Cauty responsible for the bold and highly stylised artwork - with Cauty also designing a special physical print included in this unmissable vinyl package.

We all know that great feeling of finding a hidden gem as diggers, but as a label, it’s just the same ! When we came across Urban CC’s music, we just knew we had something special in our hands… We’re happy to welcome the exciting new project formed by techno heavy weight Obscure Shape & classically trained musician Conrad for get-traum’s 15th installment. With the amount of requests label head Traumer had every time he played “Mana”, delivering his own take of this club hit was the only option – we hope you’ll enjoy this incredible pack as much as we did gathering it for you !

Part 2 of our 1980 Taxi showcase, and it's heavier than the first. Here is one of Sly & Robbie's most loved productions, in its initial raw dubplate form. In August 1980, this raw cut of the haunting lovelorn classic first started to make its way out there on dubplate, in this spare, cavernous heavy mix without the synthesizer and syndrum sounds that would eventually adorn the final released mix. As tapes of these type of early mixes made for sound systems more often than not were not saved or archived, we're overjoyed to have located this one and brought it out. Like our previous Viceroys Taxi releases, this is some of the heaviest music of its day, in its pure initial form like you would have heard Shaka or other serious sounds playing thru the end of 1980.

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."

Ezra Feinberg's third album Soft Power sees the composer-guitarist enlist an impressive array of fellow musicians including Mary Lattimore, David Moore (Bing & Ruth), Jefre Cantu-Ledesma, Robbie Lee and share the life affirming lead single 'Future Sand'.

Defined by its abundance of melodies, repeating figures and ecstatic improvisations, Soft Power exudes an enlightened and transformative spirit to empower the listener. Feinberg, a practising psychoanalyst and former founding member of the San Francisco psychedelic collective Citay (Dead Oceans / Important Records) resides in the artistic enclave of upstate New York's Hudson River valley. Initial recordings emerged in the late summer of 2020, before added synthesis with collaborator John Thayer (Arp, Sunwatchers) during early 2021. Soft Power follows previous albums 'Recumbent Speech' (2020) and 'Pentimento and Others' (2018).

Feinberg artfully transcends the listener to an enriched place, his compositions distinguished by the deep humanity that lies at their core, plugging the listener into a state of wide eyed being, open and alive. Soft Power then is Ezra's own mantra but also one of power giving - a colourful catharsis translated into music.

Feinberg's music always speaks to the listener, but Soft Power, in whispering, speaks loudest.

"Much like everyday life, I wanted to convey these very plain, simple, tranquil, nearly quotidian aspects, but each piece contains this arc in which that form expands, is broken out of, so what starts out like a painting of flowers in a seaside motel turns into a riot of color and sound, or you feel slipped into a dream that feels like it could go on forever"

Definitive Recordings Reissues the Classic "Do It" by Las Americas with Remixes by St. David.

Definitive Recordings proudly presents the reissue of "Do It", a timeless house classic by Las Americas, the project of renowned producer David Alvarado. Originally released in 1994, this track returns in remastered form, accompanied by two fresh remixes by Italian house maestro St. David and a remastered version of the Chuck Phulasole remix.

St. David, born Davide Disanto in Bari, Italy in 1991, leads this reissue with his distinctive old-school house style. His influence shines throughout this reissue, showcasing why he is one of the most respected figures in the underground house music scene. With a career rooted in the 90s house aesthetic, he has reached the top of the World Vinyl Charts multiple times, with support from icons like The Martinez Brothers, Jovonn, and Chris Stussy. Drawing inspiration from legendary American house labels such as Strictly Rhythm and Nervous Records, St. David has built a reputation for blending timeless grooves with modern energy.

His "St. David Big Tool Mix" is a playful and catchy reimagining that manipulates the iconic vocal phrase "Do It" with rhythmic sampling, injecting a vibrant groove into the original. The "St. David Drum Tool Dub" takes a funkier, stomping approach, layering the track with sharp, rhythmic guitar licks and adding a fresh twist to the vocal hook.

The remastered original from 1994 remains a testament to David Alvarado's legacy, with its repetitive 90s house structure, featuring classic basslines and funky guitar riffs centered around the unforgettable vocal motif. Rounding out the release is the Chuck Phulasole remix, which leans into a moodier vibe with its focus on keys and a prominent Moog bassline, adding depth and texture to the track.

The "Do It" reissue is a celebration of house music's enduring influence, pairing a remastered classic with fresh interpretations for contemporary dancefloors.

Teal’s debut LP, Original Watercolour, is an album that feels like a canvas come to life. A sonic blend of street-soul, digi-dub, and downtempo. Original Watercolour explores the complexities of love, oneness, and intuition — themes that resonate deeply within the context of the history women have shared with what was once known as the “ladies’ medium.”

The bi-coastal family trio—Ashleigh and Melissa Ball, better known as the Ball Sisters, alongside producer N1_SOUND—bring a fresh, genre-defying sound to the table with their latest 6-track album. Running just under 30 minutes, this immersive collection weaves together skipping beats, addictive bass lines, three-dimensional flute textures & emotional vocal melodies. This musical portrait is as ethereal as it is powerful, inviting the listener to get lost in its depths while celebrating the beauty of self-expression.

The opening track, “Original Watercolour,” takes you on a psychedelic trip-hop journey. From the first reverberous snare hit, you’re whisked away to a sonic wetland — lush and euphoric. The soft yet poignant soundscapes set the tone for the album, inviting us into a world where the boundaries between earth and music, reality and imagination, automatically seem to blur.

“Locked In 2 Love” offers a boogie-fueled bassline that pushes Teal into dance-floor territory with soaring flutes and rhythmic intricacies that make it impossible not to move — it’s a track that exemplifies the magic of Teal’s ability to craft both intimate and expansive musical landscapes. And then, there’s the hypnotic flow of “One In The Same,” where stacked vocal harmonies and mantra-esque lyrics transport you to a place that could easily be mistaken for a lost Soulquarians demo. It’s gentle yet unrelenting in its depth.

The second side of the album opens with “Sleep on It,” a track that immediately grabs attention with its dancehall-driven rhythm. Ashleigh Ball's vocals set the stage for a song that’s both introspective and emotionally charged, yet unmistakably rooted in groove. The phased-out bassline creates an almost hypnotic atmosphere. Pulling the listener into a mood of contemplation—matching the restless, sleepless night that Ball describes. As the song progresses, this groove builds in intensity, culminating in an explosive ending that mirrors the emotional release of a long-held frustration.

Original Watercolour is more than just an album — it’s a meditation on the interconnectedness of life and art. “Frog Kingdom,” the longest and only instrumental track creates a contemplative space that builds upon the themes introduced earlier. It feels like a sequel to their earlier work, Frog Legacy from their debut Bluish Green 2024 12”, expanding on the familiar sound with even more complex layers.

Yet the real emotional power of the record lies in its closing track, “Can’t Shake the Feeling.” Simple in structure but profound in impact, this song captures a deep yearning and understanding — that everything, from the ecosystems we inhabit to the relationships we nurture and the art we create, is fundamentally interconnected. As the track crescendos in a falsetto peak, it becomes clear that the album is a reflection of both the world around us and the personal journey each member of the band has embarked upon to get to this point.

Just as the medium of watercolor has been traditionally linked to women artists, Teal carries this legacy into the modern musical landscape, blending the richness of history with a unique forward-thinking perspective. The album feels like both a celebration of the past and a bold declaration of a path forward — one that welcomes anyone ready to join in and shape the future of the art form.

The beauty of Teal’s work is that it feels familiar, while simultaneously offering something new and refreshing. Original Watercolour doesn’t just push musical boundaries; it redefines them, offering a lush and textured soundtrack for those willing to listen closely.

In a world that often feels over-saturated, Original Watercolour stands as a reminder of the power of simplicity, intuition, and connection. Teal’s debut album invites you to experience something both deeply personal and universally understood. The landscapes they create are vivid, yet soft, grounding yet expansive. With each track, Teal’s music reflects the interconnectedness of all things — a truly unique piece of work in the world of experimental soul and dub adjacent electronic music.

Rising and falling. We all live in the same pond. Peace to all.

Like their previous output, the album features the duo’s unique mosaic of clicks n’ cuts style beat work, murky dubwise melodicism, and chilling otherworldly textures. However, there is a refinement on display on Battens.
Clay and Ian have accentuated their trademark elements to maximal effect. The beats seem to have a more brandish, near swagger that was only fleetingly referenced in some of their previous works. The melodies, which formerly have felt primarily of alien origin, almost feel a glint of humanity. Having such a unique ideology for nearly 25 years has allowed Loess to work at a pace and level of refinement evident on Battens.
Loess is a challenging project to describe, yet their ruminative style of experimental electronica sets them apart from their contemporaries and still sounds fresh today.

Brand new Manchester imprint, 160 Street Recordings is excited to announce its first vinyl release, Evolutions EP, by the dynamic production duo of Response and Buda. With a reputation for carving out a distinctive uncompromising sound, the pair return with a gritty, dark collection of tracks that channel the deep, raw energy of early 90s Jungle and Jungle Techno.
Drawing influences from the breakbeat-driven sub-bass and atmospheric elements of that era, the Evolutions EP fuses heavy basslines, classic breaks, and dark, rave-inspired energy.
A1. Evolutions
The EP opens with the title track, ‘Evolutions’—a driving, atmospheric tune full of breakbeat intensity and underpinned by weighty sub bass. Kicking off with a memorable rave stab melody, the track builds with powerful percussion and a haunting, evolving soundscape that moves between light and dark.
A2. Fintons Dub
“Break, show ‘em something, but not too much….” ‘Fintons Dub’ brings a laid-back dubbed out groove, with a selection of classic breaks and a deep sub-bass foundation. An atmospheric pad and cinematic Kung Fu movie sample add depth to this cut, the breaks building gradually with delays as the track rolls out..
B1. Fintons Dub (Double 0 Remix)
No introduction is needed for Double 0, co-founder of legendary London club night Rupture and one of the pioneering figures of the original Hardcore Jungle Techno sound. His remix of ‘Fintons Dub’ takes the track back to his Doncaster warehouse roots, unleashing thunderous bass and breakbeat energy, a twisted mentasm and techno infused stabs. A true dancefloor weapon that embodies the true spirit of Jungle Techno.
B2. Acid Vein
Rounding off the e.p. is ‘Acid Vein’ a 303 led breakbeat bomb that infuses rolling breaks with a pounding sub bass and haunting jazz samples. Slower in tempo than the previous tracks and more reminiscent of the more formative years of rave, Acid Vein will also appeal to the wider breakbeat community.

Thumbprint records is a brand new label out of Bristol. It is ran by the artist who goes under the name LMB and is a well overdue personal project.

For the first installment Thumbprint Records bring you an all round excellent EP by Morphology who have been releasing music for the past 15 years on such lables as Abstract Forms, Cultivated Electronics and De:tuned.

This is Morphology's first release of 2025 and we are proud to make it our first release. Each 4 tracks are classic Morphology, moody,solid and definitely dance floor material. We hope you enjoy!

Supported by the likes of Craig Richards, Bobby, Lukas Wigflex, Ralf Lawson, Radioactive Man and Dave Harvey.

For us, this is a top five all time tune in the soul reggae canon and maybe Leroy Smart's best ever. An early one for Mr. Smart, this is the first cut of one of his most classic tunes, recorded in 1972 for producer Gussie Clarke and originally released on the early Tuff Gong label via Wailers' associate Alan 'Skill' Cole. If you're like me and you've listened to the original Tuff Gong 45 a million times, you may have noticed that the dub version was mixed from a different vocal take, with some lyrics not on the A side coming in to the dub mix. This alternate vocal take is also the one partially used for the 1979 remix cut on a heavily overdubbed rhythm. We had always desired to hear this other take in its original form, so naturally then we had to get the great Mr. Clarke to dig this one out of his archives to hear it as it should be. In comparison to the original released cut, it's a more spare take sans the opening harmonizing, and the lyrical changes give the tune a more pleading and less stubbornly declarative mood. For the B-side version we have an alternate mix again, which is actually the one Big Youth deejays over for his tune "Pride & Joy Rock." Consider this release a prime example of DKR's "never too much of a great thing" philosophy.

Originally released on Ben Chasny's own Pavilion imprint in 2011.

"I was invited by the Incubate Festival and the city of Tilburg to participate in an artist residency where I would explore the region’s unique chapels built for the Virgin Mary. After writing the music for about six months by drawing on memories of the encounters with the chapels and using techniques inspired by Gaston Bachelard’s Poetics Of Reverie, I flew back to Tilburg to perform the music at the Incubate Festival. We recorded the evening and I released the result on my Pavilion label. Each cover was hand painted white on white in the old Pavilion style. I created a stencil and used graphite powder to make the design that is inspired by the sun imagery in Athanasius Kircher diagrams."

Roadside chapels express the identity of the inhabitants of North Brabant, a Dutch province, bordering on Belgium. Roman Catholicism has been the dominant religion in this southern part of the Netherlands since the eighth century. For about a century and a half this religion was strongly suppressed. Only when the French revolutionaries preached freedom of belief around 1800 could the people of North Brabant exercise their faith again. This was the start of a very strong emancipatory development from which a special form of the Roman Catholic faith arose that fully determined everyday life of the people here. This faith was the determining factor in life and the measure of all things. After the second Vatican Council (1962-1965) the reins of the catholic faith in Brabant were loosened as well. This was the start of a revolutionary process of secularisation. Within a decade hardly anything was left of the almighty influence of the Roman Catholic Church and this situation has lasted up to the present day.

In spite of the almightiness of the official, Vatican ruled, Roman Catholic faith, North Brabant has always and perhaps notoriously fostered an undercurrent of popular belief as well. This is a kind of belief in which elements of the official faith and age-old pre-Christian traditions are combined. Worshipping relics, holding pilgrimages and processions, the use of water from holy wells, popular art, recitations and songs, festivals, rituals, folk traditions, superstition and the like are all examples of popular devotion. These matters have strongly influenced and formed the identity of the present-day population of North Brabant. It is part of their immaterial heritage.

An obvious and still very much visible form of popular devotion are the roadside chapels. In Brabant some 400 can be found, most of which have been devoted to Mary. Chapels are small buildings in which Mary or other saints are worshipped. They can be found within villages or towns or in natural surroundings. Always at the finest spots! The beauty of the environment adds a primary religious or mystical feeling to the visitor. Local people attach great value to their chapels. In spite of the overall secularisation in society they are still at the centre of cultural and social life. Where people in North Brabant can hardly be found in the churches nowadays, this doesn’t mean at all they are no longer religious. On the contrary, religious feelings are perhaps stronger than ever, but now people have to find their own expression of them. That’s why they fall back on the age-old popular belief in which chapels play an important role. We can even witness new forms of popular belief with chapels as their focal point. An example of this is the scattering of ashes of people who have been cremated. Chapels clearly also play a role in the lives of young people. On an average five new chapels are added every year.

I have studied the popular culture and belief and the identity of the inhabitants of North Brabant for over thirty years. I have published over forty books on these subjects. In 2010 I was approached by the organisation of the Incubate Festival in the North Brabant town of Tilburg. Their request was for me to lead the American composer and guitarist Ben Chasny around a number of chapels in the province devoted to Mary. He had been invited to North Brabant to write some new compositions. Ben Chasny then chose to be inspired by these chapels and that’s how we met. I was especially curious how an American would react to something as specific and small as a roadside chapel in North Brabant, since we tend to think here of (people in) America in terms of ‘big-bigger-biggest’. Would an inhabitant of this enormous country with this prevailing culture be able to grasp and respect the identity of some 2.5 million people in North Brabant with their chapels? The answer to this question lies hidden in the compositions he made and that can be listened to on this album. Yes, Ben Chasny has been able to convert the phenomenon of a simple chapel devoted to Mary into music. The physical and the spiritual have found each other. What a beautiful world…just listen! - Paul Spapens

Spanish Electronica, IDM, Electro all-rounder Annie Hall presents her first full EP for Delsin Records. After a sneaky under the radar contribution to an untitled white label series earlier, she hereby delivers four magnificent cuts of machine heavy electro melancholia to form her Practical Optimism EP. Broken beats with Detroit atmospheres strengthened by knife sharp lazer beams, bumpy drum programming and mesmerizing vocal use form the core of an excellent piece of work that represents both Hall and Delsin in optima forma.

The Oh Sees wasted no time in racing headlong into nightmarish battle with the mighty Orc, clawing even farther up the ghastly peak stormed so satisfyingly by their previous A Weird Exits. The band is in tour-greased, anvil-on-a-balance beam, gut-pleasingly heavy form, nimbly braining—with equal dashes of abandon and menace—on this fresh batch of bruisers and brooders, hypnotically stirred into to the cauldron of chaos you’ve come to expect. On Orc, fresh blood Paul Quattrone joins Dan Rincon to form a phalanx of interlocking double drums, alternately propelling and fleet-footing shifting ground to pinion John Dwyer’s cliff-face guitars to the boogie. Tim Hellman keeps it swinging like a battle-axe to the eyebrows. The tunes veer toward the violence of their live shows, with a few tasty swerves into other lanes: heavy to lush, groovy to stately. Throughout, it remains sinister in its swaggering skulk, manic in its fuzz-fried fugues. They hit all the sweet spots the heads foggily remember, and there’s plenty to sweat over if you just hopped into the sauna. More evil…more complex…more narcotic…more screech… more blare…more whisper…there’s even more Brigid. Less “Thee,” but more of everything else.

2025 REPRESS!

* The debut album, 17 from the late musician, XXXTENTACION will be available for the first time ever on CD and LP formats.

* The album was a departure from the single that gained him noteriety, Look At Me!, and foreshadowing of what was to come. With a talent ahead of his time, and a life cut too short, XXXTENTACION's legacy will forever live on in physical form via these releases.

* The album, which is certified GOLD also features the 2x PLATINUM songs, Jocelyn Flores & Fuck Love, and also features deluxe packaging.

* Album features Trippie Redd

2025 Repress

Re-issue on Dr Motte's Spade Teddy by Jonzon, one of the great DJ producers during the formative years of Berlin techno. Testosterone EP from 1996 - essential!

Ground-breaking afro-rock and jazz with Memphis soul roots on this lost 1972 gem. Lovingly restored and reissued by Matsuli Music


'Black Soul' from 1972 is the third and last known album by The Anchors, a soul group originally formed in Johannesburg's Alexandra township in 1968. Their first two albums, 'Soul Upstairs' from 1969 and 'Everything' from 1971, were issued on Teal's City Special label alongside other prominent South African soul groups of the era like The Beaters, The Movers and The Flaming Souls.

On 'Black Soul', The Anchors undergo a notable shift, moving away from their early Memphis soul influences towards a pioneering African-driven sound. These changes laid the foundations for an emerging afro-fusion scene in the years to come from groups like Batsumi, The Drive and Harari.

'Black Soul' features a who's who of intergenerational musicians from great South African bands over the decades. In addition to Zacks Nkosi, the renowned bandleader of the Jazz Maniacs and long-time member of the African Swingsters in the 1940s and 50s, this album includes kwela star Little Kid Lex Hendricks, known for his Columbia recordings of the late 1950s; as well as Zack's son Jabu Nkosi who would go on to play with The Drive, Roots and Sakhile; and Banza Kgasoane later a member of The Beaters, Harari and then Mango Groove.

Now remastered for its first release since the original 1972 pressing, this lost gem offers a revealing glimpse into the evolution of South African music during a transformative era.

Zacks Nkosi (Sax), Patrick Jabu Nkosi (Organ and Flute), Anderson Nkosi (Lead Guitar), Given Sabela (Bass Guitar), Kid Lex Hendrix (Sax), Banza Kgasoane (Trumpet), Peter Morake (Drums), Hamilton Nzimande (Musical Director).
Original LP issued in South Africa on GRC’s CBS label (LAB 4037) in 1972.
Produced for reissue by Chris Albertyn and Matt Temple at Matsuli Music, and Siemon Allen at Flatinternational.
Original vinyl sourced from the Flatinternational Archive.
Artwork restoration and design by Siemon Allen.
Audio restoration, mastering and lacquers by Frank Merritt at The Carvery.
Manufactured at Pallas, Germany.

Emerging from the Minneapolis underground and heading straight towards the sky, IE arrive on Quindi with a full-length album of sparkling, sophisticated wonder. Touching on kosmische grandeur, Riley-esque cyclical patterns, lounge pop and dubbed out psychedelia, the five-piece allow their songs to unfurl with a natural, hypnotic elegance which can take many different forms.
There's a loose, live quality to the recordings IE's members commit to record, which reflects their steady presence gigging in Minneapolis and the surrounding area. Since putting out their first release in 2016, they've glided from drone and synth-led jam band ambience (2018's Pome) to strung out, stoner-tinted slowcore (on 2023's outstanding Junk Body). For Reverse Earth they strike a smoky note that wraps itself around your skull across extended run times that evolve with a meditative poise.
From the deceptively driving 4/4 thrum of the opening title track through 'Divination Bag's snaking tryptamine mantras on to 'Simplify's slow and smouldering indie-soul, IE's sound is bathed in a sumptuous warm glow that rounds out the lows and the mids, creating a nocturnal shroud in which their nebulous song structures can feel deliciously endless.
Meredith Gill's drums provide rolling and tumbling undercurrents for the slowly shifting phases of the instrumental players, as Michael Gallope and Travis Workman trade keyboard parts and Workman and Sam Molstad chop and pick at their six-strings. Atop the thrum of her bass, Mariel Oliviera's vocal adapts to the scenery, from a distant, dreamlike siren song on 'Reverse Earth' to a spoken word meditation on 'Babel'.
There's space in each track for every instrument to cut through and have its moment, from a spiralling key vamp to a chicken-scratch guitar flex. The gently twisting, head-feeding groove exercises of the first four tracks give way to a slow and powerful march on 'Dark Rome', closing the record on a noirish anti-ballad fit to peal out in the closing slot at Twin Peaks' Roadhouse (circa season three).
As much as the tracks teem with composition, musicianship, and production to savor, a sound like IE's has a soporific quality that soaks in unconsciously. It's an evocative portal where the band feel as if they could just play on each piece ad infinitum - where the time itself seems to dislodge from its moorings.